The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-28 00:00:00

OVER THE PASSIONS.

Some years ago, Juan Antonio Garcia, aged between
35 and 40, was executed for murder at Buenos Ayres.
lie was a person of some education, rather remark-
able than otherwise for the civility and amenity of
his manners ; his countenance was open and hand-
some, and his disposition frank and generous ;
but when the north wind set in, he ap-
peared to loco all command of himself, and
such was his extreme irritability, that during its continu-
ance he could hardly speak to any one in the street
without quarrelling; before his execution hi' admitted
that it was the third man he had killed, besides having
been engaged in more than twenty fights with knives, in
which he both gave and received many serious wounds;
but, ho said, it was the north wind, not he, that shed
all this blood. When he rose from his bed in the
morning, he told my informant ho was at once aware
of its accursed influence upon him; a dull headache
first, and then a feeling of impatience at everything
about him, would cause him to take umbrage even
at the members of his own family on the most
trivial occurrence. If he went abroad his headache
generally became worse, a heavy weight seemed to hang
over his temples, he saw objects as it were through a
cloud, and was hardly conscious where ho went. He
was fond of play, and if in such a mood a gambling
house was in his way, ho seldom resisted the tempta-
tion ; once there, any turn of ill-luck would so
irritate him, that the chances were he would insult
some of the bystanders. Those who knew him, perhaps,
would bear with his ill-humours; but if unhappily he
chanced to meet with a stranger disposed to resent his
abuse, they seldom parted without bloodshed. The ac-
count the wretched man gave of himself was corroho-
rat,d by his relatives and friends.—Sir Woodbine Pa-
risk's Buenos Ayres.

NATIONAL BANK OF bigLaND.—The seventeenth
annual meeting of the proprietors of this company was held
at the office of the bank, 13, Old Broad-street, on Wednesday;
Mr. Octavius Ommanney in the chair. After the usual
preliminaries, the secretary read the report of the directors
detailing the operations of the bank for the year ending
December, 1851. The motion for the adoption of the
report having been seconded, Mr. Dennehey went into a
long statistical comparison, to show that the resources of
the company had never been properly developed,
and con-
cluded by appealing to the directors to use their best exer-
tions to raise the bank to a level with its rivals in Ireland and
in this country. Mr. Cartlan combated Mr. Dennehey's
statements, which he charged with omitting all reference to
the disastrous influence of the potato famine upon the Na-
tional Bank, and from the pressure of which its rivals in the
north of Ireland and in Dublin were comparatively exempt.
The report, was then unanimously adopted, and after the
vacancies in the direction hrid been filled up, the meeting
separated.
DEATH OF A WOMAN IN A POLICE-BTATION.-011
Tuesday Mr. Payne held an inquest at the St. George's
Workhouse, Southwark, on the body of Eunice Kingmoore,
aged 21, who died on Sunday last at the station-house,
Stonesend. Several policemen of the M division, and a
woman who was locked up with deceased, deposed that the
deceased was found drunk in the Dover-road about nine
o'clock on Saturday evening, and locked up in a cell in
which three other women were placed. Deceased appeared
very ill all the night, but did not complain till the morn-
ing about ten o'clock, when one of the women, having some
tea brought to her, gave deceased some; and on the police
being made acquainted with her illness, they immediately
sent for the police surgeon of the district, but on his arrival
life was extinct. A juror inquired if the deceased had any
refreshment up to the time the woman gave her the tea?
The superintendent of police, who was in attendance, replied
that persons locked up are allowed to have anything brought
to them, except beer or spirits; and if they are destitute,
and locked up all day, they are allowed 3d. worth of tea or
coffee, and bread and water, but nothing more, except in ex-
traordinary cases. Mrs. Squire, sister of deceased, stated
that she did not believe her sister was drunk at the time
she was taken up. She had been ill for some time, and had
been five times in the hospital with an affection of the
heart and inclination to consumption; and such was the,
peculiar nature of her complaint, that she would fall down
in the street in a kind of fit, and for hours after would
appear to be intoxicated. The jury returned a verdiot of
" Natural death ;" and they considered that more direct
attention ought to be paid to persons who were utkeasto the
station-house in a Mate of insensibility.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

fIOUSE OF LORDS, May 27.
Th© LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool-
sack at Five o'clock.

PETITIONS.

