Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-11 00:00:00

THE DAY'S NEWS

Mr. Hardy's Beer Bill was defeated last night
in the House of Commons. On the motion for its
second reading, Mr Ker Seymour moved, as an
amendment, that it be read a second time that day
six months. He condemned the principles of the
bill, and hinted his decided opposition to any
scheme granting more power to magistrates. He
said that the power which they already possessed,
respecting licenses of public-houses, was not
sufficiently exercised by the magistracy, and the
same turpitude would be shown by them towards
beer-houses. He did not, however, maintain that
beer-houses were what they ought to be. On the
contrary, he implored the government to take the
matter into their own hands, and introduce a
measure next session. Mr. William Brown followed
on the same side. His name was originally placed
on the back of the bill, as one of its promoters,
but when he hat had time to examine the bill, he
found the principles there enunciated diametrically
opposed to those entertained by himself. He,
therefore, seconded the amendment of Mr. Ker
Seymour. Sir George Grey opposed the bill. He
concurred in the opinion that the licensing system
had not been successful ; that beer-houses were
worse managed than public-houses ; and that the
former were decidedly nurseries of crime—yet Mr.
Hardy's bill was a retrograde movement. He
would. during the recess, give his mind and
attention to the subject. He thought that any
measure on the subject should have for its object
to make it the interest of houses to be well-
regulated, and to increase the power of the
magistrates to suspend licenses, not only from
the person but from the property. Mr. Hardy
defended the measure The house afterwards
divi led, when there appeared 180 for the
second reading, and 213 against—a majority of 33
against the bill, which was accordingly thrown out.
Mr. Locke King's Property Qualification Bill was
likewise defeated by a majority of 59—the num-
bers being for the second reading 145—against
it 204.

The London newspapers are ' down
upon" Lord Palmerston. On Tuesday after-
noon, a number of gentlemen connected with
various medical corporations of the United King-
dom, waited upon the Premier, at his lordship's
private residence, for the purpose of havin g as
"official chat" upon the much vexed question of
Medical Reform. The deputation gained sdrnis-
to his lordship's dining-room at two o'clock. As
soon as the members of the deputation had com-
fortably anchored themselves upon well-cushioned
chairs, the representatives of the daily papers
made application for similar quarters, and in the
ordinary formal way. O. rt other occasions the Press
has always been admitted, as a matter of course,
but on this occasion they were doomed to despair
and disappointment. Red, dark, and orn
inous gleamed the countenance of "
John Thomas Plush," as he delivered " My
Lord's" order that no reporters were to b3allowed to go into the room Wishing to be
positive upon the refusal, the representative of
the Times asked Dr. Burrows, of the College of
Physicians, " if Lord Palmerston had given in-
structions for the exclusion of the Press.', The
doctor made answer that his lordship had dis-
tinctly said that reporters could not be admitted,
and turning round to the man of calves and buttons.
he asked if that was not his lordship's "order."
And after a thundering cotempotary had been

thus so unceremoniously snubbed in the presence
of his fashionable and unfashionable brethren,
nothing remained bnt for the whole line of the
Fourth Estate to retreat from the dining-room of
his lordship's mansion to the flnnkey-hall of
the same, and meekly and quietly to retire
from Cambridge-house altogether. A London
morning cotemporary makes the following remark
upon this rather questionable piece of Ministerial
humbug :—" It is the way of Lord Palmerston, and
no doubt it will be somewhat surprising to those
who are not up in his lordship's history. The
plain meaning of the thing we take to be, that as
long as the present Cabinet remains in office, de-
putations to those high in authority must be
managed in secresy, and free from the oversight,
the counsel, and the flying pens of the Press. No
doubt it would be a great mercy to Ministers if
there was no Press, for it does bother them some-
times, and keeps its ears far too open, and its eyes
far too uplifted. At all events, our brave and gal-
lant First Minister won't stand any nonsense,
either from Yeh, Constantine, or the newspapers.
With the Commons within his power, and the
country at his disposal, why should he not send
the reporters about their business?"
A very destructive fire occurred in London on
Tuesday night, in Pickfords, (the great carriers)
office. The conflagration was as rapid as destruc-
tive, and the loss is estimated at £30,000 ; but
happily it is confined to property, no person having
perished.
id- The Civil Service Estimates for Education at
home, and consular and colonial services abroad,
issued yesterday, show, as usual, a very large in-
crease. Upwards of a million sterling is demanded
for the former, and very nearly £400,000 for the
latter. We may mention that in Labuan, which in
1856-7 cost nothing, this year claims £5,700, and
that Hong Kong puts in a new demand for £lO,OOO.
Our consuls and foreign ministers have in a single
year become more expensive by £30,000. The grant
for public education in England is £lOO,OOO more
than last year, and the cost of the British Museum
is frightfully on the increase.
A number of Roman Catholic gentlemen,
headed by the Duke of Norfolk, have had an in.
terview with Lord Palmerston, respecting the
Oaths Bill recently introduced into parliament.
These gentlemen complain that the Roman Ca-
tholic oath is still to be retained, and they seek to
have that "insulting distinction" abolished, and
that they should take the oath now proposed by
this bill for all other members. Lord Palmerston
seems to agree with them, but won't promise to
take any course not agreeable to his majority. The
Catholic party, as we gather, have determined to
oppose the bill—which would be opposing the
admission of the Jews—unless Lord Palmerston
acts towards them in a bona fide spirit of fair
play. If he does, even should the amendment
they intend to propose be lost, they will support
the bill.

