The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-24 00:00:00

Room B.

CALEDONIAN ErtANCILES TO CANOBIE.
Their Lordships met this day, at the usual hour, for
the dispatch of public business.
The evidence was again proceeded with, but was of a
wholly similar nature to that already given.

Room 1).
NzwisonT, 88ERtaAVENrnr, AND HERE-
FORD (EXTENSION TO T.arr VALE).
This case came on before their Lordships at eleven
o'clock this morning.
Mr. TALBOT opened the case for the promoters of the
railway. Ile proceeded to point out the advantages of
the line, and objected to the Taff Vale Company appear-
ing in oppos.:tion.
The Committee decided that the Taff Vale had a right
to appear, not against tho general principle of the line,
but against the junction.
Mr. Merrjweather was heard for the Taff Vale
Company.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-(YESTERDAY.)
GROUP VI.

BRISTOL AND EXETER (TAUNTON AND
CASTLE CARY BRANCH, AND BLEADON
AND WELLS).
The Committee met at the usual hour, and were occu-
pied the whole of the day in hearing evidence on behalf
of the promoters of the line.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock till twelve
to-morrow,

GROUP X.
This Committee met at the usual hour ; Lord Clive in
.he chair.

EASTERN COUNTIES (ILFORD TO TIL-
BURY PORT AND SOUTHEND).
The opposition of the Thames Haven Company having
been closed, Mr. AUSTIN replied at considerable length.
The room was then cleared, and the Committee having
consulted for a few moments, strangers were read-
mitted, when

The CHAIR3IAN announced that the Committee had
decided that the preamble of the Bill was proved,
The Committee then adjourned.

GROUP XXX.
AXHOLINIE (mom LEEDS AND SEL7/3Y),
The Committee met at the usual hour.
Witnesses in favour of the Bill were examined during
he whole of the day.
The Committee adjourned till twelve to•inorrow.

GROUP XXXIX.
The Select Committee appointed to consider the
merits of the Bills comprised in this group re-assembled
at the usual hour this morning; Lord Charles Wellesley
in the chair.
YORK AND NEWCASTLE (AMENDMENT
_ _

Or MAIN LINE),
The Committee were engaged the whole of the day in
receiving local, general, and engineering evidence in
favour of this Bill.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock.

STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE.
HOUSE OF LORDS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The following Bills were declared to have passed :
Oldham Alliance Bill
Yorkshire, Doncaster, and Goole Railway (the opposi-
tion having been withdrawn).
South. Eastern Railway.
Widening of the Greenwich Railway, and Enlargement
of tho Londo- bri,lge Station.
Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Railway.

REGISTRY of BIRTHS and DEATHS
DURING THE WEEK ENDING JUNE 19.
1 Deaths registered in the week. Births registered in the week.
Males ... ... ... 537 Males ... ... ... 620
Females ... ... 441 Females ... ... 558

Total . . 978

Total ... 1,178

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT
HOUSE OF COMMONS, June 23.

SEDUCTION AND PROSTITUTION BILL.
(Continued from our Afternoon Editio❑ of yesterday.)
Mr. SPOONER said that the Hon. Gentleman who
had just sat down objected to the Bill because it was
not fairly within the province of legislation, but he (Mr.
Spooner) contended that this objection applied with
equal force to the suppression of every sort of crime.—
(No, no.) The llon. Gentleman then entered into a
general defence of the measure, which he maintained
was called for by the wide-spread and lamentable crime
against which it was directed.
After a few words in explanation from Mr. ROE-
BUCK,

Mr. O. BERKELEY thought that this Bill would have
the effect of increasing rather than diminishing the
crime against which it was directed. He should, there-
fore, move that the Chairman report progress, and ask
leave to sit again, as he believed the Bill would never
effect the good anticipated from it.
Sir J. PAKINGTON urged most strongly upon the
llTise the propriety of proceeding with the Bill. The
objections made against it on the ground of its not being
within the province of legislation, and of its opening the
door to conspiracy, were of no force and should not weigh
for a moment against it. '
The LORD ADVOCATE was of opinion that much
good might be done by the Bill in its present shape, and
he would therefore give it his support. He thought that
in order to place a Bill of this sort upon a right footing
it was necessary to put the definition of the offence more
clearly, and with a better protection to those who might
be unjustly accused under its provisions.
After a few words from Mr. TRELAWNY, which
did not reach the gallery,
Mr. R. YORKE said that in his opinion it was the
province of the House to put down every abomination
that came under its cognizance, and therefore he came
with the intention of supporting the measure of the Hon.
Gentleman opposite; but on a revision of its enactments
he had come to the conclusion that it would give faci-
lities to ill-disposed persons to get up false charges
against persons who were perfectly innocent of them, and
yet afraid to repel them publicly, and taking that into
consideration he thought that the measure was not one
which could be safely carried out, however good its
intentions might be.
Mr. BANKES said that offences under this Act could
not always be proved when charged, for the previous
immorality of the accusing party was necessary to be
proved, and how was that to be done? Even though the
accusing party
proof of her misconduct =light be wanting, and could
might be notoriously immoral, still the
not be obtained.
After a few words from Mr. B. DENISON,
Mr. ROEBUCK objected to this measure, as throwing
upon every man in decent society a risk of accusation
which he did not incur at the present moment. The
Bill would not prevent the evil it was intended to remedy,
bat would merely give riso to another. Under the
provisions of this Act no one would be safe, from the
Memberhop himself. What remedy was there pro-
of Canterbury downwards—nay, even the
lAloreni.th i 3
vided? None. Ia fact the accused was destitute of all
means of defending himself, while every facility was open
to the accuser.
Sir G. GREY said that considerations of great im-
portance had been urged against the last clause, upon
which they then were, and it was stated that the only
remedy was to reject it. To that course he would give
all the opposition in his power, as he thought that it
would be very unfair, after having assented to the mea-
sure so far.
Lord SANDON approved of the suggestions of the
Right Hon. Gentleman, and advised the Hon. Gentle-
man (Mr. Spooner) to adopt them.
Mr. BODKIN said the difficulty with respect to the
second clause could not be got rid Of by its omission and
the substitution of another, owing to the difficulty
of reaching those who set the procurers and pro-
curesses in motion. He had had much experience
of the great extent to which the system was carried;
but still an innocent and respectable person was rarely
convicted by a jury of an offence unjustly imputed to him.
Mr. DUNCOMBE supported the clause as it stood.
Ile had proposed the insertion of the words in C?ix i-
mittee; it was agreed to nemine contradicentiin
a Committee of which the Lord Advocate,
the Judge Advocate, the Honourable Member for