The Sun.
London, England, 1837-02-28 00:00:00

SPIIUT OF THE PUBLIC JOUNALS

tration of the Poor-lay. s, it would increase their confidence and
confirm the measure in their good opinion. It was stated on
Friday night by the Hon. and Learned Member for South-
*ark, that he had presented a petition, not important, perhaps,
dii Accatint tii itS numerical strength, but entitled to great
weight, inasmuch as it was signed by gentlemen of great in-
fluence, the Guardians of the Poor in the large parish of St.
George, Southwark. The lion. Member said that these
Guafdiatis, Comprising eighteen persons, at the head of their
district, had remonstrated ageing the introduction of the Act
into their parish, and objected to being conipellcd to admi-
nister its provisions, and their petition was presented by the
Hon. Gentleman as against the Poor-law Amendment Act.
Now, how stood the fact ? It was true that there was a Board
of Guardians in that parish. But the petition was agreed to
at a meeting of which no notice with reference to the petition
had been given : it was agreed to at eleven o'clock at night;
and so far from the meeting having consisted of the eigh-
teen members of the Board of Guardians, there were only
seven of the eighteen members present, and only five of those
seven voted in favour of' the petition.—( Cheers.) Yet that
petition, signed by five persons out of the eighteen, and agreed
to at eleven o'clock at night, was presented to this House by
the Hon. Member for Southwark' as the petition of eigh-
teen Guardians of the Poor; and on such grounds as those
were the people of England to be called on to oppose the
Act ?

Mr. R. PALMER was sure nothing would satisfy his con-
stituents short of a full and impartial inquiry.
Mr. G. F. YOUNG rose amid such loud cries of " Ques-
tion " and " Divide," that his observations were not heard
for several minutes. We understood him to say that he had
joined with the Hon. Member for Berkshire in giving his
conscientious and continued opposition to the new Poor-law
Act when it was before the House, and he would now support
the Hon. Gentleman's motion fur inquiry into its operation.
He had ever considered that that Act violated the inalienable
right of every Englishman—namely, the right to receive sup-
port from the soil on which he lived. He regarded it as a
measure repugnant to every law and feeling of human na-
ture._( Cries of " Question.")
Mr. WA KLE Y said, if an inquiry took place it was a mat-
ter of importance that it should be a free and full inquiry, and
pursued without any feelings of excitement. He hoped that
the Honourable Member for Berkshire would withdraw his
motion, as he thought that it was of great importance that
the House should be unanimous.
Mr. HARDY then rose to address the House, but could
not be heard for several minutes in consequence of the cries
of " Question" and " Divide." He wished to ask the Right
Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer one ques-
tion. Would the inquiry be allowed to extend to the question
of the bastardy clause ? This part of the subject had hardly
been noticed. It did not appear that any instructions on the
subject had been promulgated by the Commissioners. If the
Right Hon. Gentleman would allow tho inquiry to extend to
this part he (Mr. Hardy) would vote withhitn.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied
that the inquiry would be incomplete if it did not extend to the
operation of these clauses ; therefore it certainly would be em-
braced in the inquiry ; at the same time he begged to add that
be was convinced that the inquiry into this part of the subject
was so extended as to lead to the same results as all the other
branches.

