The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-08 00:00:00

LAW FOR THE POOR.

In our observations on the " private arrangement
in favour of Lord Waldegrave, we promised to watch
the issue of other prosecutions for the same offence, the
parties in which might not happen to be Lords.
The first which has occured since the Waldegrave
case is the prosecution of Stepi,en Hodge, on the West-
ern Circuit, for assaulting a constable in the exercise
of his duty, and cutt:rg him with intent to do him
grievous bodily harm.
The Judge in this case did not suggest " a private
arrange:nen t."

The triel proceeded, and it appeared that the pri-
soner had a scuff.," with the officer, in which he struck
him with some cutting instrument. The act of violence
was not wanton, it was committed in the hest of blood,
and in an attempt to escape from apprehension. It was
not an attack on the person of the afieer for the sport
of cruelty. The constable was not injured for life ; at
the end of seven weeks he was able to leavo the infir-
mary. The prisorer was of course convicted, and Mr
Justice Erskine passed seetence of fifteen years' trans-
portation.
Such is law fur the poor! What law for the rich is,
Lord Denman has shown in a far worse case, and we
may now more emphatically repeat the words of Lord
Waldegrave's Counsel, that he has reason to feel
" greatly indebted to tl e Chief Justice."—Examincr.

SOCIETY OF FRIENDS OF FOREIGNERS IN
DISTRESS.—Friday the Annual General Court of the
Governors of this admirable and truly-philanthropic In
stitution was held at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-
street, for the purpose of rceelvia„e a Report of the i.ro-
ceedings and state of the ace runts for the past year, and for
other purposes ; Mr. I)lati Labouchere, Treasurer of the
Institution, in the Chair. The Report stated that the
donations and annual subscliptions announced at the last
anniversary dinner amounted to a sum of 1,318/. 11?., ail co
which they had received several donations from royal and
august persorag.s at home and abroad, amongst whom were
the following—her Majesty the Queen,
her Majesty the
Queen Dowager, his Royal Highness Prince Albert, his
Majesty Christian VIII.. King of Denmark; his Majesty
Louis Philippe, Kin; of the French ; his Majesty Leopold,
King of t'e Belgians; her Majesty the Queen of Hanover,
her Royal Highne,s the Duchess of Kent, their Royal
Highnesses the Duke rod Duchess of Cambridge, &c. The
amount . f the receipts for the past year a as 2,412/. 15s. Bd.
and the disbursements 2,2551 95.; leaving a balance in the
trea,uier's hands of 1571. 6<. BJ. The funeei capital of
the Society amounts to 7,350/. in the New Three per
Cents. The secretary then read au account of the num-
ber of foreigners whom they had temporarily relieved
since the last report, making a total of 2,370. The report
having been received and adopted, the Governors pro-
ceeded to the election of the usual officers for the ensuing
year, and then to the election of eight weekly pensioners,
after which a vote of thanks to the Chairman was passedr
and the Court dissolved.
TII E KIRK AND TIIE VETO.-T"idine:
portant cakes arising out of the Veto Act cameos on for
Thursday
cision in the Court uf Session last week. in
the Letbendy
the Second Division pronounced judgment
case, finding unanimously that t
bound, and still
: l'sbce:taaPotrate:::
after sustaining the presentation,
waltsr, and that their sc-
are bound, to take Mr. ClarkeeiLtertio
was illegal. Steps
jetting him in respect of O. V
c effect to the dikision of
he Pre:beytey of Dunkeld,
W.ll, ef course, be taken to gly
y refuse to take Mr. Clark
the Court. If the
Pr held we presume, is
on trials, they e ill
inand find him qualified, he will be
Mr. Kesscn, who now holds the
uryato
n proceedingsLisd t h a mustit
ato patrimonialrs
at
wit tilhiteoe rtebasamt sciet.
e heavyntrtitshleaeyydd a
yttmoi_esail
ndg
de
obedience, forcd,
lo ,
n theie.a:h.ld.
On Saturday last the important
time be adopted to J.
wry
instanceaie iin asof ptrheet t
Earlchargests :fa PKeiansnoaenlYl
Case of ainst the Prcsb ter
and Mr. You, g, ag y y of Auehterarder,
was heard by the Judges of the First Divi,i in, when the
Court, seriatim, expressed their opinions, and unanimously
ncy, and
concurred in repelling the objections to the tele
all the other pleas set up fur theelefenders Allva
the de-
fences and pleas in law set up for the Presbytery
thus disposed of, the cause will go to a Jury being
to assess the
amount of damages the Judges
being
all clearly .of
opinion that damages are due to the pursuers for the Inju-
ries received by the
obstinate
refusal of the defenders to
take Mr. Young on trials, and, if found qualified, to in-
duct him.

THE Times AND
sTaryasettsbei
with Toryism, an'
nikitt.h)ren Morning
vPost,P‘u. sLEZilustritle•—no;:ceNVo;tdheidOirfat;d"
spapers. It was begun by Whig-R. a-
dical journalist's ' ho labourel to identify the Tractists
misrepresentl ili ,u of .ftegformer! whizli they have long
l'" ildul rd ver freely in that ignorant
Ken accustomed to with r.gard to the latter. For the
sake Lf public truth and public justice to very learned and
very worthy' men, we undertook to refute the gross mis-
representa'ions of the NVhig-Radical journals. The
Times did no such thing twit the curt ent of public opinion
Rat fairly set in in favour of the Oxford school. On the
contrtry, the Times took the then more popular side of
ing
jpuo
the Calvinistic or Low Church perry. Now, when it sees
otif''ethgeainOilligfosdide;iht takes
anlldp the cause of
w ith its uual
ttii,leatethhuartcibs notme
enn
erosity wouldrfaincsneer down the Mora
nieg
d defended that school from the first moment it
stsiteo wah h
was attacked."
The General Steam Navigation Company's
day morning last, and arrived in the livertslthueyssoaleTehvu:ns:
even-
ing, steam-shipSh Sir Edward Banks left Helvce d
She came up on Friday to the Company's win at
Deptford.
• •

EVENING ED rrioN..

