The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-18 00:00:00

L'ORDS' AMENDMENTS.

The Lords' Amendments to the following Bills were
considered and agreed to :
Commercial Gaslight and Coke Company.
British Commercial Insurance Company (No. 2).
THIRD READINGS.

The following Bills were read a third time and
passed :
Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway (Deviation
of Line, &c.)
Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley Railway
(Stourbridge and West Bromwich).
Bristol Building and Improvement.
Chester and Holyhead Railway (Extension at Chester
and Alteration of Levels).
Croydon Commercial Gas and Coke.
Great Northern Railway (Deviations between Gains-
borough and Doncaster).
Ipswich and Bury St. Edmund's
Ipswich to W.odbridge). Railway (Branch from
Leeds Central Railway Station.
Leeds, Dewsbury, and Manchester Railway (Ossett
Branch and Dewsbury and Morley Stations).
Leominster Canal Navigation Sale.
Limerick Docks and Harbour.
Liverpool Corporation Waterworks.
Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle.upon-Tyne Junc-
tion Railway (Alteration of Main Line and Hawes
Branch).
Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne Junc-
tion Railway Acts Amendment.
London and Blackwall Railway Improvement and
Branches to the St. Katharine and London Docks.
London and North-Western Railway (Lease and Pur-
chase of the lluddersfield and Manchester Railway
and Canal, and the Leeds, Dewsbury, and Manchester
Railway).
London-bridge Railway Termini General Enlargement.
Lynn and Ely, Ely and Huntingdon, and Lynn and
Dereham Railways Amalgamation.
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway (Branch
to Chapeltown and Thurgoland Coal Branch).
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway (Shef-
' field Canal Purchase).
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway Junc-
tion with the Midland Railway vid Barnsley, and
Branches therefrom).
Midland Railway (Extension from near Leicester viet
Bedford to Hitchin and to Northampton and Hunting-
don, and Enlargement of the Leicester Station).
Midland Railway (Gloucester and Stonehouse Junc-
tion).
North British Railway (No. 1).
North-Western Railway (Diversions at Skipton, Cas-
terton, and Sedbergh).
Oldham Alliance Railway.
Reading, Guildford, and Reigate Railway.
South-Eastern Railway (Widening of the Greenwich
Railway and Arrangement and Enlargement of the
London-bridge Station).
South Yorkshire, Doncaster and Goole Railway
(Penistone, Sec. and Purchase of Sheffield, Rother-
ham, Barnsley, Wakefield, Huddersfield, and Goole
Railway, Dun Navigation, and Dearne and Dove
Canal),
Swansea Harbour.
Westminster and Part of Middlesex Sewers.
York and Newcastle Railway (Wearmouth Dock En-
largement).
RATE-PAYING CLAUSES.
Sir DE LACY EVANS presented a petition in
favour of theH EabAolLitTioHn oofrthrresoe
WclaNussesß.
Lord MORPETH presented petitions from the clergy
of Leeds, the inhabitants of Suffolk, and several othery
in f
apveot
ui petition oont from the
same
plamcer. s, inwr the.favpoAurToTfEN
presentedßill.an
a
mayor and burgesses of Wigan
Bill.

EDUCATION.
Mr. M. MILNES presented a petition front certain
Roman Catholic clergymen in favour of the Poor Roman
Catholics participating in the vote for education,.
PORTUGAL.
Mr. B. OSBORNE said, in consequence of the abonlontnent of the amendment of the Hon,. Member
for Finsbury, he would on Monday next bring forward
almotion to the effect that, as Government had interfered
in the affairs of Portugal, it was just and proper for the
intervening parties to guarantee the full constitutional
rights and liberties of the people of Portugal, and, if
necessary, to enforce the same.
Mr.HUTT said he wished to ask the Noble Lord
(Palraerston)lwhether the blockade was likely to continue,
as it would affect the interests of the British. merchants.
X4CI4 kALUERSION said that as the, Junta had

- -
accepted the terms offered by the Government he hoped
th9t Or: *;

