The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-03 00:00:00

made to refer the matter, Mr. Dean very properly named two gentle-
men, and said to Mr. Harvey, "As you do not consider the question tobe
one of law, what question do you propose to leave to the consideration of
referees!" Could anything be more fair? Instead of following up
that suegestion the parties, after negociating and corresponding for
such a lentil of time, and to no purpose, Mr. Dean being wiling to
come to terms, and Mr. Harvey endeavouring as much as possible to
escape, and wishing to see the referee named by the plaintiff "without
prejuilice"—without prejudice: Could anything exhibit a greater desire to
creep out of an arrangement than this ? Another letter was written by
Mr. Harvey on the Bth of January, to the following effect. [Here Mr.
Platt read the letter.] It was quite plain from that that Mr. Harvey
was playing with Mr. Dean, and was endeavouring to carry on a corre-
spondence until the tine for suing out the writ would have passed.
Perhaps, if he had carried it oh for two or three more letters the period
would have elapsed which would have enabled the parties to try the
cause at the sittings after last Term. He had now called their attention
to that part of Mr. Harvey's address which had related to his affected
willingness to refer the matter. Mr. Harvey had complained of another
evil which he suffered. He said he understood that gentlemen round
that table had a sort of rule in their professional craft, as he was
pleased to designate it, which forbade them to examine witnesses,
and to allow a client to address a Jury. If there was not that rule,
he (Mr. Platt) would never submit to be led by a layman. He
had spent the greater part of his life in the profession, and
he considered it would disgrace his gown if he could be hired to ex-
amine witnesses while the party could address the Jury. But there was
a higher authority for that opinion which ought to have been explained
by Mr. Harvey. Mr. Baron Alderson had said it was a most improper
mode of proceeding. In criminal cases assistance might be given in
matters of law, but in a civil case that mode of proceeding was not to be
t olerated. It was too much for Mr. Harvey to complain of that, when
a Judge upon the bench had given such an opinion. Mr. Harvey had
brought it upon himself, merely that he might commit irregularities in
his speech, and draw the attention of the Jury from the injury his client
had sustained, to the injury he had sustained in that manlier. Mr. Hare
vey hsd said he trusted to the native sense of justice of the Jury. He
(Mr. Platt) trusted to the same, and also to their knowledge of man-
kind, No doubt they would think Mr. Harvey deserving that the
shield of their protection should be thrown around him, but then the
first duty of a gentleman was to pay his just demands. In the month of
October, Mr. Knox being then on the Advertiser, was induced to form
one of Mr. Harvey's corps of reporters. It was admitted on the p!eadings
he was to be paid three guineas weekly, and that his engagement was Ses.
sioral, and he had therefore a right to look forward to its continuance
Until the prcbable termination of the Session. He entered upon
his duties with talent, assiduity, and industry, and rendered
himself obnoxious to his subordinates by the mode in which he coin.
pelled them to perform their duties; and on the 18th of December,
without the slightest previous intimation, he received that peremptory
letter, by which he was dismissed on the 23d. The Jury would observe,
it was impossible for the plaintiff to get an engagement during the re-
mainder of the Session. The defendant had not produced a witness to
show that, while he (Mr. Platt) had produced a dozen to show
the cnotrary. Mr. Harvey had produced proprietors, editors, and
sub-editors, but not one of them had ventured to state that his client
had got an engagement after the commencement of the Session. Was
it not clear from that that he had lost the profit •f the whole Session ?
He (Mr. Platt) had called gentlemen of great experience connected with
the most respectable prints, who he hoped were above the imputation
which Mr. llarvey appeared in some measure to have cast upon them,
when he said that for anything he knew they might be chin.deep in
perjury. He trusted that gentlemen •f their description—men of
literary acquirements, and of great talent, would not have
come there and committed gratuitous perjury In such a case;
and yet, if they had not done so, was it not true that Mr. Knox
had net received any thing like sufficient compensation ? If
they took the termination of the Session, even at the Bth •f
June, at which Mr. Harvey had fixed it, that would give 168
days—which, at 31. 3s. a week, would be 751. 12s. Of that only 421.
had been paid; but if they took the period down to the month of
August, then the sum would be nearer 601. beyond the 421., and that
was the meaning of the evidence given by Mr. Dickens. They would
also recollect that since the passing of the Reform Bill, which Mr. Har-
vey had said was anything but a reform, because people had talked more
nonsense than before, and to less purpose—by carrying their memories
back, they would fled that no Parliament had terminated before the
month of August. Whether that arose from the love of talking, or from
gentlemen coming from the country who were anxious to have plenty of
Parliamenb--(Laughter)—he (Mr. Platt) could not take upon himself to
say. There was another part of the case on which Mr. Harvey mainly
rolied, and it seemed to him to gi►e the death-blow to the defendant's
own case. He had said that he would show there were only four evening
prints, and that they were all full. Why, that was what he (Mr. P.) had
been saying from the beginning, and if he had known that such would
have been their evidence, he was not sure that he would not have called
those witnesses himself. In furtherance of the attempt of this modern
Murphy to make out his case (and he hoped that he would be more right
in seine of his predictions than Mr. Murphy, for the greatest philoso.
phers sometimes erred, as well as the greatest advocates of their own
cause) Mr. Harvey had read a portion of his (Mr. Platt's) speech at the
trial at Guildhall. He stated that he (Mr. Platt) had designated the
witnesses as persons having an object to attain—that they were of a
class possessing a class interest—that they were all reporters, inter.
eaten in supporting the rights of reporters. He (Mr. Platt) would
hies, to know where they could get information about the duties of
reporters unless it was from these gentlemen. On the other hand,
Mr. Harvey had called witnesses who were of a class, and possess-
ing a class interest, for he had called none but editors, sub-
editors, and proprietors of newspapers. Mr. Young had told then
that he thought a month's pay would be very handsome ; but
Mr. Harvey had tali them that he thought they were entitled to 42/.
They had it also in evidence from Mr. Young that the paper had been
raised by the exertions of these gentlemen to the value of 2,600/., when
he would only have given 1,0001. before for it. Mr. Harvey, by using
that thumb-screw—by getting up those first-rate reports—inflicting as
much injury as he possibly could on the rival paper, at last induced Mr.
Young to do what he had refused to do two years before, namely, to buy
the paper. Now, notwithstanding Mr. Harvey had reaped all the liar.
vest from the seed those gentlemen had sown, he did not appear to think
"the labourer was worthy of his hire," and he had endeavoured to de-
prive them of the just payment of their services. He was sure the Jury
would think that, tinder all the eircumstances, 42/. could not by any
means compensate Mr. Knox for the toes he had sustained.