Captain BOL DE RO wished to state a fact. He was ac-
quainted with a certain parish in Wiltshire in which there was
a very large benefit society, one of the members of which
was visited with a disease which was very fashionable.---,
(Shouts of laughter for several minutes, and loud and conti-
nued cries of " Name I") The question he wished to put
was one of great interest to the whole kingdom.—( Cries of
" Name l") This person when he got diseased applied to the
parish for relief, and was told to apply to the benefit club he
belonged to. What was the consequence ?—(Cries of
" Name 1") Hon. Members called upon him to name. He
would name the place.—(Cries of " No, no 1 the disease.")
The society had a meeting, and came to a resolution that ra-
ther than allow their funds to go towards a diminution of
the poor-rates, they would dissolve the society. The result
was, that they did so: and the funds, amounting to between
8001. and 9001., were divided amongst the members. If these
societies were thus allowed to be treated they would be dis-
solved, and thus great injustice would be done to the indus-
trious classes. He hoped that the inquiry would extend to
this part of the subject. He trusted also that paupers would
be allowed to attend their own places of worship.
Mr. WALTER replied. He observed that if the Noble
Lord or the Right Hon. Gentleman had stated on Friday one-
half of what had been asserted that night, a great deal of time
would have been saved. This discussion had, in his opinion,
obtained such concessions of importance from the opposite side,
that he did not mean to press his motion to a division.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER remarked
that the Hon. Member for Berkshire seemed to be of opinion
that concessions had been made to him, which, if made at an
earlier period, would have saved the House a good deal of
trouble. He had made precisely the same statement which the
Noble Lord had made at an early part of the debate.—( Hear.)
The amendment was then withdrawn, and the original mo-
tion was agreed to.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated that
the Noble Lord (the Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment) had been prevented by indisposition from being present.
It was the intention of his Noble Friend to have moved for a
Committee of twenty-one Members. The subject was con-
sidered to be so serious, that it was thought to require a larger
number of Members than were in ordinary cases moved for.
He proposed that the Committee should consist of the follow-
ing Members :—Lord John Russell, Mr. Walter, Mr. Faza-
kerly, Sir James Graham, Mr. Poulett Scrope, Mr. Baines,
Mr. Hume, Sir Thomas Fremantle, Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Est-
court, jun., Mr. Ponsonby, Mr. J. Loch, Mr. Wakley, Sir 0.
Mosley, Mr. Villiers, Mr. Miles, Mr. Barneby, Mr. Gordon,
Mr. Harvey, Mr. Hodges (of Kent), and Mr. Chichester.—Mo-
tion agreed to.
Mr. 'WALTER then stated his determination not to act in
the Committee, and said that it was his intention to have proposed
the following names as a Committee if his motion had been
agreed to :—Lord J. Russell, Sir R. Peel, the Marquis of
Chandos, Sir J. Hobliouse, Lord Granville Somerset, Lord
Ashley, Lord Stanley, Sir J. Graham, Sir C. Burrell, Col.
Wood, Mr. R. Palmer, Mr. Stanley, (of Cumberland),
Major Beauclerk, Mr. L. Hodges, Honourable E. Law, Mr.
Fazakcrly, Mr. C. Canning, Mr. Alderman Woed, Mr.
Morrison, Mr. Hardy, Mr. Hall, Mr. Robinson, Mr. G. F.
Young, 'Mr. J. Fielden, Mr. Brotherton, Mr. T. Attwood,
Sir S. Whalley, Mr. D. W. Harvey, Mr. Wakley, and Mr.
Etwall.

EDUCATION (IRELAND).
On the motion of Mr. WYSE, the following Committee
were nominated :—Mr. Wyse, Lord Viscount Morpeth, Mr.
Shaw, Mr. S. W. O'Brien, Lord Viscount Mahon, Sir Ro-
bert Ferguson, Mr. Mackinnon, Mr. Jephson, Mr. Vesey,
Sir It. Mulgrave, Mr. J. Young, Dr. Bowring, Mr. Macken-
zie, Sir C. Lemon, and Mr. M. J. O'Connell.
OFFENCE AGAINST THE PERSON BILL.

Mr. TREVOR moved the second reading of this Bill.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL opposed it lle stated
that it was the intention of Government to introduce a general
measure upon the subject.
Mr. TREVOR stated that, after such a declaration, he felt
bound to withdraw his motion.

Upon the motion of Mr. WALLACE, returns relative to
Courts in Scotland were ordered.

STAMP DUTIES ON THE ADMISSION OF
FREEMEN.

Mr. WILLIAMS moved for leave to bring in a Bill to re-
peal the Stamp Duties on the admiesim of freemen to the
freedom of cities and boroughs in England and Wales.
Mr. R. WASON seconded the motion.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER felt bound
to oppose the motion, not on financial, but on political
grounds.
Mr. FORBES supported the Bill.

