The Sun.
London, England, 1838-08-01 00:00:00

Whigs nd two Tories. The two Whigs were described as bankers ; but
unfortunately they were procurators. The two Tories were described in
such a way as to lead any one to suppose that they were not qualified.
Looking, therefore, at tire list, his attention was immediately drawn to
their description, and of course he struck out the two who appeared
to be disqualified. Such was the impartiality of the Lord Lieutenant
that he had marked his own friends as disqualified; but the Whigs he
had protected from detection, because he described them as bankers,
and bankers were not disqualified. But if at the present time there
were two procurators or solicitors in the Commission, they of course
were disqualified.—(Hear.) As to the other case, assuming the state-
ment of the Noble Earl to be correct, nobody could entertain a doubt
that those two individuals ought not to remain in the Commission.—
(Hear.) But then it was equally clear that no man in the Commission
of the peace should be struck out without having an opportunity of
giving an explanation of his own conduct ; and yet the Noble Earl
said he was surprised that he had not issued a supersedeas with.
out communicating with these individuals at all.—(Hear, hear.)
He should have been guilty of great injustice if he had
done so. In the list handed to him, those two persons had been
described as George Gordon Smith, surgeon, and William 'Watson,
merchant. As to their situation in life, he understood that, in
the northern parts of Scotland, they were under the necessity of appoint.
ing that description of persons because others were not to be found. All
he knew was, that the latter of these two persons had been recommended
to him as a merchant; but what that word might signify in the lan-
guage of that country he had not the advantage of knowing. After he
had received that list, with a letter in the usual form, he had communi-
cated with a gentleman connected with that part of Scotland on the
subject, and he had returned the list to him without any observation
as to those particular names. But the subject having been brought to
his attention, he had written to the Lord Lieutenant of the county,
stating the representations made to him respecting the conduct of the
two Magistrates, expressing his regret at their recommendation, if it
were true, and requesting information as to the truth of those represen-
tations. In answer to that letter he had received one from the Lord Lieu_
tenant, in which he stated that he had written to the two Magistrates, re.
questing to be furnished with grounds for sustaining their appointment;
and also to the agent by whom the compromise had been effected.
That letter enclosed a statement, in which the Lori Lieutenant said
that Smith was a medical man, and Watson a retail hardware dealer—
termed, in the provincial phrase, "a merchant;" that persons in
Scotland were recommended to that situation, whose rank was very dif-
f. rent from what would be considered suitable in England ; and that the
f rma: lists for the counties of Ross and Cromarty, proved that state-
ment ; that he (the Lord Lieutenant) had certainly thought that these
persons had been engaged in some irregular practices at the election ;
that he had heard statements and counter statements, into the truth of
which he had not inquired; that he had also heard of a civil action
having been commenced against them ; but as the Lord Advocate
had not thought proper to prosecute them, and the House
of Commons had refused to address the Crown on the
subject, he did not feel it his duty to expunge their names. Ile
(the Lord Chancellor) was, therefore, free from blame for the
part which he had taken in the matter hitherto; but now he
would say a word as to his duty for the future. It was to be re.
membered that to strike a man's nama out of the Commission was an
act inflicting deep censure on a man's conduct; it required that a case
should be made out, for it was passing sentence against him. He had
heard of the matter only on tha 26th ; the Lord Lieutenant had told
him that he had put the case in the course of investigation ; and he
should wait for the result of that investigation in order that he might be
better able to frame the questions which he should afterwards put to
the individuals themselves. He should then hear what they had to say
in their defence, and upon the result of that inquiry his decision must
depend.
After a few words from the Earl of HA DDINGTON in reply, and
Lord BROUGHAM, the motion was withdrawn.
CASE OF THE CONVICT THOMPSON.

