The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-22 00:00:00

rim suiv

LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JUNE 22, 1864.

spirit of kindness and forbearance—not a rash interference
between landlord and tenant.
Mr WHITESIDE referred the present condition of Ire-
land to the effects of past legislation and the repeal of the
corn laws, and thought there was nothing extravagant in
a resolution asking the Government to direct their atten-
tion to the subjeet.
The discussion was continged by Mr Blake, Mr P.
Urquhart, and Sir F. Heygate.
Sir G. BOWYER said that as an Irish member and an
English landlord he had taken a great deal of trouble to
understand the question, and always felt at a loss to under-
stand the conduct of Irish landlords. An English landlord,
when a farm fell vacant, put all the buildings into thorough
and tenantable repair, knowing very well that unless he
did so he might get a tenant, but not a first-rate one, and
that his rent would be uncertain. English landlords sup-
plied the tiles for draining purposes, and expected the tenants
to put them in; and in case a tenant grubbled up waste land
he was allowed to hold it for a certain time without increase
of rent, and after he had obtained fair remuneration for
his outlay the proper increase in his rent was determined
by valuation. He felt sure that if Irish proprietors dealt
in a similar spirit with those holding under them they
would have a happier and more contented tenantry to
deal with. The reason why a similar system was not pur-
sued in Ireland he did not know, and he had never been
able to find out. If they persisted in neglecting to do what
was just, the Legislature, in his opinion, ought to
step in and compel them to deal more satisfactorily with
their tenants. When the tenant-right agitation was in full
strength he had never agreed with the notions of its leading
advocates, knowing that the views of law which they put
forward had no warrant in the history of any country, and
were not countenanced by any legal authority. They ad-
vanced the doctrine of emphyteusis, misinterpreted portions
of the civil law, and constructed a theory of mutua: rights
in the soil to which the only thing at all like a parallel was
found in India, where it had been productive of endless mis-
chief. At that time feelings were so violently excited that
the advocates of tenant-right could not be reasoned with.
At present there was no violent agitation in Ireland, and
advantage ought to be taken of the prevailing calm honestly
and usefully to grapple with the difficulty. It was very
well to tell people that in America they would be better off.
The heartrending scenes witnessed on their departure
showed that they left unwillingly—(hear, hear)—they felt
there was no place like home, and their right to live in their
own country could not be disputed. It was, therefore, with
deep regret that he learnt there was a common practice of
dispossessing tenants at the end of their term without any
compensation for improvements, and of setting up their
holdings to auction. (Loud cries of " no," from the Oppo •
sition benches.) He was certain such was not the case, in
the districts of which hon. members had cognizance, but he
knew that the practice prevailed to a formidable extent.
Lord PALMERSTON said he hoped Mr Hennessy
would be content with the discussion, and not press the
motion to a division. No doubt, it was very much to be
lamented that causes existed which drove a large mass of
the people of Ireland to emigrate from their native land ;
but if they went to a country where they found themselves
better off than in their own, the change on their account
could not be regretted, and it would be unkind to prevent
their emigration, which flowed to this country as well as to
America. It was impossible by legislation to alter the laws
that regulate human society. He moved the previous
question.

Mr WALP OLE recommended Mr Hennessy to withdraw
the motion.

Mr HENNESSY declining to withdraw his resolution,
Sir G. GREY moved as an amendment the previous
question, which was seconded by Mr CARDWELL,
Mr WALPOLE had never heard an Irish debats con-
ducted with more ability, and with more careful investi=
gation, from both sides of the house. He trusted, there-
fore, that the effect of the debate would not be injured
by a division.

After a few words from Mr Monsell, Mr Lefroy, Mr
Hennessy, Mr Esmond, and Mr J. Butt,
The house divided. The numbers were—
For the previous question
Against it .. 52
Majority.... —3B
The motion was not therefore put.
Sir F. SMITH moved an address to her Majesty to
direct an inquiry into the condition as to pay and allow-
ances of the regimental quartermasters of her Majesty's
service, with a view to place these officers, should it seem
expedient, on a better footing.
After some remarks by the Marquis of IlAnTlNcyroN,
the motion was withdrawn.

The orders of the day were then proceeded with, certain
bills were forwarded, and, the remaining business having
been disposed of, the house adjourned.

CITY SEWERS COMMISSION.

Yesterday a meeting of the Commissioners of Sewers of
the City of London was held at Guildhall, under the presi-
dency of Henry Do Jersey, Esq., Deputy.

STATE OF TRADE.