The Learned JUDGE then summed up, and pointed out to the atten-
tion of the Jury, the several facts which bore upon the question before
them. He observed that it would have been better if the action had
been postponed until the termination of the Session, when they would
have certain data to proceed upon. The Jury would bear in mind that
•ircumstances might from the changes in pasties occasion a dissolution
of Parliament or a breaking up or the Ministry, or the plaintiff might
tile andnot be able to fulfil his engagement ; they would also recollect
that a sum of money paid in a lump was of more value than spreading
it over a long period of time, and that besides the plaintiff had all the
time upon his hands to turn it to the best accounihe could.
The Jury, after conferring together for some time, retired fbr about
twenty minutes, and returned with a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages
Ten Guineas.

ELECTION COMMITTEES.
(YESTERDAY.)

(From our Second Edition of last night.)
HULL.

The Committee, after deliberating for about twenty mi-
nutes, struck off the vote, on the ground that it was bribery by
treating.
Mr. HILL then proposed to take several names together, as
they were precisely in the situation of the last voter; it would
be a great saving- of time, as one examination would suffice in
a great number of cases.

Mr. HILDTARD protested against such course, as being
against all precedent.
The Chairman said that the application of Mr. Hill, not
having been assented to by the other side, the Committee did
not feel called upon to interfere, so as to allow Mr. Hill to
take a number together. They felt very strongly that this
line of proceeding would cause a great delay of time, and they
therefore desired Counsel to make their speeches as short
as possible.
William Whalley was then objected to; but, after the re-
examination of one witness, the objection was withdrawn.—
Vote good.
Thomas Todd was next objected to. It appeared that he
had been employed as clerk at the Committee-room, and that, on
the morning of the election, he breakfasted at the Shakspeare.
Mr. HILDYARD submitted that this was merely necessary re-
freshment. and not such treating as was contemplated by the
act.—Vote retained.