M. B. Ozsßf )IC, ,• -
decree intringisg toe per,,zoltt iree,Jim a:.(1 the nuerty
of the press, and he wished to ask the Noble Lord if it
was the intention of the Government to support this
policy?
Lord PALMERSTON said that the latest advises
received at Bristol contained no account of what the
Hon. Member alluded t
Sir DE LACY EVA.', U —Sir, I would observe with
' F tr:, St. Julian,
libertY
.heiratz,,,e :no .0 recognised
by the Government of this country.—(Hear.)
Mr. B. OSBORNE—Has the Noble Lord any objec-
tion to state, is conclusion, what course he intends to
pursue for the future with respect to the affairs of Pore
tust•al ?—(Laughter and cries of " Oh, oh ! ")
Lord PILNIERSTON—It is quite unusual to make a
statement of what a Government intends to do, especially
in a matter of this kind—(Loud cheers)—we cannot state
hat we intend to de.—(Rear.) It is sufficient to state
what we have done succeslully, and to ask, after such an
explanation, if you approve of the course we have taken.
The subject then dropped.
CURRENCY OF PORTUGAL.
On the order of the day being read for going into
Committee on the Poor Relief Bill,
Lord GEORGE BENTINCK rose to call the at
of the House to the infraction of the Ist,
and 18th Articles of the Treaty of Lisbon, of July, 1842,
and to ask her Majesty's Ministers SI hether any and what
steps have been taken to obtain from the Government of
the Queen of Portugal, redress for the past, and security
against future injuries of a like kind done to British in-
terests. He said that this was a question in which the
in this
British merchants, resident in Portugal andld
country were deeply interested.—(Hear.) w°B
15th, 17th,
be within the recollection of all those who ho'"
read the papers which had been presented to the
House, with respect to the affairs of Portugalt
that Mr. Southeron, on the 16th of November last, ade
dressed a letter to Viscount Palmerston, informiogybirn!
that a decree had been proclaimed by the Queen of
tugal, which compromised the interests of British Mel'
chants resident in that country.—(Cries of
hear.") The Noble Lord then read 10111
en
statement made by Mr. Southern, pointing
the disadvantages under which they were labourinE„V
the compulsory use of the bank notes of PurtUgsl,l"7
as they were of much less value than the sums for wine
tions, because it compelled them to take
they were issued, materially interfered with their °in
paper hick
would shortly be valueless ; and the consequence would
be that they would be compelled to suspend their opera'
tions. Now, the first article of that decree runs.fl:
these words—" Any person who from any n° will
should reject the notes of the Lisbon bank, "
be liable to transportation, and subjected t°
fine of from 50,000 grains to 500 grains Of try
to be placed to the public account. The fine in e'
Dung
case to be regulated by the judge according to the itro—e
or.
of the transaction and the sentence of the transgress
ant
The 15th article provided, that under the engs.geh.
of the Queen of Portugal the commerce of British•
strained
in the Portuguese dominions should not ,Ilshroea
strained or interrupted by any monopoly of the 11' to
notes; that they should have unrestrained perm grid in
buy from and sell to whomsoever they pleased, an to„,
whatever form or manner was agreed upon by the Pbro.
chaser. An article of the 17th of December hadi.,s.tish
gated that to a great extent, and at vresent the Pr_i ant
subjects. in Portugal were compelled to take Poi`
in notes of Lisbon, which were dep in
reciate°.
__r
h es
value to the enormous amount of fifty-four I°
cent. This was fully stated in a dispatch sot
Sir George H. Sepnour, dated April the
although by the articles of this commercial treaty', en,
eluded by Lord Waldegrave, they were entitled to boy
and sell, and to receive in exchange, any PaYtaend
which might be agreed upon between the purchaser to
the seller. He should have occasion afterwards
0.,
refer, as regards the seventeenth and eighte.eiete
artiFis;
articles of the treaty to trial by jury. By those
as Honourable Members would know, all Bliley
subjects were entitled to trial by jury, but of that t_.„.„,
were deprived. So, then, all British merchants or woe
ntnacturers would have suffered a depreciation act_t.,
, present time, on the whole amount of 54 per e'boo
if they had contracte an bargains
tate of le with Lis at,
houses since Novembed r last. This s A
ters continued to exist, and to be tolerateut,
notwithstanding the frequent protests of Mr. Southerool
addressed to the Queen and her Ministers. 0, could
not avoid drawing a contrast between the conduct
British Ministers in regard to the Court of Portrt;
and their energy, when the Junta appeared to thea! I_os
guilty of any infraction of the rights of the Briti!;!_sreo,
jects, or of the law of nations. On the 4th of °
thst
Colonel Johnson wrote to Mr. Southeron, sta"Dwbich
the Junta had seized stores in the town, part ot
belonged to a Mr. Russell. This was instantly T_io7a
municated to her Majesty's Ministers, and ss
Palmerston, on the 26th of March, had sent °
ics"'tions.
patches to Mr. Southeron relative to his coma:tuntisa-
Now, he wished to ask Hon. Members would this s2,rbe
baton in the treaty, signed by the Queen in 18410-
permitted to be violated without any egvere'
tion being demanded by her Majesty's u the
merit ? So much for the infraction ot
treaty as regarded the rights of British. ,nbe
chants to deal in any way they pleased wlt'doal
Portuguese merchants. He would now proceed roth of
with other infractions of the treaty. Ont_tline -hat
December Mr. Southeron wrote from Winne-1,01.03g;
violation of trial by jury had take