MANcIiEsTER, June 21.—There is a pause in the
market to-day, owing to the great anxiety which
prevails on the question of a renewal of hostilities
between the Danes and Germans. The absence
also of advices from India, now three days overdue,
prevents merchants from operating. For shipping
yarns there are a good many orders in the market,
which are held back till after the sitting of the Con-
ference to-morrow. There is an almost total ces-
sation of business for export. Prices, however, are
very firm, and few, if any. spinners have been dis-
posed to take less prices than last week. The
general opinion seems to have been that it would
be useless to press sales with the present feeling in
the market. In home trade yarns there has been a
very quiet market, and there has been less than an
average business, For cloth there has been a stag-
nation in the demand quite equal to that in yarns.
Buyers seem to have quite an aversion to entertain-
ing offers of business, and the only operations re-
ported have been on an exceedingly small Beale.
Manufact-:.-ers are not pressing their goods on the
market in this state of things, and we do not ob.
serve any actual change in quotations. There are
some exceptions to this rule, where sellers have
stocks and are compelled to realise, but they are
comparatively few. The transactions of the day in
both cloth and yarn have been of the most insigni-
ficant character. Messrs. John Slagg and Co.
report of this day's cloth-market :—" We have bad
a most inactive week, and to-day business seems
quite at a standstill. We cannot quote any change
in prices, as nothing has been done to test the
actual value of goods."

LEEDS, 21st.—The woollen cloth•markets in the
public halls have been rather inactive this morning.
The attendance of buyers being rather below a full
average, and there being no great bulk of new and
seasonable goods in the halls, business wore a some-
what dull aspect. As to prices, they were well
maintained, those of heavy and medium goods alike
ranging fully as high as the quotations at the open.
ing of the present month. There is a little increase
in the export trade, chiefly in heavy goods, for the
Canadian and American markets, and the manufac-
turers keep well employed in every part of the dis-
trict. Wools are without change in quotation, and
the market for the English new clip is tightening.
NOTTINGHAM, 21st.—At this exchange hall to-
day there was a pretty fair attendance, but, as
higher prices were asked for lace yarns, only a
limited amount of business was transacted. For
hosiery yarns high prices were also realized. Silks
as before. For brown nets the demand was blow,
but prices had an upward tendency.
ROCHDALE, 20th,—There was a good attendance
of buyers in the flannel market to-day, and the same
cheerful state of things existed as we have lately
had to notice. Manufacturers had no difficulty in
selling their productions, unless it were the very
finest fabrics, for which the demand was rather
slack. Both heavy and medium qualities were in
good request, at fully late prices. Yorkshire goods
also solo well, especially scouring flannels. Wools
are firm in price, though manufacturers purchase
more to meet immediate than future demands.

