The Sun.
London, England, 1849-03-30 00:00:00

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 3O, 1849,

II4PERIAL PARLIAMENT.

/MUSE OF LORDS, March 29.

LORD CH,INCEI.I.oIt took his seat upon tlc, Wool-
sack at Five o'ciuck.

Messengers from the Commons brought up certain
Bills.

nice Earl of EGLINTON presented a petition from
Ballina praying for an improved system of rating.
The Earl of HARROWBY presented a petition pray-
ing for the introduction of some measure for the better
regulation of rum shops, and gave notice of his intention
to introduee a Bill on the subject immediately after
Raster.

The Duke of RICHMOND considered that the pre-
sent law afforded too great facilities to those who were
desirous of establishing beer•shops.
NORTH WALES RAILWAY.

Lord MONTE AGLE moved that the order of the day
for the attendance of Mr. Chaplin should be postponed
until after the holidays.
The motion was agreed to.
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
had also heard that England and France had deter-
mined to interfere to preserve the integrity of Pied-
mont, but when Marshal Radetzky and the Emperor of
Austria had declared that they had no intention to de-
stroy the integrity of Piedmont, it would be a libel on
Fiance and England, and au insult to Austria, to be-
lieve the report of their interference.
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
conflict 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
able.

THE STOCKPORT MAGISTRACY.
Lord STANLEY presented a petition from the borough
of Stockport complaining of the recent appointments
of magistrates in 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
cognisant 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.
The 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 Libes
ral also. In 1841 there was a change of Governmeut, and
Sir James Graham appointed five gentlemen of Conser-
vative principles as magistrates; and in 1845, on the re-
presentation of the Conservative party, he nominated
four new Conservative magistrates, so as to make an
equality between the two parties on the bench. In
June, 1848, 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, held 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-
pock induced three of the magistrates 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. H. 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-
seeio magistrate that year. One of the more
liberal magistrates had since died, another was
thejiidge 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 transmitted in three days. They asked for
a further extension of time, which was granted.
In the Council they fixed the salary of their
clef k at 4001. instead of 5001 a year.—(Hear.)
and that the same person should fill the office of town
clerk and clerk to the magistrates, handing over his surplus
fees to the borough fund. But in the meantime the Lord
Chancellor sent 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 tho
old magistrates who had recommended the new magis-
trates one of the new magistrates, and Mr. Henry Coppock,
This was on 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, with his old salary, was voted notwith-
standing the opposition of the Council. He thought
the Noble and Learned Lord was wrong in attending to
the suggestions 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
had been increased. In 1842 a change of Ministry
bad 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 course which he (the Lord
Chancellor) had adopted, bad been in cases in
which application for au additional number of magis-
trates was made to inquire the number in the year 1841,
because ho knew that the position of the boroughs in that
year 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 borough of
Stockport had been increased by 10,000, while the num-
ber of magistrates had been diminished from 18 to 11, and
on that ground an application had been made to him
to add to the number of magistrates. He had
received a memorial from 2,000 inhabitants,
praying for an increase in the number of the
magistrates, and representing that the persons recom-
mended were most respectable men, and were
well fitted to discharge the duties of magis-
trates ; and it so happened that those who
memorialised against this appointment were
the very same six gentlemen who had memo-
rialised against the anointment of additional
magistrates in 1841, and who had so speedily
changed their opinion on the matter when the
change of Ministry took place in 1842. The Conserva-
tive minority of the Town Council having been changed
into a majority, committed an act which he
had 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 com-
plained of the dismissal of a gentlemen from
office in a colony from party motives. The town-clerk of
Stockport had no more notion of his dismissal than Mr.
Fairbanks had, nor had he committed any greater offence.
He considered it very wrong in municipal authorities to
dismiss, and a very great hardship on municipal officers
to be dismissed, merely from party motives. He was
dismissed without any reason having been assigned.
When the Municipal Reform Bill passed, although the
town clerks were removable, it was thought proper to
introduce a clause to secure them compensation, because
it was apprehended that incoming corporations might
select other persons, entertaining views in accordance
with their own. Who these parties had dismissed Mr.
Coppoek did not know. Representations were made to
him in the month of November that the number of
magistrates was insufficient, from various persons, and
suggestions were made that they ought to be increased.
There were at Stockport, in 1841, thirteen magistrates,
since when the population had increased 10,000, and he
was asked to add six other magistrates, which he re
fused, but nominated four, which he thought a sufficient
number. Subsequently, when the county courts were
established, ho nominated the judge of that court to the
magistracy, considering him a fit and proper person to
discharge the duties, he being, moreover, resident in the
neighbourhood, which made the five additional magis-
trates. It was also to be observed that there had been
a decrease in the number of magistrates in this borough
from deaths. With regard to the appointment of these
magistrates, he judged from the papers that were laid
before him, for he had no personal communication with
them, nor did it appear that the petitioners brought any
charge against, or to4c any objection to them, the ap-
pointment w is by the Secretary of State, in the exercise
of the undoubted prerogative of the Crown. There were
thirteen magistrates in the borough in 1841, and now
there were eighteen, which was not too great a num-
ber, considering the increase which had taken place in
the population. He had only looked to the merits of the
parties as they appeared in the documents laid before
him. With reference to political opinions, it was pro-
bable, no doubt, that the parties applying to Govern-
ment entertained opinions in accordance with theists of
the Government; and, therefore, the nominations would,
in all probability, be of gentlemen of the same views.
The principle he acted on was to appoint a number, to or-
respond with that which existed in 1841, and to ap oint
persons free from objection. He hoped their Lord hips