Mr. P. HOWARD regretted that the Bill did not meet
with the support of his Majesty's Ministers. He looked upon
it simply as an act of justice, and would support it.
Mr. H. WARD also supported the Bill.
Colonel SIBTHORP did not think that he would be jus-
tified in supporting the Bill.
After a few words from Mr. A TnEvon, Mr. Git.r.oN, and
Colonel THOMPSON, in favour of the Bill, and from Mr. Wm..
LIAMS in reply, leave was given to bring in the Bill.
JOINT-STOCK BANKS.

dr. HUME wished to know from the Chancellor of the

Exchequer whether the committee on joint-stock banks had
commenced their inquiry, and, if so, what progress they made?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER considered
it would bw irregular for any individual to communicate to the
House what proceedings had taken place in any committee
till the chairman made a report, and still more irregular when
it was a committee of secrecy ; but he might he permitted to
say that witnesses were under examination, and that the com-
mittee were prosecuting the inquiry with due zeal and industry.
BREVET PROMOTIONS.
Mr. HUME postponed his motion relative to the late bre-
vet till Wednesday, and stated that it was his intention to
bring it forward. on that day, and take the sense of the House
on the subject.--,Adjourned at half-past twelve.

A letter of the 16th inst., from Munich, states that
several apartments are being prepared in the palace of the
Duke of Leuchtenberg, for the reception of the Duchess of
Braganza, who is to leave Lisbon for Bavaria.
MR. THOMAS CAMPBELL..—This distinguished
poet is one of the very few writers who have Len accused,
and justly, of coining too seldom before the public. We are
glad, 'therefore, to find this favourite of every class of readers
re-appearing upon the stage—and in the character of a travel-
ler—by the publication of his " Letters from the
,South." He
is right welcome. Ile has laid us under fresh obligations to
him. These letters, of which the public have had various
specimens, are the result of fifteen months of travel, and they
are among the most charming productions of his pen. His
subject matter is full of interest, and he presents everything
the lightest, freest, and most graceful style.
CHEAP itE-PUBLICATION OF MR. BURKE'S
liisToar OF THE COMMONERS.-It is already known to the
majority of the public that Mr. Burke, whose new edition
of his splendid and valuable t* Peerage and Baronetage" is
just. now attracting universal attention, has for the last two
or three years- had, in course of publication, a companion
history of the " Landed Gentry." Thirteen Parts of this
work have now been published, end the remaining three are
nearly completed, and we are glad to find that, in conse-
qoe&e of the approaching termination of the largo paper
edition, Mr. Burke has now commenced a cheaper re-imbrica-
tion, on smaller paper, to be completed, also, in sixteen
monthly Parts, commencing March I. As the first edition was
ton expensive for general circulation, we congratulate the public
on this re-impression at a very moderate price (4s. 6d. each
Part)—so that no one need, in future, hesitate on the acquisi-
tion of this invaluable memorial of his country's eminence in
wealth, talent, honors, and achievements.

Sir Robert Peel has not disappointed us. It will be
seen that he last night, in a short but most appropriate
speech, supported the amendment :—" For if," said the
Right Hon. Baronet, "it were intended to maintain the Act,
to give the moral aid of the support of that House to those
who had to administer the very difficult and important
functions entrusted to the Poor-law Commissioners, the
House ought to be exceedingly cautious how they created
in the public mind a suspicion that they had doubts upon
the subject of this measure, or wished to shrink from the
responsibility of allowing its operation to be continued."
He added, that " having given to the measure his cordial
support, he must say that he had hitherto heard no facts
stated of a nature to induce him to repent of that support,
or incline him to take any step likely to prejudice the opera-
tion of the measure." It will be seen that while many
Members, from their own experience, bore testimony to the
great benefits produced by the Bill, little more than hear-
say, and that confined to particular instances of hardship,
was stated against it. Mr. Walter (lid not press his mo-
tion to a division, and a Committee was named by the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, and agreed to.—Morn. Chronicle.
The stupid discussion about the Poor-laws, that ought
not to have occupied an hour and a half of the time of any
assemblage of rational or sensible men, unprejudiced by
party feeling, terminated last night by the adoption of the
amendment of Lord John Russell. Sir Robert Peel made
the only apparently honest speech that lie was ever beard
to deliver ; but it requires no stretch of imagination to per-
ceive that the honesty of the Right Hon. Baronet is just
_ . .

