The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-04-26 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS

there Wall a man living but must see the fearful odds against'
a primmer when he had a Conned against him and none
to speak In his favour ; and where his defence was 89
It were got in by a aide wind. The eases which had beet. de-
scribed by his Learned Friend the Member for Pvcrhorctigh
(Mr. Starlets) proved that the impression upon the mind of the
multitude, from what they saw, must be that justice weir not hilly
administered, so long as the law denied the prisoner the lull ndvan-
tage allowed to the prosecution. He would appeal to the experi-
ence of lion. Gentlemen whether criminal justice should not orly
he administered purely, hut that the law should be met formed, and
the practice of it so understood, as to give !satisfaction to the
people. 'lt had been said by his Honourable and Leirnel
Friend (Mr. Tyndale) that the effect of the Bill would be to de-
atroylthat calmness which was necessary to the insentigation of
criminal justice, and by giving the prinoner a Counsel they
would occasion a scene of contention between the parties;
however wan convinced that such would not be the case.
At present there were points of law every day raised, which,
though addressed to the Judge, it was well known were intended
alone for the Jury. With respect to the case whict had been cited
by his lion. and Learned Friend, the Member for Wooten Ileasett
(Mr. Twigs) if he might be permitted to call him so, and whose
luminous speech bad thrown much light au the subject, lie (Mr.
Brougham) would say that that proceeding would not have been
admitted on another circuit ; and one evil wan that of the difference
which was felt on the same auhiect by diffesent Judges. It was
unfortunate thut the case should depend upon such sad such a
Judge whether one view of the law or another was to be taken.
The Hon. and Learned Gentleman concluded by stating it to be
his opinion that the Bill ought to he suffered to be tried.
Mr. Secretary CANNING said he was anxious to expire/al the
reason which actuated him in the vote he should give cm the ques-
tion before the House. He had attended on this as well an on a
former occasion when the subject was debated ; and he must say
it had been done with much ability,and more candour than generally
was the case. if the lion. and [gamed Gentleman who spoke
last (Mr. Brougham) bud entertained some doubts, auto the Hon.
and Learned Member fur Peterborough (11r. Searle:4 had enter-
tained still greeter doubta,on the propriety of the measures, he (Mr.
Canning) would take the benefit of their example. As an unlearned
man, without the benefit of that practical experience which attached
to the professional gentleman. and sulungly attached to the ancient
institutions of the country, he must beg to say that at pren.nt he
was prepared to become a convert to their opinions. It had been
said that the natural course of proceeding would be to
vote fur the bringing in the BM, and afterwards to dinettes
the principle; but to that he (Mr. Canring) must object, because
if that were done it would imply that the circumstances on which it
was founded were admitted. In the state of doubt in which the
case was left, it was his (Mr. Secretary Canning's) intention to op.
pose the bringing In the Bill; but if it should be brought in here-
atter, and his opinion should be shaken, he might come to alike
conclusion with the Honourable and Learned Gentleman. Every
man was bound to argue the question only according to
his own experience, and as far as his went, he had not
met with any general complaint out of the House on the
Subject. lie was perfectly ready to admit that the ques-
tion wan not whether the guilty was acquitted, of otherwise,
but for the arrival at the truth. If the present state of convictions
did not lead to practical injustice, then there could be no pressing
necessity for the measure. From the effect of the argument
on his mind as to the contentious mode which the-Bilr would
inhillibly.induce Mtn criminal justice..he would prefer leaving the
thing as it at present stood, if injustice had not been made. lie
considered that the principle was not in favour of justice, but much
the other way. On the whole, he (Mr. Canning) considered that
there was no reason to suppose that the country was at all dissatis-
fied with justice as at present administered, and therefore he should
wish the law to remain in its present state until a more general call
was made for its alteration, and therefore he should vote against
the introduction of the Honourable Gentleman's Bill. The ques-
tion had been very properly, however, brought forward, and, of
courne, the Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Lamb) would have an
opportunity of bringing it forward again at any future time,
when the question would meet with the attention to which it was
entitled.

Mr. DENMAN strongly supported the motion, taking credit to
himself for two converts to his view of the question. Every Mem-
ber was allowed to use his own discretion. He thought that when
a man's life was in danger he should not be deprived of a privilege
which would not be denied him if it was a tenement of 61. a year
which was at stake.

The gallery was then cleared fora division; when there ap-
reared—

• For the Motion, 36; against it, 105.—Majority against the
Motion, 69.

_
PETTY LARCENY BILL.
Mr. PEEL moved that the Petty Larceny Bill be read again
that day three months—Agreed to.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the House
adjourned at Two o'CcocK.

COURSE OF EXCH.
Amsterdam C.F. 12 9
Ditto at sight
Rotterdam 2U. 12 101
Antwerp .... .... 12 101
Hamburgh 211: U. 37 10
Attona 211 U. 87 IL
Paris, 3 dais' sight ES 73
Ditto 2U. 26 0
Bordeaux .. ....... . . 26 0
Berlin
Frankfort on Maine Ex. 31. 136
Peteraburgh, rble ......8 Ua. 81
Vienna, effective 8......2 M. 10 24
Trime . do lO 26
Madrid
Cadiz .,.. 3.5 i
Bilboa .... ............. ... Ki

lANGE YESTEIIDAY.
Leghorn..... 47
Genoa 43
Venice
Malts
Naples
Palermo .... per 05.114
Lisboa
Oporto
Rio Janeiro .....• •..
Bahia 47
Buenos Ayres
Dublin, 21 days' sight
Cork

Barcelona
Seville . .....
Cilbrallur