The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-11 00:00:00

MPORTING INTELLIGENCE—This Day,

YORK RACES.—Tms DAY.
BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
EGLINTON STAKES.

Spring Gun
Ego Bouquet
...... 2
Benanoar •
THE FLYING DUTCHMAN'S HANDICAP.
The Monk ......
1
Little Stag ..
Nine ran.

RACING FIX 'T

ItES FOR 1864.

Salisbury
12
Blaydon
Radcliffe l6
Redditch l6

Bath
31a.nehester (Summer .. 18
Harpenden
Epsom

SPORTING NOTES.

The defeat of the favourites in the Great Northern Han,
dicap was a sad blow for the sporting writers, with the
exception of " The Fresh Man." In The Sun of last
Motility I pointed out particularly the claims of East
Lancashire. I should not have referred to the subject
again, had I not noticed the following pitiful lamentation
by " Augur" in to•day's Sporting Life:—

'‘ Thus was another disastrous blow dealt at the prestr:gd
of the prophets, who were ' floored to a man,' although
one or two of the unscrupulous of the fraternity are tiroEl
to assert that they sent the winner.' "

No doubt when he penned the above remarks about the
prophets being " floored to a man," he forgot to add the
usual magic words " with the exception of ' The Fresl4
Man' of The Sun,"

The following was the selection for the Great Northern
Handicap which appeared at the conclusion of my notes:,
" The winner, I anticipate, will be found in Wig,
GRATE, MAJOR, Or EAST LANCASHIRE."
East Lancashire at starting was at 100 to 6.

A FRESH MAN.

FARimixsT

HOUSE OF LORDS—Last Evening,
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the wooLsack
at five o'clock.

HIGHWAYS.

Lord ST. LEONARD S presented a petition complaining
of the defective state of the law with respect to highways,
and laid it on the table, which was read a first time, to
remedy the evil complained of.
PUNISHMENT OF DEATH.
On the motion for the second reading of this bill,
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said since the first
reading of the bill steps had been taken in the House of
Commons to appoint a royal commission to inquire into the
whole subject, and the two questions that now presented
themselves to their lordships was whether they should wait
till the royal commissioners made their report, or whether they
would proceed with the present bill or a more elaborate one.
He believed the report of the Commission would be that the
punishment of death would be retained, and, further, that
there would be a recommendation to strengthen the hands
of the Secretary of State for the Home Department. How-
ever, he would move the second reading of the bill, leaving
it to their lordships to say whether they would go on with
the present measure and amend it in committee.
Earl GRANVILLE said he thought it would be both
anomalous and unusual for one branch of the legislature to
proceed v.ith a measure like that now before it, whilst the
other was about to engage in any inquiry which would per-
haps be attended with the most important results. Under
such circumstances he hoped the noble earl would with-

draw the present bill.
Earl GREY considered that it was perfectly impossible
for a person situated as a Secretary of State was that he
should be the person to say whether the sentence of death
should be carried into effect or not. He was of opinion that
if a jury had given their verdict the Secretary of State
ought to be bound to accept it. The only circumstance
that ought to alter their decision was in cases where evi.
dance had come to light after the trial which had at
the time of sentence been unknown to the judge and jury.
He did not consider a Secretary of State ought to sit in
judgment on the verdict of a jury. If he should ever hold
the high office of Secretary of State he should positively de-
cline to look at the evidence taken in a case with
the view of forming an opinion upon the merits of the
case except only where circumstances came to light which
might justify an extension of mercy. He approved of the
law as it at present existed, and objected to an undue inter-
ference with it.

The Duke of ARGYLL thought that the errors that
had been committed in exercising the royal prerogative
arose not so much from the administration of the law as
from the state of the law itself. He thought some amend-
meat was absolutely necessary.
After a few words from Lord REDESDALE,
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said after such an
expression of opinion he would withdraw the bill.
COMMON LAW PROCEDURE (1853) AMEND-
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