The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-25 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—(THIS EVENING.)
The house met five o'clock.
LIVERPOOL ASSIZES.

Lord CAMPBELL said he was instructed by that
respectable body—the Northern Circuit—to make a re-
presentation in his place in that house to the Lord Chan-
cellor. The judges, bar, attornies, grand jurymen, &c.,
attending upon the assizes, for the county of Lancaster,
were all in a state of the greatest dismay, in consequence
of the intelligence they had received from the Mayor of
Liverpool that at the coming assizes in that town they
were to be turned out of St. George's Hall, which had
been accorded to their use by solemn compact, and con-
demned to sit in a place which was situated in locality where
the cholera generally raged, and which he could say from
experience very much resembled the black hole of Cal-
cutta. The reason for this proceeding, he understood,
was that St. George's Hall was being decorated prior to
the visit of her Majesty to Liverpool ; but he did not
think her Majesty would wish her visit to impede the
course of justice. He hoped his noble friend would in-
quire into the subject, and that, in the event of no other
remedy being found, a bill would be introduced for
holding all the assizes for the county at Lancaster
Castle, where there was ample accommodation for the
courts of justice.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that was the first
time he had heard of the circumstance. He could hardly
suppose the visit of her Majesty was the real reason for
shutting up the courts of justice. He should direct a
letter to be written to the Mayor of Liverpool, request-
ing him to give some explanation of the matter.
Lord BROUGHAM sympathised with his learned
brethren on the Noibhern Circuit in the inconvenience
they would suffer by their removal to the place men-
tioned. This was another instance of the necessity for
the appointment of a public prosecutor, whose duty it
should be to watch over the administration of justice.
The B9rough Rates Bill, on the motion of Lord STAN-
LEY of Alderley, was read a second time.
The Reformatory Schools (Scotland) Bill was also read
a second time, also on the motion of the same noble
lord.

The following bills were also read a second time :
Sale of Beer, &c. ; Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction ; Stock-
in-Trada Exemption ; Inclosure, &c., Land ; Common,
&c., Rights (Ordnance) ; Friendly Societies (No. 2) ;
Spirits (Ireland) ; Burials beyond the Metropolis ; Ad-
miralty Court ; Land. Revenues of the Crown (Ireland) ;
Highways Public Health.
The following bills passed through committee :
Public Libraries, Registration of Births, &c. (Scotland),
Usury Laws Repeal, Returning Officers, Turnpike
Acts Continuance, &c., Jury Trial (Scotland).
(LEFT SITTING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS--(THIS DAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Lords' Amendments to the West London Rail-
way and the Westminster Terminus Railway Bills were
eonsidered and agreed to.
THIRD READINGS.
The Stainforth's Estate and Stilliing's Estate Bill were
read a third time and passed.
The Worsley's Estate Bill was read a second time.
BRIBERY BILL.
The consideration of this bill, as amended, was then
proceeded with, commencing with the adjourned debate
on Lord John Russell's clause making it illegal to give
refreshments to voters on the day of nomination or
polling.
Mr. WALPOLE opposed the clause as being at
variance with public opinion. It was hopeless to think
of inducing the elector to register his vote solely from
patriotic motives.
Mr. THORNELY strongly objected to allowing
either travelling expenses or refreshments, as it would
be only opening the door to endless bribery and
treating.
Mr. T. EGERTON said the clause was decidedly
at variance with the feelings of the country, prohibiting
as it did the commonest hospitality, and he was satisfied
that it would be largely evaded.
Mr. STANHOPE argued that it was unjust to expect
that men would come from a long distance to poll at
oounty elections, if they were required not only to loose
a day but to pay for their own refreshments. He there-
fore agreed with the last speaker that all parties would
combine to evade the chive.
Mr. L. HEYWORTH remarked that, if they wished
to elevate the character of the elector, they must abolish
both travelling expenses and refreshments.
Mr. M`CANN said the bill would be useless if they
allowed reasonable refreshments of any kind. It was a
mistake to permit travelling expenses, but if they per-
mitted refreshments, bribery and treating would be as
rife as ever.
Capt. SCOBELL hoped the noble lord would adhere
to the clause.
Mr. E. BALL obtained his election without the ex-
pense of a penny piece, and he never would consent to
sit upon any other terms. A Member of Parliament gave
up a good deal of time to the service of his constituents,
and it was unjust to expect him to pay either travelling
or refreshment expenses The dignity of the electors, as
well as the integrity of the member, depended in a great
measure upon the absence of both, and, under tbe.e cir-
ctunstancee he should oppose treating of every hind.
Mr. ROBERTS also supported the clause.
Mr, BARROW insisted that county electors coaling

from a distance were entitled to reasonable refreshment
The house then divided, when there appeared—
For the clause
Against it 35
Majority — 42
The clause was accordingly read a second time.
Lord R. GROSVENOR moved to add the day of de
claration to the day of nomination and polling.
Lord J. RUSSELL hoped the noble lord would not
press his amendment.

