The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-29 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

ROUSE OF LORDS, May 28.
The Royal Assent was given this afternoon, by Com-
mission, to the following Bills:
Property-Tax Continuance.
Copyright Amendment.
Linen, &e., Manufactures (Ireland).
Poor Relief Act Continuance.
Loan Societies.
Repayment of Advances Acts (Ireland) Amendment.
Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction.
Stock in Trade.
Highway Rates.
Barnsley Gas.
Bristol and Exeter Railway (Yeovil Branch).
Macclesfield Improvement.
Great Munster Fair.
Skiptou and Craco R ?ad.
Portea Gas.
Derby Gas.
Stockton Extension and Improvement.
Vale of Neath Railway.
Berustaple Markets and Fairs.
Medina River Navigation. •
Lock woo:I and 24.10,...ern Road.
Stockton and Darlir.7ton
Grea: Southern mid Western Railway (Ireland).
Belfast Gas.
Rhyl Impr,,,rnv!nt.
Droitwich Junction Canal.
Sunderland Waterwork
Tnetford Fen District Drainage.
E astern Counties Railway (Branch to the River Nene, 8.;?..)
Cheshire Constabulary.
Eastern Countils Railway (Junction with the East and
West India Docks, &o.)
Glasgow Union Arcade.
Ilkley Waterworks.
Norfolk Railway.
Cork and Bandon Railway.
York, Newcastle. and Berwick Railway (Thirsk and
Mahon Branch).
York, Newcastle, and Berwick, and Milton and Driffield
Junction Railways.
London and Southampton Road through Bishop's

Waltham.
Bury (Sussex) Road.
Retford and Li t tie b orough Road.
Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway.
Dudley Waterworks.
Aberdare Market and Slaughter•hoasea.
Deptford Gas.
Londonderry and Coleraine Railway.
Londonderry and Enni&killen Railway.
British Empire Mutual Life Assurance Company.
rotthdiullaen and Naothwynant Reads.
Eastern Counties and Newmarket and Chesterford
Railway Companies.
Liverpool Corporation Waterworks.
Forth and Clyde Navigition.
Glamford Briggs Waterworks.
Sheffield Bridges and Streets.
Cheltenham Improvement and Health.
Aberdeen Fire and Life Assurance Company.
Accidental Death Insurance and Rsilway Assurance
Companies Amalgamation.
Southam to Kinetou Road.
Romsey, Broughton, Stockbridge, and Wallop Roads.
York and North Midland and Esst and West Yorkshire

Junction Railways.
Dumfries and Maxwelltown Waterworks.
EOM Bridge and Roads.
Bedford and Kimbolton R3ad.
D.-eside Railway.
liimbart's Estate.
Bradford Piece Halls.
Manchester House of RPeovery.
The Lords Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor,
the Earl of Lonsdale, and the Marquis of Salisbury.

The LORD CRANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack
at Five o'clock.
Th 9 Earl of & ALLO WAY presented several petitions
against the Maynooth grant..
The Masters in Chancery Abolition Bill was read a
third time and passed.
MR MATHER.

Earl FITZ WILLIAM pat a question to the Nob'e
Lord at the head of the Foreign•offi'm relative to the
case of Mr. Mather, the English gentleman insulted at
Florence, and the damages awarded to him by the Tuscan
Government.
The Earl of MALMESBUBY said that the amount
of damages awarded to Mr. blither was not so great as
Mr. Scarlett had been directed by her Majesty's Govern-
ment to claim, but they were of such an amount
as was considered equivalent to those which would
have been swlrcled by an English court.
Her Majesty's Government certainly bad not considered
that that sum would be sufficient to compensate Mr.
Mather for the injuries which ho had suff.-red; but he
had r.o doubt that it would be found that Mr. Scar!ett
had acted in the most judicious manner by accepting the
sum of 2401. which was awarded, especially as the Grand
Duke joined with that the concession of releasing two
English gentlemen who had been for some time impri-
aonr3d at Florence.
Lord CAMPBELL bore testimony to the very great
ability and skill with which Mr. Scarlett, who though
only Secretary of Legation, had for the last six years
fulfilled the duties of Amba7,sador at the Court of Flo-
rence, at times most arduous and delicate in their nature.
After a few words from the Earl of ABERDEEN and
the Earl of MALMESBURY, who both expressed their
great approbation of the manner in which Mr. Scarlett
heal always carried on the duties with which ho had
beta er,trusted, the snbjact dropp,A.
QUARANTINE REGULATIONS.
__