Bartholomew Ellerby was next objected to, but the Com-
mittee thought the evidence too slight, and retained the vote.
.John Tasker was then objected to. It appeared from the
examination of Mr. Alburen, the landlord of the Shakspeare,
and Mrs. Douse, his daughter-in-law, that on the morning of
the election, Tasker went to them to borrow 55.. saying Mr.
Moxon had sent him. Mrs. Douse asked Mr. Moxon if she
was to give the man ss. He said yes. I was to lend him it
—it was not right for him (Mr. Moxon) to do it. The money
was then paid to the voter, and charged to the Committee.
Struck off.

Mr. HILL then applied to the Committee to adjourn, ex-
pressing his hope that the resolution come to on Saturday:, to
continue the sittings from ten until half-past five, would not
be enforced_

The Counsel on the other side concured in the application.
The room was cleared, and the Committee decided that
they would meet each day at ten o'clock, and adjourn at four.

On Friday night an inquest was held before Mr.
Payne, the City Coroner, at the Anchor and Hope public-
house, in Lower Thames street, on the mangled remains of a
young man, named Richard Stamford, who was killed by
being drawn into the machinery of the Yorhshiremen steam-
packet,- on her passage from Hull to London. It appeared
in evidence that the deceased was a passenger, and was coming
up to London previous to seeking employment on the Great
Western Railway. During the voyage on Friday afternoon
he was upon deck with other passengers, and made aeYeral at-
tempts to get into the engine-room, but was repulsed by the
engineer and stokers, who requested him to keep on deck.
Soon afterwards he placed his legs over the opening lead-
ing into the engine-room, and he was several times in great
danger of being injured by the machinery. He was repeatedly
cautioned by two other passengers, named Powell and Reams,
not to persist in his conduct, but in spite of their warnings he
actually attempted to descend into the engine-room for the
purpose of warming himself among the machinery while the
wheels were going round at the rate of 25 revolutions per
minute. He got upon the iron bar or stay, which is placed
between the two engines; and in stooping to descend lower the
tail of hi; coat was caught in the cogwheel, and in an instant
he was drawn among the machinery, and his body was reduced
to atoms. The engineer was called to, who stopped tho
engines immediately, and the mangled remains of the rash and
unfortunate man were collected from various parts of the
engine-room and placed in a case. The accident occurred off
the Hazeborough Light, about two o'clock, p.m. on Friday.
The Coroner said it was impossible to identify the mangled
remains of the deceased. A more horrible and heart-sicken-
ing spectacle he had never witnessed. That the deceased
came to his untimely end by his cwn imprudence there could
be no doubt, but on the whole he thought it would be as
well to postpone the inquest until the relatives of the unfor-
tunate man were communicated with. The Jury acceded to the
Coroner's suggestion, and adjourned the inquiry until Tues-
day next.

There is now in the possession of Mr. Thomas Las-
cridge, of Lilly Hall, near Ledbury, a very extraordinary bed.
stead, of ancient make, being nearly 400 years old, and having
been in the possession of the owner and his family for that very
long period. The massive parts are beautifully carved ; the
excellent preservation of the bedstead reflects the highest credit
on the family to whom it has so long belonged.—Hereford
Times.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS, APRIL 2.

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack at
Fire Minutes past Five o'clock.
Lord BANDON presented a petition from a parish in the
County of Cork, praying for a measure for the better regula-
tion of tithes in Ireland. Also two petitions from places in
Ireland against any system of national education not founded
on the Scriptures.
The Bishop of ELY presented a petition from Tyncmouth
against pluralities in the Church.
Lord FOLEY presented a petition for the reduction of
postage.
NEGRO EMANCIPATION. _

Lord STANHOPE presented petitions from West Bir-
mingham ; a congregation of religi,us persons assembling
in St. James'-street, Bradford ; Heaton, in Yorkshire;
Clayton, in the parish of Bradford ; the Wesleyan
Chapel at Windbill, near Bradford ; Ilalifax, in York-
shire ; the Baptists' Chapel in Shiley, near Brad-
ford; Keighley, near Bradford ; Kings-lynn ; Nettleton,
near Leeds and several other places, praying for the imme-
diate abolition of negro apprenticehip. The Noble Lord
said he would only observe that it appeared to him, that much
of the embarrassment.attending his questio❑ arose from the
Act of 1833, which he considered an ill-advised, and
digested Act.
POOR LAW AMENDMENT ACT.

