The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-25 00:00:00

SUPPLY.

Motion made, and Question proposed, " That Mr. Speaker do now
leave the Chair :"—Amendment proposed, to leave out from the word
" That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words " Mr.
Baker's petition (presented June 12), complaining of certain abuses
existing in the Milbank Prison, be referred to a Select Committee,"
instead thereof:—Question put, " That the words proposed to be left
out stand part of the Question." The House divided
MAJORITY--AYES, 56.
Benett, J. Gill, Thomas Lincoln, Earl of
Bennet, I'. Gore, Robert Macaulay, T. B.
Bentinek, Lord G. Goulburn, Henry 3PClintock, IV.
Berkeley, Captain Graham, Sir James Martin, C. W.
Blakemore, R. Greene, Thomas Moffatt, George
Borthwick, Peter Grey, Sir G. O'Conor, Don
Bouverie, Edward P. Guest, Sir J. Parker, John
Bowles, Admiral Hamilton, G. A. Pigot, David
Brotherton, Joseph Harris, Captain Pusey, P.
Brown, W. Hastie, Archibald Scrope, G. P.
Buller, Charles Hatton, Captain Somerville, Sir W.
Clerk Sir G. Ileneage, E. Spooner, Richard
Clive, R. H. Henley, J. W. Thornely, Thomas
Cockburn, Sir G. Hill, Lard Marcus Tronbridge, Sir E.
Cowper, W. F. Hobhouse,'Sir J. Ward, H. G.
Craig, W. G. Inglis, Sir R. Wood, Colonel T.
Dundas, Admiral Jervis, John
Ebrington, Viscount Kemble, Henry TELLERS.
Forster, Matthew Labouchere, Henry Tufhell, Henry
Fox, C.R. Langston, J. H Gibson, T. M.

MINORITY—NOES, 10.
Hume, Joseph Wawn, J. T.
Morris, David
Pechell, Captain
Tancred, H. W.

Aglionby, H. A.
Bo wring, Dr.

Christie, W. D.
Ewart, William
Gisborne, Thomas

TELLERS.
Buncombe, T.
Escott, Bickham

MILITARY FLOGGING.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

- - -
Sin,—Why do the aristocracy support flogging? The
Duke of Wellington's dispatches, quoted in Colonel Napier's;
History of the Peninsular War, say that English officers,
being gentlemen, will not do their duty. Col. Napier tells
us that Sir John Moore thought that the very. reason why
they should do their duty all the better. And in the three
regiments of the light division, the 52d, 43d, 95th—this last
now the rifle brigade, commonly called at that time Sir John
Moore's regiments, because instructed by him in Ireland--
the officers did do the duty, Sir; and these regiments, with two
Portuguese battalions, were the outpost men, the hard-
workers of the army, who took all the fatiguing anxiety of
advance guard duty. And yet on the retreat from Salamanca
Wellington allows them praise before all the others! Sir, if in
all British regiments the same system existed, there would be
no flogging. As long as outlandish, expensive, and useless
thesses remain, and purchase exists, so long will you have no
officers, but aristocratic dandies. And if there are no edu-
cated officers to take care of the uneducated soldiers, you can-
not expect these latter to take care of themselves, they
having no resource for occupation or amusement. And con-
sequently officers resort to dogging, in the hope that thus
they may sooner overawe the men. Now, Sir, if every
subaltern had his half-troop to instruct day by day in riding,
drill, exercise, bridling, saddling, packing, blanket laying,
&c., and outpost duty, viz., patrolling, videttes. escorts of all
descriptions, skirmishing, surprises, means of discerning an
enemy, &c., besides visiting his men in room and stables—
being, in fact, responsible for their social and moral condition,
as well as physical, and for the state of their horses and arms,
&c., such an officer would like his men, take their part, and
mutual confidence would be the result. A good officer would
know beforehand his man's chance of failing, and warn his
non-commissioned officers to keep an eye on him at that
time. The real fact, Sir, is, you would not find one aristo-
cratic young gentleman willing to have anything of the sort
to do with the "common soldiers," as they are contemptu-
ously termed; and yet, Sir, it is merely the want of such
officers which renders our cavalry anyway inferior to the
French. In fighting they always beat their enemies with
surprising ease ' • but at all other duties they fail, because not
taught ; and, Sir, sergeants cannot teach these things. I
have seen a dozen horses with sore backs, and no sergeant
could tell the cause ; which was to be found in a bad pack of
accoutrements. And as to the real duties of light cavalry;
not ten years instruction by sergeants gives that knowledge
to the men which a very few lessons by a well-educated in-
telligent officer do. But rich young nobles purchase com-
missions, and make sergeants and riding-masters do their
work. Sir, ten years' travel has made me acquainted with
foreign cavalry. In all the large continental armies every
subaltern has the fourth-part of a squadron as his indepen-
dent command. It requir,s a regimental decision to take
one of his men from him, or-any man's horse away from him,
about which Dragoons are very sensible; and soldiers can
appeal to the general on inspection days to return to their
platoon, which they look on as their home. The subaltern
considers his platoon as his properly, with which no one can
interfere; if anything is wrong the lieutenant is responsible;
and I have seen how well this works. Is an officer absent a
short time, that platoon becomes the worst under sergeant's
command. But ask your :4 oung titled erceaus, your lady-
killers in Hungarian dresses, to take such trouble. I have
heard one call it a drudgery unfit for gentlemen. There is
the secret, Sir. If a colonel wanted dog 'Wthin,' 'he
would have that man's otili ,cer„ topp corer !, by , all
the other subalterns, corp y tintt complinning and
petitioning. I wilt warrant thit our men would then
take an interest in something more than the public-house,
like to have books and read about professional matters, and
the officers would care more for the welfare and superiority
of their own platoon, than for Captain Maxwell's list of ac-
complishments, quoted in his first chapter of the "Stories of
11 aterloo."