Execution at Edinburgh,

Yesterday morning George Bryce was executed in the
Lawnmarket, Edinburgh, for the murder of Jane Seaton, at
Ratho, Midlothian, on the 16th April last. The wretched
man was tried on the 30th ult. and Ist June by the High
Court of Justiciary, and was defended on the ground of in-
sanity at the time of committing the deed. The jury found
the prisoner guilty, but recommended him to mercy on the
ground of the low organisation of the mental faculties. This
novel recommendation evoked no public support to the pri-
soner's defence, but a petition was sent to the Home Secre-
tary by the prisoner's parent and also by his agents, urging
a reprieve on the ground of insanity. Sir G. Grey, after con-
sidering the judges' report of the case, declined to interfere
with the course of law. George Bryce was the son of John
Bryce, an innkeeper and coal merchant at Ratho, about 30
years of age, and had been employed as a carter about the
village of his father. His victim, Jane Seaton, was a nurse-
maid in the house of Mr Robt. Tod, of the firm of A. and R.
Tod, of Leith, who resides in a villa in the vicinity of Ratho.
Bryce had been a follower of Isabella or Lizzie Brown, the
cook in Mr Tod's house, who, however, discouraged the
addresses of her admirer. Bryces enmity to Jane Seaton
apparently had its origin in the belief or knowledge that she
had called him " a drunken blackgnard," and that she had
been the cau-e of Isabella Brown's rejection of his suit. On
more than one occasion during the 10 days previous to the
murder he had endeavoured to obtain access at night to the
house, but without success. On the morning of Saturday,
the 16th of April, he was early astir. Mr Tod usually left
his house at 5 or 6 o'clock to go to Lei h, and this was a
morning when Bryce knew the gardener was also absent, so
that the house was wiihout male protection of any kind,
and it was this time he chose for effecting his bloody pur-
pose. On Bryce presenting himself at the back door, Isa-
bella Brown seemed at once to conjecture his purpose of re-
venge, and alter an effectual attempt to prevent his getting
in, she ran round the house to warn her fellow-servant.
Her warning, however, came too late to prevent a brutal
and murderous assault being made on the girl, whose
screams brought temporary deliverance from the hands of
her assailant. Mrs Tod, aided by Isabella Brown and an
occasional worker who happened to be in the house, suc-
ceeded in releasing the nurseniaid,and called to her to make
her escape. Instead, however, of seeking the protection
which the other rooms of the house might have afforded
her, the ran outside, and, crossing the front garden, sought
to take refuge in a neighbouring cottage, Before she
reached this place of safety Bryce had, by jumping the
garden wall and taking a near eut, again got her in his
power, and this time with more determinate and fatal pur-
pose. Seising the alarmed and trembling girl, he threw
het on the grotind, and inflicted a murderous gash with a
rezor he had concealed it. his pocket, A feW minutes; after-
wards Jane Seaton died, after having been conveyed into
Mrs Binnie's house, and having given utterance to only a
feee incoherent Words. The faCA: of the murder was not
denied by Bryce except in so far as he professed at his
judicial etaminatida to have no recollection of the matter.
Ten and a half years had elapsed since an execution had
taken place in Edinburgh, and the sight atttacted an
enormous crowd, which filled the street from the Castle-
hill to the Royal exchange, the windows and even the roofs
of many of the four or six story houses overlooking the
scene being crowded with spectators. All night through a
large number of people lingered in the neighbourhood of the
scaffold, which was up about midnight, and as the hour of
execution, 8 o'clock, approached, a multitude of probably
15,000 to 20,000 parsons had assembled. The convict, who
had been attended since his condemnation by the Rev, Dr,
Glover and the Rev. Dr. Fowler, of the Established Church,
and by the prison chaplain, had shown great penitence for
his crime, and had asked one of the rev, gentlemen to write
to the murdered girl's parents, and express his great sorrow
for the injury he had done. To his spiritual advisers he
acknowledged the justice of his sentence, and eagerly ac-
cepted their exhortations to depend upon Divine mercy, The
unfortunate man went to bed at midnight, and lay till 4
a.m, The rest of the morning was spent in religious exer-
cises. At 8 o'clock ho was visited in the condemned eel
below the High Court of Justiciary by the magistrates and
city officers, to whose custody he was transferred by the
prison governor. He was then taken to the door of the
court room, where the prison van was waiting to carry
him to the sheriff's chambers, in the County-buildings.
Here he was pinioned by the executioner, Askern, of York,
and thereupon he was conducted to the scaffold, attended
by the rev. gentlemen, and by the magistrates and police
surgeon. On reaching the scaffold he knelt down, and Dr
Fowler offered up a short prayer. Askern then put the
white cap over the convict's head, tied his legs with a
cord, and adjusted the ropy round his neck. The unfortu-
nate man was then placed on the drop, and the magistrates
and clergymen left the s afield. The executioner drew the
bolt, and, with a few slight struggles, the convict expired,
The drop was one of unusual length, and the scaffold being
screened up to a certain height, the body was withdrawn
from public vie ,v immediately on the bolt being drawn. A
thrill of horror went through the crowd at the fatal plunge,
and some groans were uttered for the executioner, who
showed the greatest coolness. Before 9 o'clock the body was
cut down, and subsequently interred within the precincts
of the Calton Gaol.

EXTRAORDINARY DUEL AT HEIDELBERG.—A
tragical event has just taken place at HeidelLerg.
Late in the evening of the 15th, a student belonging to the
body of the Swabians was found lying on the ground wel-
tering in his blood. He had discharged
a pistol in the re-
gion of the heart, but the ball having been turned aside by
touching a rib, missed the heart, passed through the lungs,
and lodged under the right shoulder blade, whence it was
afterwards extracted. At first the natural belief was that
voluntary suicide had been intended, but some letters which
had been written by the student showed he had been the
victim of a shameful kind of duel. A foreign student had
been grossly insulted by the Swabian, and satisfaction was
demanded ; but instead of fighting in the usual way, an
agreement was come to to draw lots which of the two should
destroy himself within a delay of a fortnight. The lot fell
on the Swabian. When the time was about to expire, the
young man, whose father was dangerously ill, solicited an
extension of the delay, but the request was refused, and the
attempt at self destruction was consequently made. Some
hopes are entertained that the wound will not prove fatal,
but all the entreaties of the heads of the university and of
his friends cannot extort from him a promise not to repeat
the desperate act. To all their solicitations his only answer
is—" I have not pledged my honour to seriously wound
myself, but to put an end to my life, and I will keep my
pro mise.—Galignani.