and that British subjects were placen d in aplace differentrff be
tion to that intended by the 17th and 18th articles oaf
treaty of 1842. It might not be known t°,„ oars
Honourable Members of that House that in 18' the
existed a court of justice in Portugal for fxr
trial of British subjects; but by that treaty rtjte
vileges were granted to British subjects hill' as
institution of Conservatorial Courts. As ape*
he had been able to gather from these Pa the
no remonstrance had ever been entered into tiVflott if
subject. lie wished to know whether any steps,
r,si
ei
any, when and what steps had been taken to
these wrongs of British subjects in Portugal ? 0, 00
Lord PALMERSTON said that he understo
deers
Noble Lord to ask him a question relating to the nre'eet.
which had been passed, giving force to the PaP,e or is
rency of the Bank of Portugal at a
with raga
roost
nominal value, and, secondly, v!tt. regara
to certain suspended guarantees
7•7lovv:r with regsra
to the British subjects in Portugal. bad at iirot
to the first point, without pretending, as Gover
thought of doing, to justify the
1 baldwhich eali
to in its pecuniary embarrassments, ther facts.
the attention of the Noble Lord to wo not
The Noble Lord would admit that thi°, Govern'
the first instance in the history of nations ?Iva. to
ments being obliged to give by law a forced
3.1d7.1b1e
paper currency which was suffering from con aw.,lehle
depreciation, and that paper had been received stia:freee
somewhat different to that which, according to 01'. the
Portdgtu
trade notions of the Noble Lord it would fetch to
market.
fri
Lord GEORGE BENTINCS said, British merellhnet;
were prevented from making any private contract; :ha
were forbidden by this decree to contract even bf 0
psi
medium of bars of silver, under a penalty varying f°4
50,000 to 500,000 reals—notwithstanding any contr
to that effect, they were forbidden from receiving P0I„'
meat in any other mode except in the Bank of Lisll'A
notes. Now, he apprehended that the Noble Lord soc.-
n yEpR rsecTe od eNnrt
urfleoesr. bu
usaiu eeht h
d.a c
ioi
eursaeed.
m
ito
Lord m
wt
aiosr
.staarnvAceerLya stringent
n
the Noble Lord that the notes weree wished shd to t e
rd e
receivable by
Government at the same rates at which they were arse
pelled to be received by private individuals. The e°,..0,
i t
adopted with respect to this by her Majesty's Oceie"did
ment was, he considered, the usual course. did
eign
not anticipate complaints of hardships from 101.
countries ; but whenever any complaint was °ore
founded upon the construction of treaties wh°s° `
visions had been invalidated, it was referred t° tbs
proper law officers of the Crown, and according 000
advice given by those officers her Majesty's GolleflinlS
acted. He was not aware that any specific colnrojeSs
had been made by British merchants in the conrerso, the
of Mr. Southeron but if any complaints were to°old be
course which the Government would pursue Ilyoeitt6
this—to refer that complaint to the Queen's 41. treto
,
and if he were to state that a violation of t',:
had taken place, the Government would seekt 117,
redress. With respect to the second questiOno th:
perfectly true, as his Noble Friend had stated, ereiSS
17th and 18th articles of that treaty of 1842, 0°25 be
the establishment of the conservatorial court Pkt.t et bo.,
(as we understood) violated. A British, stwife the:
suffered great injustice from the suspension °,-.lover"l
articles ; and an application was made to the '''.tioa,s
ment of Portugal to re-establish the censer
as po
court, and it was established accordingly, and sWeediefsr;
in existence. He did not think it fitting or, e-,a' 14,11,1-6.
to trouble the House with all the corresponaenitbe vti,l
had taken place between this Government an'oo3o_,:o
vernment of Portugal, appertaining to their e°,,. ftv.,o
relations. He had carefully expunged everYtiner
nto •cv
the communications which took place front tie a/10,0
to the present time, with respect to those relatiteb
had a bearing upon the political question o'...ieratio4
House would, at a future time, take into conr,o4:
A vast deal of correspondence with respect to haeoti,
and other matters, would be found ,in the birt et 15.00
Founded on the articles of this treaty that eetietittiP
and will still continue to exist, until the legal C
guaranteed will be established.—(Hear.) th°
HEALTH OF TOWNS BILL- • was
Lord LINCOLN wished to know whether iketatit
intention of the Noble Lord to bring on the t bto
Towns Bill to-morrow ? ig Ibe
Lord JOHN RUSSELL—My impressioni4
discussion on the Poor-law Administration i'!„,v 00
concluded to-night, and I therefore hope to hrimP 0/
Health of Towns Bill to-morrow. FILE
DECORATIONS FOR THE BRITISEE OF of
PORTUGAL. nt whet 4,
Mr. EWART desired to ask the Governrne ,he 11_5,
it was the intention, as it was reported to be, of
tuguese Government to confer a decoration oils tp,,:te
of the British navy who were concerned in th 7eoeq.
in Portugal ? He did not consider such was t as Of
as they were employed not as partisans, b° ers
trators. `hag be;
s
Lord PALMERSTON—It is well know.e. b sit Jibe
sa
is a rule in force which prevented ordernl3r tole o,t
from accepting or wearing any foreigns'i.eignp
person has been actuall in the service of a ; hoe
reign, or performed particularly eminent serf which 'tlis
feel no difficulty in saying, none of the dutiesred
been performed by the British officers concet.rotbe
late transactions in Portugal brings them writ'
of this rule.
tO°
Sold g°
POOR-LAW ADMINISTRATION shoo
On the order of the day that the 11°Ltse 010'
into Committee on this Bill, the
Mr. BANJOS said that he should cfP°s°

