The Sun.
London, England, 1838-03-13 00:00:00

YOUGHAL.

The vote of John Hamilton was next objected to on the
part of the sating Member, on the ground that he had received
a bribe of 50/. to vote for the petitioner.
Ellen Rivers, the grandmother of the voter, stated that on
the day of the last election a Mr. Fisher, a grocer in Youghal,
in the Tory interest, called on her at her grandson's house,
and told her to go over to Miss Singleton's house. She did
so, ar.d in presence of S. he gave her a 30/. note, and
bid her keep it safe. She put it in her bosom, and kept it
until the next day, when she gave it to her grandson. She
did not know for what purpose the money was given.
Miss Singleton, who keeps a respectable lodging-house in
Youghal, saw Fisher give the last witness a paper, and bid
her keep it safe.
John Sheeren, a lad aged 18, who had been reared by Miss
Singleton, and adopted by her as a relative, was in bed in an
apartment in her house, unwell, during the time of the elec-
tion, when Fisher and Hamilton came in, and the latter said
he would not vote for 40/. —he must have 501.—which Fisher
agreed to give. But Fisher wanted to keep the money back
until after the other should have voted, as it would be perjury
to take the bribery oath after having received the motley ; to
which Hamilton replied, that he would kiss his nail.—( A
laugh.) It was at length agreed that the money should be
given to the grandmother, as stated by the other vt imsisses.
The money was given immediately afterwards, in the same
room, and in witness's presence. They all saw witness in the
bed.

Thomas Hamilton, brother of the voter, swore that the lat.
tc r told hi n he got 50/. for his vote, which was of more use
to him than either party could be, for they all worked for
themselves.--( A laugh.)
Mr. PoeLocK then said it would be useless for him, after
the evidence, to detain the Committee by defending the vote.
The vote was struck off, and the parties thereby again
placed on a level.
The vote of Fisher was then objected to, on the ground that
he had been the briber in the last case ; but the Chairman
stated that the Committee, having again considered the ques-
tion, had come to the resolution that this class of objections
should not again be gone into.
The vote of Robert Davies was objected to by the sitting
Member's Counsel on the ground of discontinued occupancy.
For the objection it was shown that the voter was allowed to
remain on the registry as the occupier of a public-house which
had been for more than six months before the election in the
occupatir n of a woman named Pye, who took out the licence
prior to the election, and whose name was then over the door.
To support the vote, Roger Green Davis was called, but
his evidence was objected to by Mr. Andrews, because he had
subscribed to a fund for defraying the expenses of the petition,
and thereby made himself in some degree a party with the
petitioners, and an incompetent witness. To this Mr. Pollock
replied, that Davis could have no pecuniary interest in the re-
sult of the petition, and cited several cases to show, that the
interest which Davis bad taken in the cause of the petitioners
did not disqualify him as a witness, though it might affect his
credibility in the judgment of the Committee.
Tho objection was overruled, and the Committee adjourned.

The Carlisle Patriot deplores the loss of three
Tory votes, as consequent on the dissolution of the Countess
of Lonedale.

The snow storm, which had been with ua so long,
has at length broken up, and the present week has been com-
paratively spring-like. The Derbyshire hills—or East Moors
as they are called, are however, still, in some parts, seamed
with snow.—Sheffield Mercury.

SMUGGLING.—On Friday last a Dagenham con-
stable, named Page, passed a horse and cart on-the road near
the Marshes; and observing the vehicle MB covered over with
tarpaulin, and that three men were attending upon it whose
appearance was of a very questionable description, he applied
to Aris, the police horse patrol of the district for assistance,
and communicated to him his suspicions that the chaise-cart
contained stolen sheep. The officers mountefl two good steeds
and went in pursuit of the party. On passing a stack_
yard, near Barking, they saw certain appearances which
left no doubt on their minds that a cart had been backed to-
wards the field ; but on questioning some labourers who
were cutting hay, they denied all knowledge of any horse and
cart having passed in that direction. The constable and
patrol, however, being certain that they were on the right
scent, left a trustworthy person in the stack-yard, and con-
tinued the pursuit. They eventually came up with the horse
and cart near the Duke's Head at Ilford. The cart was
empty, and the parties met with in the first instance by the
Dagenham constable had made their escape on the approach
of Aria and Pari'e. After securing the horse and cart, the
officers returned to the stack-yard, in which they found 30
tuis of brandy with slings attached for more easy removal on
men's backs. The tuba were immediately put under seizure,
and on Saturday were removed to the Queen's ware-house at
the Custom-house. The brandy is the best Cognac, 50 above
proof, and valued at upwards of 2001. On the cart was a
board on which was painted " Messrs. Boorman and Co.,
market gardeners and fruiterers, Middlesex." No such
persons as " Messrs. Boorman and Co." can be found, and
the horse and cart have been condemned by the Customs, and
disposed of for the benefit of the Crocsn.

