The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-05 00:00:00

CHANNEL ISLANDS.

COPY OF THE COMMISSION ISSUED TO INQUIRE
INTO_ THE STATE OF THE LAW MT THE CHAN-

NEL ISLANDS.

Victoria, by the grace of God, of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, to
our trusty and well-beloved Thomas Flower Ellis, Esq.,
Barrister-at-law, and Thomas Bros, Esq., Barr Later-at-law,
greeting: Whereas we have deemed it expedient, for divers
good causes and considerations, that a Commission should
forthwith issue for inquiring into the criminal laws now in force
in our Channel Islands, and into the constitution and powers
of the tribunals and authorities charged with the executim.l
of such laws : now know ye, that we, having especial trust
and confidence in your wisdom and fidelity, have assigned,
nominated, and appointed, and do by these presents assign,
nominate, and appoint you the said Thomas Flower Ellis and
Thomas Bros, to be our Commissioners, to go into our said
islands for the purposes aforesaid; and for the better effect-
ing the purposes of this our Commission, we do by these
presents give and grant to you, or any one of you, full
power and authority to call before you, or any one of you,
such persons as you shall judge necessary, by whom you
may be the better informed on the subject of this our Com-
mission, and of every matter connected therewith ; and also
to call for, have access to, and examine all such official
books, documents, papers, and recoj ds as may afford the
fullest information on the subject, and to inquire of and con-
cerning the premises by all other lawfal ways and means
whatsoever; and we do hereby give and grant to you, or any
one of you, full power and authority, when the same shall*
appear to be requisite, to administer an oath or oaths to any
person or persons whatsoever to be examined before you, or
any one of you, touching or concerning the premises: and
our further will and pleasure is, that you do and shall with
as little delay as possible report to us in our Privy Council,
under your hands and seals respectively, your several pro-
ceedings by virtue of this our Commission, as the same shalt
be respectively completed and perfected: and we will and
command, and by these presents ordain, that this our Com-
mission shall continue in full force and virtue, and that yon
our said Commissioners, or any one of you, may from time to
time proceed in the execution thereof, and of every matter
and thing therein contained, although the same be not conti-
nued from time to time by adjournment: and we do hereby
require all and every our officers and ministers in our said
islands respectively to be aiding and assisting to you and.
each of you in the due execution of this our Commission :
and
we have made choice of our trusty and well-beloved
Charles Clark,
resaseio on ur s
letters Esq., Barrister-at-law, to be Secretary to this
oar Commission, and to attend you in the execution
thereof; whose service and assistance we require you to use
from time
we e
have caused to time
as occasion
lhealires tqoubiree. In witiss
whereof patent.
Witness ourself; at Westminster, the sixteenth day of May,
in the ninth year of our reign.
By writ of Privy Seal.
L. EDMUNDS, Clerk of the Crown.
Crown Office, May 25, 1846.

FRANCE.
CHAMBER OF PEERS.—SirrucG OF JUNE 2.
MASSACRE OF THE FRENCH PRISONERS BY
ABD-EL-KADER.

