The Sun.
London, England, 1839-03-08 00:00:00

JOHN JOSEPH LAWSON.

The LORD CHANCELLOR presented the Re-
port of the Select Committee on the petition of John
Jos 'ph Lawson. That Report stated that the Com-
mittee had considered the matter of the petition, but
they saw uo reaon for recommending the House to
comply with its pray, r.
Lord LYND H uRsT gave notice, that on Monday
next he should call the attention of the House to the
Report.
Lord SONDES presented a petition against the
ecr Bill.
DISTURBANCES IN MULLINGAR.

.The Marquis of wEsrm EATH then rose for the
purpose of bringing forward the motion of which be had
given notice, for an address to the Crown for a copy of
any memorial addressed to the Lord Lieutenant of the
Government of Ireland, for "the liberation of Thomas
Cooke from the gaol of Mullingar, wbo had been con-
victed at the General Sessions in March, 1837, and
sentenced to fifteenth months' imprisonment; also a
copy of the Lord Lieutenant's order of the 11th De-
cember for the liberation of the same individual.
The transaction which ended in the conviction of
Cooke took place in the mouth of November, 1836
In that month an individual had been most barite-
' rously and cruelly ill-treated by Cooke and another
person of the name of Weelan—they were bo-b
brought to trial for the offence, convicted, and sen-
tenced to imprisonment and hard labour for fifteen
months—an application was made to the Lord Lieute-
nant on the behalf of Cooke for a remission of that sen-
tence. Tlie m imorial was referred by the Lord Lieu-
tenant to the Judge who had tried the.prisoner, and from
that report the Lord-Lieutenant on the 17th of August
had stated that it was his opinion that the law must take
its coursf% Now after that thdr Lordships would be
surprised to find that Cooke, who had not undergone
more than half his punishment, was liberated without bail,
Such a circumAance, considering the present state of
Ireland, was totally without precedent. Supposing
that bail had been taken, he (Lord Westmeath) would
ask whether the Noble Marquis was justifiA in likr-
ating this min upon his own application. If the Noble
Marquis had adopted this course from good nature, it
did his heart more credit than his understanding. The
Noble Lord who had succeeded tho Noble Marquis in
the Government of Ireland, had stated that it was his
intention to follow the footsteps of the Noble Marquis.
He,(the Marquis of Westmelth) hoped that in this re-
spect he would abstain from such a course, because if he
expected that the benedictions which had been stated to
have followed the Noble Marquis would rest upon him,
he thought he would find himself deceived. For his own
part, he (the Marquis cf Westmeath) could not agree
that the Noble Marquis had received any benedictions

from the respectable and peaceable inhabitants of Ire-
land. He might have received benedictions from un-
principled malefactors, but not •from the respectable
part of society. In addition to the motion of which he
had given notice, it was his intention to ask their
Lordships to apply to the House of Commons
for certain returns which had been laid on the table of
that Howse some time since, but which their Lordships
had not got, and he thought when those returns were
before their Lordships it would be impossible for the
Noble, Marquis to convince their Lordships that he had
done his duty, considering the number of liberatidns
which he had made. From that return it appeared
that of the number liberated 27 were under sentence

of death, 33 under sentence of transportation for Vlife,
2 for fourteen years, 63 for seven years, and 960 for
minor offences, and out of that number only 41 were
required to give bail, the Lord Lieutenant dispensing
with thit essential act in all the other cases of liberation.
There were only four cases in which liberation had taken

place on the recommendations of Jn(lge3, and one the
recommcndation of an Assistant Barrister. In the case
of Ward and Gannon there wcre eighteen Magistrates
on the Branch, and only three hal signed the memorial
in their favour, and although a Protestant Clergyman, the
Hon. and Itvv. Mr. Bro,,vtie, had signed it, their Lordships
would not place much reliance upon that, because in
the event of his refusal he might meet the fate that had
in other cases awaited unpopular clergymen. The

Noble Marquis concluded by moving for-a
copy of the
memori.il presented to the Lord Lieutenant in the case

of Thomas Cooke.

