The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-21 00:00:00

vals, and other dangerous parties. Let us raise our
voices especially against drunkenness, against the
habit of haunting taverns and other houses of de-
bauchery, blasphemy, luxury, injustice, usury, and
other excesses, which attract to earth the displea-
sure of Heaven.

" To conclude, let us form ardent vows that the
new year be happy and filled with blessings. May
the sombre mists which seem to announce a furious
tempest be dissipated by the powerful prayer of the
Glorious Mother of God, the Immaculate Virgin
May the whole world enjoy a serene and happy
peace. May we all, after the pains and sufferings
of exile, reunite in the ever happy country.
"I am, very cordially, sir, your very
humble and obedient servant,
"j- Ig. BISHOP OF MONTREAL."

THE CLEARANCE OF THE PRISONS.

The visitation of the debtors' prison at Horse-
monger-lane has been made by Mr. Registrar Roche.
The list presented by Mr. Keane, the governor,
showed that the number of debtors in custody on
the Ist inst. was only 14, of whom six had obtained
their discharge before the date of the registrar's
visit. Of the remaining eight four were adjudi-
cated bankrupts; the registrar had no jurisdiction
to discharge the others. At the Queen's Prison Mr.
Registrar Higgins went through five cases, in
which three prisoners were adjudicated bankrupts,
with immediate release. In one other case, the
prisoner refused to answer the questions put to him
and his contumacy will be duly reported to Com-
missioner Holroyd, who will apportion the punish-
ment.

In the matter of Mr. Whittington, who came be-
fore Registrar Hazlitt, it was elicited that the pri-
soner was possessed of property to an enormous
amount. When summoned to appear before the
registrar he at first positively refused to do so, but
it being intimated that such refusal would lead to
a transference to the county gaol, he presented him
self, and tendered a protest, which, however, was
not read by the court. In the course of his exami-
nation he stated he was not in custody for debt,
but for costs in an action which he had brought
against Mr. Roupell, M.P., for trespass on some
lands. He alleged that the costs were really
costs in the cause, and thet, besides, as the pro-
ceedings were still pending, his incarceration was
wholly illegal. He stated that he had no debts,
and that his assets amounted to over £1,000,000
in value. They consisted for the most part in lands
in England, America, Australia, and the Falkland
Islands. In the Falkland Islands he was possessed
of 100 square miles of territory, and he had spent
£43,000 in trying to establish a colony there. He
held also mortgages of property of various kinds to
the amount of £20,000. The registrar overruled his
objection to being adjudicated a bankrupt, on the
ground that the words of the act gave jurisdiction
over any prisoner detained in custody for any debt,
claim, or demand. He therefore adjudged him a
bankrupt, with an instant discharge. The prisoner
refused to accept his protection, as it was " for
debt," and subsequently he stated that he would
not leave the prison until "gentle force" was used
to eject him.

At the visitation of the Queen's Bench Prison, on
Saturday, under the provisions of the New Bank-
ruptcy Act, Mr. Registrar Hazlitt presiding, the
case of Mr. Cobbett was called on, and that gentle-
man, after protesting against the registrar's right
to question him, made a statement of the circum-
stances connected with his imprisonment, and com-
plained loudly of the treatment which he had
received. In conclusion he said—" Ido not want
to have my sufferings complicated by being made
a bankrupt."
The Registrar—Our object is to simplify matters,
not to complicate them. I adjudicate you a bank-
rupt, and give you an immediate discharge.
Mr. Cobbett—Remember, sir, I protest against
your adjudication.
Mr. Cobbett then proceeded to refute some state-
ment which appeared in the columns of a contem-
porary, after which the registrar ordered his dis-
charge.