Earl ST. GERMANS mov d for copies of all oorre-
spendence relating to the Sanitary Conference lately held
at Pens. The Noble Earl proceeded at some length to
enter into the history of quarantime, wbich he said had
first been instituted at Venice, and had not been intro-
duced into this country her we 1720. With regard to
this conference, he believed the result of it had been the
expression of an opinion that the regulations were injuri-
ous to the interests of humanity and of commerce. Think-
ing that the subject was one which reqaired the immediate
attention of Pailitm,ent and of the Government, with
that view he desired to see all tire information upon the
subject laid upon the table of the House.
The Earl of SHA.FTESBURY agreed that this was a
subject of the greatest importance to the commercial
interests, as the loss which was caused by these quaran-
tine regulations was enormous in a commercial point of
view. He believed that the result of this conference
would be to abolish many of the most injurious regula-
tions, and to equalize and assimnlate the rules of every
port. .
The Earl of MALMESBURY said that her Majesty's
Government were fully c-gn;zsnt of the great importance
of amending the quarantine regulations of Eu-
rope, but the subject was one of great difficulty.
The Government had no objection to grant these papers,
although as there was nm being negotiated a conven-
tion on this sul ject between France and this country—
a fact of which the Noble Lords might not be aware—
it might be rather unusual to produce the correspondence
before the affair was concluded.
Earl ST. GERMANS said that he would not now
press for the mere, if it was incauvenient to produce
them, and the subject dropp-d.
TUE BARONESS VON BECK.
Lord BEAIJ26ONT, in rising to present a petition
hotn Constant Derma de Mirodl, observed that the peti-
tioner was a native of Pestja, in Hungary, and that shortly
Incr. arriving in this country he became acquainted
with a lady, who had b)rno the name of Baroness Von
'''' it, and who had become known as the authoress of a
work
That well.
n"raling certain events in the .Uungarian war.
prevailed on
txtretnely successful, and the publishers
the ,„ve n the lady to write another. She engaged
r- 11,1011er
Hungary, 1,,, '‘hc), it seamed, was of a good family in
and a presete,_ in needy circumstances, as her secretary,
peeta3 wasrpr'inatselvas drawn up of the work. That pros-
Baroliand letters of introduction were fur-
nished to the
. . tss Von Beck and the petitioner for
presentat'oe in Lotion h
the country having beenartennmended for the purpose
of obtaining suloseri-
to relate the wall-known a• The Noble Lord then went
on
oacircumstances attending the
arrest of the Barone:we:7.l
at the house of
M r Tindal, in Birmingham Beck,
obtained a
sum of 11. 4s: 4a ?ear a charge of having
false pretences; and
proceeded to animadvert tir,,,,ln
the conduct of the
magistrate and the- parties wir, v.
ozec
the.uteci on the
ender
rld have been issued'
a summons, and not a warrant,
occasion. He contended that, circumstances
that the
by the magistrate, and
criminal matter should have been
treated as a civil and not as a , proceeding. It
was said there was something Wrat‘a av
was ain,;a Mr
Pulsky in the poor lady's former boo's, but that .
a
reason for civil proceedings at his suit __(ilean beer).
The whole affair was so monstrous that hb !audit, knew•
wh.l, her moat to condemn the parties who had,
instructed
Mr. Toulmin Smith, the barrister who had conducted
the
prosecution or the barrister himself for the manner in
which he had done; or the magistrate who had issued
ae
the warrant, or the officers who had executed it So b ire_
barously.—(llearhear.) He really hoped some iugairy
would be instituted into the case, and some means takeu
to make magistrates see that such alines could not be
permitted to pass with impunity.--(11"4 hear.) If pro.
vincial magistrates were so ignorant of their duty it was
high time measures should be taken to restrain them.
It was most dangerous that large discretionary powers
should remain in the hands of men so ill-qualified to ex-
ercise them.—(Elear, hear.) • And if the course which
had been pursued in this instance was usual,
it was imperative on the Legislature to interpose, and,
by Act of Parliament, limit ant define the powers of
magistrates in issuing warrants.—(Hear, hear.) The
petitioner had taken legal proceedings against the par-
ties, which were now pending; and into his case he
(Lord Beaumont) did not propose further to enter than
by stating that the petitioner set forth the proceedings
at full length; the information on oath; the warrant;
the depositions taken on the hearing; and the decision
of the justices. The petition concluded by representing
that the proceedings had been harsh, cruel, and unjusti-
fiable by law, and prayed that an inquiry might be made
into the circumstances and into the conduct of the jus-
tices, especially as to their right to hand over the papers
of the deceased lady to the prosecutors, after she and
the petitioners had been acquitted of every offence—
(Clear)—by which evidence, whichwould h
esta-
blished her .....
The . . o erecter, was suppressed.—(Hear, hear.)
petition particularly prayed that
prey precautions might
be taken to prevent
being
oirn.hi_d t other unprotected foreigners from
... 4, • --e Ne le "‘‘1.,..i. o similar arbitrary arrests—Wear)--and
0.. aga—s• tee discretionary issue
eh' ' event, agalst
.their
ary lof warrants, or, at all
being executed in such a manner as
-,---- - ' in (ha "
press " - ,
~.. fh P tr In't4llee—at the dead of the nieht— •
-- •fe tbe-ca:e of ck lady in .1 ., night—even
' ' Mail,
". - -- ' :power of de I. health, and deprived of all
.g benchf from the
accusations brought
--1, -, ' • • Der,f th
eigainst Agee° purpose ee ef • .
area ying the malice of
--• v:,---' ter enetnks by,obtainine.„ Icor jp,,—,
''
' - ---.-- " - Ti of SALISBURY--v
cii,.v-:
_Tht-M
.... areg
'"•• ‘-- Inieu roug,he before him Some week
orary arrest.
;:aid the matter had
s ago, and then, as
.1430.11 p thOght it a very lame 301. Y. The Noble Baron