Lord STANHOPE presented several petitions praying for
the immediate alteration of the New Poor Law Amendment
Act. One was from Bradford iu Yorkshire, and signed,
amongst others, by the late Mayor. It expressed the
opinion of the petitioners to be, that unless the Act was
altered or repealed, it would drive the people to anarchy and
rebellion. Another was from Halifax, in the County of
York, which stated that carrying the Act into operation
would be attended with consequences which the petitioners
would regret to witness. The others were from other places,
the names of which were not heard in the gallery, and
in s'rnilar terms.

The Marquis of SLIGO had received a letter this morn-
ing from the Noble and Learned Lord (Brougham), who
had taken so prominent a part in the discussion upon the
abolition of the system of negro apprenticeship. The
letter expressed great anger against certain false statements
which had appeared in the newspapers, and in the C'ourier
amongst others. The Noble and Learned Lord requested
him (the Marquis of Sligo), to contradict those statements in
his place in the House. But as he (the Marquis of Sligo)
was not acquainted with the matter himself, he could do nothing
better than to read an extract from the letter. The extract
stated " that Lord Brougham had never taken any part in
promoting the apprenticeship scheme, but agreeing to it as did
every one in the Cabinet. He (Lord Brougham) had held
then, as he had always held, that some transition was necessary,
and the Ministry were at sea about the matter, as well as
about the compensation." Now with respect to compensation,
he ( Lord S.) did not agree with the Noble Lord.—( A laugh.)
As the Noble Secretary-at-War was concerned in the matter
of Lord Brougham's complaint, he (Lord Stanhope) had
written to him, and he received from him a reply, to the effect
that "he (Lord Howick) had lost no time, in answering the
communication. He had not seen the article the Courier,
but he could only say as to what he had stated in the House
of Commons, he did not see that it was at all contradicted
by the letter of Lord Brougham. He (Lord Howick) had
not spoken of a division in the Cabinet upon the ques-
tion of apprenticeship.—( Hear, hear, hear.) He was not
in the Cabinet at the time, and, if he had been, lie
would not be at liberty to mention what occurred
in it. What he stated was, that he himself was opposed to
the emancipation scheme, and that Lord Brougham was ad-
verse to him on that question. Such, in substance, was the
statement that he made in the House of Commons in
support of his own argument, that persons who now advo-
cated the abolition of the system were parties to establishing
it." Having read these two extracts, he ( Lord S.) did not
think that he was called upon to trouble their Lordships with
any further observations.
The Earl of RIPON, who was very imperfectly heard,
was understood to say, that what had been reported as having
been said by his Noble Friend in the other House of Parlia-
ment was inconsistent with the facts.

Lord GREY, who was also very imperfectly heard, or ra-
ther quite inaudible at first, was understood, when we could
catch a word of what he said, that he felt the inconvenience
of introducing discussions of a personal nature in the
absence of the persons to whom they related.—(Hear.) He
was not aware that his Noble and Learned Friend, who was
then not present, had been more closely pressed upon the
subject than any one else. For himself, he (Lord Grey)
must say that he was eager for the total abolition of
slavery, and he thought that the time had arrived when it
should be abolished ; but he was anxious also that it should be
accompanied by some measure to prepare the negroes for that
state of freedom which he and his colleagues were agreed in
thinking they ought to possess, and he had therefore done every
thing in his power to promote the measure when it was be-
fore the House.—( Hear.) A Noble Lord opposite had said
that all the inconveniences at present existing in con-
nection with this subject were owing to the defects
of the Emancipation Bill itself. So that he could only say,
that every care had been taken in its construction, and
he was not aware of the errors and imperfections which
were spoken of.—( Cries of " Hear, hear.") He felt, in-
deed, that there were very great causes of complaint, as to
the conduct of the Legislative Assembly, and in performing a
Ministerial duty as a Peer of Parliament—that is in presenting
the petitions intrusted to him for immediate abolition—he felt
bound to say, that although all the measures had not been
taken for the benefit of the slaves which the Imperial Parlia-
ment had a right to expect, yet he concurred in the view taken
by the Noble Duke opposite ( Wellington), that they
ought to proceed to immediate abolition.—( Hear, hear.)
Certainly he (Earl Grey) yielded to no one to put an end to
the desperate systera of human slavery.—( Hear, hear.) And
he felt great satisfaction that he was in that Ministry which
put an end to the slave-trade, and he felt also great satis-
faction that he was in that Administration by which slavery
itself was abolished. The intermediate state of apprentice-
ship was intended to fit them for freedom, and whilst he
regretted that no step had been taken by the Colonial As-
sembly to forward the views of Parliament, yet he thought it
much more to the advantage of the negroes to take measures
to ameliorate their present condition, and to enforce those
steps which were neeesscry to prepare them for a state of full
freedom than to proceed at once to total abolition, which
might be attended with fearful consequences.—( Hear.)
The Noble Earl then presented petitions from Stockton-upon-
Tees, Newcastle, and a variety of other places, in favour of
the abolition of the system of Negro apprenticeship.
The Earl of RIPON postponed his motion relative to the
expense of the Malta Commission until to-morrow; and gave
notice that he should on Friday next move for certain accounts
connected with the Ecclesiastical Commissioners of Ireland.