as fairly to be attributed to the part which he played when
the Poor-law Amendment Bill was passing through the
House, as to any desire to support his Majesty's Ministers.
Lord John Russell was absent during the debate, owing to
indisposition ; but his place was very ably supplied by the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, who officiated for bim.—
Morning Advertiser.
If, at the termination of the financial year, which has
now but another month to run, the surplus of the revenue
should be such as the past quarters have given good ground

to anticipate, the country will naturally enough look loolC to a

further relief., from taxation, as one feature in the forth-
coming Budget. 'As usual, different interests may be ex-
pected to put in their claims for the boon. The three
suggestions which as yet stand most prominent are, the
malt tax, the window tax, and the remaining impost
upon soap. The last appears to have an irresistible claim
to attention—first, as an article of universal consumption,
which it is desirable should be furnished at the lowest pos-
sible price ; and, secondly, because it has been undeniably
proved, by those best acquainted with the manufacture,
that the present duty is evaded to an extent alike injurious
to.the revenue, and ruinous to the fair trader. In advocating
the repeal of this duty, however, we would wish to see some
security, that, ifrepealed, its amount will remain in the pockets
of those for whose benefit such repeal is intended ; and that
the public will not, as in the case of the leather tax, have
just as much, or more, to pay for the untaxed commodity,
than they did when it paid a high impost to the State.
The repeal of the window tax would be a still greater boon
and would reach every class of the community. Even the
lodger and the cottager, who do not nominally pay it
would feel the benefit ; the one, in seeing his rent lowered,
the other in a proportionate fall in the prices of commodi-
ties. In an article which we published some time since,
we pointed out a way in which this alleviation of the pub-
lic
burdens might take place, without interfering with or
preventing any other mode of relief. That method con-1
sisted of an equalisation and small increase in the gene-
ral amount of the land tax. At present the window
tax is, for the most part, paid in districts which are nomi-
nally exempt from the land-tax, such as Liverpool, Manches-
ter, Leeds, Murylebone, and the numerous other places enu-
merated in the valuable tables attached to the pamphlet pub-
lished by " A Citizen of Westminster" upon this subject ;
in all which the owners of house property pay no public
burdens at all, while the tenants contribute largely, in the
shape of window tax and other imposts, both to public and
local taxation. In this case, by the transfer of a very
small burden to the one a heavy and obnoxious load might
be removed from the shoulders of the other. With refe-
rence to the malt tax, no one can have read, with any de-
gree of attention, the evidence taken before both the 'Lords'
and Commons' Agricultural Committees, without per-
ceiving that most of the witnesses concur in stating
it as their conviction that the repeal of one half the
present war duty upon malt, besides its general benefit to
the community, would be a great, though necessarily a par-
tial boon to agriculture. If, however, that boon is to be
purchased, as the chairman of the Commons' Committee
(Mr. Lefevre) recommends, by the free admission of foreign
barley, it becomes scarcely a question whether it would be
worth accepting upon such terms. In conclusion, we
Would only for the present observe, that we fear no prac-
ticable reduction of taxation, either under these or any
Other heads, is likely to be of any temporary, still less per-
manent, advantage to the country, while its monetary sys-
tem is crippled, and its real wealth made unavailable by
the operation of Sir Robert Peel's unfortunate Currency
Bill. That is the incubus which weighs down the energies
of the country. Till that is removed, or its operation
greatly ameliorated, more placebos may be applied to the
national disease which it has inflicted, but a thorough curo
can never be expected.—Morniny Herald.
We have not been unwilling to permit for a time our Whig
and Radical Contemporaries to take their own course upon
the subject of the insult said to have been offered on Wed-
nesday last to Lord Lyndhurst by the Ministerial faction
in the House of Commons. The statements which have
been given to the public are not true ; but they have
served the purpose of truth in unfolding the taste and temper
of the retainers of the Administration. It is full time,
however, that the public should be disabused upon the
matter ; and we will now give an accurate statement of
what really occurred, for the purpose of preventing any
further self-exposures on the part of Ministerial writers,
and of rescuing the House of Commons from a disgraceful
imputation, and not by any means for sake of the Noble
Lord, the supposed object of the alleged indignity, whom
we are about to strip of a distinction which, had it
been really conferred upon him, might have been, and
no doubt would have been, to Lord Lyndhurst, who is a
man of taste, judgment, and spirit, a source of honest
pride. The brutal yells and hootings which the organs of
Ministers, with characteristic sense and taste, have described
so exultingly, were nearly, if not altogether, confined to the
O'Connell party. This we assert upon the concurrent
authority of many Members of the House of Commons of
different parties. Mr. Sheil, we assert, upon the same
authority, had concluded the passage in his speech in which,
after the manner of his party, he perverted the expressions
used on a memorable occasion by Lord Lyndhurst, before he
was aware, or before he seemed to be aware, of the presence
of the Noble Lord. The fact of the Noble Lord's presence
was then communicated to him by the gesture of a gentle-
man sitting near him. It was then, and not before, that the
yells and hootings burst forth ; but it is due to Mr. Sheil
to say, that neither by a repetition of the passage, or any
part of it, nor by any other means, did he afford the least
sanction or encouragement to the disgusting conduct
of his party. That conduct was pursued exclusively by
persons, as we have already intimated, whose cowardly
and malignant hatred can only' confer honour upon its ob-
ject. Bet there was a visible disturbance and excitement
on both sides of the House. Such was the fact ; and this
circumstance added so much to the effect of the hideous

