The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-05-24 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS, Tivasoa.Y, My 23.

The SPEAKER took ihe Cbsir a few mantles before four
o'clock.

Mr. DAVENPORT peesested • Petition from the Nobi-
lity, Gentry, and Freeholders of the County of Chester, corn-
Owning of distrers, and praying for a reduction of lunation,
particulaily of the Julies on salt, sod those taxes which
affect agricultural produce.
Mr. LEYCESTER bore testimony to the respectability of
the meetiut at which the Petition was agreed to, and sup-
ported the Petitio*.
After a few words from Kr. CURWEN sad Mr. EGER-
TON. She Petition was ordered to be printed.
Mr. DAVENPORT presented a Petition from Nantwleh,
in Cheshire, against the Pour Removal Bill —Ordered to be
laid on the table.

Mr. Alderman WOOD preoented a Petition from a contd.
dershle number uf moot respectable Carcass Ittiirbeis of
VI liitechap,l, in favour of the Bill fur preveuting and pools&
ins cruelty to animalc—Ordered in be panted.
Kr. £.STCUUItT presented a Petition from the Inba•
bitanta uf Devises, praying fur a rrvisiliti of the Criminal
Laws.

Mr. T. WILSON presented a Petition front certain Silk
Merchants of Loodoo, against the Navigation Hill.
Mr. W. SMITH said he was quite friendly to the princi-
ples of • free trade, but deprecated • ton hasty change from
our present artificial system to a perfectly open system of
commerce. lie thought we ought to set shunt reducing the
taxes which *fleeted I.lol` own Ilhippier, before we adopted
chimps that tended to encourage the trade ut foreign ships
with this conotry. He was apprehensive also, with the Peti-
tioners, that the Bill in question would greatly facilitate
the smuggling of foreign thrown silk into this country, to
the prejudice of a branch of rosnufsclore which had hitherto
been thought particularly deserving of eucouragesneut.
The Petition was ordered to be printed.
Mr. GR EN FELL presented a Petition from the Inhabi-
tants of Redruth, in Cornwall, praying fora revisiuu of the
Criminal Law.—Ordered to be printed.

Mr. GR EN FELL gore Dotter, that on Thursday next he
would present to the Hesse a Patties fro. the Inhabitants

Mr. GOULBURN rose to move for leave to bring in •
Bill upon the subject of the police system of Ireland. lie
remarked upon the very strong, sod urgent, and manifest Ne-
cessity of providiug aotne more effective matte fur preserv-
ing the tranquillity of that country. He proposed fur the
present to coolest himself with giving a stunt sketch of the
plait ultich would be comprised is the Bill. 11 lima (afar as
the low lane of voice used ty the Right Hue. Geatternan
would surcr as to collect) to vest the power in the Lord
Lieutenant to appoint a considerable establishment of po-
lice to act In lb* mastics, with superiors over certain Joel-
triune of them, who were to be io direct commuriicatiou with
the Government. There was also to be • power veiled of
transferring them from (roe barony to another, sod the Lord
Lieutenaut sas to have liberty to appoint proper persons to
eliseherge the Jelin of a local magistracy in parts where
there were nu resident gentry to fulfil them. lie would cur-
foe himself to this short explanation for the present, bevies,
that the House would not consider hie claim to • fuller ex-
planation add discussion hereby prejudiced. He concluded
with moving for leave to brio' in a Bill pursuant to the
objects which he hid staled.
,Sir J. NEWPORT professed that he did not feel pleased
at the prospect of this measure. He thought it went to in-
crease the evil already too prevalent, of lodging a uomival
and corruptible authority with a variety of agents, the re-
sponsibility of which would rest no where. It was qurstios.
able if the Bill would not go to deetruy all hope of reforma-
tion in the existing local jurisdictions. He confessed that it
was unfair to urge objections to • Bill which was not yet
before the House. He thought some measure which would
assimilate the magistracy of Ireland to that of England
would be far inure acceptable. The peace and tranquillity of
England were assured by the residence and influeece of the
unpaid magistracy io a roomier of which the Government
aluue was not capable.
Mr. V. Fil ZG ERA LI), though only just reformed from
abroad, could not help stating the anxiety which he con-
tinued to feel no this very important subject. [The opinions
of the Right Hon. Gentles's° on the. measure Reel( could
not be collected from the low tone of voice he 111111 compelled,
apparently from hoarseness, to use.)
Mr. PEEL felt very strong on this subject, and observed
that the necessity for such • measure wa► generally felt out'
admitted. He knew too much of the candour sad good
sense of the Right Hon. Baronet opposite tint to feel certain
that he would look well auto any measure so iesteresting to
Ireland, and that he would never conseut to oppose it from
unfair motive'', merelybecstme be was commonly opposed to
those who might bring it forward. He übserved that all the
efforts used by the Government and the country to make
the police and constables efficient to preserving t►e ham
quillity of the rotatory had proved uuavailing. He could
not agree with the Right Hun. Baronet that the Bill was
likely to interfere to the prevention of any reform in the
local magistracy. He thought that an efficieust, symeas of
pollee was all that was necessary to restore the country to
peace, mid then there would be time and opportmitty to
correct abuses. _ .

Mr. BROUGHAM asked a question, the import of which
wee underitoud to be (in the gallery) bow many places or ap•
pointments the Lord Lieutenant would be empowered by the
Bill to create for the several districts ? . .

Mr. GOULBURN, inkis reply, wu inaudible is the
gai It ry •
Leave was given to Wag in the Bill.
WELSH JUDICATURE.