had not stated the depositions on which the warrant had
been issued, and on which everything depended so far as
the magistrate was concerned, who might have acted
quite properly, perceiving that the party making the in-
formation on oath had sworn positively to the charge of
false pretences, in which supposition the proceeding, at
least on the part of the magistrate, would have been re-
gular and proper. He could not say how far this was or
was not so, but as the matter at present stood, their
Lordships hardly had materials for pronouncing any
censure upon the magistrate, whatever might be the case
as to other parties—(Hear)—and as to them an action
was now pending, so that he submitted it would be im-
proper for their Lordships to enter into the inquiry
until the action was decided, the result of which would,
he doubted not, be to show that in any case in which a
wrong had been perpetrated, the law of this country
was adequate to give ample reparation to the injured
party.—(Hear.)
The Earl of ABERDEEN said he really was asto-
nished to hear the language of the Noble Marquis the
Lord Privy Seal, who called this " a lame story."—
(Hear, hear.) A lame story! Why, he had never
heard one more completely established, or more painful
in its character.—(Hear, hear) It was hardly credible
that such a case should have occurred in this country.
—(bear, hear.) Oa one occasion a Nobl© Lord had
observed of some case that it was only in Madagascar it
could be conceived to have occurred, bat the case before
their Lordships seemed to be of sueh a character as
could scarcely be credited of any country, however cruel
or uncivilised!—(Hear, hear.) What were the facts so
far as they were undenied, and related not to the peti-
tioner but to the deceased lady? That a female, a
foreigner, in bad health, was arrested in a barbarous
manner at night, and dragged to a prison on a charge
of obtaining money under false pretences—a charge
which turned out to be totally false, for the magistrates
entirely acquitted her.—(Hear.) What false pretences
could there have been? The lady had represented that
she proposed to write a work. Well, she had written
one already, and was no doubt about to write
another, and the money was received as subscriptions for
it, and the subscribers would have received the book
when published—what false pretence was there in this
representation?—(Hear, hear.) How could any person
who had subscribed his money upon this representation,
pretend that he had been defrauded of it under false
pretences?—(Hear, hear.) As to the lady's title of
baroness—if their Lordships were to decide whether all
the barons or baronesses were entitled to bear such rank,
many persons might have to relinquish them.—(Hear.)
But:really this had nothing whatever to do with the
question.—(Hear.) Here was a poor lady in ill health,
dragged out of the house at the dead of night, on such
a false accusation as this, locked up in prison all night,
and then dragged before a police-court—until, under
excitement, she sank down dead!—(Hear.) Surely no
person of any human feeling could hear these plain facts
without sensations of horror.—(Hear.) It was shocking
to see that such things as these could happen in a coun-
try such as this—which boasted its equal justice and its
fair laws.—(Hear.) And then, when the person who
had gone down to prosecute this poor helpless woman—
the real reason being some offence given to certain of
her countrymen in her former publication—(Hear)—
when this lawyer who prosecuted made the demand, the
magistrates—while her corpse was lying before them—
made an order for delivery of the papers to the prose-
cutors—(Herr)--to obtain which was possibly the main
motive of the prosecution.—(Hear, hear.) It was a very
good thing that such a monstrous case should have been
brought forward to be stigmatised as it deserved.—
(Hear, hear.) And he hoped an inquiry would be
instituted into the conduct of the magistrates who had