The Marquis of NORM ANBY would confine him-
self to the case of which the Noble Marquis had given
notice, and which he appeared in a great measure to
hate lost eight of. Wl:en their Lordships found that
no stronger case could be procured than one of an as-
sault which had taken place two or three years ago, be
felt that he would he c n'y wasting their Lordships' time
tOerrer at any length upon it, and that it would be es-

. . ,
tablishing a vary dangerous precedent, which had never
before been attempted to be established—that these
memorials and all confidential memoranda should be
produced. With respect to the case of Cooke and
Whelan, who had been ecnvicted of an assault, it ap-
peared that Judge Pennefather stated that Cooke had
received a very exci;lent character, but after reviewing
all-the circumstances he (the Marquis of Normanhy)
decided thi t the law should take its course. Two
months a 'tem:mist is Chaplain, Dr. Vignolles, Mr. Reed,
the Rei tor of Kiibride, and Mr. Sheil, a Magistrate,
had forwarded certificates, giving him a most excellent
character. He (the Marquis of Normanhy) directed
hat, after giving sufficient security to keep the peace,
that the man should be d scharged, there being nearly
four mouths of his sentence unexpired. If their Lord-
ships were to judge from the cases which had been
brought forward when there were thousands to refer to
during the four years that he had been Ireland, the
ground for complaint against his interference with the
due administration of justice must be considered ex-
tremely trifling. He might here rest his general de-
fence of the general accusation that had been brought
against him, that he had acted differently from his pre-
decessors, or, as the Noble Lord expressed it, that he
had swept the gaols, and, acted in a manner unprece-
dented in the annals of that country. Bit he would
call the attention of their Lordships to one little fact.
Tae Noble Marquis stated that be had exercised the

prerogative of mercy in more cases than in any other
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He would produce to
them the testimony of a Right Hon. Gentleman w 6
had acted as Home Secretary for many years, with
the greatest credit and advantage to the country, and he
would tell their Lordships what that Right Hon.
Gentleman said with regard to the administration of
one of his predecessors, for whom he entertained the
highest respect—he meant the brother of the Noble
Duke opposite (the Marquis of Wellesley). In the
month (4* June, 1823, when a motion was brought for-
ward by Mr. Hume for the abolition of the office of
Lord Lieutenant, Mr. Peel pointed out the augments
tion of business that would devolve upon the Home
office,and mentioned that in the past yeerin Ireland there
had been 8,312 eri (Iliad convictions, that there were2,4oo
applications for mercy, out of which capital eases alone
400 sentences had been set aside. Now if such charges
as that were brought against him (the Marquis of Nor-
riaanby) what would the Noble Marquis opposite say ?
Although they had heard so much of objectionable po-
pularity, the applications for mercy were not half the
number in any one year of his Viceroyalty. He had
been three or four hours every day employed in the
examination of these cases, and in all of them he bad
exercised his best discretion, and he could assure their
Lordships that it would be a matter of the greatest
satisfaction to him, so far from his making any objec-
tion if these mnmorials or minutes were laid on tha

table, although in that case, he spoke figuratively, fur
ten tables would not contain all theSe papers. He ob
jected to the motion merely because it was without pre-
cedent, that it would be a dangerous ono to establish,
and should not be acceded to, unless in a case very
different from any that the Noble Marquis had at-
tempted to bring forward. As he understood that the
whole case of the meeting at Tullamorc, and the case of
Lord Bloomfield would be brought before their Lord-
ships, he would reserve any further observations till
thou. Some allusion had been made to medical certifi-

catcs, but their Lordships were not perhaps aware that
these certificates came from the authorised surgeons
of the jails. He hoped these objections were not
made fro:n mere party motives, for no one
disregarded them more than he did, and however he
might differ with the Noble Marquis opposite on some
po'nts of general policy, he entertained the highest re-
spect for his character. With regard to these certifi-
cates he had some months before he left Ireland issued
directions that more attention should be paid to the
wording of these certificates. The cases of the ten

prisoners uho had been removed to Kilmainham on
account of the breaking up of the hulks, had been re-
ferred to by the Noble Lord, but be cnuld state that
with respect to Coglan, he (the Marquis of Normanby)
had acceded to the recommendation of Judge John-
son. Although it subsequently turned out that
a person supposed to be the same individual,
had been previously convicted of a similar offence,
Mr. Browne had repeatedly expressed his conviction that
the man was innocent—and he (Lord N.) having the
pleasure of being privately acquainted with Mr. Browne,
he would assure the Noble Marquis that he was a per-
son above king influenced by notices of intimidation.
—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Browne,in his office of Inspector
of Gaols, gave the highest saQsfaction to all parties—
Protestant as well as Catholic. It was evident that
the Noble Marquis had made his charge without a know-
ledge of facts.

