The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-15 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF L6RDS, June 14.
Their Lordships assembled at Five o'clock.
TURNPIKE TRUSTS UNION BILL.
This Bill was read a third time and passed.
PETITIONS.
The Archbishop of CANTERBURY presented several
petitions in favour of the Bill for the better protection of
women.
The Earl of MANSFIELD presented several petitions
with a similar prayer.
CASE OF SMITH O'BRIEN.
Lord CAMPBELL rose to draw their Lordships' im-
vediate attention to a most important subject. Their
Lordships would recollect that last year William Smith
O'Brien had been tried and convicted for high tretteon
and sentenced to death. That judgment had been
brought before the Courts in Ireland, and ultimately be-
fore their Lordships, and had been affirmed. Thus the
unfortunate convict was clearly liable to suffer that
sentence of the law, but upon a merciful
consideration of the case it was thought that his life
might be spared, and an intimation was given that on
condition of his being transported for life his life would
be spared. It might be thought that these conditions
would be accepted, but, on the contrary, William Smith
O'Brien, while acknowledging his liability to suf-
fer death, declared that the Crown had no
power of making conditions, and refused to
accept pardon under those conditions. He had himself
no doubt but that the Crown already possessed the
power of enforcing this transportation; but as doubts
had arisen on the subject, inasmuch as the Crown had the
power of doing so in cases of treason and felonies in Eng-
land, and in felonies in Ireland, yet it was contended that
the Crown bad no such power as regarded treason inlreland.
Although he believed the Crown did possess such
power, yet, to prevent litigation, he proposed
to introduce a Bill declaring and enacting that
in cases of high treason in Ireland the Crown
possessed the power of pardoning or of substituting
transportation for the punishment of death.—(Hear.)
He proposed that it should be read a first time to-day,
and he should move that it be read a second time
to-morrow, and that the standing orders be suspended,
so that the Bill might be carried with as little delay as
possible.
Lord BROUGHAM, after paying a high compliment
to the Irish Judges for the manner in which they had
conducted the trial, expressed his approbation of the
course pursued by the Government in introducing this
declaratory Bill, rather than wasting time in litigation.
The conduct of the convict was the last act of vanity of
a vain man. Had he had the least idea that he should
have been taken at his word, and have been hanged, he
would have gladly embraced the offer made to him by the
Government.
The Earl of DEVON passed a high eulogium upon the
manner in which the Judges had administered the law
throughout the whole of the proceedings against Smith
O'Brien and his companions.
Lord DENMAN considered that there was no doubt
whatever but that the C/,`WCII possessed the power of
commuting the punishment of death for transportation
in those cases, and he also expres3( d his high approbation
of the manner in which the Irish Judges and Irish juries
had discharged their duty.
The Bill was then read a first time, and ordered to be
read a second time to-raprrow.
CANADA.
Earl GREY moved for certain papers relating to
Canada, and expressed a hope that the Noble and
Learned Lord would liy upon the table the terms of the
motion of which he had given notice on this subject for
Tuesday.
Lord BROUGHAM would send the terms of the mo-
tion to the Noble Earl in the course of the evening.
PARLIAMENTARY OATHS BILL.
The Earl of CARLISLE gave notice that he should
move the second reaeing of the Parliamentary Oaths Bill
on Tuesday, the 26th instant.
PETITIONS.
Earl STANHOPE presented several petitions, com-
plaining of agricultural distress, and praying for the re-
enactment of the corn-laws. The Noble Earl, at some
length, urged the dangers to which the country would
be exposed by a perseverance in the path of free trade,
and denounced " the unexampled perfidy and shameless
apostacy" which had marked the, carrying of the repeal
of the corn-laws, and inquired whether her Majesty's
Government intended to offer any compensation to the
agricultural interests for the loss of protection, by re-
pealing the tax on malt or any other of the taxes affect-
ing farmers.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said her Majesty's
Government did not intend to propose the repeal of any
of those taxes.
Earl STANHOPE then continued to argue that
protection must be maintained, or the real interests of
the country would be destroyed. He condemned the
economy which induced the Government to discharge
700 artificers from the Dockyards at Portsmouth. It
they did not do justice to the people they might re-
sort to a passive resistance by a refusal to pay taxes,
which no Government could successfully resist. The
last point he had to urge was, that the labourers
might be driven to destitution by this agricultural
distress. It had been formerly said that low prices re-
sulted from a superabundant harvest, but never, until
now, had it been argued that a deficient supply caused
low prices. Wheat could be supplied in the port of
London, all charges paid, at 259. the quarter. There
was throughout the country agricultural distress and
general discontent. All classes ought to meet, and with
a voice of thunder, call for a redress of their grievances,
and a restoration of their rights. Let them look to the
