The Sun.
London, England, 1848-06-16 00:00:00

THE CITY COURTS OF LAW.

Mr. SNELLING brought up the report on the reference
to carry into execution the recommendation of the Com-
mittee for sundry alterations and repairs being performed
to the courts of law in Guildhall-yard. It stated that
such alterations and repairs had been fully carried into
effect according to the plans and specifications of the City
architect; that apparatus for ventilating and warming
the courts had been affixed, and found well adapted for
obtaining the desired object ; and the Committee had
great pleasure in reporting that the alterations and re
pairs; had not only been completed and finished in a
highly judicious and satisfactory manner, but bad met
with the unqualified approbation of the judges, counsel,
attorneys, and others frequenting these courts, and re-
flected great credit on the architect and the several par-
ties engaged in carrying out the same.—(Cheers.) The
report concludes by stating that the courts had, by the
judicious alterations, been made to answer every pur-
pose for which they were intended, without incurring the
expense of taking down and rebuilding, as originally
contemplated.
The report was unanimously agreed to.
ABOLITION OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS.
_ -

Mr. It. TAYLOR, in the absence of Mr. D. Wire,
moved—

That the Court petition both Houses of Parliament,
praying for the abolition of the Ecclesiastical Courts,
and the transfer of their functions to the civil courts of
the kingdom."
He considered that the evils of the ecclesiastical courts
were so well known and so tremendous that it was quite
unnecessary to wait for any discussion upon the neces-
sity of petitioning for a change.
Mr. WARTON seconded the motion ;
Which was carried, and it was submitted to the Gene-
ral Purposes Committee to prepare the petition.

THE POOR-LAW AS TO VAGRANTS AND CASUAL PAUPERS.

Mr. H. TAYLOR moved—
" That it be referred to a Committee, of which all the
Aldermen shall be members, to consider whether any
and what measures should be adopted to give increased
efficiency to the Poor-law so far as relates to vagrants
and casual paupers."
He said that much public inconvenience had resulted
from the discord which existed between the magistrates
of the City and the guardians of the poor on the sub-
ject of the treatment of the poor. The blame was at-
tributable not to either of those parties, but to the
defects of the law itself.—(Hear, Dear.) Ile wished
the question to be taken into consideration by the
Police Committee, as it was actually a matter of
police. There should be a separation between the
casual and vagrant poor and the settled poor. The
former ought to be dealt with by the police, to whom
they were, from the vagrant and criminal nature of their
habits, well known; the latter should be under the care
of the guardians.—(Hear, hear.) He regretted that the
magistrates were too much in the habit of considering
the vagrant poor as objects of sympathy, and the guar-
dians were subjected to calumni ,us accusations because
they would not recognize the claims of impostors upon
parochial benevolence. In the belief that it was neces-
sary to render all possible assistance to the present able
Poor-law Commission, he moved the resolution.
Mr. BARNARD secenied the motion, and declared that
the City magistrates had not done justice to the poor-
law guardians of the West London Union. He hoped
that there would be a co-operation between the autho-
rities as to the treatment of the poor.
Mr. HARRISON said he had no experience in the
management of the poor, but as a ratepayer he com-
plained of the enormous increase of the expense to the
Parish to which he belonged. In the parish of St. NH-
! cheers, Cornhill, the poor-rate had been raised from
' 800/. per annum to 1,4001. within the period of five years.
If that increase were the effect of the system of centra-
lization it appeared to him to be a very bad effect. He
hoped the committee would give some information as to
the cause of the increase.—(near, hear.)
Mr. BUCKMASTER complained that the guardians of the
poor of the West London Union had not received sup-
port from the magistrates.
Mr. CONDER complained of the conduct of the
suburban districts in crowding in the vagrant paupers
upon the city of London, and expressed a hope that in the
new measure the evil would be counteracted.
Mr. Wiemams and other members supported the
motion, which was carried unanimously.
GRAND BALL AT GUILDHALL.
The use of the Guildhall for the purpose of a ball on
the 7th of July next, was granted to the committee of
the Spitalfields School of Design.—Adjourned.

MR. FEARGUS O'CONNOR AT SIIEFEIELD.—At the
soirée held on Tuesday at the Old Threatre at Sheffield,
Mr. Feargus O'Conner addressed a very large meeting,
over which Mr. R. Otley presided. An address was
read by Mr. Councillor Ironside, expressive of approval
of Mr. O'Connor's conduct in his political proceedings,
and in connexion with the National Land Company.
Mr. O'Connor responded at great length, expressing
the pleasure he felt at the address. In France, they
had been telling the labourer that he was entitled to
honour and compensation, but had not told him how
he was to get it, but by his (Mr. O'Connor's) plan the
rich would become richer and the poor rich. It was
heresy and blasphemy to say that the industrious
people of this country were to be transported as sur-
plus population to another country. The money hoarded
in the Bank of England was useless and unprofitable.
Place labour on the land ; it was Nature's pap,
and was the only thing which could sustain and
maintain them. The proud oak should be levelled, the
fat war-horse knocked off, and an end put to pleasure-
horses and dogs, and then if the land were too small, he
would go abroad with them (his auditors) in search of
another country. The Charter had been spat upon ;
their full-length portrait, the little miniature he had
carried under his coat fifteen years ago, his crippled
bantling, they had laughed at him ; but now behold the
master which on the 10th of April frightened the isle
fromits propriety, and caused the Queen to take refuge
in the Isle of Wight.—(Cheers.) Mr. O'Connor after
proceeding in this strain for some time, attacked the
" gagging Bill " of Lord John Russell, the very name of
which was a violation of the constitution, and described
the Government as seeking protection under the petti-
coats of the Queen. They had suborned a corrupt
press, and were trying to destroy the French Republic.
Nothing had been obtained for the people by the Ca-
tholic Emancipation Bill, the Parliamentary Reform
Bill, or by free trade, but the social -plan he
wished to put them in possession of would seek
a good political system to defend it. Thomas Slingsby
Duncombe, who would be in his place in the House of
Commons that day week, was his leader, not Mr. Hume,
nor Mr. Cobden. They must suppose they were to
mount the ladder above him ; he knew his position,
and would make them know theirs. He would tell them
that there was a still greater power than that which they
might achieve for themselves, and that was by co-oper-
ating with the Irish people. After enlarging to some
extent on this head, Mr. O'Connor gave a great variety
of details connected with the National Land Company,
which were received with much approbation. The pro-
ceedings termia4ted at 10 o'clock.