r•cr-_.!t ti- ',

t „ ,

THE SUN,

11,
tio
r' JOHN RUSSELL—Do you take the opp ,i-
-kti°ll;.? It 13 open to you at tuture stage.
Elsa BANES considered it best to take the discus-
s•a 11,971, because he did not find any one clause in the
the j."_l which he could approve, and perhaps it was then
to ht Course to shorten the discussion. The Noble
theadmitted that he thought these persons not
tbe v'tent or qualified to fill these offices, and yet up to
ear!'iresent time this subject had not been brought for-
)i It was now brought under the notice of the
lieu 8e at a most inconvenient period of the session.
thought that the delay which had taken pl ,ee
ba ken unwarrantable. An important enqulry
41 tali en place into the conduct of these officers
the liet, although a very strong report had been made to
te °dile, no Member of the Committee had ever yet
bede forward to state his opinion distinctly as to what
ontaiellen place, or to bring it under the notice of the
g
.h* He found no improvement in the Bill. Think-
ff at a much better mode of carrying the end into
setret, could be devised at much less expense to the
LrY, therefore he objected to the whole Bill.
sete Poor-law Commission was first of all created for a
lettNe racy purpose, limited to a period of
.five years ;
pre `4° one could look at this Bill without seeing that the
ha Bill Bill proposed to make that Commission in a diffe-
-6,4 form permanent. The Bill, besides, added very
pelielY to the patronage of the Government. They pro-
e":" to form a board on the principle of the Board of
p 401-• The Board of Control was formed under very
ptar circumstances, and, undoubtedly on the
syneTe, the system had worked well. But it
Nee a question whether the system that ap-
th7l to the distant Ilindoo, was applicable to
IPeasantry of this country. On a former occasion he
observed that the system, which was then so much
dosed, was, in reality, the system of Sir Matthew
Cec which was, that the local authorities should have
$a eh of the affairs, subject to a control
eh less limited than that which was now interposed.
dilesting vast discretionary powers in the local guar-
-1,22, with an appeal in regard to some points to the
4—etstrates of the county, at quarter sessions, with an
:Peal always from thence up to the Home-office, they
%l dbe establishing a better system, than by trusting
e
administration of the law to a set of meddling men
tu
!Ilion Under these circumstances, he thought it
"
_eels , •
better to delay any legislation upon the subject
kr: future session of Parliament, and he should, there-
te ' move that the Bill be recommitted that day three
months,
Captain PECHELL had never shrunk from express-
pol';"a decided opposition to the manner in which the
toeCiaaws had lately been administered, but still he
%alsot consent to the amendment of his Hon. Friend
1307,el_te- The Noble Lord at the head of the
litlissnment, had told them that if this
tleele,_ could be disposed of to night, the
Vail of Towns Bill might be brought on to-morrow,
fei,Sh now he would tell the Noble Lord bow he could
prkatate the committal of the Bill to-night. Let the
ea.,,,eule Lord give the house a pledge that the appoint-
hella under this Bill should be such that they should
t
este hereafter have to complain of the conduct of several
%jute existing authorities. On no one occasion had the
to:t.,Poor-law Commissioners ever visited a board of
3 and altogether there could be no question
rale",tae poor-law affairs of this country had been sadly
ef6e7anaged. He thought, therefore, that none but
atkieat and practical men ought to be appointed
e'
kur this Bill, and as 250 Members of this
tot se had expressed their opinion of the in-
Petency of some of the existing authorities,
hold office
a pledge would be given that they should
ofoffice under any future new arrangement. One
thBelle Poor-law Commissioners had set himself up as
candidate for one of the Welch counties, no doubt in
hee % hopet of getting an appointment under the Bill should
returned as a Member of that House ; and he
abthought that circumstance rendered it the more urgent
t.t)he House have the privilege he asked for.—( Hear,
kent. They were now called upon to make arrange-
law by this Bill for the administration of the poor-
tcpe,,durdng the next five years ; but lie was inclined to
shi With the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Dorset-
t, re, that such a would be introduced into the
tieelltjtution
I°lls, that the Bill would stand a reed chance of
tug,, considerably modified in the next Parliament, and
ti4",‘"crefore, hoped such arrangements would be made in
the Progress of this Bill through Committee as to meet
'Lows of the lion. Member for Dorsetshire, with
ti spoof to limiting the duration of the Bill to a less
t than five years.—(Hear, hear.)
the it MILES said that nothing which took place since
:he Last discussion had altered his mind, and he regretted
the discussion,
course which his Hon. Friend had taken in raising
thatdiseussion, on the present occasion. He would take
heti °Pportunity of defending Mr. Chadwick, whom he
teved was most honest, upright, and sincere, and he
"l received a letter from Mr. Chadwick requesting him
play such papers before the House as would fully ex-
hhlllte him from the charges which were made against
°Y the Noble Lord at the head of the Government.
the following was the passage in the Noble Lord's
vt4ell to
is which exception had been taken.
bot "e SPEAKER sa 11 that the Hon. Member could
deut;ead
extracts from the speeches of another Member
red during the present session. •
r• MILES begged pardon of the House, and then
hisaid on to read a defence of Mr. Chadwick's, in which
said that he never heard of any complaints against
lain: Until the speech to which he objected was delivered.
tile Position was to some proceedings which would be
de._llteted to injure the commission or the law, and to
ler`o4ltles rather than to men.—(Hear.) Mr. Chadwick also
letter to Mr. Nicholls, demanding to know
Zvilhe—tihear he had offered any improper opposition, or
