The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-27 00:00:00

Strangers wPre then ordered to withdraw. The House
divided, when there appeared—
For the motion
Against it

Majority

-123

On the motion of Mr. WALLACE, a return was ordered
in columns, of the number of actions which have been com-
menced, and the number which have been decided, in the Court
of Session, on matters or points of form, in each year respec-
tively, from the 1 lth day of November, 1824. to the 20th day
of March, 1840 ; the return to show whether the doubtful
points arose out of Acts of Parliament, or Acts of Sederunt of
the Court respectively; also, whether they wore decided to the
Courts of the Lords Ordinary, orby appeal to the inner Houses,
and. showing, also, any which were appealed from these to the
House of Lords ; also, the probable average cost to the
private parties in each action, and the total number
of the aforesaid actions in the period specified. Also a
return showing, in columns, the daily hours of sitting of
each division of the Court of Session, and each Lord Ordinary
in the Outer House thereof, between the 20th day
of May and
the commencement of the lone vacation in July next ; also, the
°
average number of hours each Court has sat daily, and the total
number of days and hours which each of the aforesaid Courts
has sat in the said Session. Also a return, in columns, showing
the date and the names of the parties in each cause, the hearing
of which had been delayed, postponed, or stopped in either divi-
sion of the Court of Session, or before any Lord Ordinary in
that Court, in order to accommodate counsel ; stating which di-
vision, aed which Lord Ordinary had permitted this ; and the
name or names of the counsel who had been so favoured by the
Court in the course of the Session commencing on the 20th day
of May, and ending with the long vacation in July. Aiso a
return, in columns, showing the number of causes which have
been decided by each division of the Inner House, and by each
Lord Ordinary in the Outer House of the Court of Session,
between the 20th day of May and the long vacation in July ;
and also the number of causes which are left over in each of the
above Courts, at the commencement of the long vacation.
IRISH REGISTRATION.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL for Ireland, in rising to
move for leave to brine in a Bill to amend the Irish Registra-
tion, wished, he said, first to call the attention of the House
to the state , f that registration as it had existed for some
years. The House were aware there had long existed in Ire-
land a system of registration of the elective franchise. He be-
lieved the first appearance of that mode of recording the franchise
was to be found so long back as 1727. From time to time various
provisions were made by the Irish Parliament and the Imperial
Legislature for regulating the franchise, and for recording it at
Quarter Sessions, but various provisions were made from time
with a view partly of defining what the franchise was, and
Partly prescribing the means by which it might be tested.
revious to 1829, and the passing of the Act of Emancipation,
1 and the corresponding statute which raised the elective fran-
chise from 40s. to 101., the course adopted was that the free-
holder should appear at the Sessions, where he made an affi-
, davit that he was entitled to vote as a freeholder,
1 which affidavit became a record at the Sessions.
Corresponding with that was adopted the course of granting cer-
tificates, that the voter specified be registered in the manner de-
ser.bed. That certificate was not in itself an original document ;
it referred to the affidavit of which in truth it was a recital. It
would appear the certificate was originally designed partly for
the purpose of protecting the voter from any fraud of the Clerk
of the Peace or his omission to enter, and partly for testing the
identity of the voter. This plan was continued substantially up
to the present time, hut for some reason in 1820 the mode of regis-
tration was materially changed from the manner describedto the
course still continued, and which in the Bill recently introduced
by the Noble Lord was intended to be re-enacted, instead of the
vo'er swearing an affidavit and becoming thereby registered
as a recorded voter. By the Act of 1829 he was obliged to
come forward in person before the Assistant-Barrister and to
produce evidence of his title, and to prove that he was strictly
possessed of the qualification which the law required. He was
subjected to the strict scrutiny of whoever chose to come for-
ward, and it was remarkable that not only sere persons
entitled to do so by the statute, but that it im-
posed on the Judges the distinct cbligation of in-
quiring into every part of the qualification, and becoming,
as it were, a cross-examining advocate against the
voter. The certificate was a copy or duplicate of that which
was entered in the register, the affidavit which was signed by the
53arrister or Clerk of the Peace, and on its production the voter
was entitled to vote, or, if it were lost, to refer to the original
affidavit. The use of this document in time might have led
to personification of voters and to other frauds, and the object
was to apply a remedy to this evil. One object of the Bill he
was about to introduce was to do away with the certificate for
the purpose of voting ; but he proposed to retain it as evidence
of registration, in case of misconduct of the Clerk of the
Peace. He proposed to adopt a course by which no man was or
could be deprived of his franchise. This might be done in two
ways. First, by at once disfranchising all the electors, in order to
creme a new body; but that was not his plan, and at thet late
hour he could not enter into any discussion of it. He prop csed
one revising session should take place at a specified period of the
present year, for the purpose of removing from the registry all
fictitious names, that means should be adopted of ascertaining
deaths, and power given to the Assistant-Barrister, and means
adopted by which the multiplication of names might be pre-
vented, and, in short, that other means which it would be un-
necessary for him to describe in detail, should be employed to
remove the inconveniences and frauds which were now com-
plained of ; that was the simple remedy he suggested. He did
not suggest a new tribunal constituted by the House. As the
Assistant-Barristers were selected in 1829, and were retained in
1832, now he proposed they should be retained in the act of 1840.
That 'there were inconveniences connected with the employ-
ment of functionaries employed in the administration of the
law, he could not deny ; but parties on all sides having agreed
on the capacity and capability of those functionaries, he would
not now detain the House longer. He did not p-opose
to take away from the people of Ireland the facilities
they now possessed, of registering themselves. When habits
had grown up among a people for years of resorting to certain
pieces for the administration of justice, good cause should be
shown to interfere with those habits. The Bill introduced by
the Noble Lord the Secretary for the Colonies was not adapted
to the machinery for registration in Ireland, but be proposed
to adopt the same mode of inquiry, and he proposed that
from time to time inquiries should be made in the Court of
the Assistant-Barrister as to what causes may have happened
subsequent to the registry, to deprive a parson of his vote.
This would take place every year. But he did not propose to
give, any appeal, as to matter of fact, from the decision of the
Assistant Barrister.—( Hear, hear.) The principle of the
Bill was, no re-investigation as to matter of fact of
matter of law, which may have happened subsequent to
registration. No appeal against the decision of the Barristers
in matter of facts appeal, or matter of law from the decision of
the Assistant Barrister. He did not, however, propose to in-
terfere with the security given to the franchise in 1829. The
principle of getting on the registration he proposed to assimilate
to the method now existing in England. This was the outline
of the plan he intended to propose; he would not detain the
House longer at that late hour by going at greater length into
the discussion.