state of their colonies. Their system of free trade had
confiscated the property of the planters in the West
Indies. When they saw such revolutionary movements
on the continent, they ought to act before it was too
late, for they should know that patience has its limits ;
bat if the Government had the hardihood to persevere
in their present system, the consequence would be a most
disastrous revolution.
The Bishop of OXFORD presented petitions from
Macclesfield and other places, in favour of the Bill for
the protection of women.
The Marquis of SALISBURY presented a petition
from Wisbeech and the surrounding neighbourhood,
complaining of the adoption of free trade. It was signed
by parties engaged in every branch of industry. He
said every interest in the country was suffering from
want or employment. The petitioners prayed fur pro-
tection to native industry.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a petition
from the borough of Forces, in favour of the Police,
(Scotland) Bill.
PROTECTION OF WOMEN BILL.
The Bishop of OXFORD then moved the third read-
ing of the Protection of Women Bill. He said the Bill
would not accomplish all he should desire to be done upon
the subject, but would effect some good, and embrace all
that could be effected at present. It was also free from
the objections which had been raised against the Bill of
last session.
Lord CAMPBELL said he would be most happy to
see the objects aimed at by this Bill effected, and fully
appreciated the laudable motives which actuated the
originators of it, but the Bill could do no good, and
might do great injury. All those who had attempted
to interfere in ;his matter were placed in the alternative
either of legislating for that which was not a crime, or
for that which was a crime already, and which the law
was ready to punish. The Earl of Mountcashel sought
to make fornication a crime to be punished by law.
He would point out what the Bill proposed to effect.
It provided " that if any one for lucre or gain, and
by false pretences, should solicit any woman for
illicit intercourse with any man, he should suffer im-
prisonment for two years and bard labour." Now that
was at present by the common law a misdemeanour. A
plot to corrupt female innocence was at present held to
be a conspiracy, for which a party might be indicted and
punished. A case occurred in which a nobleman in the
reign of Charles the Second had been tried for seducing
from her home a young lady of quality. In that case
Lord Pemberton laid the law down as all his predeces-
sors had done, that it was a misdemeanour, which it
continued to be. Offecces of that description were de-
scribed by Lord Mansfield as misdemeanours, and the
Bill of the Right Rev. Prelate did no more than what
the existing law rendered criminal. It could not, there-
fore, have any good effect in improving the law; it did
not facilitate prosecutions, the bringing forward of evi-
dence, or to punish the offenders. It a third party com-
bined to destroy an innocent female the common law
punished him; whereas by the present Bill it is only an
offence when done for the lucre of gain. It only applied
when corruption took place under false pretences.
These foul practices were carried on very often
not under false pretences, for promises had been often
made, and sometimes carried into effect too, of parties
getting settlements, carriages to ride in Hyde-park, and
the offence committed; but the measure of the Right
Rev. Prelate did not meet such cases. He believed, with
the Lord Chief Justice of England, that nothing more
could be done in connexion with this subject bylegisla-
tion—that no remedy could be found, except by improv-
ing the morals of the people; but not wishing to treat
the Right Rev. Prelate with discourtesy, he should not
msaoyvneotthactonittenbtetro hetade
motion.thatday six months, but simply
The Bishop of NORWICH observed' that it was
simply to the infamous traffic carried on that the Bill was
directed, and their Lordships had no idea of how that
was conducted. It was well known that persons were
engaged throughout the country foorneannwodaosotbnhsoeetrrveperdiumrptihnoaaselt
but to seduce and ruin innocent young persons. For his
own part he should certainly give it his support to put
an end
etilehaßtyaoieti
in such
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sfsEueslo andnr
OXFORD
neither
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replied,be
,ya.
cihhnoeeulTtdhhnh,aecd the authority of several eminent lawyers who
masousnetdutocteioonnsbpyirat:o.
factdec declare e osnedeucbeing
criminal,
tobuatntohteher's
flpeirssßondsl.
didThneot
in-
famous traffic which so frequently took plac'e. Innocent
young females arriving in that great metropolis were_
often entrapped into the hands of others, and without
any previous intention on their part completely ruined,
and subjected hereafter to a living death. It was to
meet such cases that his Bill was intended. If the mea-
sure did not go far enough, it was in consequence of the
entreatlliaonnds d
they
did
hneohi tra
had received
si
pu sc hona
not case
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e subject,te t
hw obtuhulotdu,
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difficulties that presented themselves; and their Lord-
ships ought to remember that the common law of Eng-
the
Bill, and, if possible, to remedy one of the greatest evils
with which a state can be efilicted.
Their Lordships then divided, when there appeared—
Contents
Non-Oontents ... 19

