The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-26 00:00:00

PETTY SESSIONS.

The Earl of DEVON, in moving the second reading
of the Petty Sessions Bill, observed that it would be
necessary for hint to trespass upon their Lordships' at-
tention for a short time, while be laid before them those
details, upon which it appeared to him an alteration of the
law eves necessary. He felt confident when their Lordships
should hate been fully aware of the present state of the
law, and the manner in which it operated upon the
public interests, they would agree with him that it
ought to be immediately altered, and he hoped it would
be conside el that the present Bill would effect the
necessary remedy. The propositions on which he
ventured to ground his hopes, that their Lordships
would proceed with this 1311 were, first, that the present
state of the Isw, with regard to the trial and punish-
ment of offenders, in which the circumstances were
simple and the pectiniery value small, presented anoma-
lies which it would be extremely desirable to have re-
moved. The present state of the law operated
most injuriously upon various prosecutors and offenders.
The Noble Lord had after stating shortly the provi-
sions of the 13.11, and his firm conviction of its neces-
sity, observed that he had brought in a Bill last ye ire
which was not persevered in, but he would refer to the
Report of the Committee on that Bi:1 to show that the
Committee were favourable to his views, and that the
present state of the law had foiled to encourage
prosecutions where punishment ought to follow
the committal of crime. That Committee bad
examined a good deal of evidence, and had put several
que.tions, which were very important to the considera-
tion of the present question. The Noble Lord then
read long extracts from the evidence to show the neces-
sity that existed for some such measure as he proposed.
and the insufilicency of any that should be confined to
juvenile offenders. He concluded by moving the second
reading of the Bid.
The Marquis of NORMANBY was not prepared
to give any opposition to the Bill in its present stage.
In Committee be would consider the provisions of the
Bill one by one, and he would then state to the House
how far he thought they ought to be allowed to pass
into a law. He admitted that the present state of the
law was anomalous ; the whole question of secondary
punishment was at the present moment under the con-
sideration of the Government.
Lord ELLEN BOROUGH felt bound to say that
in the district in which be was a Magistrate the provi-
sions of the Bill could never be carried into effect. lie
admitted the grievances under the present Bill, but he
thought there would be great difficulty in getting in
small places so many Mogistrates together so frequently.
The Marquis of SALISBURY concurred with the
observations of the Noble Lord who had just sat down,
as to the difficulty of carrying out the provisions of the
Bill. He agreed with the principle of the Bill.
Lord BROUGHAM would not take any part in
the present discussion, but in refraining from doing so he
begged to be understood as not thereby agreeing with
the principle of the Bill. He admitted there were great
grievances in the present state of the law, but whether
the present Bill would remedy those grievances he was
not prepared to say.
After a few observations from the Earl of DEVON,
the Bill was read a second time
LIGHTNING CONDUCTORS.

In answer to a question from Lord MOUNT
EDGECUMBE,

The Earl of MINTO said that the Admiralty were
ready to consider any claim that might be pre`erred by
Mr. Snow Harris, for calling the attention of the public
to his improved lightning conductors for ships, but that
at the present moment there were no negotiations be-
tween the Admiralty and that gentleman on the subject.
The House adjourned at Twenty Minuta before
Seven o'Clock.

ROUSE OF COMMONS, Fin. 25.

Tile SPEAKER. took the Chair at the usual hour.

Mr. CORBALLY presented se% eral petitions from
places in Meath, and two petitions from parishes in Ca-
van, in fa%our of Lord Morpeth's Irish Registration
Bill, and against the Bill introduced by Lord Stanley.
Mr. FITZPATRICK presented two petitions from
places in the Queen's County to the same effect,
Mr. JAMES POWER presented petitions from
Waterford in favour of Lord Morpeth's, and against
Lord Stanley's Bill.
Mr. REDDINGTON presented a similar petition
from Galway.
Mr. 110DGES presented a petition from Canter-
bury against the New Ponr-law, and a similar petition
from the clergymen of a district in the county of Kent,
conta;ning upwards of 30,000 inhabitants. Also a peti-
tion to the same effect from the working men of Mer-
thyr Tydvil. At the request of the Hon. Member
the petition was read by the Clerk at the table. The
petitioners complained of the operation of the new Poor-
laws, and declared that they would oppose their con-
tinuance by all legal means, and would vote for no Mem-
ber of Parliament who in any way supported those laws.
Captain BRYAN presented petitions from places in
the county of Kilkenny against Lord Stanley's and in
favour of Lord Morpeth's Bill.

Major AIACN AMARA presented similar petitions
from the county of Clare.
Sir C. GREY presented a petition from master
mariners and seamen of the port of Teignmouth, pray-
ing for an equalization of payments in different ports to
the seamen's fund.

Mr. FIELDEN presented petitions from Leeds,
Ashburton, and three other placer, against the new
Poor.law system.
Col. RAWDON presented petitions from places in
the county of Down, Tyrone, and Armagh, against
Lord Stanley's Bill, and in lavour of LordOlorpeth's.
Mr. W. ROCHE presented a petition from Lime.
rick to the same effect.

Sir THOS. ACLAND presented a petition from
some place in Devonshire praying for additional church
accommodation.
Dr. STOCK presented petitions in favotir of Lord
Morpeth's Bill, and against Lord Stanley's.
Colonel CLEMENTS presented a petition from
Cavan, against Lord Morpeth's Bill.
Captain PE CIIE L L presented petitions from
Arundel, and other places, against the dissolution of the
Gilberts' Unions.
peti-
tions from places in the county of Tyrone, against Lord
Sir WILLIAM SOMERVILLE presentedpetitlon
Stanley's Bill, and in favour of Lord Morpcth's.
Mr. DARBY presented a petition from a place in
Sussex, against the New Foor-law Bill.
tLi oo nr sd
Mr. FITZSTEPHEN FRENCH, presented pcti-
IS.rotamnlpeyhtsceßsiliin,
andt* e e
icountyn favour
Lordt.° maTzia°oianrp'scattglaiL'isio.l against
from Reigate, avainst the provision of the Poor-I*w
Sir CHARLES BURRELp
presented
s enftaevti presented
p_
reti
ta i
so.ns petition
from
Bill, which directs that the bodies of paupers dying in
samework hpoluacscesinslii.aavllouhre
oil). buried in :Iris
fotiriethheurialg Abolitionromdofs
tit
at-
tached to the workhouses, and also a petition from 4.. be
NsaunNrdeOi
inR. 0
rfaDvloOrui
Irish
rNh
of,
i tpLer presented t 1
\e
Id.
oorup e t 1
12.
Ptinishment of Death.
the Go-
-3 from
places in the county of Roscommon,
Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL
places in the county of Kerry, in
SvetraTnnhmieeey'°nst.BCmi°lle:
Lord Stanley's. Registration, and against
. _._

Lord BR'ABAZON presented a petition. agreed to
at a public meeting, and signed by upwards of 5,000
persons against Lord Stanley's Bill, and in favour of
Lord Morpeth's ; also a petition to the Fame effect,
signed by almost all the respectable merchauts of Dub-