Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-10 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY DOCUMENTS.

CONVENTS IN ENGLAND.—A petition to Parliament from
Oxfordshire, says :—That there are in this kingdom many
religions houses, called convents, appertaining to the Rorn-
ish religion, the inhabitants of which are practically with-
drawn from the protection of the laws of the land. That
there may be the greatest cruelty and oppression exercised
towards the inhabitants of such houses, without any possi-
bility of their obtaining redress. That such a state of
things is witoly opposed to the spirit of the constitution
and the laws of this land, and ought not to be. Your
petitioners, therefore, humbly pray your honourable house
to take such steps for the inspection of such convents as
shall secure to the inhabitants of such convents a mode of
obtaining redress for any cruelty or oppression which may
be exercised towards them.
FOREIGN SHIPPING.—A return to the House of Com-
mons, on the motion of Mr. J. Wilson, shows that in the
year 1856 a sum of £45,155 was paid, under the 591 Geo.
lII_, c, 54, and subsequent Treasury orders for the
difference cf rates and charges due to corporations, com-
panies, and individuals, for foreign vessels, which, under
reciprocity treaties or other Wise, are admitted into the ports
of the United Kingdom at the same rates of charge as
British vessels; the ports of Liverpool, Newcastle, and
Hull take the larger portion of this sum. The total sum
thus paid under the reciprocity treaties up to December 31
last, was no less than £1,026,785.
Tarts BALLoTr.—Several petitions to parliament for the
Ballot have recently been presented. One of them, from
Tavistock, say's: —That in the opinion of yourpetitioners
the v ite by ballot is essential to a fair and free elecdon of
representatives in the British parliament. That, while it
would counteract bribery, which repeated legislation has
failed to effect, it would enable honest voters to go to the
poll unfettered by improper influences, and leave them to
act upon their opinion and wishes without hindrance or
molestation. Your petitioners also pray your honourable
house that in providing for the vote by ballot a law may
be enacted to prohibit canvassing the electors, either by
candidates or their agents.
PIIDLID WORKS—LOAN COMMISSIONERS.—The net total
of the sums of public money placed at the disposal of
these commissioners since the commission was established
by the 57th Geo. 111., c 34, amounts to £13,209,878 ;
of which they have advanced, for Great 8ritain,X9,257,208
for Irel Ind, £3,561,980 ; and for South Wales Turnpike
Trusts, .£215,241. The office expenses amount to £41,097 ;
and a bilance remained unisened on the 3d March last of
£134,352. Of the amount advleced there has been repaid;
principal and interest, a sum of .E I 1,003,864, and the out-
standing balance is £4,125,749. The classes of loan made,
last year are burial boards, churches, and parochial chapels,
B tersea-park, law courts, gaols, &c., local board; of
health, workhouses, and Irish railways. There have been
no remissions of loans, except in the case of the Irish work-
houses, which were favoured by the cancelling of a loan of
£1,370,500.

Tun JEWS.—A petition to Parliament from Testworth
i 3 worded in the following curious way :—" That the people
commonly called Jews are not Englishmen, Sc3tchmen,
Irishmen. That . they f)rm a nation of themselves,
anJ are looking forward to the possession of a country of
their own, namely, Palestine, or the Holy Land. That
they deny the godhead of our Lord Jesus Christ, and are
utterly opposed to the Christian religion. That neither as
foreigners, or as enemies of Christ, are they entitled to
admissio❑ into Parliam=nt. Your petitioners therefore
humb!y play your honourable house that the people coin-
moniy tailed Jews may never be declared eligible for
adiuLsion into your honourable house."

The papers announce the death of Douglas Jerrold,
which took place on Monday after a short illness.
ANervzcr COIN.—A few days ago a shilling coin. of the
reign of Qieen Elizabeth, was dug from the soil of a
field in the neighbourhood of Oullybackey. It bears date
of the year 1572, and is in a state of preservation quite as
perfect as when struck from the mint. A smaller silver
coin was found with it, but so much ',corn, and otherwise
defaced, that its character cannot be deciphered.—Bally_
mena Observer.
9RIMR IN' NEW ORLEANS.-It may not prove uninter-
esting to our readers to I,arn the following facts, which
we yesterday took the trouble to glean from the books of
the coroner,
• furnishing a report of the murders and
sweides which have occurred in this city during the period
of some fifteen months, commenciro; the date of which
Coroner Oliver entered upon the discharge of the duties of
his Affiee. February Bth, 1856, and ending May 12th,
1856. We find that during th it time seventy murders
hive been committed; fifteen infanticides; twenty-six
suicides; and one hundred deaths have been caused by
intemneranc-. This is an appaling stateme,nt.—N. 0.
Times, 12th May.
RE`3IILATION3 FJR MALE BA,TnErts.—Many complaints
are usually made in the seasoa of the annoyance caused at
the sea-aide by the exposure of the persons of bathers.
A. bill has been brought into the House of Lords by the
Marquis of Westmeath to redress this gzievance. It em-
w poers the bench of magistrates in any county, city, er
borough where bathing pabliely takes place, to make
reasonabl,: regulations and by-laws for the prevention of
the ex:nsure of the nude persons of bathers, including the
power to compel such bathers to wear a garment suitable
to prevent any such indecent exposure. The penalty for
offending against these regulations or by-laws will be 40•;
for every offence, with costs, or the slt,trnative of imprison..
matt in jail, with or withnig hard lab nr, for thrc_:fl caln-
dar months,