The Duke of RICHMOND presented a 7,9tition from
Portsmouth in favour of the enfranchisement of copy-
holds; one from Sussex against the present system of
licensing beer-houses; and several others against the
Maynooth grant.
The Earl of RODEN presented several petitions from
Ireland agains tthe Maynooth grant; also praying for
the inspection of nunneries.
MR. MA.THER'S CASE.
In answer to a question from Earl FITZ WILLIAM,
The Earl of MALMESBURRY said that this case
had at last, after great exertions and anxiety on the part
of Mr. Scarlett, our chargé "d'affaires at Florence, been
brought to a termination, and bad resulted in Mr. Mather
having obtained an amount of pecuniary damages equi-
valent, according to Mr. Scarlett's opinion, to those
which ho would have received in an English court of
justice had the action been brought. All feeling of
nationality, he might add, had been disclaimed on the
part of the Austrian officer as prompting him to the un-
justifiable act of which he had been guilty.
WELSH WITNESSES. ' _ _

The Earl of PO WIS put a question to the Lord Chan-
cellor, respecting the trial of John Joseph Corby at the
Monmouthshire assizes, whether it were true that the
Learned Judge stated to a witness, who desired to speak
Welsh, that if she did not answer in English, she would
not have her expenses.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that it was per-
fectly true that the Learned Judge of ussizs had ad-
dressed such a remark to the witness in question. It was
often found that Welsh witnesses who could speak Eng-
lish refused to be examined, except in Welsh, and the
threat of not being allowed their expenses was the only
means of making them speak English.—(Hear, hear.)
in this case the Learned Judge had been informed that
the witness, who was a respectable farmer's wife,
could speak English fluently, and in answer to all re-
quests to her to speak English, she only answered that
she would be examined in Welsh. Tho Learned Judge
certainly did make to her the statement which was attri-
buted to him, but at the end.of the cause he ordered her
expenses to be allowed her, and she received them.
Lord CAMPBELL protested that any Welsh witness,
who could speak English, could insist upon being exa-
mined in Welsh. He also bore his testimony to the truth
of the remark of the Noble and Learned Lord on the
Woolsack, that the only way of suddenly conferring the
faculty of speaking English fluently on Welsh witnesses
was to threaten them not to allow their expenses.
After a few words from Lord DYNEVOI the subjec
dropped.
COMMON LAW PROCEDURE BILL.

Lord TRURO rose to move the third reading of this
Bill, which he described as having arisen out of the re-
port of a Commission which had inquired into the whole
subject of common law procedure in this country. After
the Learned Judges had communicated their opinion upon
it, the Bill was referred to a Select Committee, when
most of the suggestions of the Learned Judges were
adopted. He did not expect that the Bill was perfect in
all its parts, but he believed it to be scarcely possible to
frame a measure better adapted to meet the evils com-
plained of. There was a power conferred on the judges
of effecting any improvement in tho law they might
think necessary, subject to the approbation of Parlia-
ment. He could not move the third reading without
paying his tribute of respect and thanks to the Commis-
sioners for having conferred such an advantage on the
country as the measure before them. To the able indi-
vidual who drew up the Bill the Treasury proposed to
pay him a fee of 60 guineas; but it was subsequently
considered that he was entitled to at least 200 guineas.
He had prepared a clause for the more effectual execu-
tion
of judgments in cases where the property or person
be removed from the place in which the Court had juris-
diction from whence such judgments were issued.
Lord DENMAN was happy to express his high ap-
proval of the Bill, which he believed would Effect a
most valuable improvement in the law. He thought that
the Commissioners were deserving of their highest com-
mendations for the great attention they had given to the
subject. The country was also deeply indebted to the
Committee of their Lordships' House for the many im-
provements they had made in the Bill. It was of- the
highest importance that the measure should pass into a
law without, if possible, a delay of a single week. It
was his intention to introduce an amendment into that
part of the Bill having reference to the wrongful conver-
sion of property, by the addition of these words, viz.,
" and wrongfully deprived him of the benefit and use of
his own goods." It was necessary, he thought, to in-
troduce these words, as the law respecting the wrongful
conversion of property was not sufficiently defined. He
also proposed to introduce an amendment in reference
to that part of the Bill which related to ejectment.
Lord CAMPBELL expressed his great satisfaction in
seeing the Noble and Learned Lord in his place that
evening. He (Lord Campbell) concurred with him in
thinking the measure a most valuable one, and would
prove a vast improvement in the law. He would sup-
port the first amendment of the Noble and Learned
Lord, but in reference to cases of ejectment, he thought
that the plaintiff should be required to deliver in a
written statement of his claim, and the defendant his
answer to it.
The Earl of WICKLOW thought that so valuable a
measure ought to be extended to Ireland.
The Earl of CARLISLE believed there was a law
passed two sessions ago for Ireland, in which many
of the improvements in the present measure were
anticipated.
Lord CRANWORTH said it would be totally im-
possinle to trame EL Bill of this kind in its integrity
for application both to England and Ireland.
There would of necessity be so many exceptions to
introduce that such a measure could not well be framed
to meet the cases of both countries; besides there
should be a consultation with the Irish
judges. He thought that the wisest course for them to
take would he in the first instance to confine it to Eng-
land; and then if it were found to work admirably
well, it would be easy to frame a measure for Ireland
upon the same principles. In the meantime Ireland
might say—
" Nov= experimentum incorpore viii."—(4 laugh.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR agreed in the opinion
that it would not be possible to apply this Bill to Ire-
land. If, however, the proposed change be found to
work well for this country a similar change might be
made in Ireland.
The Bill was then read a third time.
The clause proposed by Lord Truro was then added
to the Bill; and the amendments which were moved by
Lord Denman were severally agreed to.
The Bill was the❑ passed.
On the motion of Lord COLCHESTER, the Regis-
tration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages Bill was read a
second time.
On the motion for referring the Enfranchisement of
Copyholds Bill to a Select Committee,
Lord CAMPBELL said, however desirable the mea-
sure might be, he was afraid that it would not pass
through. Parliament that session, and therefore he
thought it unnecessary to go into the details.
The LORD CHANCELLOR referred to the Masters
in Chancery Abolition Bill, and another important law
measure, which had been well considered by a Select
Committee within the space of four hours.
Lord CAMPBELL said the cases of the two Bills and
the present one were very different; for, in respect to
the former, they were the Bills of the Noble and Learned
Lord on the woolsack; but, in the case of the present
measure, he believed that the Noble and Learned Lord
was rather opposed to it.
The Bill was then referred to a Select Committee.

