The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-08 00:00:00

THE SUSPECTED MURDER IN THE REGENT'S CAN A'

Yesterday Mr. Wakley, coroner for the western dis-
tricts of Middlesex, who has so long, but up to this
period in vain, endeavoured to secure to prisoners
charged with murder a right of confronting their ac-
cusers by being present during the inquiry before the
coroner, waited upon Lord Palmerston, the Home Se-
cretary, for the purpose of having Mackell, now under•
remand for the murder of Martha Lea, whom he is ac-
cused of having thrown into the Regent's Canal,
brought before him (the coroner) at the inquest, which
he will held this week on the deceased. Lord Palmer-
ston listened most attentively to the arguments used by
the worthy coroner in favour of the accused's right to
be present at the inquiry, and would willingly have con-
ceded, but for the precedents to the contrary laid down
by his lordship's predecessors. His lordship, however,
promised Mr. Wakley, that he would give the subject
every attention, and would, if possible, comply with his
(Mr. Wakley's) request, by having the accused in at-
tendance at tho inquest. The general opinion is, that
Mr. Wakley will succeed in his humane and constitu-
tional object.
HosTiLv OCCUPATION OF THE ROMAN STATES BY THE
AUSTRIAN AND FRENCH TROOPS.—Last night, a public
meeting, promoted by the Society of the Friends of Italy,
was held at the St. Pancras Vestry-hall, King's-road,
for the purpose of taking into consideration a, notice of
motion put upon the books of the House of Commons
by T. S. Duncombe, Esq., M.P., to the effect that her
Majesty be prayed to use her good offices in order
to put an end to the present occupation of the
Roman States by the troops of Austria and France.
Professor Newman was called to the chair. Mr.
Anstey moved the first resolution, to the effect, that
the meeting contemplated with feelings of horror and dis.
gust the bigoted and cruel oppression of Christian men in
the dominions of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, for the pro-
fession of religious belief, but that the meeting recorded
its conviction that religious liberty is impossible without
the existence of civil freedom, of which it is a certain
consequence ; and that, so believing, the meeting was
further of opinion, looking to the relation of civil and
ecclesiastical government in the Italian States at the
present time, that the complete political freedom and
independence of Italy would be the best guarantee of
religious liberty in Tuscany, and an incalculable gain to
the cause of religious liberty over the world. The mo-
tion was seconded by Mr. Taylor, in a speech of great
power, taking to pieces the crotchets of the Peace Con-
gress, and carried unanimously. Lord Dudley Stuart,
M.P., next addressed the meeting. Mr. Masson then
moved, and Mr. Petty seconded, the adoption of a peti-
tion to Parliament in support of Mr. Duncombe's motion.
The proceedings then terminated with a vote of thanks
to the chairman.

FATAL COLLIERY ACCIDENT.—On Thursday last an
inquest was held at the Rose, Barford, upon the body of
a man named John Aram, who had met with his death
under the following melancholy circumstances. It ap-
pear that the deceased and another collier were at work
at Cinder-hill coal-pit, near Nottingham, when suddenly,
and without a moment's warning, they were overwhelmed
by a mass of the roof of the pit. Instantaneous assist-
ance was procured and the men got out, but Aram died
an hour after the accident. The jury returned a verdict
of Accidental Death.
RAILWAY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN EDINBURGH AND
DUMFRIE§.—The Dumfries Courier says that it is pre-
posed to construct a line of railway, which will start
from the Caledonian Railway, about four miles to the
north of Lockerby, and, coming down by the head of
the Tinwald-hills, enter Dumfries near St. Mary's church.
This line would be little more than 14 miles in length,
and would bring Dumfries by direct railway communica-
tion within 64 miles of Edinburgh.