The President took the chair at half-past two.
The order of the day was explanations relative to the mas-
sacre of the French prisoners in Africa.
The President had to state that the Minister Of War being
prevented from attending at the sitting, the Minietor of
Foreign Affairs would reply in his place.
Prince de la Moskowa said that he should have long bee'
fore solicited from the Chamber permission to ask for infor-
mation respecting the French prisoners in the hands of the
Arabs, if grave considerations had not prevented him. He
thought that negotiations were going on, and he was afraid
of injuring their progress by untimely inquiries. For the
precarious, and indeed perilous, situation of these unfortu-
nate men was a mystery to no one. A column, commanded
by his valiant friend M. de Cognord, had been surrounded
at Sidi Brahim by a multitude of Arabs, and taken pri-
soners. They were then, by Abd-el-Kader's orders, marched
from tribe to tribe, in the midst of the populations of Mo-
rocco. This was done to arouse the enthusiasm of those bar-
barious tribes, and Abd-el-Kader endeavoured to turn fully
to advantage the chance which had thrown the French sol-
diers into his hands. It was the imperative duty of the
Government to enter at once into negotiations to rescue these
unfortunate men from the fate that awaited them. This
was the opinion of the Minister of War, who, on this occa-
sion, as on all others, showed the greatest solicitude for the
men under his care. The Ministry did not take the same
view of the matter, and in a Cabinet Council it was decided
that to negotiate with Abd-el-Kader would be to make hint
of too much importance—would be no longer to treat him as a
barbarian chief. It was against that decision that he (M. de
la Moscowa) desired to protest. If the account given by the
courageous soldier who escaped from the late massacre was
to be credited, all the prisoners had not perished—some offi-
cers and non-commissioned officers had been spared. He
considered that under these circumstances there was occasion
to attempt something to save these unfortunate men. Hu-
manity surely commanded the Government to make some
endeavour to rescue them from almost certain death. He
considered it right also to ask the Cabinet by what motives
it bad been induced to refuse to enter into a negotiation,
which was not incompatible with the dignity of France, or
the security of the establishments in Algeria. He could not
suppose that any objection would be made by the Govern-
ment to state its reasons for acting as it had done. He
looked on the conduct of the Government as indicative of a
tendency to a policy but little mindful of human blood.—
(Denial.) Yes, a tendency to a merciless policy—(Loud de-.
nial)—which was gaining ground more and more in Algeria.
Europe looked with inquietude on the establishment of
Franca in Africa. If the Government desired it not to be
discussed let it respect the laws of religion and humanity--
it was the only means getting the conquest pardoned.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs—The Noble Peer was
quite right in saying that the Government ought to have
endeavoured to procure the deliverance of the French pri-
soners ; but he was in error when he said that nothing had
been done. The Government had been most anxious about
the prisoners, and had at first eagerly listened to some indi-
rect overtures made on the part of Abd-el-Bader for an ex-
change of prisoners. If the Government did not accept these
overtures it was because they concealed a snare, as the Emir
wanted to have proposals made to him by France for the
purpose of having the advantage of rejecting them. Such
had been the firm conviction of Marshal Bugeaud, and such
was the recommendation he had transmitted to Government.
" This is not serious," said he, " The intention is to deceive
the Arab tribes." The Government would have been alto-
gether unreasonable to desire to impose its wishes on M.
Bugeaud, and all the principal officers on the spot, but the
Noble Peer was quite wrong in supposing that, therefore,
nothing was done. The Government did, in fact, employ all
the means in its power to come to their aid. An attempt
was made to surprise the deira, but it failed; and a negotia-
tion was opened with the Emperor of Morocco on the subject.
The Government said to him, "French prisoners are in your
territory ; this cannot be permitted; get them given back to
us." Once before prisoners had been restored in that way.
The negotiations were going on actively of late, and other
means of a secret character were employed. Unfortunately,
during all these attempts, the Government was occupied in
getting the deira broken up by the Emperor of Morocco :
he endeavoured, on his side, to act as we suggested in
consequence the deira got alarmed, and dispersed in various
directions. It was at the moment of this critical reso-
lution, that the deplorable catastrophe took place. The
deira did not feel itself strong enough to guard the pri-
soners, and was unwilling to set them at liberty; it there-
fore put them to death. Thus it was an event, politically
favourable to France, which had led to this dreadful act.
There was reason, as the Noble Peer had said, to believe
that some prisoners had escaped the fate of their unfor-
tunate comrades, and the Government would neglect no-
thing, the Chamber might be certain, to have them restored
to their country.—(Hear, bean)
M. De Castellace read a speech (in the midst of the noise
of private conversation), in which, as well as we could make
out, he appeared to complain that the Government did not
give its generals sufficient latitude in treating for the release
of prisoners.
General Fabvier, after deploring the frightful disaster that
had just taken place, passed a high eulo,zium 'on the courage
and devotedness displayed by the army of Africa.
The Marquis De Boissy considered the Governor of Algeria
responsible for the late massacre. By the system of exter-
mination which he had adopted, he had taught the Arabs to
be, in their turn, without pity.
Baron C. Dupin expressed his surprise that, when the
massacre of 300 men was the matter in question, any Noble
Peer should take that deplorable event as a motive of attack_
on the GoVernor-General of Algeria.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs must protest against
attacks being made. There was no person in Africa who did
as
not admit that Marshal Bugeaud carroied on the
little inhumanity as possible.
of stating with
merit which might sometimsesof wl
ar
rssessed a
eca
soldier, what he thought
the simplicity and frani
Advantagenes was taken of that custom of
and intended to do..a filfault,h
-ed against him. But that did not prevent
his, and it was 11.,
Marshal from having rendered great services to the
the bßuotmtah
French establishment in Algeria, and done honour to the hu-
manity of France by the manner in which he carried on a
difficult war. The Marshal was a man of too generous, too
humane a disposition, even to sanction any act of severity
which could possibly be avoided.--(Hear, hear.)
Prince de la Moscowa desired to know if it was in conse-
quence of a system deliberately, determined on, of a firm re-
solve, that the Government had refused to enter into nego-
tiations with Abd-el-Kader for the exchange of prisoners,
and if that was to be so always?
The Minister of Foreign Affairs replied that there was no
system whatever determined on. When the Government
sbould think that an exchange of prisoners could be made
with Abd .el-Kader ',without inflicting injury to the French
establishment in Africa, it should not refuse to do so.
The subject then dropped.
The order of the day was the discussion on the Bordeaux
to Cette Railway Bill.
The Marquis d'Audifret did not think that the state of the
money market could admit of any other railways being un-
dertaken this year. He should, therefore, advise the Chamber
to postpone the railway Bills to another session.
M. Fulchiron quoted figures to prove that the financial
situation of the Bordeaux and Cette line was of a moat satis-
factory character. Ho maintained, besides, that its construc-
tion was urgent, and did not
admit of delay.
Count Beugnot was astonished that the Government alone
seemed not to share in the general alarm felt at the magni-
tude of railway undertakings in France, and at the effects
already produced by them in trade and manufactures. The
sum total at present to be drawn from private capital for
these undertakings was not less than 1,100,000,000 f H.
-
concluded by recommending a postponement of the present
B