i_sner he had ever reason to suspect him of caballing
soolr Public service, either from personal or private
ver tines f To all these questions Mr. Nicholl wrote a
the truth
strong letter in favour of Mr. Chadwick, denying
84.suth of all these charges, and praising him for the
0:1::": which he had rendered to the commissioners.—
brinarlf hear.) He (Mr. Miles) thought it his duty to
be trustedorwaed this case at the very earliest moment, and
doi
,„that the House would pardon him for so
"--kllear, hear.)
Seen
Lord JOHN
RUSSELL said, that after what had
en stated, he thought it might be permitted him to
44a:eh What he thought of the conduct of Mr. Chadwick.
he had a high opinion of his abilities, and he considered
hut
his_reports upon the poor-law were mst valuable,
e aid object to his conduct as secretary to the corns
ge:aloners whom he was appointed to serve; and he
evict red his opinion from an attentive perusal of the
Ai enee, and particularly of the evidence of Mr. Chad-
himself. He ce.rtainly. did admit, that on several
and,..mns Mr. Chadwick objected to certain measures,
ki "Pon consideration of his opinion, he (Lord John
(gear,
approved and decided in Mr. Chadwick's favour.
lOhear.) But Mr. Chadwick, in his evidence, did
eeo—r, People to imagine that the commissioners did
into
tiae..scientionsly discharge their duty in examining ihntir
not; suggestions which might be offered to t e
consideration
who wilfully shut their esTes to the
Cher
of clauses, and who wilfully neglected
Vviee'er duty- The Noble Lord then referred to Mr. Chad-
chs..a evidence, and said that if these were Mr.
ofz'f',l4wiek's opinions he ought to have resigned his
He was very sorry that such should be his
erSessioll, but it was adopted from a perusal of his own
eeence• He would, in this place, again take an oppor-
. jot::tY of expressing his high opinion of the abilities and
th gr it 7 01 Mr. Chadwick. He would not enter into
the debate raised by the Hon. Member for Dorsetshire ;
liveqeestion was decided on the second reading of the
hope!l after four nights' discussion, and he therefore did
Which a that the House would then go into Committee, in
which c would be quite ready to defend any clauses
mht be objected to.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir
JAMES GRAHAM said that ho would be sorry
whi;t3' anything painful to the feelings of anyone ; but
Chad he admitted and valued the high abilities of Mr.
wick, he must say that he had some errors.
Iv!) thought, therefore, that the continuance of Mr. Chad -
~mk in connexion with the commission would not be
-""lletageous to the public, while at the same time he
considered that he should have an appointment in some
Tier important branch of the public service that would
g,'"fe employment to his superior abilities and prevent
"„.e public from being deprived of them. When the
• Bill went into Committee he would be happy to eiscuss
its details, and he would suggest to the Hon. Member
the propriety of withdrawing his motion.
Lord COURTENAY could not agree with the Noble
Lord (Russell) that the evidence of Mr. Chadwick before
the Andover Committee showed a desire to undermine
the power of the Poor law Commissioners. The result
°f that inquiry was, in his mind, and in that, he be-
lieved, of the whole Committee, an impression that Mr.
Chadwick had acted with great ability and zeal, and
that his exertions were directed to a fair and higher ad-
nistration of the law. On the reperusal of that evi-
dence this morning, there was nothing in Mr. Chad-
`''ek's evidence or conduct which appeared to him (Lord
e'
ourtenay) to afford the least ground for the charge of
unfairness, or of a desire to undermine the power of the
commissioners. He thought it necessary, in justice to
Zr"u. Chadwick, to say thus much in his defence.
Ur. CHRISTIE was quite certain that the Noble
ford at the head of the Government would be the last to
actle unjustly towards any individual, still he thought
the.theChadwick was harshly dealt with. He thought that
of imputation made against him required a great deal
let evidence to substantiate. When he heard the
its; Some Secretary stating that Mr. Chadwick was
nenced by feelings of disappointment, and that the
misunderstanding between him and the Poor-law Corn-
kiths'?loners were influenced by these feelings, he thought
_t there were circumstances which, to some extent,
wt't
he rranted these feelings. In consequence of the reports
joinina,de as an assistant commissioner, he was invited to
of e the board, and was intrusted with the drawing up
for' report in which the Poor-law Amendment Bill was
sporde Lord Brougham, on the 31st of July, 1834,
Poke in the most favourable terms of diet report, for its
str euerlce of composition, its lucid arrangement, and its
teita,ngth of reasoning, He thought, therefore, that
eshemg the subsequent proceedings into account,
hi—n two gentlemen were appointed commissioners over
u.," that some allowance should be made if he did labour
eu"rder feelings of disappointment. lie was very much
Getritsed, however, that the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir J.
es.„ ahem) should continue him as secretary, when by his
hest" admission, he was aware that the misunderstamling
over
him and the Poor-law Commissioners extended
fer, a Period of five years. He would say a word in re-
dact," to himself. Allusion had been made to his con-
Itas one of the members of the Andover Committee.
ne alleged that be put a question to Sir F. Lewis
trill:. his private affairs. Now, that statement was us-
That gentleman had misunderstood his question,
ZS'lse entered into that personal explanation upon that
misunderstanding. The statements of the Hon. Member
f:q. Wolverhampton --*
were not to be received with perfect
credulity, as that Hon. Gentleman was the brother of
led se toms who were implicated in the accusation that
mse!. the formation of that Committee.
eotrr• VILLIERS said he was not surprised at the
'keyed
ja,,ken by the Hon. Member who had just
Luse, As he Tecalected his cc duct with

