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London, England, 1805-06-28 00:00:00

or the privileges of the other Home of Parliament ;
In rides, it was well known, such a Rill ,coald not
pass iota a law, without the concurrence of the
other House, and the sanetion Of ttia Sovereign.
After a few additional remarks,-the Noble Secre-
tary moved their Lordships to give a second reading
to the Bill " For continuing the proceedings of the
House of Lords in the case of Luke Fos, Esq• one -
of I lis Majesty's ludges in Ireland, notwithstanding
any prorogation or dissolution of Parliament."

GARUNF.R's DIVORCE 4'itii.
On the question for the third reading of this Bill ;
The LORD CHANCELLOR quitted the Wool-
sack, and called their Lot dships sirions attention to
the standing clause which the Bill contained, and to
the principle upon which provisions of the kind pro-
ceeded. What they were called upon to do in such
cases, was ro alter the legal qualities of one whose
case was brought under the consideration of the le-
gislature, not fur its own demerit% but on accovot
of the delinquency of :he parent. Clauses cad the
kind should be spat: jiggly averted. There were in-
stances, he admitted, in which the Legislature could
have no hesitation : such as where the hesband was
out of the country, or where a physical impossibilityi
of any nature interfered. Besides the strong objece ,
tions in point of legal principle, a provision of the
kind was, in ninety-nine cases out of one hundred; ,
unnecessary ; as the persons interested had legal
means in their power of perpetuating the testimony.
whose evidence they thought wovld establish the''
point in view. His Lordship then referred to
some of the relevant circumstances of the pre-
sent case, as they had appeared in evidence,
though a pan of the testimony to which he
referred was of that kind that should be look-
ed at with caution and jealousy ; yet he had little
doubt as the nesult of that evidence. But
then there was at least a possibility of the circum-
stance having beets otherwise; and the present was
that particular case upon which the Legislature
should never proceed but upon the clearest possible
evidence ; and, therefore, with reference to the
principle he had :aid down, and to the moral rights
of legislation, he would gropose that the clause to
Which he had adverted suould be expunged.
The Earl of RADNOR spoke shortly in tarmac,
as we could colt& of the Clause.
The Bishop of ST. ASAPH supported the lead-
ing observations of the Noble Lord on the Wool.
sack.

The Clause, on the question being put, was or-
dered to he expunged, and the 841 was then read a
third time and passed.
Mr. ALsxaNaea brought up from the Com-
mons, the Irish Loyalists Commission Bill, and the
Newfoundland Trade Bill.

A Private Bill was presented Isy Mr. Lttrzstaa.
A short conversation took place between the
Loan CDATICL4.I.O2, the Earls of SUFFOLK and Li-
'mica, and the Bishop of Sr.-- S A SAPH, Teipatillg
the point which the Sr. Pancras Poor Bill, or the
Felons' Escape Bill had the priority among the Or-
ders of the Day. it was determined in favour of
the former ; and it being represented by the Rev.
Prelate, and the Loan CUR IRCZLLOR, that die evi-
dence being recently laid upon the Table, their
Lordships had not time to peruse, still less to con-
sider it ; the farther cor-sideration of the St. Pan-
cras Bill was adjourned till Tuesday nest.

MR. JUSTICE J'JHNSOII.
Their Lordships then resolved into a Committee.
and Lord WALSINCHAM having taken the Chair;
The Petitionof Mr. Justice Johnson. presented
and read last night, against cer-ain clauses of the
Bill, which went as stated to aired his case in the
nature of an exproyado law, and praying, as in the
concluding terms of the Petition. " 'that his case
may not be affeded by a law which was not in ex-
istence at the time of the alleged offence."
Mr. AD •SI and Mr. PA 'Mc were then heard, the
former at considerable length. in support of Mr.
Justice Johnson's petition. Mr. Adana went into a
history of the former A&, to amend which the Bift
before the Committee was intended; also the case
of his Learned Client, from the time of its Pint be-
ing brought under the consideration of tke Irish
Courts of Law. to the present moment, of its pend-
ing in the Court of King's Bench in kaigland. Ile
dwelt upon the consideration of the BM in its pre-
sent shape. going to affes the Learned Judge's case
in the form of an cr t.nt folio law ; adverted to the
point, that the A& under which he was to be tried,
afforded no power of compelling the attendance of
witnesses from Ireland, and argued for the pro-
priety of trying the Learned Judge before an Irish
Court of Law, in a country where his person, cha-
rafter, and condud. were better known, than they
could possibly be in this. Tie Learned Counsel
enforced principally these leading considerations,
with his usual talents and scientific knowledge.
Mr. PARR ably supported The arguments of
his Learned Brother—(our restrided limits pre-
dude us from a detailed statement of the observa-
tions of either of the Learned Counsel, or what fell
from a Noble and Learned Lord afterwards in the
Committee).—Mr. P. dwelt forcibly on the objec-
tionable considerations of an ex post
.faßo law; and

adverted to the circumstance of there being no A 4
before the 44th of the King, by which the Learned
Judge could be tried in an English Court ofJus-
tice ; and stated, that the Learned Judge had se
opportunity of being heard before the other House
of Parliament, because the anises he principally
°Netted to were not introduced till the third rea‘
ing of the Bill. when they were added by way of
rijers.
Mr. ADAM, in the course of his address, referred
to some clauses, the intr,oduaion of which, he
humbly submitted, would, on the others being ex-
punged, render the Bill ul.objeaionable in the way
complained of by the Learned Petitioner.
Their Lordships then proceeded to the discussion
of the provisions ; and several amendasests, chiefly
verbal, were made. ou the suggestion of the Loan
CmAticetrok.

Tne Earl of IVESTNIEATI-I, confessing himself
not adequate to the task, would not trouble the
Committee with any law observations upon the sub-
jet, but begged leave to move.the Satroduliion of
une or twu-clattses, which, ire belies', were similar
to those adverted to by the Learned Counsel.

The LORI) CI-LNCELLOH. observed, that
what wil4 now proposed, br,.ught or, the question
of the desired Amendments, And the proposed
clauses. Adoption ot t,itsc as proposed, he felt
it his duty to resist. as nothinft could he more true,
or clearer in law, than that 1,b.1 published us