The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-29 00:00:00

NORTH OF ITALY.

Lord BROUGHAM inquired whether the Govern-
ment had received any intelligence of the victory of
Radetzky, or of the abdication of Charles Albert in
favour of the Duke of Savoy. If this were true, it had
pleased Providence to bless Europe with an event which
no human being could have foreseen and hoped for. He
hr.cl also heard that England and France had deter-
mined to interfere to preserve the integrity of Pied-
mont:. wheal Marshal itadetalry and the Emperor of
Austria had declared th4t they had no intention to de-
stroy the integrity of Piedmont. He did not believe it.
It would he a libel on those two powers, and a libel on
Austria.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said there could be
no doubt of the defeat and abdication of Charles Albert,
and of the proclamation of the Duke of Savoy as his
successor. There was no intelligence as to the fact of
Marshal Radetzky having reached Turin, although it
was probable. The intelligence had been received by
electric telegraph, and therefore he was unable to enter
into particulars, but he joined his Noble Friend in con-
sidering that it was a matter to be rejoiced at that the
confl,ct should have been final.
In answer to the Earl of ABERDEEN,
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE stated that the papers
relating to the north of Italy would soon be laid on the
table.

THE STOCKPORT MAGISTRACY.
Lord STANLEY presented a petition from the borough
of Stockport complaining of the recent appointments
of magistrates iu the borough of Stockport. He be-
lieved, with the petitioners, that certain recent appoint-
ments which had,taken place to the magistracy of the
borough had taken place from political motives, and
not for the sake of furthering the due administration
of justice. He would not for a moment be supposed
to insinuate that the Noble and Learned Lord was at all
cognizant of the real state of the facts, but he believed
that the Noble and Learned Lord had been misled, as
persons in his station must be always liable to be misled.
'Uhe petitioners prayed for inquiry. The borough of
Stockport had been incorporated under the Municipal
Corporation Act. The town council had at first been
entirely Liberal, and it was most surprising that the
magistrates recommended by them should have been Li be•
ral also. In 1841 there was a change of Government, end
Sir James Graham appointed five gentlemen of Conser-
vative principles as magistrates; and in 1845, en the re-
presentation of the Conservative party, he nominated
tour new Conservative magistrates, so as to make an
equality between the two parties on the bench. In
June, 1845, there was a liberal majority in the town
council, but it was expected that the majority
would be altered at the next election. At that time
Mr. Henry Coppock, the brother of Mr. James
Coppock, neld the office of town clerk and of clerk
to the magistrates. Fearing that in the event of
the Conservatives gaining a majority in the town council
he might be dismissed from the office of town clerk, and
also from that of clerk to the magistrates, Mr. Henry Cop-
peck induced three of themagistrates to sign a memorial to
the Lord Chancellor to appoint six additional magistrates.
A memorial was presented from some of the other
magistrates, declaring that there was no necessity for
the appointment of additional magistrates. A meeting
of the town council was held, and resolutions were come
to that there was no necessity for the increase proposed
in the number of magistrates. At the same time
a communication was made to the Noble and Learned
Lord that there was no necessity for any increase
in the number of magistrates, because petty sessions
were held every other day, and there was no arrear of
magisterial business. In November, the majority of the
town council became Conservatives, and Mr. R. Cop-
pock was removed from the office of town clerk.
Immediately Mr. H. Coppock transmitted the
commission of the peace for the borough
to his brother, Mr. James Coppock, and it was
lodged in the Crown Office, and on the 15th of No-
vember the Mayor of Stockport received a communi-
cation from the Lord Chancellor, stating that
he had ordered five names to be inserted in
the commission, four of whom were Liberals, and one
Conservative, the one Conservative being an ex-
officio magistrate that year. One of the more
liberal magistrates had since died, another was
the judge of the county court residing near Manchester.
The Town Council sent a deputation to remonstrate
with the Noble and Learned Lord, and the Noble
and Learned Lord said he would receive a
memorial, if received, in three days. He asked for
a further extensiou of time, which was granted.
In the Council they fixed the salary of their
clerk at 400/. instead of 5001. a year.--(Hear.)
and that the same person should fill the office of town
clerk and clerk to the magistrates, banding over his surplus
fees to the borough fund. But in the meantime the Lord
Chancellor went to say that he had determined to appoint
the new magistrates. They sent another deputation, and
that deputation found with the Lord Chancellor one of the
old magistrates who had recommended the new magis-
trates one of the new magistrates, and Mr. Henry Coppock,
This was ou the Thursday or the Friday the commission
'was transmitted to Stockport by Mr. James Coppock;
the magistrates qualified, and on Saturday the magis-
trates, on the motion of the Judge of the County Court,
who had never since attended ; the continuance
of Mr. James Coppock, as clerk to the
magistrates, was
voted with his salary, notwith-
standing the opposition of the Council. He thought
the Noble and Learned Lord was wrong in attending to
the suegestions of unauthorised persons instead of attend-
ing to those of persons in authority, and he regretted
that the Noble and Learned Lord should have been misled
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that since the
passing of the Municipal Reform Act the rule in ap-
pointing borough magistrates had been to con-
sider the number of magistrates requisite to
transact magisterial business. There had been a
representation made that the number was not sufficient
in 1841. The same Gentleman, who had made that re-
presentation, to which the Noble Lord had referred,
had represented that there was no necessity for any
increase in the number, but nevertheless their number
hid been increased. In 1842 a change of Ministry
had taken place, and then these same six
gentlemen thought that ,the number then existing
was not sufficient, and then the Lord Chancellor ap-
pointed additional magistrates. upon the representation
of those gentlemen. The coarse which he (the Lord
Chancellor) had adopted, had been in cases in
which application for an additional number of magis-
trates was made to inquire the number in the year 1841,
because he knew that the position of the boroughs in that
370 r
had been accurately investigated; to inquire then into
the increase which had taken place in the population.
Since the year 1841 the population of the • beroagh of
Stockport had been increased by 10 000 while the Am-
ber of magistrates hadheen
diminished d from' 18 to 11, and
on that ground an application
to add to the number
i°fruna ad been made to him
tuag2isotoroatese
received a memorial
l inhabitants, had
praying for an increase in the number of the
and representing that the persons recom-
naagis:ra:es,
mended were most respectable men, and were
well fitted to discharge the duties n
of magis-
trates ; and it so happened that those who
memorialized against this appointment were
the very same six gentlemen who had memo-
rialised against the appointment of additional
magistrates in 1841, and who had so speedily
changed their opinion on the matter when the
change of Ministry took place in 1642. The Conserva-
tive majority of the town council having been changed
into a majority, committed an act which he
bad no hesitation in saying was a very improper
act. They dismissed the town-clerk of the borough, not
for any misconduct, but from party motives. It was
only the other day that the noble Lord cow-