The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-03-08 00:00:00

SPRING GUNS BILL.

Lord SUFFIELD moved that the House resolve itself into a
Committee on the Spring Guns Bill.
The Duke of WELLINGTON wished that, before the Bill
went before a Committe, a clause should be added to it, to prohibit
the use of spring gur.s for the protection of gardens, as well as for
the protection of game. He thought the Noble Lord (Suffield)
had made out g very strong case, but he (Lord W.) would object
to the principle of the Bill if it extended to the preservation of
genie only. He contended, however, that in preventing poaching,
the system had not been so destructive of life as the Nuble Lord
(Suffield) appeared to conceive.
Lord SUFFIELD wished the exception to the Act to be ex.
tended to all property which it was felony to invade, and would
subject the offender to capital punishment. la reply to an obser-
vation of the Noble Duke ( Wellington) he felt it necessary to oh.
servo that be had only alluded to two cases in which the horrid
effect of those instruments was shown. He would have mentioned
them, if circumstances had not prevented him, and he knew
they alone would be sufficient to make a lasting impression on
their Lordships' mind. But were those two the only ones with
which he had supplied himself? No • he would pledge himself to
produce fifty, to produce a hundred, to produce a far greater
number. Ile would only refer to the accounts contained in the
newspapers of the last ten years, to thew to what a frighful ex-
tent the mischief had proceeded. One of the cases he had al-
luded to had occasioned death . • lie should be sorry to detail this
ease, but if called upon by the House to do so, he would certainly
detail it. This, however, was only one of the horrors that attended
the use of spring guns. As to gardens, he thought with the
Noble Duke, that there was no more reason for protecting cab-
bages than for protecting game ; he had a high respect for cab-
bages, and he had a high respect for game ; but be did not think
that either ought to be preserved at the oast of human life. He
did not, in short, think, that the use of spring guns ought to be
permitted when the law would visit an offender with lighter pit-
niiihment. . .

-..—
The Earl of LIVERPOOL was desirous to say a few words re-
lative to the subject now before the Hotta.. Ile agreed in opinion
with the Noble Duke (Wellington), that spring guns, however
used, and wherever placed, were most improper weapons. It was
unnatural to conceive, that when we had no right to shoot, we
had the right to place spring guns. Their Lordships were not per-
haps aware of the preposterous state of the laws on this subject. If
a person entered a garden, aid picked hint, and put it into a
basket, then he was guilty of robbery' but it he entered the garden,
and destroyed all the fruit contained in it, then he was only guilty of
trespass. In his (Lord Liverpool's) opinion, the laws on this point
ought to be corrected, and that in taking away the use claming
guns, the Noble Lord would make the law a general one againat
all spring guns and spring traps, under all circumstances anti in
every situation ; and that he would then bring in a Bill to make the
set of taking fruit off a use the same as taking away fruit from a
garden.
The Earl of W F.STMOHLA ND agreed in opinion with those
Noble Lords who thought no man was justified in taking away the
life of another, for merely committing • trespass. But he knew
that in the asset spring guns many serious accidents occurred, and
that it constantly happened that the lives of servants and children
were sacrificed. If the Noble Lord (Soflielti) made his Blida ge-
neral one against the upe of all rpring guns in any way, he Amid
have his wannest support; but he (Lord Westmorland) would
not tolerate their use under any carcumstanoer, not even in places
that were kept locked, for the keys might be lost, ant: accolenta
might occur.

The Earl of LIMERICK explained.
Earl GROSVE NtSR expresseda hope that bis Nchlt Friend
(Lord Suffield) would adhere to the Rill in its present form. Every
Noble Lord must feel convinced that the Game lows. wore preg-
nant with mischief. Ile hoped that when this quemior tame ega:n
before their Lordships, it would meet with a more favourab!e re,
ception front the Nr,ble and Learned Lord on the \i-oolsack.
tie (Lord Grosvenor) would give his hearty support to the rriot'am
of his Noble Friend, which hid certainly done him great credit.
The LORD I'HANCELLOR explained. flis Lerdship
marked that the Noble Earl (Grosvenor) had brought his Blil
the to the Game Laws before the Ilouse, just previous to the contlos
skin of the Session. It certainly did then appear to be a quievtinis
of great importance, with reference to the state of those bias w Licit
applied to the estates that hail been brought into actual possessitc,,
and had become real property. Ile (the Lord Chancellor) would
call the attention of their lordships to the distinction made by the
law' between trespass and theft. Hr would state a ease which ap-
plied to the subject, and would put the matter in a very stro-g
point of view. In the River leoatie, in Lencaster, there were L. s
for the purpose of catching salmon. A man visited these howl
and stole the salmon from them. lie was caught in the fact, thee,
sad, at the judges decided, few natartr, the man had committed
a trespass only. A very eminent lipeciul pleader, who was. atter,
wards a judge, purchased a salmon, and laid it in one of these holes.
The tr.an stole this salmon, together, with others, and althiougu
it had been ruled in the first case that he was only guilty cf tres-
pass, when the salmon was Itiund and reecgnised with a mark in
the snout, that is :he language cf the Act cf Parliament, be was
found guilty of robbery, anti, if alive. is now iu Iletkny Psy.
On the motion of LvAl SUFFIELD, the !louse then resolved
itself into a tocnittittce on the Rub. . _ _

..... -
The Duke of WELLINOTON moved the inte.alliction of
clause to prevent the use of spring guns in all gardens, orchards, dm
Lord LLLENBOROUGH said the House by the adoption e.
this clause would be sure to put every parley in the mighbo..timed
of London at the mercy of any thief, as there was no way, except
by nightly guard, which gsrdeners could preserve their reinstalls
PrICIiIATHURST said, that as many Noble Lords might not
be prepared to discuss the subject, he would propose that the
Chairman report progress, anti the question uns;bt be further con-
sidered on some future day.
-Lord SUFFIELD semi, if such was the wish of any Noble
Lord, he should no: have the 'cast objection.
The Chairman then left the Chair, rsponed propels, and ott,
mined leave w nit again this day week.
Lord SUFFIELD expressed a wish, that those Noble Lords
who were anxious to insert the word " garden" in die Bill, *could
come prepared to propose ;:nine measure of rotecting those pr.
deners who had no other means of support.