Viscount MELBOURNE wished to take an early opportunity of no-
ticing a petition recently presented by the Noble and Learned Lord
below him (Lord Brougham). The statement of the petitioners was
that a person named David William Thompson had been convicted of a
burglary and sentenced to transportation, and that he had been released
after a few month's confinement, whilst two others convicted of the same
offence were left to suffer tire severe sentence of transportation
passed open them. This appeared to him an extraordinary cir-
cumstance at the time, until he had heard from his Noble Friend
the Secretary of State an explanation of the condnct which he had
pursued with respect to the case of this individual. The burglary in
question was cwrmitted in April, 1837. In the June following two of
the p,rsons concerned in the burglary were apprehended, and tried and
convicted at the ensuing Summer Assizes. The third person, who was
the most active in the burglary, was not apprehended until August
following, and was tried at the next Spring Assizes. However, he
brought forward strong evidence to prove an alibi. The evidence on
this point was strong, and to the effect that he was twenty.seven miles
distant from the scene of the burglary at the time when the offence was
committed. Notwithstanding this evidence, however, the Jury re-
turned a verdict of guilty, and the Learned Jit lge, whc; tried the
case, expressed himself perfectly satisfied with the verdict. After
the trial and conviction, still stronger evidence was brought
forward in support of the alibi, and forwarded to the Secretary
of State. It appeared, from the distance, quite impossible that
the party could have been present. This evidence produced a
very strong eflbct upon the mind of the Chief Justice who trial
the case. On examining the depositions given at the trial of the two
persons who had been convicted at the Summer Assizes, the Learned
Judge found that the time sworn to as the period when the burglary was
committed season the night b. tween Saturday, the Bth, and Sunday,
the 9th of April. However, in the depositions taken at the trial of
Thompson, the let:glary was sworn to have been committed on the Ist
of April. The opinion of the Learned Judge was this—that he was mo.
rally co tain of the guilt of the individual, but that he was tried for an
orience committed on the lot, and that there could be no doubt that so
far he was guiltless. It was under these circumstances that the Secre-
tary of State had acted.
Lord BROUGHAM was perfectly satisfied with the explanation of
the Noble Lord.
Here the subject dropped.
Lord BROUGH A M hoped that there would be no objection to pro-
duce the papers which he had moved for some time ago with respect to
what had been done in the cases of various persons convicted of insanity.
We understood the returns to be agreed to.
PUBLIC RECORDS BILL.

The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the second reading of this Bill.
Lord BROUGHAM oljected to the Bill on the ground that it made
no limit to the expense which might be incurred by erecting buildings
for the purpose of keeping the public records. He wished also that
some provision should be introduced into the Bill to entitle certified
copies of these records to be received as evidence, liable, of course, to
be traversed.
After a few observations from the Earl of DEVON and Lord
LANG DALE,
The Earl of ABERDEEN had been given to understand that the
large and preposterous tower which was to form part of the Houses of
Parliament was to be appropriated to the custody of these records.
It was the most preposterous edifice ever thought of.
Lord BROUGHAM concurred in the opinion that it was a most
preposterous conception.
The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed,
as we understood, on Monday next.
THE TRADING COMPANIES' BILL.

This Bill was, after a few observations from Lord BROUGHAM, In
opposition to the principle of it, read 2. second time, and ordered to be
committed on Monday next.
On the motion of the Earl of FINGAL the Loan Societies (Ire.
land) Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on
Thursday next.
On the motion of the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, the report of the
Hackney Carriages Bill was received.
IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR called the attention of their Lordships
to the amendments which had been made to the Bill by the other House
of Parliament. The Noble and Learned Lord read the amendments,
which he thought desirable, and hoped their Lordships would agree to
them.

The Duke of WELLINGTON was desirous that the consideration of
these amendments should be postponed until they should have the benefit
of having the law Lords present in the House. On a former occasion
he had recommended their Lordships to introduce a clause providing for
compensation to certain officers, who would lose by the operation of this
Bill. He had proposed a clause to that effect, and the Noble Viscount
opposite had promised that the clause should receive future consideration.
He perceived, from what had occurred in another place, that the subject
had not been taken into consideration, and that the Bill had been passed
in the other House of Parliament, without the introduction of any clause
providing for the compensation of these individuals. He thought it
would be rather hard to those individuals not to give them some chance
of having the subject taken into consideration, and he was determined
to take the sense of the House upon the subject.
Viscount MELBOURNE was very sorry at the omissions that had
occurred. He thought that the Bill did contain a provision providing
compensation to the gaolers of the Cinque Ports. Was the Noble Duke
quite certain that no such clause was in the Bill ?
The Duke of WELLINGTON—No such clause is in the Bill.
The further consideration of the amendment was then postponed to
Monday next.
On the motion of Lord CARBURY the County Clate Treasurers Bill
was read a second time.
The Constables on Public Works Bill was also read a second thee.
The House then adjourned to Thursday.