Majority ... ••
The Bill was consequently carried.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

-4

HOUSE OF COMMONS, June 14.
The SI'EMEER took the Chair at F•air o'clock.
THIRD READINGS.

The following Bills were read a third time and
passed:—
Lancashire and Yorkshire and London and North-
Westorn Railway Companies (Transfer of Interest in the
Preston and Wyre Railway, Harbour, and Dock, and
Regulating Management of the Undertaking) . .

Renfre;v-shire Justice of Pexce Courts Bill:
Surrey and Sussex Roads (Amendment of Acts and
Alteration of Tolls) Bill.
Westhead's Pat: nt (for Improvements in Manufactur-
ing Fur into Fabrics) Bill.
CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS.

The following• Bills were considered and agreed to:—
East Lancashire Railway Acts Amendment and De-
viation (Connecting Lines in Preston and Walton le Dale,

Irish South-Eastern Railway (Amendment of Acts)
Bill.

Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (Extension of Ash-
ton Branch, of Clifton Branch, &c.) Bill.
SECOND READING.

The Great Indian Peninsula Railway Company Bill
was read a second time, and ordered to be committed.

PETI noNs.

Mr. WILLIAMS presented a petition from a place in
Wales pm) ing the House to take step; to prevent cler-
gymen from being appointed to Welsh bishoprics who
were not conversant with the Welsh language.
Mr. FAGAN presented a petition from Cork praying
the House to take steps to investigate the sufferings of
the Irish people.
Mr. THORNELY presented a petition in favour of
international arbitration.

Mr. FORSTER presented a petition to the same effect.
Mr. C. BRUCE presented a petition from the General
Assembly of the Church of Scotland, praying that no
alteration may be made in the present marriage law of
Scotland.

Mr. W. PATTEN presented a petition from Taunton
praying for the establishment of a county-rate board.
Mr. BATESON presented a petition praying for
an alteration of the Trish Poor-law.

Mr. B. OSBORNE presented a petition from the Pro-
testant Dissenters of Brentford praying the House to
abolish war.

Captain PECHE LL presented a petition from Brighton
in favour of the Bill fur the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals.

Mr. W. BROWN presented a petition from a place
in Lancashire, praying for the establishment of financial
county boards.
Sir J. PAKINGTON gave notice that he would to-
morrow present a petition from the House of Assembly
at Jamaica, and also a petition from the West Indian
body in this country.