acted or allowed others to act with such illegality and
inhumanity.—(Hear.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR said, if the party com-
plaining had applied to the Noble and Learned Lord
who had occupied his office at the time, the magistrate
would have been called on for an explanation, and if his
conduct were considered culpable, he must have been
visited with a supersedas, having first, however, been
fairly heard in his defence.— (Hear, hear.) The proper
authority, the Chancellor, did not appear to have been
appealed to.—(Hear, hear.) This was to be lamented,
fur, in common with all who had heard of the
case, he bad been very much shocked at it.—(Cries of
" Hear, hear.") He could nut conceive it was true, it
was so shocking.—(Hear, hear.) The question was,how
far the proceedings were culpable. The petition im-
peached all parties concerned—the councel, the magis-
trate, the offieers, the prosecutors. An action, however,
was actually pending on the part of the petitioner.
Their Lordships could not at present proceed with the
inquiry prayed for.—(Hear, hear.) On the face of the
matter undoubtedly there had been unjustifiable pro-
ceeding.—(Elear, hear.) Even if the poor lady bad to
some way acted improperly, it was impossible to vindi-
cate the course which had been tsdopted.—(Hear, hear.)
The practical question was, who was the party respon-
sible and culpable? Probably, not the magistrate, who
perhaps acted on information given on oath—some per-
son swearing positively to the lady's guilt.—(Hear,
hear.) Unquestionably a magistrate ought not to grant
a warrant without great consideration—(Hear, hear)—
and the magistrate ought to take care not to be imposed
upon—(Hear, hoar)—especially ought he to be cau-
tious how he 'allowed a warrant to be exe-
cuted at night—(Hear, hear)—as in this in-
stance, in which (though the magistrate might not be
responsible for the manner of executing the warrant)
the poor lady had been dragged from the very hearth-
stone of a friend. He could not say that the case was
not one which should have been brought before their
Lordship, who were bound to protect the lowest of"
their fellow-subjects from the undue exercise of magis-
terial authority; at the same time, it must be borne in
mind that there was an action pending, and it would not
be proper to prejudice its issue by any investigation in
that House.—(Elear, hear.)
The Earl of CARLISLE concurred in the feeling of
sa,isfaction that the case should have been brought for-
ward.—(gear, hear.) And he could not avoid ex-
pressing his indignation that such a case should have
occurred.—(Hear, hear.) The remark of the Noble and
Learned Lord, that an action was pending, applied only
to the petitioner, and not to the poor lady whose life
had been sacrificed, and who was now beyond the reach
of human violence and inhumanity.—(Hear, hear.) As
a female, as a foreigner, as an invalid, and as a guest,
ahe had been treated with brutality and injustice—
(Hear, hear)—and not only with brutality as a female,
out with treachery as a guest.—(Hear, hear.) He could
not help alluding to the conduct of the magistrate in
ordering to be delivered up to the prosecutors on a
charge dismissed as untenable the papers of one of the
parties accused, who was actually dead.—(Hear, hear.)
file poor woman, ono of the pales, having expired be-
fore the case was heard, so that against her of course no
charge could have been substantiated; and the other—
the petitioner—having been acquitted.—(aar, hear.)
Ho could not but say—without going further into the
race—that (with respect to the retention of the papers
particularly) the ordinary course of justice had been
culpably departed from.—(Hear.)
The Duke of NORTHUMBERLAND said he was
sure all of their Lordships had felt shocked at the case,
but he submitted that the fact of a suit being pending
should prevent its being at present inquired into or dis-
cussed.