THE SUN, LONDON, TIDE DA Y, MARCII 13, 1838

,
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS, 111Aecn. 12.
The LORD CLIANCELLOR took big sot qti tlib ITOOMCK at
Q014,,,CAt •
Earl Grey, Lord Audley, Lord Falmouth, Lord Vaux, and
the Marquis of Tweedalc, took the oaths and their seats.
Earl ST AN HOPN rcaented peiltien (Wit Vie real(' tint
seatx (real *here).' praying for the immediate'immediate'And total iepeal
of thn Poor-Law Amendment Act. The petitionata !hayed foa
this beanuse they ciaiisidefed, it tileY statad in the p6tition,
Chit the Act was despotic, unjust, and cruel in its constitution.
Lord RADNOR begged to remind the Noble Earl that he
was bound to prove every word of the petition,
Earl STANHOPE said that the patitiOners were at
liberty to state their opinion of the Act, and that he him-
self should be ready to prove that every tine Of tha allegations
in the petition INA strictly true. The next petition he had
to present was from the inhabitants of Glastonbury to the
same effect, and in the same words. The next was from Wirn.
burn to the same effect,
Lod 13R0 UGH Aal presented a petition from Great
Yarmouth and the places adjacent praying for the
immedate abolition of negro slavery. Also petitions
from Ilallaton in Cumberland ; the Congregation of
a Presbyterian Chapel at Bolton le-Moor ; the Mayor,
Aldermen, and Council of Wigan, in Council assem-
bled ; the Congregation of Primitive Methodists at Horse-
forth near Leeds; the Congregation of Wesleyan Metho.
dist;, and the Congregation of Baptists in the
same place ; the Society of Friends meeting in,
Macclesfield; a place in Caermarthen ; the congregation of
Ebenezer Chapel, in Dewsbury ; the congregation of Pro
testant Dissenters, in Pudsey ; the inhabitants of Waraham ; the
inhabitants of Annandale ; the Relief 'Congregation of Kilmar-
nock, and a place in Cumberland, to the same effect. Also a peti-
tion from C. Green, of Essex-Street, Strand, attorney-at-law,
praying for the revisal of the law of debtor and creditor. A
petition from Jcdborough against further endowments to the
Church of Scotland from whatever public fund, par-
ticularly specifying the Consolidated Funds and the Bishops
teinds. A petition from the United Secession Pres-
byterian congregations of Stirling and Falkirk, and from
one or two other places, to the same effect. The Noble
and Learned Lord stated that the next petition he
had to present was from Preston, agreed to at a public meet-
ing, and signed by upwards of 5,000 persons. The
petitioners strenagly urged their Lordships to protect
them in what they called their right of associating to-
gether for the protection of their labour ; and praying
for mercy to the Glasgow Cotton Spinners, who had been
sentenced to be transported, as they conceived, unjustly. The
Noble and Learned Lord would repeat now what ho had over
and over again said, that he agreed in the prayer of this
petition, but totally dissented from every one of the rea-
sons which the worthy, and industrious, and meritorious
persons who now petitioned their Lordships had in their mis-
take of the fact put upon record. They styled the Glasgow
Cotton-spinners who had been ordered to be transported
the virtuous Cotton- spinners.—( Hear, hear.) His opinion
was, that virtuous was a word now inapplicable to
those persons, however virtuous their former character
might have been, because they had been found guilty, by a
jury of their country, of a moat reprehensible mis-
demeanour. He was decidedly of opinion that the work-
ing men had a right to combine against their masters to
keep up the price of their labour—that was their right, it might
be their duty ; but he was equally clear that they had no
right to menace or use threats or.violence against others.
The Noble and Learned Lord then presented petitions against
any further grant to the Church of Scotland, from Kilmarnock,
Hutchinson Towi,lGlasgow, the Congregation in Regent's-
place, Glasgow, and Lauricston, Glasgow ; from Stewarton,
the East Relief Congregation ; from Haddington ; from the
United Secession Presbytery of Edinburgh, and fa om the
United Secession congregation of Cumbernauld.
Lord PO LTIaIORE presented a petition from Edinburgh
praying for a reduction of the rate of postage.
The Earl of DEVON presented a petition from an indi-
vidual named Thomas Hall, a prisoner confined in White-
eross-street prison, praying for the abolition of imprisonment
for debt.
The Marquis of SLIGO presented petitions from Armagh
and other places praying for the abolition of Negro Appren-
ticeship.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a copy of the
Circular which had been sent up respecting the disbanding
of the Yeomanry Cavalry.
Mr. BERNAL and others, from the Commons, brought up
Reports of the Poor-law Committee of the present session.
The Bishop of EXETER had a very important petition to
present, to which he requested their Lordships' particular at-
tention, not only because of its importance, but also because the
subject was of a very delicate nature. It was from the Guar-
dians of Dudley Union Poorhouse, and played for protection
from the extraordinary powers of the Poor-law Commissioners,
and praying also that all Boards of Guardians might be at
liberty to provide for the poor according to their own
discretion. The events out of which the petition
arose were these :--sometime ago a dietary table was
appointed for the Dudley Union, which from the first gave
groat dissatisfaction to many of the petitioners—they well
knowing that from the nature of the employment around
Dudley, it was impossible that those who were compelled at
times to resort to the workhouse, in consequence of a cessa-
tion of employment, would be able to renew their em-
ployment after having been dieted according to the table.
soon afterwards these Guardians heard of the London Union
diet table, and at once adopted it. They annonnced this to
' the Commissioners, who perhaps properly checked and re-
