The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-11 00:00:00

RAJA OF SATTARA.

Petitions in favour of an inquiry into the case of
the Raja of Sattara were presented by Mr. Lloyd; by
Mr. Bright, from the boroughs of Westminster and
Finsbury; by Mr. G. Thompson, from Finsbury,
Poplar, and several portions of the Tower Hamlets ;
'and by Mr. Wakley, from the parish of St. Mary,
Islington, and the borough of Finsbury.

SECRET POISONING'S.
Colonel SIBTHORP presented a petition, signed
by the clergy and inhabitants of Lincoln,
stating that the increase of secret poisonings was
most alarming, and praying the House to pass
some enactment under which a heavy penalty should
be levied upon the retailer of poisonous drugs in any
quantity, or to any individual, without some person
well knowing the individual applying for such drugs,
and stating for what purpose they are required.
COERCIVE MEASURES FOR IRELAND.
Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition from Man-
chester, signed by 20,000 persons, praying the House
not to pass any coercive measures for Ireland, but to
' adopt such remedial measures as might give the
labourers that right upon the land which they ought
to vf,ossess.

kr. F. O'CONNOR presented petitions to a
'similar effect from Leeds, Preston, Southall,
Paisley, Wakefield, and Staleybridge. The Hon.
Member also presented a petition signed by the re-
latives of the six persons who were shut up in a
mine in consequence of the eruption of the waters
of the river Douglas, into the mine in which they
were at work. There was reason to believe that those
persons might yet be lingering in their misery, and
the petitioners prayed that the Secretary of State
would adopt some immediate measures in order to
accertain whether any relief could be afforded to the
sufferers.
THE CASE OF MR. WILLIAMS.

Mr. WAKLEY presented a petition from Mrs.
Lucy Williams, complaining- of the conduct of one of
the police magistrates. He regretted that the Right
Hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home
Department was not present in order that
the petition might at once be brought
under his notice. The petitioner stated that
her husband had for the last two years occupied
the Coach and Horses public-house, in Drury-lane;
that he was recently summoned before Mr. Jardine, the
sitting magistrate, at Bow-street, for having sold a small
quantity of spirituous liquors before one o'clock on
Sunday. The magistrate convicted him upon the
sole evidence of the policeman, unsupported by any
corroborative evidence, and sentenced him to one
month's imprisonment with hard labour; he also
inflicted upon him a penalty of five pounds. The
petitioner stated that she was advised, and believe
that the penalty imposed was contrary to law, as
by the 72d clause of the Metropolitan Police Act,
under which the conviction took place, the magistrate
could not impose two penalties for the same offence.
This was the first occasion upon which a licensed
victualler had been sentenced to imprisonment
for the offence of which the petitioner's
husband was charged. It had had the effect of
ruining him, and the prospects of his family. The
petition stated that the petitioner had been obliged
to leave the house, and that she was unable to
to carry on the business herself. Her husband was
also treated as a common felon, obliged to wear the
felon's dress, and he was not allowed to hold any corn-
' munication with her. The case had excited the greatest
sensation among the whole of the licensed victuallers,
and the petitioner prayed that the Secretary of State
would cause an inquiry to be made into the circum-
stances of the case, or appoint a Committee to in-
quire into the same. The Hon. Gentleman gave
notice that he would, on the earliest occasion, move
that the petition be printed with the votes.
WEST GLOUCESTER ELECTION.
Mr. WAKLEY also presented a petition from 130
electors of West Gloucestershire, complaining of the in-
terference of Earl Fitzhardinge at the election for West
Gloucestershire, and praying either for the appointment
of a Committee to inquire into the allegations of the
petition, or that it might be referred to the Commit-
tee appointed by the standing orders to
consider the privileges of the House. As the
petition was one that related, in a most material
degree, to the privileges of the House, he
considered he should not be out of order if he entered
some little into detail with respect to the allegations
of the petition. Tne petitioners stated that they were
electors of West Gloucestershire, and they begged
the House to understand that they did not live
in feudal times, and were not serfs or bondsmen.—
(Hear, hear.) They considered that the free election
of their representatives was one of the dearest
and most sacred rights of Englishmen, and that
according to the standing orders of the House it
was a high crime and misdemeanour for a Peer of
the realm to interfere with their rights and privileges.
—(Hear.) The petitioners complained of the in-
terference of Earl Fitzhardinge at the election for
West Gloucestershire, and stated that that Noble Earl
had coerced his tenantry in order to compel them to
vote for Mr. W. Grenville Berkeley, and had also
offered a large pecuniary reward to Mr. Grantley
Berkeley not to offer himself at the last election for
the choice of the electors of West Gloucestershire.
The petitioners also stated that Earl Fitzhardinge had
paid large sums of money for the purchase of votes, and
asserted that great bribery and corruption had taken
place at the late election. These were only some of the
allegations contained in the petition, which prayed for
the appointment of a Committee to inquire into the
subject, or that the petition might be referred to the
Committee of the Privileges of the House. The
Hon. Member gave notice of his intention, on Mon-
day next, to bring forward the whole subject for the
consideration of the House, and he would, therefore,
move that it be printed with the votes.—(Hear,
b ear.)—Agreed to.
RAJA OF SATTARA.
Mr. ANSTY presented a petition from the
• Liberty of the Rolls praying for an inquiry into the
case of the late Raja of Sattara.
NEW PARLIAMENTARY DISTRICT.
Mr. B. OSBORNE presented a petition form
liammerstnith, praying that, in consequence of the
disfranchisement of Sudbury, the district of Ham-
mersmith, Chiswick, Kensington, and Chelsea might
be constituted into a borough.—(Hear, hear.)
AWISSION OF JEWS.
Mr. HENLEY presented a petition against the
admission of Jews into Parliament.
NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.
Sir R. H. INGLIS gave notice that some day
next week he should move for the appointment of a
Committee to consider generally the present state of
the New Palace of Westminster, with especial refer-
ence to the accommodation of that House.
NEW ZEALAND.
Mr. LABOUCHERE gave notice that next week
he should move for leave to bring in a Bill to suspend
portions of the Act relating to the government of
New Zealand.

