The Sun.
London, England, 1834-03-12 00:00:00

LAW OF LIBEL.

Mr. O'CONNELL presented a petition from Rye, county of
Sussex, complaining of the law of libel, and adverting to the
case of Mr. Cohen, of the Brighton Guardian.
Mr. EWART agreed with the hon. and learned member for
Dublin in the remarks that he made.

Mr. O'DWYER thought that the present hour of sitting
was an unfit one for parliament.
Mr. O'CONNELL gave notice that he would present two
petitions on next Friday, one from the poor fishermen
of Blackrock, Dublin, another for the making of a railroad
between Kingstown and Dublin.
Mr. BRODIE presented two petitions from protestant dis-
senters, one from Scott's-lane, Salisbury, and another from the
same city.

Mr. W. WHITMORE presented a petition from the protes-
tant dissenters of the borough of Wolverhampton, for a redress
of grievances. He supported its prayer. He also presented a
petition from Sedgeley, complaining of the beer laws, and one
from the same place, for the better observance of the Sabbath;
also one to the same effect from Wolverhampton.
Mr. FRYER supported the dissenters' petitions.
Mr. PARROTT presented a petition from Tetness, praying
a redress of grievances under which the Dissenters laboured.
Also, a petition from the parish of Moreley, in the county of
Devon, to the same effect.
Mr. BULTEEL supported their prayer.

Mr. EWART presented a petition from the Scotch Bap-
tists
of Liverpool to the same effect. Also, comprising a prayer
for a separation of the Church from the State, such a con.
nection—in the opinion of the petitioners—being con-
trary to the doctrines of Christianity.—(Hear.) They
complained that his Majesty's ministers did not step forward
to remedy all the grievances the Dissenters laboured under.
He also presented two petitions from the English and Scotch
medical practitioners in the same town, praying for an alteration
in the law regarding the practice of medicine. He had also a
petition from Birkenhead, in the county of Chester, for a re-
form in the Church, and a petition from two inhabitants of
Liverpool, William Parkinson and Samuel Evans, complaining
of the appointment by government of strangers to all the go
vermnent offices in Liverpool.
Colonel SEALE presented a petition from the farmers of
Brigstock, complaining of the reciprocity duties, and
also a petition from Dartmouth, in support of the Es-
tablished Church. The same honourable member 'pre-
sented a petition from the dissenters of Dartmouth, pray-
ing for the removal of their disabilities.
It being three o'clock, the SPEAKER left the Chair.

ASSIZES-(RECEIVED THIS DAY).

MIDLAND CIRCUIT.—LINceLN, MARCH 11

CHARLESWORTH, M.D. V. MIDGARD,

This was an action to recover penalties for the violation of
an Act of Parliament.

Mr. BALGUY and Mr. HILL conducted the plaintiff's case,
and Mr. Sergeant ADLMS and Mr. ADIOS the defendant's.
It appeared that, in the year 1828, an Act of Parliament
was passed for paving, lighting, watching, and otherwise im.
proving the city of Lincoln, and for the better regulation of
the town. Certain Commissioners were delegated to see
that the various provisions were duly executed, of which
body the plaintiff and defendant were members. Section
13 of the Act enacted that no person should be capable of
acting in the execution of the Act who was interested in any
manner with thematters that should beadjudicated upon, under
the penalty of 1001. for every such offence. In the month of
July, 1833, at a meeting of the commissioners, an order was
made, that the occupiers of premises along a certain footpath
should lay down flag-stones, with a four inch curb. The de-
fendant, as one of the occupiers, was made liable by
this order. Instead, however, of complying with it, he
convened a special meeting of the commissioners, when that
order was rescinded. It was for the penalty that he incurred
by voting on that occasion that the present action was brought.
The clerk to the commissioner was called, who proved that on
the day in question thirty-two commissioners assembled. When
a ballot took place there appeared twenty-one in favour of the
order being rescinded, ten against it,and a neutral ball. Notice
was then given to defendant that the penalty would be enforced
against him. On the cross-examination it was endea-
voured to be proved that the footpath alluded to
did not fall within the description stated in the act, that it
was a matter extra-judicial, therefore the defendant was not
guilty of the alleged violation. It was contended also, it being
a penal case, that it was imperative on the plaintiff to prove
that the defendant had voted, by calling the different commis-
sioners to state how they acted. That in the absence of such
evidence it was but fair to presume that however strongly in.
clined in the first instance the defendant might have been to
vote in favour of his motion, that afterwards, on an intima-
tion that legal proceedings wouldbe commenced he might have
changed his mind, and put in the neutral ball. Legal points
were also submitted on the construction of the several clauses
of the act, which were reserved for the consideration of the
Court above.

His Lordship summed up the case, and, after a short delibe.
ration, the Jury found a verdict for the defendant.

KING'S THEATRE.