respect to Mr. lie th,;:a stated what was
tated to him in c ,
Sir JAMES G:...‘i1A114. that, I,igitt II
Member for Wolverhampton ita:l expre3seA his regret on
this question, and had made a most Loaoutable retrac-

tion.
Mr. VILLIERS said the Hon. Member for Wolver
hampton had asked Sir Franklin Lewis a most improper
question in reference to his son.
Mr. CHRISTIE—That is untrue.—(Order, order.)
Mr. VILLIERS said the lien. Member for Wolves.
hampton was the la,t person in the House who shoal''
use that term.—(Order, order.)
The SPEAKER interposed, and
Mr. CHRISTIE retracted the expression.
Mr. VILLIERS said that he thought the conduct of
the Hon. Gentleman was most improper, and having
explained himself he would not trespass further on the
House.
Mr. GRIMSDITCII said he felt bound to oppose the
Bill. He would waive ail question of patronage, if he
could see his way clearly through the meshes of this
Bill. He would himself delegate power to the Secre-
tary of State, and employ assistant commissioners to
superintend local districts, and make it imperative on
each of them to reside within his district, and visit the
various unions comprised in it. He wanted none of the
Chadwick's, the Lewis's or the Nicholl's—not one of
them. He admitted Mr. Chadwick's great abilities ; he
was 'll admirable writer ; but, like the Hon. Member
for Wolverhampton, he was too much of a theorist. The
Hon. Member concluded by expressing his determina-
tion to oppose the Bill.
Mr. SPOONER said that although a great and in-
tense feeling existed out of doors upon this subject,
there was yet so little interest exhibited inside, that
the House could scarcely be kept, and, therefore, he
agreed with the Hon. Member for Dorsetshire, that the
termination of a session, and of a Parliament, was not
the best period to consider this Bill. According to the
present system, the poor labourer, who was no longer
enabled to support his family, was separated from his
wife and from his children, he was treated worse than
the convicted felons; there was less care taken of his
moral and physical being, and, therefore, he contended
that as the workhouse test had already proved so
defective, the present Bill was so much the more
defective, that it provided no remedy for this evil.
He thought that this question was too important
to be discussed with the limited number of Members,
who seemed disposed to attend to it, and although he
would not press the House to a division, he could not
think of sitting down without making these few obser-
vations upon the measure.
The motion was then withdrawn, and the House went
into Committee on the Bill.
On clause 1 being proposed,
Mr. GRIMSDITCH suggested that one officer should
be empowered to take the whole control of the work-
ing of this law. He should, therefore, propose to leave
out the words after " that," and add that her Majesty
" constitute and appoint a Member of the Privy Coun-
cil to carry out the administration of this law, to be
called the Secretary of State for the administration of
the Poor-law."
After some observations from Sir GEORGE GREY,
expressive of his disapproval of the alteration proposed
in the clause, the amendment was withdrawn.
The clause was then agreed to, as were also clauses 2,
3,4, 5,6, 7, 8,9, 10, and 11.
On clan- e 12 being proposed,
Mr. IIEisTLEY said the Committee were arming these
commissioners with great powers, and it was, therefore,
highly desirable that they should keep a record of their
proceedings, in order if there should happen to be any
wrong doing, the wrong-doer should be easily got at.
Now, it appeared to him that as this clause would throw
all the responsibility upon one person, the entire board
would be removed from all blame when blame was due.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the object of the
clause was to throw the responsibility of the proceedings
of the board upon the President.
Mr. BANKES said, if that were so, where was the use
of establishing a board of commissioners when the entire
responssbility was to rest in the President?
Lord J. RUSSELL said that Government had always
intended to throw the responsibility upon the President,
in the same way the President of the Board of Control
was responsible for the proceedings of the Government.
Mr. BANKES protested that it was not fair to place
the English peasant on the same footing as the distant
Hindoo.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) The clause would
eventually be a delusion. He thought that the object of
the Government, in this Bill, was to whitewash
the commissioners, and by Act of Parliament
state what his duties really are ; if there
was to be a board at all, it was abso-
lutely necessary that it should be both an
efficient and responsible one. He thought that the cor-
poration ought to be compelled to keep the records.
Sir G. GREY did not see anything in the clause
which prevented the commissioners from keeping the
records of their office.
After a few words from Mr. lIANLEY and Sir G. GREY,
Mr. REDHEAD YORKE said that he could not
conceive anything more obnoxious than the clause
would be as proposed by this Bill, and if the House
should decide on dividing upon the clause he should
certainly vote against the clause.
Mr. CHRISTIE thought that the commissioners
had kept a record according to the provisions of
the Act of Parliament, but he quite concurred in the
clause in the present Bill, proposing to repeal the clause
in the existing Act, now that the constitution of the
board would be entirely changed.
Mr. GRIMSDITCH thought that there was no ne-
cessity for retaining this clause in the Bill.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought that the pro
vision made in the Bill for enforcing an annual report
to be laid upon the table of the House was a sufficient
guard that the proceedings would be public and known
to the House.
Mr. BANKES said that it appeared to be assumed that
the President of this Commission would be a Member of
that House, but there was no security for that. He
might not obtain a seat in the House, or if he did, he
might not be able to keep it.
Mr. HANLEY moved that all the words from " or,"
in line 26, down to the word " preceding," in line 30,
should be struck out.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the
House divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment
Against it 65
Majority —42
The clause was then agreed to, as was also clause 13.
Clauses 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, with a few verbal
alterations, were then agreed to.
Clause 20, after some observations from Mr. Henley.
Sir G. Grey, and others, was agreed to.
Clause 21 was agreed to.
Clauses 22, 23, and 24 were also agreed to.
On clause 25,
Mr. P. BORTHWICK proposed an amendment, that
the word " five" be omitted for the purpose of inserting
the word " three," which he conceived was a sufficiently
long period for the commissioners' term of office.
Colonel SI3THORP proposed as a further amend-
ment, that the word "one" should be substituted, for no
commissioner so stigmatised would then act in an arbi-
trary manner, and Parliament would have an opportu-
nity of investigating their conduct every session.
Mr. GREENE said that it \vas not then competent for
the Hon. Member to propose the last amendment.
Sir G. GREY resisted the limitation, and considered
that the term of five years was quite short enough to
enable the company to aectaire the experience nee scary
to discharge the duties of their office efficiently.
Mr. SPOONER supported the amendment.
Mr. MUNTZ thought it a dangerous thing to extend
the period to five years, considering the late arbitrary
few
EN wordsLEy
supportedfrom Alr. T
theA T T
amendment.oN E GE R T
e,
conduct of the Poor-law Commissioners.
trAft.er.
reign was lona. enough thought three years'
aid that
HOlgiseto the
term Sir eGt. GEORGE
Gy
years r sG GREY
Yno: from
reviewing the system every year if it were
so disposed.
Mr. BANKES supported. the amendment.
Mr. P. BORTHWICK could not withdraw his
amendment, and would press it to a division, as the
extension which they bad lately had of the administra-
tion of the Poor-law made it necessary to keep a more
vigilant eye on the proceedings of the commissioners.
Captain HARRIS said that this board was but a
mere renewal of the old one ; and he should, therefore,
vote for the short period.
Mr. HUDSON hoped the Goverment would give
way on this point, and meet what appeared to be the
general wish of the House.
The House then divided, when the numbers were,
For the amendment
Against it
Majority .
The clause was then afire ed to.
The other clauses were then agreed to.
The House resumed, and. the report was ordered to
be brought up this day.
RAILWAYS (M ELAND) BILL.
Mr. HUDSaN wished to know when Government
meant to take the Railways (Ireland) Bill. He suggested
that they should take the Irish Railways Bill instead
of the general Railways Bill on Monday.
Sir G. GREY fixed this Bill for Monday also.
CORN, &c. IMPORTATION BILL.
This Bill went through Committee, and the report
was brought up and received.
LUNATIC ASYLUM'S (No. 2) BILL.
The report on this Bill W 9.3 brought up and agreed
to, and the Bill was ordered to be read a third time
this day.
SAVINGS' BANKS. ANNUITIES BILL.
This Bill was read a third time and passed.
POLICE CLAUSES BILL.
The report on this Bill was received.
ROYAL MARINE SERVICE BILL.
The report was brought up and received.
REPRESENTATIVE PEERS (SCOTLAND) BILL,
This Bill went through Committee, and the report was
brought up and received.
The other orders of ehe day were then disposed of,
and the House adjourned at Half-past Twelve o'clock.