The Earl of ELLESMERE said he felt indebted to
the Noble Baron who hid brough this case before their
Lordships.—(Hear, hear.) He felt not only pity for the
fate of the poor lady who had lost her life, but commise-
ration for the simplicity of the magistrates who had al-
lowed themselves to be made dupes and instruments for
the pi rversioa and prostitution of our law to the purposes
of private malice.—(Hear,_ hear.) That was the real
history of this case.—(l-lear, hear.) Suppose the
Foreign Secretary had allowed a British in
Austria or Tuscany to ba treated as this neer lady had
been, he would have been baited with questions, and
vestry agitators would have lived upon him fur a week.
—(Hear, and a laugh.) The unhappy lady had been
amused of assuming a titlo sho was not exactly entitled
to; but, if the pretensions of all parties who assumed
titles were examined into, many would not be safe.—
(Hear, hear.) There had been an itinerant orator pro-
fessing to be " Governor of Hungary," whereas some
alleged that he had voluntarily abdicated that office, and
had no right to the title, either in fact or right.—(Hear.)
If that person had been arrested at night, and dragged to
a prison and kept in confinement until the morning, and
then brought before a Tory mcgistrate, what an outcry
would have been excited. Yet what was done in the
present case was worse than this,—(Haar, hear.) He
would not enter further into the subject, in dt2ference to
the appeal of his Noble and Learned Friend the Lord
Chancellor—not with much respect for the opinion of the
Noble Marquis the Lord Privy Seal, who really seemed
to think there was nothing irregular in the case.
Lord BEAUMONT begged to say, with reference to
the observations of the Noble Marquis, that all the de-
poSitions were incorporated into the petition; all the pro-
ceedings before the magistrates at the hearing of the
case when they dismissed the charge, so that their Lord-
ships had all the materials necessary to form a fair judg-
ment on the case. The matter, indeed, had been decided
by the magistrates, who had acquitted and discharged
the petitioner. As respected the petitioner, he did not
desire their Lordships at present to interpose, an action
being pending; but as to the poor lady who was dead,
and had been so ill treated, what remedy could be had
aptreljiv:—(Elear, hear.) If, as the Lord Privy Seal
seemed to think, all this was only the regular course of
law,e the sooner such law was altered the better for the
tletrry and its character.--(Hcar, hear.)
LP a CAMPBELL said such cases ought not to be
nal infer eetrfecially while an action was pending. If
the eendoot
he wouldthe magistrate had been culpable a crirni-
be 9n could. be obtained against him, and then
heard in his defence.
sey he thou
The Earl of
thought the
was understood to
the case a serious one, and deserved
not dispute this,
indebted to
inquiry.
The Merquie of s
B.Ut. RY explained that he did
similar case that at present it was imposst-
etthee upon the
of
el
jekeonduct of the magistrate.
to IthICARDE said that their
e Noble Baron who had
tnem.---(Hear, hear.) Now
broughtLb loeTrdthsehPiralp°tshilaawrqsouruebisii,cedt
case should ever occur, it
he hoped that if any
41 fallacious to the same way.— Hear.)
the partite
say that there was a le( al iwteaupldpebaeretro_u_eht. forward
re-
medy available to partio,
for
an
t. al
aceen could not
ar oseurtiothuast
troll-es:3a
was.
afford reparation to the poor lady; and a to . .
iminal
information, who was to run the risk of isettinaecrthe la
in motion? The very fact, hewe'icr, that the L'ord Chief'w
of a criminal inf r-
place in August last, and since
What provi-
sion to prevent a
Justicesmioaation had, hadpr
obveetdn pointedbino
recurrence of su h
utraets?timTe appear that the authorities had
to apply acted. Was the case to be passed over without any at-
temptisaatee might not be responsible
a remedy or ,to afford redress?—(Hear,
lymdiadttenrottoek
hear.) Surely the magistrates must have seen it
was only a case for a summons.—(gear, hear.)
they were re-
And though the mug
siporlutshibei formanner
the o
ef h
ar o
ts r executingofthtehwearjffianate,rB
whom
they