The Duke of WELLINGTON said it had not
been the custom of the House to question the, exercise
of trhe prerogative of mercy. He should he sorry if it
were to depart from that feeling. But in this case he
thought the House had some little claim to be admitted
into the secret of the reason why the Noble Marquis, after
having decided that the law should take its course, should
have altered his determination, although that determi-
nation was founded on the Report of Judge Johnson.
As the Noble Lord was responsible, and not the Judge,
the papers required ought to be produced to the
House, unless doing so would be inconvenient to the
public service. It should be remembered that this man
had been sentenced to imprisonment and hard labour for
a combination in a murderous assault, but yet the Noble
Marquis liberated him. He (the Noble Duke) was op-
posed to the setting aside of Judges' sentences upon the
strength of private applications, because that course was
productive of the baneful effect of depriving the law of
its cha-actor of certainly inflicting punishment.
The Marquis of NORMANBY explained. If the
Noble Duke had not immediately left on the conclusion
of his speech, he might have learned that Judge
Johnson would hare recommended the culprit to mercy
if he could have relied at the time upon the character
he had received. •

Lord CIIARLEVILLE said be was prepared to
justify all his former expressions. He would not now
enter into the case of Lord Bloomfield. John Coghlan
was a most infamous character. In 1831 lie
was committed to a jail for a ribbon offcnce :
there being no evidence of a tangible nature
he was discharged. Next year he was committed
for rape. It appeared that this man used to lay in wait
for the unfortunate girls returning with money from
the barracks of Birr, and deprive them of their money
and ill•use them besides. This was the infamous cha-
racter of the man whom the Noble Marquis had libe-
rated from prison. He knew all the particulars con-
nected with him.

The Marquis of NORMANDY begged to aNk
whether the Noble Earl knew that Coghlan bad but
one eye.

The Earl of CH ARLEVILLE—I never saw
Coghlan.—( Laughter.) But I knew that he was dis-
charged on the strength of a certificate from an apo-
thecary in Tullamore, after the surgeon bad refused to
sign one—be had been caught blinding himself with

The Marquis of NORMANBY said there was us
as yet not sufficient evidence on either side.—( Hear.)
The Noble Lord had spoken without any information
as to the facts.

Eirl RODEN was anxious.to know whether the
Noble Marquis had disch.trged the man upon the certi-
ficate of the apothecary of the town.
The Marquis of NORMAN BY said be had received
a report signed by the medical assistant of the gaol, but
it was not that alone upon which he had acted.
After some observations froth the Earl of CIIARLE-
VILLE,

The Marquis of WESTMEATH withdrew his mo-
ion.

The House then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, M4Rcrr 7.

The SPEAKER took the Chair a few minutes before
Four o'Clock.

Mr. GREEN brought up the Report of the Standing
Orders Committee, finding that in the case of the Perth
Police, the Hurtishead Inclosure, the Tamworth-road,
and the St. Leonard's-road Bills, the Standing Orders
had been complied with. They reported that on the
North Union Railway Bill and the River Moy Naviga-
tion Bill, the Standing Orders had not been complied with.
LONDON AND SOUTHAMPTON RAILWAY

BILL—(PORTSMOUTH BRANCH).
Mr. S. LEFEVRE and other Members presented
petitions in favour of this Bill and Mr. F. BARING
against it.

On the motion of Mr. S. LEFEVRE the Bill was
read a second time and ordered to be committed.
GLOUCESTER RAILWAY.
Mr. P. 'WILES brought in the Gloucester Railway
Bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be
printed.
LONDON AND SOUTHAMPTON RAILWAY.
Mr. GLENNIE presented a petition from Bishop-
stoke, and other places in its vicinity, complaining of ,
the intention of the London and Southampton Railway
Company to cross the high road on a level, and praying
that so dangerous a course might be prevented by that
House.