------ -----
Sir Robert Peel, Mar( Luis arid Marchioness of Nor-
manby, Lord Villiers, M.arqui s of Douro, Earl of liar-
rowby-, Countess of Kinn oul, .7i,ord Newport, Mr. Shar-
man Crawford, M.P., Lord Combermere and party,
Duke of Cleveland, and many others of the nobility and
gentry honoured the exhibitio: a of the Bosjiemens at the
Egyptian Hall with their pres once.
THE IMMEDIATE REPEAT:4 OF THE CORN LAWS.—
The petition from the Oland), .?,r of Commerce was pre-
sented in the House of Corm eons on Wednesday even-
ing-, by Mr. Milner Gibson, a nd on Friday afternoon a
deputation from the Charnb er, consisting of Messrs.
Thomas Buxley, Salis, Schv iabe, Charles Peoley, and
John Brooks, had an in erg view with the Premier, to
urge the views embodied in the petition upon the con-
sideration of her Maje'l ty's advisers,—Manchester
Courier,

LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JUNE Is, 1847.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
COURT OF EXCHEQUER, June 17.
(Sittings at Nisi Prius before the tom) CHIEF BARON
and a Common Jury.)
CROWN CASES.—ATTORNEY-GENERAL v. POWELL.
This was an information filed by the Attorney-General
and the Board of Customs, charging the defendant with
having fraudulently concealed and brought into con•
gumption twenty-four chests of tea without the payment
of duty. The manner in which the fraud was committed
was as follows:—A sailor of the name of Partridge,
formerly resident in Jersy in 1845, became acquainted
with the defendant Powell in the month of November.
Powell was at that time in charge of the steam-boat called
Lord Collingwood. At Christmas in the above year
they left Jersey and came to London. In the mean-
time Powell told Partridge that he could put
him in the way of making his fortune, by run-
ning tea through the Custom-house, coastwise.
Partridge immediately concocted the plan, and
they arranged it that a bond should be given to the
Custom house, and purloined, and that tile profits arising
from it were to be distributed between Powell, Walsh
and Partridge. This having been settled, Partridge
obtained drafts upon the London and Westminster
Bank, to purchase tea in bond, and he carried this busi-
ness on for twelve months, under the name of Clark.
lie obtained a parcel of tea from the Custom-house, the
destination of which purported to be Liverpool, but the
goods were removed to a warehouse, and never for-
warded to their destination, but were brought into con-
sumption. Ultimately Partridge was taken into cus-
tody, and put into Whitecross-street Prison, and
information that he gave led to prosecutions
against his confederates, Powell and Walsh.
It was proved by the Comptroller of Customs at
Liverpool that he only received a packet in respect
of the bonds, and he searched in vain for the con-
signees. For the defence it was agreed at length that
the known character of Partridge rendered him un-
worthy of credence, and that the jury could not give a
verdict against Powell on his evidence.
The jury returned a verdict against the defendant in
the single value of 3201.
The Attorney-General appeared for the Crown, and
Mr. M. Chambers, Q.C., for the defendant.

JUDGES' CHAMBERS, June 17.
(Before Mr. Justice COLEBRIDGE.)
I3UNN v. LIND.
This case, which appeared in The Sun on Tuesday
last, on an application made on the part of the defend-
ant for a commission to examine witnesses at Berlin,
came before his Lordship pursuant to adjournment,
when the solicitors for the parties were again in at-
tendance.
Mr. LEWIS, on the part of the plaintiff, informed his
Lordship that he had no affidavit in answer to the ap-
plication. He, however, begged to mention that the
cause was between fifty and sixty out of the special jury
list, and could not be tried before the sittings after
Hilary Term.
Mr. JENNINGS, on the other side, expressed his
anxiety to get the case tried as early as possible.
Mr. Justice COLERIDGE inquired whether it could not
be arranged that the cause should be tried on the circuit?
Mr. JENNINGS apprehended that it would be im-
practicable, as the commission could not be returned
in time.
Mr. LEWIS asked his Lordship to grant the commis-
sion on terms. The plaintiff would have to join in the
expense, if not otherwise ordered, or he could apply for
a separate commission.
Mr. JENNINGS remarked that the expense would not
be so great as keeping the witnesses in London, pro-
vided they arrived. He had offered to appear a long
time ago to any process that might be issued.
Mr. LEWIS replied that such a remark as the latter
was easily made. As to an offer to appear to a process
issued when a party was not within the jurisdiction of
the court, it was, be would venture to say, of not much
importance.
Mr. JENNINGS said, there was a circumstance he
wished to mention, and that was, that it had been
threatened to arrest the defendant.
Mr. LEWIS denied that such a threat bad been made.
What had been stated vNal, that if the party was about
to leave this country, an application might be made to a
judge on the subject. But, at present," added Mr.
Lewis, " that necessity has not occurred,"
Mr. JENNINGS—But it will probably occur at the end

of the season.
His LORDSHIP thought that such a circumstance might
be a very cogent reason to urge on the cause.
Mr. JENNINGS asked for permission to the commis •
sion to put additional interrogatories it they should be
required.
Mr. Justice COLERIDGE—Why not have a viva voce
examination?

