The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-07 00:00:00

TUE CONVICT SYSTEM.

Sir GEORGE GREY observed that the Noble Lord
the Member fcr Hertford had a notice on the paper
relative to this subject for Thursday. Perhaps the
Noble Lord would be good enough to state now the
terms of the motion he intended to submit to the Ilou•e.
Lord MAHON said his motion would embrace the
whole subject of the convict system; but his chief object
in bringing it forward was to elicit the intentions of the
Government on the matter.

Mr. HUME trusted the Right lion. Baronet would
be prepared on an early occasion to state what his in-
tentions were upon the subj4.ct.
CRIMINAL OFFENCES (IRELAND) BILL.
Sir H. W. BARRON wished to trouble the House for
a few minutes with a short explanation as to the part he
had taken in reference to this measure.—(Hear, hear.)

He stated that sir. Berwick, the barrister xho=e name
had been referred to in the discussion upn the Bill last
Wednesday, had written a letter to a Dublin paper, in
which he said that the statement with respect to his
having suggested and diawn up the Bill was
wholly erroneous, and that he had never had any
personal communication with him (Sir Henry W. Barron)
on the subject of the Bill. Now he (Sir 11. W. 13arron)
begged to say that that statement was in effect literally
true—(Laughter)—and Hon. Mem!:,ers would no doubt
rt ct that it was perfectly consistent with what he
stated in the House on Wednesday. The whole com-
munications between him and Mr. Berwick had passed
through the hands of a professional gentleman of twenty-
five years' standing, and of considerable reputation, so
that he, in fact, had no personal interviews with him.
Mr. Berwick further said, that the measure as it stood
was very objectionable, and in some respects ridi-
culous—(Laughter)--that he had struck his pen through
some portions of it, amended others, and inserted an ad-
ditional clause, but that he never dreamt of being made
responsible for the Bill, of which he, on the whole, dis-
approved, and that he never expected that it would
be introduced into Parliament without having, in
the first instance, been entirely remodelled.
He submitted the measure to the Secretary for Ireland,
who was so kind as to read it. In order to show that
the Bill was not altogether original, he might say that
out of 57 clauses, 37 had been printed verbatim from the
Dublin Police Bill, which had been introduced by Lord
Eliot and the Solicitor-General for Ireland.

Mr. J. O'CONNELL stated, in the absence of the
Hon. and Learned Member for the University of Dublin,
that Mr. 13,.rwick entirely disclaimed any share in the
preparation of the measure in question.
Sir GEORG E GREY said, in justice to the framers
of the Dublin Police 8111, he felt it due to them to state
that they found the greatest discrepancies between it
and the - Bill introduced by the Hon. Baronet.—
(Loud laughter.) He wished, at the same time, to state
that the Lord-Li,utenant had conveyed to him
that in his estimation Mr. Berwick was one of the best
stipendiary magistrates of Ireland.—(Hear, hear.)
Lord BERNARD bore similar testimony to the merits
of that gentleman.
Sir H. W. BARRON said he had the highest respect
for the pubic character and personal honour of Mr.
Berwick. No one in or nut of the House could enter-
tain greater respect for him. He had sat with him on
the bench—(Laughter)—and he never saw a judge ad-
minister justice more even-handed.—(Hear.)
Sir W. SOMERVILLE said he was sure no one sup-
posed the' the Hon. Barenet had any personal object in
the introduction of the Bill.—(Hear.) It was perfectly
true that he had read the Bill of the Hon. Baronet at
his request. He (Sir W. Somervil:e) wished also to bear
his testimony to toe high character of Mr. Berwick.
. _

NOTICES OF MOTION.-ADJOURNED DEBATE.

Lord J. RUSSELL hoped that Hon. Gentleman who
had notices on the paper would postpone them, and
allow the adjourned debite to proc-ed.
THE ARMY IN BARBADOES.

Viscount DRUMLANRIG postponed the following
notice :—Returns of the strength in rank and file of the
service companies of the 72d and 66th Regiments when
they arrivtdin Barbadoes: of the names of all officers
who accompanied the service companies to Bar.
badoes, their period of service at this date; and, of the
number of rank and file, together with the number of
officers attacked by illness since their arrival; and num-
ber of deaths and recoveries, specifying the names of the
officers, up to this date.