GREAT CENTRAL IRISH RAILWAY.
Mr. LUCAS presented a petition from the proprie-
tors of the Great Central Irish Railway, praying for an
extension of time to bring in their Bill.

C liN-L A WS.
Petitions praying for the repeal of the Corn•laws,
were presented by Mr. Wallace, signed by 3,854 inha-
bitants of Greenock, and one signed by the Provost of
Hamilton, on behalf of 10,000 of those over whom he
was called upon to preside ; by Mr. Grote, from
Woodstock ; by Mr. Parrott, from a parish in North
Devon ; by Mr. Sergeant Wilde. Petitions in favour
of the present system were presented by Mr. Grant,
from Inverness ; by Sir J. Y. Buller, from Kings-
bridge, in Devonshire ; by Mr. Barneby, from several
pari'hes in the county of Worcester ; and by Mr.
O'Connell, from the Chamber of Commerce in Dublin.
In this case he could not agree with these respectable
petitioners.

Sir C. P ALRYMPLE presented a petition from
Brighton, praying the House not to sanction any system
of National Education unless it were based upon the
articles of the Church of England.
Mr. BROADLY presented a petition, signed by up-
wards of 2,000 bankers, merchants, tradesmen, and others,
of Liverpool, prayinc, fora reduction of the datyon coffee
the production of Hayti. As he intended to call the at-
tention of the House on a future occasion, be moved that
the petition be printed with the votes.
An HoN. MEMBEa presented a petition from the
Dean and Chapter of Exeter against the Ecclesiastical
Duties and Revenues Bill. . .

Mr. BLAIR presented a petition from a parish in
Wigtonshire praying for further endowments to the
Church of Scotland.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM presented a petition, with
a similar prayer, from the Presbytery of Hamilton.
Mr. O'CONNELL presented two petitions from
parishes in Waterford, declaring that the petitioners
were determined to perish rather than abide by the
Union, unless justice was done to Ireland. Also, one
signed by the Mayor of Dublin and many Noblemen,
praying the House to afford the Government the means
of givinc, Ireland the benefit of Railroads, as they could
never be introduced into that country by private spe-
culation.

On the motion of Mr. BAINES certain returns were
ordered relative to the duties on woollen cloth.

Mr. CHAPMAN presented petitions from Epping,
Stamford, Croydon, and several other places against a
repeal of the Corn-laws.

Mr. W. WYNNE presented petitions from the
Clergy of the diocese of Bangor and St. Asaph,
praying that the surplus revenues arising from

the suppression of one of those Sees, might
be applied to the increase of the incomes of poor livings.
The Right lion. Gentleman also presented a petition
from Sir Chatles Buck, praying for an amendment in
some of the clauses in the Copyright Biil.
Sir G. CLERK presented a petition from Dundee,
praying for an Extension of Church Accommodation in
Scotland.

Sir R. INGLIS, presented petitions from the Clergy
of the Archdeaconry of Sarum, from the Dean, Chapter,
and Clergy of Lincoln, and also from the Dean, Chap-
ter, and Clergy of Rochester, against the Ecclesiastical
Duties and Revenues Bill.

Mr. HUME presented a petition from a parish near
Great Torrington, in the county of Devon, signed by
eighty-two agricultural labourers, each of whom had p►►t
down the number of children he had—(A laugh)—the
total number of children being 300. The petitioners
declared their opinion that the restrictions on the im
portat ion of corn, operated as a heavy tax upon food : and,
that therefore, a tax upon food always fidling unequally on
different classes, and falling heaviest just on those who
were least able to bear it ; that, therefore, the Corn-
laws were unjust and oppressive.
BEER-LAW.

The Hos.. ME3ise2 also presented a petition from
Lancaster, priyiog that no alteration might take place
in the 13 !,-!r-laws affecting, the interests of capital
which had been invested on the faith of those laws.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL presented a peti-
tion from Edinburgh, for the total repeal of the Corn-
laws ; and a -petition from the Lord Provost and Ma-
gistrates of the same city, for a uniform postage at the
rate of a penny-per letter ; also a petition from a place
in the county of Gloucester, in favour of the Registra-
tion of Electors Bill.
On the motion of Sir GEORGE CLERK, a re-