Mr. JENNINGS replied that his counsel, Mr. Hoggins,
had advised a commission by interrogatory.
His LORDSHIP observed that in such commissions
there generally occurred the necessity for further ques-
tions. _ _

Mr. JENNINGS said it would be a great expense to
send over commissions.

His LORDSHIP thought there were persons competent
at Berlin to conduct the examination. They must give
parties at Berlin credit for some knowledge.
Mr. JENNINGS said the interrogatories would go as to
the alleged fraud and misrepresentation.
. .

His LORDSHIP made an order for the commission to
issue, with permission to the commissioners to put addi-
tional questions on either side.
Mr. LEWIS said, that as there was so much anxiety
for the trial of this cause, as stated by the other side, he
should be most happy if his Lordship would now make
an order that it be tried the sittings after next term.
Mr. Justice COLERIDGE said he had no right to make
such an order. There were other causes to be tried,
and there was no reason why this one should precede the
others.
Mr. LEWIS remarked, that he had made the applica-
tion from what had Callen on the other side.
Mr. Justice COLERIDGE It is not the only cause in
the world.
Mr. LEWIS—No, my Lord; but it is thought to be so
by some parties.
His LORDSHIP signed the order for the commission to
examine witnesses, and made the same returnable on th.e
first day of Michaelmas term—the costs to be costs in
the cause.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
OLD COURT.
(Before Lord Chief Justice WILDS and Mr. Justice
PATTESON.)
MUEDEIL—GiIbot 111• Donald, aged 46, described as a
carpenter, was charged with the wilful murder of Agnes
M'Donald, his wife.
It appeared from the evidence that the deceased was
in the habit of constantly getting intoxicated, and on
the night of her death had been indulging her unfortu-
nate propensity. Some words arose between her and
the prisoner, and a quarrel ensued which led to the event
with which the prisoner was charged.
The jury found the prisoner Guilty of manslaughter,
and he was sentenced to be transport for lite.

THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT AT
THE DEE BRIDGE.
The proceedings at the inquest held on Wednesday
were brought to a close. The following details we take
from the Liverpool Times of yesterday:—
Captain Symonds, R.N., inspector of railways, read
the opinion of himself and Mr. Walker, the Government
engineer, as to the cause of the accident. This document
ran to a very considerable length, and occupied upwards
of an hour and an half in its delivery. It was cautiously
guarded by reasonings upon probabilities and conflicting
engineering opinions, that the decision of these Govern-
ment inspectors was not very positively pronounced.
Their inference, however, seemed to be that the fracture
was made in the centre of the girder; that the girder of
itself was too weak to support the weights usually pass-
ing on it; and that the principle of the construction of
the. bridge was objectionable.
The evidence having been brought to a conclusion,
The Conobiun proceeded to sum up the whole case.
The jury retired at twenty minutes past five, and after
an absence front court of fifty minutes, returned the
fol-
lowing verdict:—" We find that George Roberts, John
Matthews, and Charles Nevill were accidentally
on the evening of the 24th of May last, in the parish of
St. Mary's-on-the-Hill, in the city of Chester, by being
precipitated along with the train of carriages on the bank
or bed of the river Dee, from the breaking of one of the
twelve cast-iron girders constituting the railway bridge
over that river. We find also that Isaac Jones died on
the 26th of May last, from the injuries received at
the same time and place, and from the like cause.
And we find that Thomas Anderson came by his death
on the 24th of May last, in the parish aforesaid, by
being accidently thrown from the tender on to the rails.
We are further unanimously. of opinion that the afore-
said girder did not break from any lateral blow of the
engine, tender, carriage, or van, or from any fault or
defect in the masonry of the piers or abutments, but
from its being made of a strength insufficient to bear the
pressure of quick trains passing over it. We feel that
the eleven remaining girders having been cast from the
same pattern and of the same strength are equally weak,
and consequently equally dangerous for quick or pas-
serger trains, as was the broken one. We consider we
should not be doing our duty towards the public if we
separated without expressing our unanimous opinion
that no girder bridge of so brittle and treacherous a
metal as cast iron alone, even though trussed with cast
ironhona evehriuot
hundred
dsn,r
ei
evidence
isbdarefi
ned
egfeoe
s similar
quickoreu
o; that there are upwards of
principle and form to ther passenger trains, and we
late one over the river Dee, either in use or in course of
being constructed on various lines of railway. We con-
sider all these unsafe, more or less, in proportion to the
span; still, all unsafe. We, therefore, call upon her
Majesty's Government to institute such an inquiry into
the merits or demerits of these bridges as shall either
condemn the principle, or establish their safety to such
a degree that passengers may rest fully satisfied there
is no danger, although they deflect from 1 to 54 inches."
The CORONER said that the first part of the verdict he
would record, but that the latter part, calling for Go-
vernment interference, might be taken notice of by the
gentlemen of the press, and would be forwarded by him
to the Board of Trade.

EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE.—Last night a public
meeting was held in the United Presbyterian Church,
Oakshaw- street, Paisley, in furtherance of the objects of
the Evangelical, Alliance. John Hart, Lg., of Cartvale,
was called to the chair. The Rev. Mr. Banks commenced
the proceedings by leading the devotional exercises;
It,s!Y. Mr. France briefly explained the objects of the
Alliance ; Rev. Mr. Jordan, in a neat address, refuted
some objections to the Alliance ; Mr. Whitelaw, of Nor-
wich, delivered a short address ; and the Rev. Mr. James
followed, in his usual inasteriy style. The attendance
was good, and the spirit which evidently characterised
the meeting was of a very pleasing nature.—,North
British Mail of Wednesday.