The Minister of Finance, in answer to the Noble Peer,
repeated the explanations which he had already given in the
other Chamber, on the state of the money, market, when
taking part in the general discussion on the Budget.
It being now a quarter past six, the sitting was brought to
a close.

THE CROPEL—The very fine "weather admirably suits
the wheat crop, which has not for many seasons at the cor.
responding period of the year been more vigorous or looked
more promising. This remark applies more particularly to
the dry light soils, the crops in the poor Wet lands looking
very sickly. The Lent corn, generally speaking, affords the
farmer the pleasing expectation of a good average crop.—
Kentish Gazette.

SOUTHAMPTON, THURSDAY NIGHT.—A fine sturgeon, -
measuring 7 feet 3 inches in length, and weighing 1881 b&,
was caught in the salmon nets in the Redbridge Creek
this afternoon, and forwarded to Billingsgate by one of the
night trains.
DEATH mom d Meggs, a nurseryman of
Cheltenham, was on Saturday killed by an Alderney bull,
which was in a field near that town. It appeared that he
struck the animal with a small stick in order to drive it
away, when the bull turned upon him, threw him down, and
trampled upon his chest, from the effects of which death en-
sued in ten minutes after he was rescued.
Mr. Parry having conducted the festivals of the An-
cient Britains on St. David's-day, and rendered other ser-
vices to the Welsh Charity School, for a period of 43 years,
the governors and subscribers presented him yesterday with
an elegant piece of plate in testimony. to the usefulness and
kindness of his exertions at all times in behalf of that insti-
tutive.