On the motioncithe Bishop of OXFORD, the Com-
mittee upon the School Sites Acts Extension Bill was
postponed until the Bth of June,, in order to afford time
for remedying those objectionable parts of the Bill to
which the Lord Chancellor had pointed his attention.
The Property of Lunatics Bill passed through Com-
mittee.
The Stamp Duties (Ireland) Bill also passed through
Committee.
REFORM OF THE COURTS OF CHANCERY.
The reports on the Masters in Chancery Abolition
Bill and the Equity Jurisdiction Bill were received.
PROPERTY TAX CONTINUANCE BILL.
This Bill was read a third time and passed.
The Turnpike Roads (Ireland) Bill passed through
Committee.
REPRESENTATION OF LEARNING.
The Earl of HARROWBY presented a petition from
members of the learned professions and others, praying
that in any change which may be made in the constitu-
tion of the House of Commons provision may be made
for the distinct and separate representation of the edu-
cated intelligence of the country. The Noble Lord said
the petition was signed by suoh men as Brodie, Brews-
ter, Murchison, Peacock, and others of similar character,
and would, he thought, be deemed worthy of attention.
Indeed, attention bed been of late much directed to the
subject of the representation of the country. Perhaps
many would think it best to have no change at all; but
the current of popular feeling was running very strongly
in favour of mere numbers as the standard. If this
opinion were to be followed oat it would be attended
with unfortunate results.—(Hear.) Neither ancient nor
modern experience encouraged this country to adopt it.
For instance, whati had been the effect of the experi-
tnent in a neighbouring country? The first effect of
universal suffrage had been the establishment of two
independent bodies or powers of equal authority, but
antagonistic in their principles of action. The Presi-
dent and the Legislative Assembly had, as soon as their
powers were brought into exercise, come into opposi-
tion, and the next result was the subversion of one of
them, and the extinction of all security for life, liberty,
property, or opinion.—(Hear, hear.) This ought to be
enough to show the perilous nature of the principle of
mere numbers. The history of ancient Rome led to the
same conclusion. In its wiser times, classes were re-
presented rather than numbers,'and when in later times
numbers merely were represented, anarchy resulted, and
ultimately despotism. Moreover, by what right could a
majority control a minority? It was the mere tyranny_
of the strong:ever the weak. But the whole
government was to protect the weak against the strong;uta
this object could only be attained by the repreeme
under
rather of classes than numbers—by Born
e systeore than
which members should not represent opinion
eepEeresenting
majorities. Under the present system
of
f-ofessed ex-
object of
merely majorities of numbers, candidates p
or and
treme opinions in order to obtain
moderate men had no chance, so that In° 'Lbw, hear.)
were not represented as they ought to be.—
e_ekeviis,
and it
It was no doubt difficult to remedy th s
borough system.
was impossible to return to the rotten
the object ap-
inzng
The only practicable means of site
etitioners. It was
peered to be that suggested by the
pedueation would do
sometimes said that the progress of
the representation of
away with the evil resulting from
Education could
not
nambers. But thit row a fallacy. , t
to EMU an IA 01 as to
eipected.eyei to prvcoed -
populadrersautpepopti,nions