How many thousand pounds more does an Hussar regi-
ment cost than an English one. Nobody ever would have
seen Hussars if the dress were not an Hungarian national
costume, and if Hungarian Dragoons would wear any less
expansive ones. Your lady-killers like these dresses because
they are better laced and more gaudy; but they protect no
part of the body, and are very inconvenient, and a useless ex-
pense. The money spent on them would make not a few
shoolmasters; less gaudy and more laborious would our obi
cers then be.—Your obedient servant,

A CONSTANT READER.

SUPPOSED MURDER AND SUICIDE.—NORTS BIERLY,
NEAR BRADFORD, JULY 22.—A most deplorable occurrence
has recently thrown this district into the deepest sensation.
The bedv of a weaver named William Bywater, living at
Bullershan, and that of his son Ralmouth, were found at the
bottom of an old coal-pit on Monday morning, and, from the
facts adduced at the inquest, there is little doubt that the
elder deceased led his child to the mouth of the pit, and, after.
throwing him in, committed suicide by precipitating himself
down the shaft. The parent was employed at the factory of
Mr. J. Sutcliffe, Odsal Moor. He was thirty-three years of
age, married, and had three children, the deceased child, who
was seven years of age, being by a former wife. About six
o'clock on Monday morning Bywater got up and roused his
son, telling him he should take a walk with him. After pre-
paring his wife's breakfast he left with his child, and pro-
ceeded along the road to Bradford. They went over a stile
leading to the pit, which is situate on elevated ground, and
on reaching a platform which surrounds it, Bywater was seen
to stoop under some rails which protect the mouth. They
were then lost sight of, but a few seconds afterwards the cries
of a child were heard by the men, who made all haste to the
spot, but on looking down the pit nothing could be heard.
The bottom was then searched, and their bodies were found
dreadfully mutilated. - It was shown that Bywater was much
attached to the child, 'and was never heard to express any
intention of destroying it. In a conversation, he had, how-
ever, with a neighbour, he manifested much uneasiness of
mind, and his observations led to the impression that he
meditated committing suicide. The jury returned a verdict
That the deceased were found dead it'the bottom of the
pit, -but how or by what means they came to their death
there was no evidence to show."
POSEbr, JULY. 9.—A few days ago some persons got
through an open widdot of tho residence of the Chief Pre-
sident, and.pltindered the office of 1,500 dollars in money and
bills of exchange. None of the papers belonging to political
persons were abstracted, but pains was taken to throw them
into the greatest confusion, and thus everything in the office
was in disorder. It is difficult to assign a cause for such a
proceediug.

~:: „

.: ~.:

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT'

HOUSE OF LORDS, July 24.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the \ Tool'
sack at Five o'clock precisely, when there was rather A
scanty attendance of Peers.
BIRMINGHAM AND GLOUCESTER (STONE.;
HOUSE JUNCTION) RAILWAY.
Lord STRAFFORD reported to the House that the
preamble of the Birmingham and Gloucester (Stone-
house Junction) Railway Bill had not been proved.
MESSAGE FROM THE COMMONS.
Messenger.; from the House of Commons brought up
cc' lain Bills.
BANGOR AND ST. A SAPII AND MANCHESTER
DIOCESES BILL.
_ _ _

The Earl of POWIS moved that the Bangor and St.
Asaph and Manchester Dioceses Bill should be passed.
Lord LANSDOWNE said, that on a former occasion
he was of opinion that the consent of the Crown was
not necessary to the passing of the Bill, but on speaking
to certain Noble Lords, he found them of opinion that it
would be more prudent to postpone the Bill till the per-
mission of her Majesty could be got, and he therefore
urged his Noble Friend to consent to the postponement
for this purpose.
SMALL DEBTS BILL.
_ _ _

Lord CAMPBELL presented several petitions from
the counties of Worcester and Stafford in favour of this
Bill.
MAGISTRATES OF THE CITY OF LONDON.