Mr. ALLEN rose to CAaltell:proniised motion on this
subject. After home prefatory remarks, he proceeded to
point out some of the main defects sad errors in the rousts.
intiou and practice of the Welsh Courts. He cited the tee-
timony of witnesses examined before various Custom-
tees of the House, to *hew that the equitable jurisdiction
wits altogether defective. The process wen of very limited
efficacy. The Judges had no equity experience, being at the
beet only selected for their skill in common law. The
pleaders were generally without equitable practice.—
There was • deficiency of responsible officers to the
Court. He then went on to the defects of the com.
moo law judicature. The inefficiency of the process—
the want of power is the Judges to compel appear-
ance of witnesses--the evil constitution of the Court, where
the Judge was, its the intervals of hie office, engaged as an
advocate, end subjected to the effect of • frequent comm.-
Wadies with the attorneys. He considered the right of ap-
peal to judgment its a neighbouring English county, or by
certiorari directly to the King's Bench, to cast a great ro-
prime!' ou the defects of the judicature. He corrected the
error of the polio* so generally apprehended, of the costs
being cheaper in these Courts—whereas, in fact, the causes
were far more expensive. The Judges, too, wile frequently

Mr. JONES corrected she statement of the Honoursh!e
illesalier. The tortodyesit Iltftfrome were equally divide*
between hint and his opponent. He praised the candour,
(Imams, temper, and 'moderation of the mover. He
could mat *meet to the motion. He considered that there
was not proof «tougher the evil which had been complained
of, and that the judicalere could out be bail under which
Wales had existed so long, and for some lime, at least, flou-
rished. He thought there could be no ground of complaint
la the deficiency of the equitable judicature of Wales, be-
cause the Plaistiff was at liberty to lake hls case into what
Court he pleased: it was his own fault if he took it info a
defective one. He justified the practice of those Courts on
the evidence of a great many respectable persons, who, hold-
ing or having held offices is "Item, gave opinions before the
Committee In favour of the eastinnance of them. All,
with the exception of Mr. Owes, thought the Welsh ju-
dicature bad mods In reconueseed it from its cheapness.
All 11w witnesses before the Committee of the House said
the expenses were outs-third less thee in &easel. Tbe
Hon. Member bore lestinsony to the respectability of the
profession in Wales, sad enumerated a long list of names of
gnat legal eminence, who hail practised sod presided to the
admieistraf of justice there. With respect to the crimi-
nal jurisprodenre, he was astouished et the observations of
the Hon. Gentleman opposite, and he (Mr. Joao) wired cep.
lewd that not a single instance could besiailed wheriljestlam
had out bees administered to every culprit with as great re-
gularity as in Bevis/id, or any other isometry is she world.
He agreed with the Hue. Mover that the Welsh Judges
should sot be appointed from any palace, motive, mil
should approve of their being •ppoihted by the Lord Chan-
cellor, and being precluded from *Hog in the House of
Coinanons, but he thought that was 49 reason for meddling
with a jurisdiction so long established. Fur these regimes be
should oppose the motion.
Sir J. MACKINTOSH said the queseion was, whether
the people of the principality had nut as good a sight to have
their Judges appointed under the circumstances, which pre-
sumptively would secure (from the mode of appopitn-ot)
as eating persons as the Judges of Borland, and it was
frivolous to give a list of sames of half a duxes persons, utu-
exceptionable certainly iu every respect, except as they were
perching thereon!, fur a Katie their way to higher stations.
of the question had been for the abolition of the Star Cham-
ber, he (Sir J. Mackintosh) might loser named Sir Th.voris
More, Lord Bacon, and oiler Judges, who., name. ad.A.n-
ed the patter of history, and who had sat in that Com t. He
thought the mode of appointing Hie Judge. in England pee.
stunted as good a security fur Ow pure ailminidrotiOn of guy
lace as mold be devised, mad be thought it must be ask urns.
!edged that Welsh Judges had bees amen frets personal
motives or parliamentery interest, sad the principle of
selection of the Eaglish Judges had bees neglected. Ho
was not sure that excluding the Welsh Judges from seam
in that !levee would prevent their being chow.. by purisa •
mentary influence. He was tint partial to increa.i‘ig the
number of the Judges, because he thought the sisi,l
number of the Superior Judges wa. the greatest advant4r„
with a view to seeming the highest point of judicial bonour
in preserving the integrity of responsibility. Our Ma-
gistrates were numerous, sod their dignity was preserved by
making their art vices gratuitous. Ihe combination of the
two presented the wisest or happiest timion for the admin..-
'ration of Justice that could be imagised ; but he arse les-
lons of pergolas having the name of Judges, and occupying
inferior stations. He wished the very rams of Judge to be
kept as high as potsible; but from the Jewess, of 'ni-
ons, the time had now arrived when as increase of Judges
had become necessary, and he should rather there sere
added two Judges to each of the Co.irts at Westminster,
than any thing tike an inerrislity um-iiig the Judges.
Mr. SCAR LETT said, that so (Ar as tie could judge r.oni
his experience, it silt, ulteiatitri weie necessary iii the num-
ber of the Juke., !ie would 'miller be fur decreasing ilisti
adding to their inimher. A great proportion of the criminal
jurisdiction of the Court of King's Beorb was of an ihrr•ior
mime, tihrozh it consumed a great deal of time, and naught
well I.e itillueird to one of the Judges. A. to lie general
question, he should on general prine.pler he induced to coo.
cur with his Hotiottrable Friend (Sir James Mackintosh;,
though be shout,' not be for a total abolition of the jurio
Menai. The smalltime of the salaries must, generally speak-
*, present persons of the greatest mei frets taking
the appointment. For 1,1001. a year be thought it would
be difficult to bud a gentleman of cmi t the Enlist'