noises with which it coincided, in point of time, as to de-
c:;.ive persons in the Gallery who could not command a
view of the entire scene. We will explain this accidental
coincidence. At the moment when Mr. Sheil's attention

%vas directed to the presence of Lord Lyndhurst, an Irish
Member, situated near the bar, began to yell in a man-
ner-,so obstreperous and discordant, as to excite univer-
sal attention. Members on both sides of the House

started simultaneously from theii• seats, to see who it
was that dared, apart as he was from the rest of the herd
to which he belongs, thus to misconduct himself. Hence
the commotion and apparent excitement. As to the yells
and hooting s of the Tail, we are assured that, but for the
accompanying circumstance we have described, they would
not have been thought anything extraordinary. We are so
entirely convinced of the accuracy of this statement, that
—should it be disputed—we shall print to-morrow the
name of the Honourable Member whose conduct gave
occasion to the movement in the House—a disclosure
which we now only withhold because some kind of ex-
cuse—although it is a bad one—may be found for the be-
haviour of the Hon. Member in the ilict that he was not in

the condition in which men are expected to he masters
of their own actions. We feel no interest in this matter
other than that which is inspired by a regard for the cha-
racter of the House of Commons. As to the Noble and
Learned Lord whose name is connected with the scene,
had it been such as our Ministerial Contemporaries have
delighted to describe it, the triumph and glory would have
been entirely his, the disgrace and ignominy those of his
assailants. What more unequivocal 'testimony to his ta-
lents, his power, and his worth, could the roost z':7alous
friends of any public man desire fbr him than the expres-
sion of rancorous hatred, malignant jealousy, and fear, pro-
ceeding from such a body of persons as the Ministerial
writers have depicted the Ministerial majority of the House
of Commons ?---Morning Post.

A learned Correspondent of the Chester Chronicle
as published in that paper an elaborate argument, to prove
hat the sun is not a body of fire.

An Indian overland despatch has arrived, bringing,
however, letters only. It left Bombay December 3. Freight
at Bombay, fur London, is quoted at 31. los. to 31. 15s. ; at
Madras, 61. per ton ; and at Bengal fur heavy goods, 61. to
tiL i Os. , and for indigo and light goods, 71. 103. Exchange,
Bombay, November 30, bills on London at six months,
2s. lid. to 2s. lid.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

HOUSE OF LT)RDS, Fmn. 27.