RECOVERY OF SMALL DEBTS.

The following is a summary of the clauses of the Bill
(Ls amended by the Commi tea) " for the more cisy re-
emery of St-cal 130.1)ts in the County Courts of England
and Walt's, and for extendieg the jurisdiction thereof :"-
1. The jurisdiction of the County Courts shall extend
only to actions of dcbt on simple contract and assumpsit
for debt to the amount of 10/., but they arc not to take
cognisance of any such action, wherein any title to freehold,
or copyhold, or lea-c for years, or take, toll, fair, marks.,
or any other franchise, or any title under commission of
bankruptcy, is in queltion.
2. The Court of Quarter Sessions may, if necessary,
divide a county int) two or more districts for the purposes
of the Act.

3. Every County Court in England and Wales shall
be holden at keit once in (very month, and the time and
place of meeting shall be advertised in some newspaper
circulating in the counts, et least seven days before the
boldinp; ct the Court.
4. Persons qualified as jurors upon trials at nisi Arius,
shall be thealei to be suitors in the Court, and the She-
riff shall summon not more than twenty-four, of whom
Esc at least shall be protect, and sworn to give their
verdict.

5. Jurors who shall not attend such summons, or make
good excnce, shall be lie)le to a penalty nct exceeding 51.
6. Snit must be eornmence I within three years after
tie cause of a.,t'on 311111 hz a-isen.
7. All actions shall h= e:n2d to arise, and shall be
tr.ed, is the cmaty or distri. t of the couaty, where the
ecfendant reid‘z.

S. Causes of action are not to be split, but excess above
10/. may be abandoned.
9. The proceeeliags to be by plai,.t and summons, which
shall Le set ved upon defendant :even days before trial.
10. No privilege shall he allowel to exempt any person
from the jurisdiclion of the Court on account of his being
an attorney or solicitor, or any officer of any Court what-
ever.

11. Persons under age may see for wages.
12. In ease of pa!tne:s one may he sued, with power to
demand contiiution in the Court from any other person
jointly liable vtili him.
13. The plaintiff shell appear in person, or by his agent,
being an attorney of one of the Superior Courts, the de-
feadant wiled to answer the plaint, and on such answer
the Court shall proceed in a summary way to try the cause
end give judgmeat, without further pleading or formal
joindure of issue. _

14. If the de fsmdant shall fail to appear, or sufficiently
excuso his absence, the Court shall give judgment eg iinst
bim fir th. 3 costs incurred by the defendant.
15. A fine, not exceeding 5/, shall be levied on Kit-
nees.os refusing to answer summon; or to g'va evideace in
Court when called upon.
16. Parties to the suit may he cxami icd on oath with.
out regard to objections, on the ground of incompetency
from interest.

17. Causes cannot be removed into any Superior Court,
but the judgment sba'l L.: final, except in cases in which it
rnay be thought proper to order a second trial. The ver-
dict, if the tame on the second trial, shall be find.
IS. Process of execution for recovery of costs, as well
as the amount recovered, shall he in the nature of ficri
arias, to bo signed by the Sheriff, or his Deputy, which
shall be directed to a tailiff of the Court.
19. In no cage the time of payment, according to the
order of the Sheriff, shall exceed four months from the
date of the judgmtot.
20. Execution may issue into any county where th.
party bas goods, the Sheriff of such county to carry it
into effect in the same manner as the judgment might
have been executed in the county in which it shall have
been given.
21. If the plaintiff shall fail to appear, or make good
excuse), or be nonsuited, he shall not enter into a fresh
plaint mail payment of the costs of the former suit.
22. Cross judgments to be tot off and execution made
only for the balance.

23. Fines are to be levied in the nature of a fierifacias
and accounted for by the Sheriff in like manner as fines
imposed by the Court of Quarter Sessions.
24. A note of the proceedings of the Court shall be
entered by the Sheriff or his Deputy, in a book which,
when signed by him, or examined copies thereof, shall bo
evidence in proof of proceeding of the County Court in
say Court whatever.
2.5. County Courts are to have concurrent jurisdiction
with inferior Courts, but are not to inter fere with Courts of
excivive jurisdiction.
26. Pees to be settled by the Magistfttes at Quarter
Sessions, and hung up in some conspicuous place in every
Court, and in the office: of the Sheriffs. Provided, that
*to fees shall be allowed to banisters, nor any fec to an
attorney„ beyond the sum of 103. in any one case.
27. The Sheriff shall tax all costs, fees, and ex-
penses in actions, which, when so taxed shall be added
to the sum, if any, recovered by judgment.
28. The Sheriff shall be empowered to inquire in a
summary manner into all charges made against bailiffs for
extortion Or misconduct, and award compensation to be
recovered by distress, and in fault of distress offender may
bo imprisoned.
29. If plaintin shall sue in superior Courts for debts
which might be recovered in the County Courts, they shall
not have costs nor execution against the person unless the
Judge shall certify that there was probable cause of action
to an amount exceeding ten pounds.
30. The Act shall apply to the Isle of Ely and to the
Isle of Wight in the same manner as if they were counties
of themselves, and all insulated parts of counties shall be
considered, as regards this Act, parcels of the county by
which they are surrounded.