The contents of the August number of Mr. Col-
burn's New Monthly Magazine, exhibit an extraordinary array of names
of distinguished writers. Besides a paper by the Editor, Theodore
Hook, Esq., there are ethers by Thomas Campbell, Esq., author of
" The Pleasures of Hope;" The Right Hon. T. P. Courtenay ; Messrs.
Horace and James Smith, the two authors of " Rejected Addresses ;"
John Poole, Esq., author of " Paul Pry ;" M. J. Quin, Esq. ; Douglas
Jerrold, Esq. ; Leman Blanchard, Esq. ; T. C. Grattan, Esq.. &c. &c.
The number is also embellished with a portrait, accompanied by a me-
moir of Mrs. S. C. Hall, the admired authoress of " Lights and Shadows
of Irish Life," &c.
Yesterday afternoon an occurrence, which it is feared
will be attended with fatal consequences, took place in Farringdon •
street. A young woman, named Larby, in the service of Mrs. Jall;eSOD,
a lady residing in Guildford-street, Russell-square, was crossing the
road, accompanied by a child about ten years of age, when before she
had time to move out of the way, she was run against and knocked down
by the shaft of a cart (the horse attached to which had, it appeared,
during the temporary absence of the driver, started off at full speed),
and the off wheel passing over the upper part of her right leg, crushed
it in a dreadful manner. She was also much injured en the head. The
child had a very narrow escape.
At Hatton-garden yesterday the driver of a Pad-
dington omnibus was fined 41. 18s., the amount of damage done to a
cab, which was overturned by the defendant's driving against and up-
setting it, while racing with another omnibus iu Holborn on Friday last.
NEWGATE.—The committee appointed to examine
into the state of Ncwgate yesterday laid their retortport before the Court of
Aldermen. The substance of the report s the present system
worked well. Sir George Carroll, one of the Sheriffs, stated that Marshal
Soult, in visiting the gaol, had expressed great admiration of the arrange
ments, remarking, that in this respect England was greatly in advance
of France.
Yesterday morning a fire broke out in the work-
shops of a cabinet-maker, named Poole, residing in Hoxton Old Town.
and did considerable damage. The property is said to have been insured,
A pig-killer, named James Wright, was examined
yesterday, before the magistrates at St. Alban's, charged with stabbing
the Rev. Mr. Dowton, the minister of Withamstead parish. From the
evidence it aprared, that the prisoner had been creating a disturbance
in his own cottage, and threatening to stab some one, when the Rev.
Gentleman, at the request of the prisoner's daughter, went into the cot-
tage to remonstrate with him on his conduct, when prisoner stabbed him
in the side with a knife which he had in his hand. Mr. Dowton was not
able to be present at the examination, although the wound is not ex-
pected to prove fatal, sod the prisoner was remanded. The prisoner
pleaded intoxication and sudden passion.
The Town Council of this city have petitioned the
Postmaster-General for an acceleration of the snail between Edinburgh
and Aberdeen. We arc at a loss to conjecture the grounds on which
the Post-odice has so long delayed this accommodation, more especially
since a morning mail was dispatched from Edinburgh to Montrose.
Aberdeen Herald.
A „ew species of pea has been just introduced into
this neighbourhood (Dorchester) by Mr. Harris, of Upway nursery
garden', which offers an excel ent imitation of the French bean. This
t ea, which is termed the Sultana bean pea, is dressed in precisely the
rase manner as the French bean—viz., without being " shelled," an.i
they form a remarkably succulent dish.—Dorset Chronicle.