APPEALS.--THE QUEEN OF PORTUGAL V. GLYN AND OTHERS

This was an appeal from a decision of Lord Abingcr in the
Court of Equity Exchequer, by which a demurrer filed by the
appellant had been overruled. The respondents had been
made defendants in a suit at law, brought by Mr. Soares, the
agent in this country for the Portuguese Government. The
action was to recover the amount of certain bills of exchange
accepted by the defendants on account of the loan raised in
this country for Don Miguel. To resist this action it was
necessary to have evidence which the defendants could not
then procure but from the ridmissions of Soares, and they
accordingly filed their bill against the Queen of Portugal and
Soares, in the Court of Equity Exchequer, for a discovery,
the defendants alleging in their bill that the bills had been
taken possess!on of by the Government of Donna Maria and
then indorsed over to Soares; that the loan to Don Miguel
had been repudiated by Donna Maria ; and that her Go-
vernment had given no consideration for the bills, while
that of Don Miguel, for whose benefit they had been ac-
cepted, had given formsl notice to the acceptors not to pay
them, and had duly published that notice to the world. The
bill then went on to allege that the Queen had brought an ac•
tion to recover the amount of the bill's in the name of Soares,
that she claimed an interest in them in his hands, and it prayed
for a discovery' of the circumstances, with a view to show a de- '
fence to the action. The Queen demurred on the bill that
she was not a party to the suit at law, and also because the
matters stated in the bill would not be a valid defence in an ac-
tion at law. The Lord Chief Baron, on the 19th July, 1836.
overruled the demurrer with costs. This was an appeal against
the order made on that occasion.

After bearing Counsel,
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that the case involved many
nice and difficult questions, and that their Lordships would take
time to consider the judgment.
Lord WYNFORD had some doubts whether there ought not
to be a bill of interpleader between Don Miguel and Donna
Maria, before this case could be properly settled.—Judgment
postponed.

CRIMINAL COURT.-(MONDAY.)

SUMMARY STATEMENT, DESCRIPTIVE
TUE PRISONERS SF.
Bigamy
Burglary 3
Uttering and having Coon ter 1 eit

E OF VIE VARIOUS OFFECNES WITH
:vERALLY STAND CHARGED.
! Stealing in a dwelling-house
I above the value of 51 5
Stealing from the person
Ditto by Servants
Stealing a Letter in th:!_. Post
Office I
Sheep-stealing
Misdemeanour 4
Receiving stolen goods ..

Coin in possession 6
Embezzlement )3
Committed to give evidence 2
Forgery
Housebreaking 9
Larcenies

Total l9O

London prisoners
Middlesex ditto
Essex ditto
Kent ditto ,
Surrey ditto

135

t....

~~~

22-190

STATE OF lIIS MAJESTY'S GAOL OF NEIVGATE,
MADE UP TO SATURDAY EN' c.Ni NG. Males. Females.
Prisoners under sentence of death
Prisoners under sentence of transportation for life 1 0
14 years .... 0 l
7 years .... i 1 12
Ditto, for trial at the present Sessions
Ditto, whose judgments are respited 2 0
Ditto, committed by Commissioners of Bankruptcy 1 0
Ditto, under sentence of confinement 1 0

158
219

Total

OLD COURT.

William Featherstone Greathead, aged 54, was indicted fof
obtaining, by means of forged orders, twelve pint bottles of
wine from the St. Katharine Dock Company, with intent to
defraud Mr. Archer, a wine merchant.

Mr. C. JONES addressed the Jury on behalf of the prisoner,
and called two witnesses to character.

The RECORDER summed up, and the. Jury found the pri-
soner guilty.
The COURT sentenced the prisoner to 132 imprisoned for six
months, and to be kept to hard labour.
-The Court was occupied till five o'clock in trying cases of
not the slightest importance.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT, NEweAsrLr,FISR. 03.

The assizes for the county of Northumberland and the city
of Newcastle, commenced yesterday. Three cases only have
been entered for trial on the civil side. The criminal cases
aro rather numerous, there being thirty-six prisoners in the
county, and sixteen in the city for trial. The greater portion,
however, have been committed for petty thefts. Two were
charged with child murder, two with cutting and maiming, and
two with manslaughter.
Immediately after opening the Commission the Judges pro-
ceeded to try several prisoners, whose cases, however, were of
no importance.