retained in their employment to execute these warrants.
--(Hear, hear.) In such cases it was often not practic-
able to set in motion the processes of the law for the
purpose of obtaining redress ; and their Lordships
should institute an inquiry, as the authorities had not
thought proper to take the matter up at all.
The Earl of DERBY said the Noble Marquis seemed
to think there had been a gross act of oppression, and
that there had been neglect on the part of the autho-
rities in not inquiring into it. But the Noble Marquis
and the Noble Earl (Carlisle) were Cabinet Ministers
at the time—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear")—and sitting
by their side was their colleague the late Lord Chan-
cellor, who was of course peculiarly responsible for the
conduct of the magistrates, and who had allowed six
months to pass before he left office without instituting
any inquiry into the case.—(Hear.) Probably the Noble
and Learned Lord (Lord Truro) did not deem it neces-
sary to do so, nor his Right Hon. Friend the late Se-
cretary for the Home Department, or it must be pre-
sumed that they would have done so. At all events the
Noble and Learned Lord and the Right Honourable
Gentleman were the parties responsible for the delay of
inquiry.—(Elear, hear.) And it was most extraordi-
nary that the Noble Marquis should complain that in-
puiry had not been instituted, when his own colleagues
had ben the parties to institute it.—(Hear, hear.)
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE explained that he
had not imputed blame to any parties; indeed, he had
always imagined that inquiry would be instituted, and
had he still been in office he should have expressed the
same opinion as he had now.
The Earl of CARLISLE also wished to state that he
imputed no blame to any party now or then in office,
and the only persons he found fault with were the ma-
gistrates who acted in the illegal manner that had been
represented.
Lord TRURO (who spoke with his back to the gal-
lery, and was consequently imperfectly heard) said
he had the honour to hold the great seals at the
time these transactions occurred, and in attending to a
variety of other matters he had not given much time
to it, and had not heard the facts stated till they
were detailed in the House that night. If the •ase
had been brought officially under his notice, as a
matter of course he would have noticed it; and if not,
he would have been deserving of the severest censure.
Bat it was not in the power of the Lord Chancellor or
the Secretary of State for the Home Department to
watch all that occurred in the newspapers. He could
not understand upon what grounds the magistrate had
been supposed open to the very severe censure that had
been poured upon him, and which no doubt would be
fully and eloquently detailed to the jury when the case
was brought before it. If all these facts had been true,
and that the parties were open to such public reproba-
tion, he could not understand why the petitioner had not
appealed to the Lord Chancellor or the :Secretary of
State for the Home Department. He confessed he saw
nothing in the case to lead him to suppose that the
magistrate had not good grounds for what he did; nor
was there anything to show he was aware of the critical
position in which the unfortunate lady was at the time
the warrant was.issued. All he bad to say was, that
it could not be charged against the constituted
authorities, the Lord Chancellor or the Secre-
tary of State that they had not interfered before the
matter was brought before them in some shape or other
—that would be both impracticable and inconvenient.
He would be quite ready to concur in the condemnation
that had been pronounced against the magistrate if the
case had been proved, but he objected to condemnation
before the facts had been proved, and he must protest
against the House receiving ex parte complaints against
the constituted authorities.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said on account of
the legal proceedings that had been instituted and their
subsequent postponement, it was impossible for any
complaint to have been made, or th© authorities to have
taken notice of it.
The Duke of ARGYLL said one of the most serious
charges against the magistrate was the delivering over
the papers of this unfortunate person to the opposite
party. The papers were given to Mr. Toulmin Smith,
and, so far as he could understand, were still in his
possession.
Lord TRURO supposed these papers had been im-
pounded in order to be produced before the grand jury.
Lord BEAUMONT said the papers were not im-
pounded, but handed over to the prosecutor. That was
the information he had received. He begged to ask
whether it was the intention of the Noble Earl (Derby)
to recommend to the Secretary of State for the Home
Department to make inquiries in order to procure the
information that had been laid before the magistrate,
Mr. James, on which he had issued his warrant, and on
which it had been served and executed?
The Earl of DERBY--I have no intention of taking
any steps in the matter, and I do not intend to recom-
mend to the Secretary of State to do so. When the case
is properly brought before him, I have no doubt he will
do what is right, consistently with his public duty, bat it
is not my intention to take any steps in the matter.
Lord BEAUMONT—Then I shall make a specific
motion to bring the inquiry before your Lordships'
House.—(Hear, hear.)
The Apprehension of Deserters from Foreign Ships
Bill went through a Committee, and was reported.
Oa the motion of Lord COLCHESTER, the Differen-
tial Dues Bill was read a second time.

The Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages
Bill went through a Committee, and was reported.
The Property of Lunatics Bill, the Stamp Duties
(Ireland) Bill, and the Masters in Chancery Abolition
Bill, were severally read a third time and passed.
JURISDIC PION OF EQUITY BILL.

On the motion for the third reading of the Improve-
meat of the Jurisdiction of Equity Bill,
Lord TRURO said the present session would be emi-
nently distinguished beyond all others by the efforts
which Parliament had made to improve the jurisdiction
and the administration of the law. It was remarkable
for having instituted a fuller inquiry into the common
law than had taken place since the time of Edward 111.
The improvements embraced extensive alterations in
every department of the administration of justice, and
it was desirable that they should be. as perfect as pos-
sible. The L gal Commission which sat in 1650 had
pro3ented its report on the 27th of January in the pre-
sent year, and on the 27th of February—just one month
afterwards—he had retired from office; and that was, he
thought, a sufficient justification for his not having laid
any measure founded on that report on the table of the
House. It was only very recently that the present Bill
had been matured and produced by his Noble and
Learned Friend, and if they looked at the progress that
had since been made in these legal measures, it would
prove the great desire that existed in that House to pass
these measures into law during the present session,
Lord CHAN WORTH expressed his entire approval
in what had fallen from his Noble and Learned Friend,
and believed that on the whole these measures would
contribute very materially to the improvement of the ad-
ministration of justice. It was quite true that the re-
port of the Chancery Commissioners was not made
until immediately before the meeting of Parliament, and
consequently there was not the same opportunity of con-
sidering the subject as the common law report. It was
scarcely a fair ground of complaint that that measure
did not go the full extent that might have been antici-
pated, but he trusted, at least, they would disabuse the
public mind of what he believed to be a vulgar prejudice,
that the persons connected with the administration of
the law had a feeling which prompted them to resist im-
provemen-s in their particular profession. It was his in-
tention to move -that the 50th clause of the Bill be
omitted, because it went against the whole scope and ten-
dency of the Bill. It directed that certain books of ac-
count] should be admitted as prima facie evidence of the
entents, although, according !,to the ordinary law of the
land, they could not be received as evidence.
Lord TRURO fully agreed with his Noble Friend in
thinking that the clause should be withdrawn.
The LORD CHANCELLOR readily admitted that
the clause in its operation would be very doubtful._ This
Bill passed through examination by a select number of
Members of their Lordships' House; and he (the Lord
Chancellor) was not at liberty to withdraw the clause
without their sanction.

The motion was then negatived by consent, and the
Bill was then read a third time and passed.
TURNPIKE-ROADS (IRELAND) BILL.
This Bill was read a third time and passed.
COPYHOLD ENFRANCHISEMENT BILL.
On the motio❑ of the LORD CHANCELLOR, Lord
Brougham was added to the Committee to which this
Bill has been entruited.

Their Lordships then adjourned to Thursday, 3d o
Juno.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 28.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Lords' amendments to the Somersetshire Central
Railway Bill were agreed to.
The Asthall and Buckland Road, and the Oxford,
Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway (No. 1) Bills
were read a third time and passed.
The following Bills were considered and agreed to:—
Commercial Gas Company and British Gas Light Com-

pany. _ ..
Wedmore Road.
Adams's Estate Bill was read a second time and ordered
to b© committed.