Sir R. PEEL said the Hon. Gentleman proposed that this
year there should be a special tribunal for striking off persons
not entitled to vote. 'NV hat suggestion did he intend to offer
as to the future striking off names from the registry.
Mr. .7IGOT said that he proposed to have an investigation
of the vote of every person who had been on the register one
year at the expiration of that period.
Mr. Sergeant JACKSON wished to know whether no in-
vestigation was to take place of the rights of those who had re •
registered.

PIGOT said that the registries had been contested
with as much talent, acuteness, and political pertinacity as the
first registration. It was not their intention to interfere with
that part of the law, bat they did not propose to subject the
claimant to a quarterly investigation, and all the inconveniences
which would attend it.

Sir J. GRAHAM wished to know whether the Hon. and
Learned Gent. would be prepared, within the next few days,
to introduce the Bill anointing the appellate tribunal to which
he had alluded.

Mr. PIGOT said he should be ready to introduce that
Bill in a few days.

Mr. SHAW then understood that the present Bill did not
interfere, with the question of appeal.
Lord MORPETH said that that was mentioned in the Bill
itself.

Sir Ti. PEEL wished to know if the appeal against the re•.
jection would be included in the other Bill.
Mt.. PICOT said that that appeal, as a matter of law,
would certainly be included in the other Bill.
Leave was then given to bring in the Bill.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the
House adjourned at Two o'Clock.