The usual weekly meeting of the West Derby
Guardians was held yesterday ; the proceedings
were of rather an important character. It appears
that in the pending libel case, alluded to in our
paper of Monday, the board of guardians are not
liable for one farthing of the expense incurred
in the case. How is this ? The case of
Dr. Nevins was again under discussion. In
a letter to the Board, this gentlemen says—
" Apologise further I shall not—resign I will not."
As we shall have more to say on this subject
to-morrow, we need not now go any further into it.
We may merely add that the discussion ended in
nothing
The news from abroad this morning does not
possess much importance; that of most interest
concerns the Danubian Principalities. At the
diplomatic conference at Constantinople, a resolu-
tion has been adopted, the result of which will be
to leave to the Roumans full liberty of election.
On this occasion Austria stood alone in opposition
+n tJae course determined upon.
Wan to the French elections, a step of
some consequence nab L. on taken by the Opposi-
tion. The Red and White Repubuoang having
found it impossible to coalesce, the Whites have
united with the remnants of the old Constitutional
parties, and a common list of candidates, headed
by the name of Cavaignac, has been drawn up.
It is thought that the Government may be defeated
44.4 err-biliy'-6 et a t /AA awe; " f —Qua
Germiny is actually appointed Governor of the
Bank of France, in the place of Count d'Argout
A Concordat between Naples and the Pope,
restoring to the Neapolitan clergy ancient privi-
liges and exclusive powers in educational affairs, is
on the eve of being concluded.
The steamer " Star of the South" arrived at
Southampton yesterday with New York advices of
the 27th ult. The news is, however, anticipated.
The City of Manchester, screw steamer, was off
Queenstown yesterday. She will in all likelihood
arrive here about noon to-day. She will bring one
day's later news.
The Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire
Junction Railway Bill was again befcre the Com-
mittee of the House of Commons yesterday. The
Chairman ultimately stated that the Committee
were of opinion that the preamble of the bill was
provad.

NEVER was the accuracy and force of the
remark, that " Truth is stranger than fiction "
better verified than on Monday night,when Earl
GREY presented a petition from a Mr. SHEDDON,
complaining that our courts of law had deprived
him of his status as a natural born subject of the
realm, and of the property to which he was
entitled as the legitimate child of his parents.
We agree with the LORD CHANCELLOR that cases
of individual hardship, which have been investi-
gated by the highest tribunals, should not be
re-opened, as it would shake public confidence
in the administration of justice, and ultimately
unsettle and disarrange all legal decisions by
our courts of law, and last resort, an appeal to
the House of Lords. Nevertheless, there are
always exceptions to a general rule; and, if it
can be shown that a British subject has been
unjustly wronged, that legal chicanery and a
suppression of facts has been employed to effect
that wrong, and ensure its perpetuity, no argu-
ments, however cogent, can vindicate its justice,
much less continuance.

The facts of the case are so singular, and the
entire history so full of romance, that we shall
epitomise them, as given in the speech of Earl
GREY, when presenting Mr. SHEDDON's petition,
feeling, as we do, that it is quite possible that
many of our fellow-subjects could complain of
treatment of the same character. Mr. W. SHED-
DON, father to the petitioner, a Scotchman, left
his native country, and went to follow mercantile
pursuits in Virginia, United States, in the year
1764. He returned on a visit to his native
country in 1770, and afterwards returned to
America, where he resided as a merchant during
the remainder of his life. Mr. SHEDDON was
twice married. By the first he had female issue
only. The result of the second was the birth of
a son, —the petitioner. Marriage contracts,
although so much coveted by the world at large,
are the foundation of an immense amount of
family disputes, the origin of social frauds, and
the supporter of procrastinated legislation. The
second marriage of Mr. SHEDDON, which took