ROYAL COMMISSION.
The Usher of the Black Rod appeared at the table,
and summoned the House to attend at the bar of the
House of Peers, to hear the Royal assent given by Com-
mission to several public and private Acts (for the names
of which see Lords' report).
PETITIONS.
Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from a place in
Scotland against the Maynooth grant.
Mr. HARDCASTLE presented a petition from the
Master and Wardens of the Brentwood Grammar School,
praying that the Attorney- General may be called upon
to explain the grounds upon which he had compromised
their claim upon the late head master.
Mr. SPOONER presented a petition from various
places in Warwickshire praying for an inspection of
religious houses.
Mr. BANKES presented a petition from a place in
Dorsetshire, praying the house to step in and put an
end to the Peruvian monopoly in guano.
DUTY ON CARRIAGES.
Sir DE LACY EVANS wished to know if the
Chancellor of the Exchequer c-,uld hold out any hope
of the dttty on carriages bein7 abolished?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it
would not be in his power to propose any remission of
taxation, however triflirg, thi3 session.
PUNISHMENT OF CRIMINALS.
Mr. CARTER wished to ask the Secretary for the
Home Departmen, if he was aware that men above 30
years of age, married FWD, and fathers of families, are
subjected to the degradation of whipping, as part of
their punishment, on conviction of larceny or other
petty
13-' ""; and, if there is any law or statute the
inteet of Which was to autho:ise county
magistrates to
infliet the lash on such persons of mature age?
Mr. WALPOLE was aware that by the statute of

George IV. persons convicbed of felony or larceny were
liable to be ordered to be whipped at the discretion of
the court beforo whom they were tried.
PIMLICO IM_PROVEMENT.

Sir H. WILLOUGHBY wished to ask the Chief Com-
missioner of Works if he would place on the üble of the
House a plan and estimate of the expense to be incurred
under the Pimlico Improvement Act?

Lord J. MANNEIiS said there would be no objection
to produce both the plan and the estimate, and it was
ordered accordingly.

POSTAL COMMUNICATION WITH SCOTLAND.
Mr. COWAN wished to ask the Secretary to the
Treasury if there was any intention of the mails between
London and Edinburgh being accelerated so as to save a
day in the course of post between the two cities, and, if
so, when such change was intended to be carried into
effect?

Mr. HAMILTON said that a proposition had been
made to the Treasury for accelerating the mail be-
tween London and Edinburgh, but it had only been re-
cently made, and he was not, therefore, prepared to say,
whether it was likely to be carried into effect. An ar-
rangement had, however, been entered into by which
letters would be dispatched to Edinburgh by the five
o'clock Dublin mail.

POST-OFFICE SALARIES.
Mr. COWAN wished to ask the Secretary to the
Treasury if the copies of memorials and the answers
thereto (from officers in the inland department in the
General Post-office, Edinburgh), ordered on the Ist day
of April last, were likely to be laid on the table of the
House betbre the dissolution of Parliament?

Mr. HAMILTON said the return would be laid on
the' table within the next fortnight.
HISTORY OF HARBOURS.
Mr. TENNENT wished to ask the Secretary of the
Admiralty, whether it was intended to proceed with the
History of the Harbours of the United Kingdom, which
had been already commenced by the History of Belfast
Harbour, recently published by the Harbour Department
of the Admiralty?
Mr. STAFFORD said that there were difficulties in
the way of the work being continued, and he could hold
oat no hope for its completion.
NEW ZEALAND COMPANY.

In reply to Sir JAMES GRAHAM,
Sir JOHN PAKINGTON said he he must decline
producing the opinion of the law officers as to the claim
of the New Zealand Company to compensation for their
unappropriated land.
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS.
Mr. O'FLAHERTY wished to know if Govern-
ment intended to introduce any Bill for calculating the
agricultural statistics of Ireland, and the value of agri-
cultural produce?

Lord gAA.Ssaid that a Bill was in preparation on
this subject, which would shortly be laid before the
House.

Mr. SCULLY hoped it would be laid before the House
before the General Valuation Bill was proceeded with.
Lord NAAS could not make such a promise.
MR. MATHER.
Mr. OSBORNE said a correspondence relating to the
case of Mr. Math(); had appeared in the public
prints this morning, in which the Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs was represented to
have expressed himself disposed to compromise
the affair for 2001., that being the price for which, in
the estimation of the Noblo Lord, the life of a British
subject might be exposed to risk and danger in a foreign
country. Now he wished to know if this correspond-
ence was authentic?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that it was very inconvenient that these questions should
be put without notice. He was not prepared to answer it.
Mr. OSBORNE gave notice that he should call the
attention of the House to the subject early after Whit-
suntide.