Mr. G. BANKES moved to insert the following
words, "not being refreshment reasonably incidental to
the travelling expenses of such voter."
Mr. HILDYARD seconded the amendment.
Lord J. RUSSELL said the object cf the clause was
to remove the uncertainty of the law of treating, but if
this amendment were adopted, he was afraid it would
not attain that object, because it was very difficult to
decide what were reasonable refreshments to be allowed
to travellers. He therefore could not assent to the
,amendment.

Sir F. KELLY thought it would be carrying their
legislation too far to reject this amendment. The house
already decided that reasonable travelling expenses
should be allowed to a voter coming from a distance,
and how could they stop short in allowing him reasonable
refreshment in the course of the journey when it was
long.

After some further discussion the house divided, when
there appeared—

For the amendment
Against it
Majority
The amendment was accordingly rejected.
Lord R. GROSVENOR moved to leave out from the
word "refreshment" in line six, to the end of the clause,
in order to insert the words "shall be deemed an ille-
gal act, and the person so offending shall forfeit the slim
of 40s. fur each offence to any person who shall sue for
the same, together with full cost of suit," instead thereof.
The amendment was agreed to, after a brief technical
discussion.

113
--52

Mr. M'MAHON moved to add the following clauses
after clause 14 :—ln case of any indictment or informa-
tion by a private prosecutor for any offence against the
provisions of this act, if judgment shall be given for the
defendant, he shall be entitled to recover from the pro-
secutor the costs sustained by the defendant by reason
of such indictment or information, such costs to be
taxed by the proper officer of the Court in which such
judgment shall be given. It shall not be lawful for any
Court to order payment of the costs of a prosecutor for
any offence against the provisions of this act, un-
less the prosecutor shall before, or upon the finding
of the indictment, or the granting of the information,
enter into a recognisance, with two sufficient sureties, in
the sum of 2001. (to be acknowledged in like manner as
is now required in cases of writs of certiorari awarded
at the instance of a defendant in an indictment) with
the conditions following, that is to say, that the prose-
cutor shall conduct the prosecution with effect, and
shall pay to the defendant or defendants, in case he or
they shall be acquitted, his or their costs.
Mr. PHINN opposed the clauses, as the principle of
giving security for costs by a prosecutor was unknown
to the English law ; but if it were, the case of bribery
was not one which it ought to apply to.
Sir F. KELLY insisted on the other hand, that
bribery was an exceptional case, and since parties were
liable to be improperly prosecuted for it during the heat
of political excitement, it was only right to recover
their costs, At the same time it should always be pro-
vided that prosecutions for bribery by the Crown should
be exempt from this rule.
After some observations from Mr. HILDYARD.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL opposed the clauses,
believing that it would be unwise to throw any obstacles
in the way of prosecutions for bribery, or they would
never be undertaken at all. He had, however, no objec-
tion to give the judge the power of granting the defend.
ants costs where he thought the prosecution had been
instituted without sufficient cause, or from malicious
motives.

After some further discussion the clauses were agreed
to, and were ordered to be added to the bill.
Some other clauses were added to the bill: which was
then considered, as amended, and ordered to be read a
third time on Friday next at the evening sitting.
The other twelve o'clock orders were then disposed of,
and the sittings were suspended at four o'clock.
The house resumed at six o'clock, and was
[LEFT 4TTTING.]

THE LONDON GAZETTE

(THIS EVENING.)

DOWNING-STREET, JULY 24.

The Queen has been pleased to appoint Sir George Grey,
K.C. 8., now Governor of the Islands of New Zealand, to
be Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the
Settlement of the Cape of Good Hope, and its depen-
dencies, and to be her Majesty's High Commissioner for
the settling and adjustment of the affairs of the territories
adjacent or contiguous to the Eastern District of the said
Settlement.

Her Majesty has also been pleased to appoint Lieut.-
Colonel Freeman Murray, to be Governor and Com-
mander-in-Chief in and over the Bermudas, or Somers
Islands.

DOWNING-STREET, JULY 25.
The Queen has been pleased to appoint Henry Connor,
Esq., to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of her Ma-
jesty's Forts and Settlements on the Gold Coast, and As-
sessor or Assistant to the native Sovereigns and Chiefs
within the countries adjacent to the said Forts and Settle-
ments.