The Marquis of SLIGO presented a great number of peti-
tions, for the abolition of the system of Negro Apprentice-
ship, from congregations in Manchester, Bury, Ecclesford,
and other places. _ .

The Earl of ALBEMARLE presented several petitions
from different places in the county of Bedford ; also a petition
in favour of Mr. Rowland Hill's plan for Post-office Reform.
Petitions for the abolition of the system of Negro appren-
ticeship were presented by the Bishops of EXETER and RIPON.
On the motion of the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, the
Mutiny Bill and the Marine Mutiny Bill were read a third
time, and the other Bills on the table were forwarded a stage.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a petition from
Dunfermline, against any further grants to the Church of
Scotland. He regretted that the Noble Lord who presented
a petition from Dr. Pye Smith on Friday, on the subject of
slavery, was riot in his place, as he wished to correct a mis-
take into which he had fallen. The Noble Lord's statement
was quite incorrect, and he must have been misinformed on
the subject.
Lord WICKLOW said, in pursuance of the notice he had
given a few nights ago, he should have the gratification in
bringing the subject he was about to introduce before the
[louse of being very concise, because, although it
was a case of great hardship against an individual,
it might be disposed of in a few sentences.—( Hear, hear. )
The individual who had requested him to bring his case before
the House was known to many of their Lordships by name,
and personally to those who attended the Committee on Irish
Education last year. Ho was then examined before that
Committee, and whatever difference of opinion there might
have been with regard to the prudence or the policy of
the system he was carrying on, could not entertain a doubt
of the honesty and zeal of the individual. He had,
at considerable expense to himself, established himself
on the west coast of Ireland, where he had found
the people in the greatest ignorance, and where he had-ex-
erted himself to instruct them in civil and religious
knowledge. Being a Roman Catholic district, he had to en-
counter many difficulties, yet he had continued to prosecute
his great objects. For the purpose of facilitating his objects,
and to enable him to go on, he became the editor of a news-
paper. That newspaper consisted, in a great measure, of
religious opinions, but it had, in other respects, the cha-
racter of a newspaper. It contained, as did other newspapers
in London which he had seen, extracts from the Education
Committee ; it contained Parliamentary debates ; it pub-
lished a list of births, deaths, and marriages ; and was,
in point of fact, like any other Newspaper.—( Hear. )
The paper had been in circulation for the last eight months.
When he first commenced editing the paper he thought it his duty
to communicate with the Stamp Office ; he received from them
a statement of the course which he ought to pursue ; he was
told by the authorities of the Stamp Office, that unless he
applied for stamped paper, and had his Journal properly
registered, he would subject himself to penalties. He did so,
and from that moment he thought his Paper as fully established
as a Newspaper es any other. This went oil for several months,
but to his astonishment he received, on the 12th of March, a
letter, stating that, as the Achill Herald was not re-
cognised as a newspaper entitled to free transmission
by post, it could not be legally forwarded by the Post-
office, and orders would therefore be issued for the publication
to be charged the full rate of postage until the decision
of the Postmaster-General was known. A letter was
written to Dr. Nangle by Mr. Godby, the Secretary of
the Post-office in Ireland. Mr. Godby did not state on
what authority he wrote that letter. He did not say
whether he had done it upon his own responsibility,
or under the orders of the Noble Lord opposite. lie
trusted that the Noble Lord would explain whether
that letter had been written under his authority or not.
Mr. Nangle wrote a letter to the Post-office, stating that he
had purchased the paper on the understanding that it
would pass free at the Post-office ; and that after read-
ing attentively the clause of the Act- to which Mr. Godby
referred, he could not see that there was any
ground for withholding the privilege which the paper
had hitherto enjoyed. Between the Stamp-office and the