ORDNANCE MAPS.
Mr. lIUME gave notice that next week he should
ask some member of the Government what steps had
been taken with respect to the Ordnance Survey, for
providing the public with copies of the plates and
maps already published at reasonable prices ?
IRISH CORPORATIONS.
Mr. REYNOLDS gave notice that after the
recess he should move for leave to bring in
a Bill to place the municipal corporations of Ireland
upon a more equal footing with the rights and privi-
leges of those of England and Scotland.
PRISON DISCIPLINE.
Lord NUGENT, seeing the Secretary of State for
the Home Deparsment in his place, begged to put a
a
question to him of which he had given notice. It
with reference to the Act sth and Gtb of
Victoria,
teed
regulation
which gave power to magistrates assem-
bled sessions to frame codes and rules for
which Zuolfd the prisons within their jurisdic-
tionsanctioned by the become law after they had been
Departm„t: The Secretary of State for the Home
whether the on he wished to put was
powe question
Act,
foboth Prisoners convicted and
given by that rof imprisoning separately,
prisoners Waiting
the consideration or tiri.
Hon. Baronet, and
.Rtrial, had come under
whether it was his inteenCight
cation of the Act, so as Tonttaok Propose any moditi-
Nthoeble Lord had
imprisoning separately. e away the power of
Sir GEORGE GREY said the Noble
correctly stated the provisions
accordance with these provisions, regulations Act and in
been framed relating to separate ,mprisn had
which had received the sanction oinletni'
e
Home-office. It was certainly not the intention of
the Government to propose any alteration of the Act,
but he might mention that prisoners separately con-
fined, who were waiting their trials were allowed
greater privileges and indulgences than were enjoyed
by •,:hose who had been convicted.
COjPYHOLDS AND CUSTOMARY TENURES.
Mr. AGLIONBY, pursuant to notice, asked the
PaghtHonourable the Secretary of State for the Home
ekepartment whether it was the intention of Govern-
'inept to introduce any measure for the compulsory
enfranchisement of copy hold and customary tenures
Sir G. GREY said the Committee originally ap-
pointed to enquire into the subject were preparing a
Bill to accomplish the object which the Hon. Gentle-
man had
an
had in view, though it would not go to
length he. proposed ; and when that Bill
had been transm -fitted to him he should be prepared