CONFINEMENT OF MR. F. O'CONNOR.—
This is not a party question, it is a question of justice. It re-
fers not on'y to O'Connor, but to all those who are imprisoned
for seditious libels. We boast of our humanity, liberality. and
freedom. Let us see if this be an age of justice, or of tyranny
—of law, or of vengeance. Let us find some means to deter-
mine what the judges meant more than safe custody by their
sentence, and what power rests with the magistrates ? For
the honour of our country, I would most respectfully suggest
to the high-sheriff, the lords-lieutenant, and the magistrates
of Yorkshire, that they should immediately ascertain what
pew'r they have, to mitigate the severity of Mr. O'Connor's
punishment, as well as that of others imprisoned in Yorkshire
for the same offence; I feel Lure, that if they hare the power
they will instantly use it—and if they require an authority from
the judges, I cannot believe that it will be one moment with
held.—Letterlrom 31r. Oastler to the editor of the Standard.

CHURCH EXTENSION---ENGLAND.—The Ex-
tension agitation began in England more than a year ego; and
it is only within the last few weeks that the Dissenters nave
commenced a counter-movement. Up to the 7th of April the
Church had presented 1,249 petitions. and the Dissenters only
81. The last returns, however, which come down to the 13th
of May, show the following very different result:—
Petitions. Signatures.
For Church Extension
Against Church Extension
Average number of signatures to the peti-
tions for Extension
.

Average number to the petitions against
Extension
The Church began its operations this year some time before
Parliament assembled; and after the strenuous effotts of its
leaders for six months, only 156,000 .ignatures have been pro-
cured from the seven millions of worshippers of whom the
Church boasts. Could there be a more signal proof of failure?
In the fourth pert of the time the Dissenters have procured
116,000. We say assentors, because they compose the ma-
jority of the petitioners against Extension ; but many Church-
men have joined them, as the list of p titions show. We said
formerly, and we repeat it, that if the clergy and laity had really
felt a want of additional churches, and haSengaged e the cause
with the most ordinary zeal, 1,500,000 signatures could have
been obtained, instead of 150,000. The truth is, that while
two-thirds of the English clergy
.are preaching to mpty pews,
or mere handsful of people, petitions for Church Extension,
from parishes so situated, would have had so much the appear-
ance of a bad joke, that neither parson, clerk, nor churchwar-
den, could muster courage teo set about it. Even had the Dis-
senters not sent up a sin
efforts have
we would have been entitled
to assert—after six months'gl have produced only such a
beggarly display of signature :hut England has pronounced
against the plan of Church Extension—Scotsman.
39, ALBEMARLE-STREET, PICCADILLY.—
Deerzerse AND Derry-rive Vi greater proof of
the value o' the Messrs. S. and B. rn Invisible Opera-
tive Voice Corelnetor, and newly-invented Spectacle Lenses,
ma
cannot be adduced, than the circumstance of h
sands of individuals who have obtained the greateeet beanneyfitth and
instant relief, and the constant immense demand there is for
them, and the patronage they have, and daily continue to re-
ceive. The Messrs. S. and B. Solomons disclaim all connec-
tion with persons of the same name, and the sale of amber pee
taeles ; the pernicious use of amber seeetaeles being now well
known to the public, and the vendor being aware er ir, he has
therefore altered their name, by leaving out the word " Am-
ber," and calling them "Patent Spectacles."
Dr. Andrew
liTre, Esq. , M. D., F. R. S., &c., states amber is most Power-
fully electrical by friction, very hot, to such an extent as to ex-
plode into fragments. The workmen, too, are subject to a ner-
vous tremor in their wrists, arms, &c. ; they encounter great
danger by handling such dreadfully excited eleetries. Amber
ie of such a soft and sticky nature, that it is apt to take fire ;
and when exposed to warmth, it swells, bubbles up. and will
burn away with flame. This statement is further confirmed by
Sir D. Brewster and Pliny, as also by Parks and Herns on
Chemistry. The pernicious and destructive use of such a ma-
terial for spectacles to imperfect vision may be ascertained at
any respectable optician's in London.