' primauded them, at the same time telling them that the Lon-
don table had been allowed for only a short time, and
under particular circumstances. The Guardians, however,
from their local knowledge, being aware that the
diet table sent by the Commissioners was not a proper sup-
port for the inmates of their workhouse, persevered in giving
their paupers according to the diet allowed in the city of"
London workhouses. In answer the Commissioners told them
that the master and matron of the workhouse had no right to
act in disobedience to their orders, even though they had
those of the Guardians, and that such measures would be
taken against them that oven though they pleaded the orders
of the Guardians it would be to no effect. That of course
called for some strong remarks on the part of the Guardians.
So far from the fact being that there were circumstances in the
London district which required a more liberal dietary for the
workhouses, the fact was that the inmates of the workhouse
at Dudley were persons who had been from their youth in-
ured to hard labour at the forge or in the mine, aed
accustomed to the substantial diet which was calculated to keep
up their strength in such employments. The Guardians,
therefore, thought it their duty to God, and to their fel.
low-men, not to relax in their exertions, until they obtained
for the able-bodied in the workhouse the necessary allowance of
food. Since the time to which the petition referred, an assistant
Commissioner had been sent down, and something had been
done, but not to the satisfaction of the Guardians. He then
read the dietary prescribed for Dudley by the Commissioners,
and he called upoa them to bear in mind that it was intended for
men who ought to be kept in a sound state of body to resume
their laborious work. Three days of the week those able-bodied
men were allowed twenty-one ounces of bread per day, three
and a half ounces of cheese, and a pint and a half of gruel. On
one other day the dietary was twenty ounces of bread, an ounce
and a half of cheese, a pint and a half of soup, the same quantity
of gruel. Two other days, five ounces of good meat, 14
ounces of bread, and a pint and a half of gruel. He
begged their Lordships to compare that dietary with
the one prescribed for the London Union. He read
the details of the latter through which we could not distinctly
follow him, but he said. that there was an adequate allow-
ance of meat, soup, brAd, beer, rice, milk, and puddings.
He had thought it his duty before he mentioned this case to
their Lordships to give notice of his intention to the Commis-
sioners, and also to consult one of the first physicians in the
country who had been accustomed to attend the largest
hospitals. That physician said, that the dietary at
Dudley was not sufficient to maintain able-bodied men, nor to
keep them in a condition to resume their work, but it was cal-
culated to break down their health, and bring on disease, nor
did he think it proper to exclude persona of that class from
the use of beer. Ile considered the dietary of the London
Union sufficient, but not more.
Lord BROUGHAM—Name.
The BISHOP of EXETER had no reason to suppose the
physician would object to give his name, but for the present
the Right Rev. Prelate preferred to make the statement upon
hie own responsibility. He contrasted the dietary of St. George's
Hospital, with the two which he had just read. To the con-
valescent there was an allowance daily of six ounces of meat
roasted with potatoes or other vegetables, gruel or milk for
supper, twelve ounces of bread, and a pint of porter. Now
the Guardians of the Dudley Union implored the Legislature
to make such an alteration in the law as would enable
them to do their duty to God and man, by giving to
the inmates of the workhouse a sufficient dietary,
Lord BROUGHAM, as the person who introduced the
Bill into that House, thought it necessary to say a few words.
He did not complain either of the petitioners or of the Right
Reverend Prelate. He would not enter into a discussion
of the subject on that occasion, but he would be ready
to meet the Right Rev. Prelate or the Noble Earl oppo-
site, whenever the question came regularly before the House.
He now only entered his protest against the measures
being condemned upon such statements as the present.
He pledged himself to demonstrate that there was no one
power conferred on any of the authorities since the statute of
Elizabeth which did not exist before, with this material dif.
ference, that before these powers existed, and were exercised
irresponsibly, unsatisfactorily, uncertainly, and in the dark,—
( Hear, hear.)
Lord MELBOURNE thanked the Noble Lord who had
just sat down for the temperate manner in which he had
brought forward the subject. lie understood the case
on the part of the Poor Law Commissioners to be, that the
dietary was determined on by the Board of Guardians on con-
sideration of those dietaries being submitted to them, That
dietary was adopted and acted upon until it appeared it was
desired to be adopted by the Dudley Board of Guardians. To
this the Commissioners objected,because this dietary was tempo-
rary. The paupers were notyet under the direction of the Com-
missioners, as the dietary was only temporarily enforced. It was
not intended to be followed, and was thought by the Commis-
sioners to be too great, and had not received their sanction,
or approbation. This was the simple case. He did not know
that the opinion of medical men was always the best, for this
was the dietary of persons in health, and medical men were
more conversant with persons who were sick. The best test
was the test of experience—that experience by which large
bodies of men were found to be kept in full health and
strength. As a full opportunity would offer of discussing the
subject, he would not trouble the House with any more ob
servations.
The Earl of WINCH ILSE A, having given his support to