The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-05-19 00:00:00

ration was nave *pin them. lie disapptoted in
particular of the proposal for making compensa-
tion to persons who had been tried cud acquitted:
Hu suipeeted that, iu Ireland, many Mit/Mein per-
sons would reckon it o 6 hardship to be uoutined in
a comfortable
Mr. WitszllWOßt E expressed his great satisfac-
tion at hearing what hail been proposed by the
Right lion. aria teamed Gentleman, and paid
many complinwilts to him for the trouli• he had
taken. He trusted that Learned Gentleman would
persevere nt the pursuit of his /object, so as to
ameliorate the laws 111 regard to intlictilig capital
ptinishinents.
Sir Joni twPoRT said, he could not help ex-
pressim: surprise at a hat an Honourable Gentle-
man near him (Mr. I lerbert) hurl stated as to Ire-
land. lie oar. at a loss to know in allot part of
Irelaril the prisons were so coinfortalle, as to prove
not inducement to indolent persons wish:lig a eon-
tinemtlat. ile lielieved the gaols were so for from
being commodious, that they rather rAcitril horror
and rlctesti&on, and moo). instances ha I occurred
vi here nicii's taes a ere c.Atenby rats ; was this the ac-
e tttttt nodation the lioimurable Gentleman thought
so aereeable as to he prized by the Irish people
Mr. lIERBEtr, in explanation, said, he still
beliered there were many persons who led a life of
idleness, who would think themselves well accom-
modated in the gaols of Ireland.
The SOLICITOR.GINERIL said, he did not mean
to object to what had been proposed by the 'unbolt
now befoue the I louse ; but mato the latterpart of the
lion. Gentleman's propositioa. respecting compen-
sation to acquitted persons, he thought that tile
evil would preponderate the good likely to arise
from it. Ile should, how.wer, reserve his senti-
ments upon that subject, ti ;I such time as the mat-
ter was. brought before the House.
Sir Fa wets lluanerr assn expressed his appre-
hensions of evil consequcins-s arising. frsin granting
such romprimition. Ile must consider it as a
grievous iremustance indeed. that the verdict of
a Jars should not be a clear acquittal of all indi-
vidual, a hen they deemed him innocent of the of-
fence charged against him. By granting compen-
sation to some, and not to others, Viere would na-
turallf cre:ited in the • Is or the public, a
kind of amlq4iiity upon the subject of some per-
sons' innoreace. Besides, this was 1111130810 g a
dangeroas responsibility upon &Judge.
The motion eat !lien agreed to.
Sir SAMI:tt. ha':ILLY eien entered into a fur-
ther exploitation of Lis proposition, relative to the
granting of compensation to persons acquitted, and
endeavoured to do away the doubts that existed in
the minds of some Hon. Members. He concluded.
with movin; for leave to bring in a Bill, to provide,
iu certain cases, compensatioo• to prmons lacquit-
tell of felonies, for damages sustained by them. in
consequence of their haviug been detained is
custody.

The Soxicrron-GEutaai, entered at censidera-
ble length into the subject, and endeavoured to
*hew that the evils would counterbalance the good
to be derived from the rotasure. lle concluded
with stating, that he would oppose the motion.
SirSAUVF.L ROVIILLT again answered the at-
"'anent, that had been used against the motion,
and expressed his surprise at hearing such opposi-
tion at this earl• stage of hit proposed plan, and
before Gentlemen could risibly know what were
to be the particular provisions of the Hill bet should
introduce.

A conversation of considerable length then took
place, in which Mr. LLYCLIITSII, the CMAXCELLO•
or the Eccuretma, Mr. FULLER, Mr. SiLsw Ls-
FEVRE, and Mr. WILLIAM SMITH, severally took •
part, and the result of which was, that the So-
Ltorroa-Gus v R•I. consented to withdraw his op-
poiction for the present.
Leave was accordingly given to bring in the
Bill.

Mr. lAtrrtvrott gave notice. that on Friday
next he wool.' more for leave to bring in a Lill to
asiimilatr, in certain cum, Military to Naval
Coons Martial. maxi to make their Sentences basal,
hi the first anstalice, without aria appeal.