Lord BROUGHAM said he had a petition to lay on
their Lordships' table complaining of one of the greatest
grievan .es to which the citizens of London could be
subjected, that the magistrates entertain quostions
which by law they had no more right to entertain than
they had to enter their Lordships' houses and seize Xheir
property. That practice had prevailed not only in
Londoe, but in Westminster and the borough of South-
wark, till he, when he held the great seal, called the at••
ten tion of Lord Melbourne, then Secretary of State tor thee
Home Department, in whose department it properly
was, to the question. He (Lord Brougham) wrote a
letter to his Lordship recapitulating this gross
abuse, and called on him seriously to represent to
the magistrates of the city of Westminster in
this respect, for he had no jurisdiction over the
magistrates of the City of London.—(Hear, hear.)
The magistrates permitted persons to come before
them and make their complaints in the absence of the
accused. He would illustrate the evil which it was
the occasion of by the following fact :—A Noble
Friend of his, who at one time held a very high office
had made an unfortunate marriage, and his widow fell'-
into the greatest pecuniary distress. The Prince Regent
allowed her a sum of money, and she received in sums
of forty shillings a week. She had formed such associ-
ations after her husband's death as to entirely prevetzt
the whole sum of money being entrusted to her hands;
so the fund was placed in the hands of two of his Noble
Friends in that House, in order to secure its proper dis-
tribution, but whenever she wanted money she went be.
fore the sitting magistrates. He read the reports
in the newspapers himself, and stated that the two Noble
Lords had possession of a fund which was allowed to
her by the public, and that they refused to give it to
her, but kept it for their own purposes, and
the Lord Mayor of London, to whom she told
her tale, instead of sending her shoot her business, said,
" Is it to be believed, is it to be endured, that these two
Noble Lords should take this miserable opportunity of
benefiting themselves at the expense of an unfortunate
widow ?"—(Hear.) He called the attention of his Noble
friends to the fact, but they considered it not North their
while to contradict it, though it was very genes:l%llY be-
lieved elsewhere, and, in fact, he had heard it even Lltel.Y
re-told. In the present instance the petitioner had bee'll
illegally sentenced to pay 201., and to be imprisoned,
and kept to hard labour for two months. He appealed,
and was brought up on an habeas corpus, when it wag
decided that he had been illegally imprisoned and fined.
Tho poor man had suffered the punishment, and there
would be no redress for him even if he brought his
action, it would be decided that he had only acted in his
judicial character. He (Lord Brougham) considered)
that these corporation magistrates were most per-
nicious, and to say the least thing offensive, were most
opposed to the first principles of justice.
LORD GOUGH AND VISCOUNT HARDINGE.
The LORD CHANCELLOR read letters from Lords
Gough and Hardinge, which stated that those Noble
Lords had communicated the votes passed by their Lord-
ships' House to the officers and men under
their command, who were greatly gratified by
the honour conferred upon them. The letters were

respectfully dated the 10th and the 25th of May. They
were ordered to be entered on the journals of the House.

SUGAR QUESTION.
Lord BROUGHAM said that he would on Monday-
tlight next present a petition against the proposed Sugar
Bill. The petition was from his venerable friend,
Thomas Clarkson, the president of the Anti-Slavery
Association.

Lord BROUGHAM begged to state that in conse-
[nem.° of the postponement of the sugar duties from to-
lay till Monday, in the House of Commons, he should

postpone his notice of his motion respecting the sugar
duties from Monday till Tuesday next.
BATHS AND WASHHOUSES.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a petition
from the mayor and burgesses of Cork, praying that any
measure on this subject which had reference to England
and Wales should be extended to Ireland.
RAILWAY BILLS NOT COMMITTED.
Lord STANLEY moved, in addition to the motion
which he had made the other evening, for a return of all
the Bills for railways which had not been committed on
the 20th of July.

The Earl of CLARENDON conceived that the agree-
ment entered into the other night would be sufficient to
furnish all the information which his Noble Friend

desired.

RAILWAY GAUGES.

The Earl of CLARENDON brou..4lit in a Bill for
the regulation of the railway gauges, which was read a
first time.

COALWHIPPERS' BILL.
This Bill was read a third time and passed, and their
Lordships adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, July 24.

The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four
o'clock.
The OVONOR DON was introduced by Mr. Fitz-
stephen French and the Hon. W. Cowper, and took the
oaths and his seat upon his re-election for Roscommon.
Lord W. POULETT took the oaths and his seat for St.
Ives, in the room of Mr. W. Prard, deceased.