Semiramide was produced here last night for the purpose of
introducing to an English audience two new candidates for
public favour, Madame Kynterland and Mademoiselle Salvi.
The former was from the Teatro San Carlos, Naples, where she
has been considered a respectable prima donna. Her voice is
a pure soprano, rather too shrill, and wanting breadth of tone.
Her execution in many passages was neat, and her acting in
almost every scene appropriate. She is a fine woman, but she
will make but an indifferent substitute of Pasta. Salvi is a
superior singer; she possesses a contr'alto voice of remarkable
richness, and her clear decisive intonation brought out its fine
qualities with exquisite effect. She will be an acquisition, for
not only is her voice a valuable one, but she evidently knows
how to use it to the greatest advantage. Both in the solo pas-
sages and in the concerted pieces the tone was produced with a
mellowness that was highly relished by the audience. We
would wish that Mademoiselle Salvi possessed a little more free-
dom of gesticulation. She personated the character of Arsace,
and, except a little stiffhess of manner, her performance was
everything we could wish. The opera was exceedingly well
arranged, the choruses excellent, and the orchestra perfect.
The ballet of La Bayadere followed, in which, independently
of its other attractions, we had the pleasure of witnessing a new
pas de deux, danced by Taglioni and Duvernay. The latter
has improved much since we last saw her, and although no imi-
tator of her fair contemporary, she has studied in the same
school (the best which exists), and we beheld in their exertions
the perfection of the art. There cannot, perhaps, be a better
exemPlificdtion of the poetry of motion than this dance. The
ballet has been produced with more than usual attention.

A woman calle I Poll Stokes, the rival of Lady Barry
more in drinking gin and kickirg watchmen, was charged
with having amused herself on the preceding day in both
her old practices.
A policeosan. on Monday, at 10 o'clock, found the pri-
soner in Houndsditch as drunk as ever lady was. Know-
ing what an out and outer she WO, be advised her to go
home, but she immediately sat across the pavement and
swore that stir she would not for dog or devil. He then
attempted to remove her, hot she gave bhn a tremendous
kicking and was with difficulty strapped limb to limb
and carried to prison.
The LORD AiA YOR—Wbat shall I do with this woman?
She is almost a weekly visiter, and has been very often in
irison ; hut it appears that neither entreaty, nor threat,
nor prison has any tact upon her.
Mr. Hcblcr—Well, Mrs. Stokes, would you like to
!ti to Britlewell ? Defendant—Oh dear no, Sir. Let me
IT this time, and I'm blest if ever I get lumpy again.
You see, Mr. nobler, a very little drop catches hold of
ine. Formerly I used to be able to flare up with a glass
.vith anybody, whether it was a he or a she, but now it is
melancholy to see what a trifle flummox,* me.—(A laugh.)
The Loan MAYOR—Then you ought not to take even
that trifle.
Mr. Holder—Salt is the state to which she has re-f
',Weed herself by habitual irrtoxication, that very soon, i
she happens only to pass a girt step, she will fall down
,trunk.—(A laugh, in which the deftrolant joined heartily.)
The LORD MAYOR said, that if the wretched woman
would obtain pardon of the officer whom she had mat-
treated, and promise to wage war against her ancient
tuemy, she should be discharged this time. Defendant—
I will, my loud, promise that I'll never get chunk again.
What words shall I use—shall I swear it?
The LORD AIAToe.—No ; we will have no oaths.
Defendant—Well, then, upon my honour, my lord.—
(Laughter.

HATTON GARDEN
NOCTURNAL FLARE-UP.—Yesterday, Mary Myers and
Ann Broufn, young women of interesting appearance, ex-
,ravae,antly attired with flashy green bonnets, long veils,
muff., and boas, and whose painted countenances and
spots indicated that they took exquisite pains to consult
the tiolet of Flora, were charged with baring crested a
disturbancey at an early hour yesterday morning.
A policeman, yesterday morning, between two and
three o'clock, was passing through Wilmington-squarv,
Clerkenwell, when his attention was arrested by the me..
!odious strains of two female voices, who were eineug
the Light Guitar, and although they harmonised sweetly
together, still the music was calculated to disturb ti e
slumbering inhabitants. The ladies proceeded from one
tune to the other until witness went to the opposite side
of the square and requested them to desist, which they re-
fused to do, and told him to mind his own business, they
would do as they thought proper; and he took them to
the station-house, where they were locked up.
Mr. Sergeant SELLON asked the young ladies who and
what they were, and what they had to say for themselves ?
_ _ _ .

—Miss Myers, who hung down her bead and affected great
modesty, said, "We are respectable persons, your Worship,
and reside in the neighbourhood where we were taken by
the policeman. We are milliners. The fact is," said Miss
Myers, "my friend and myself were invited to a christen-
ing, and on leaving the party we went to a dance in the
neighbourhood of Wiltnington-square, where our partners
insisted upon our taking some negus, which exhilarated
our spirits, and on quitting the ball-room •we were pro-
ceeding towards our own homes, bumming a tune on the
road, when a fellow exclaimed, "Flare up, my flames,"
and our resentment to the insult caused some confusion,
when the constable came up, ordered us on, and took us
into custody. lam exceedingly sorry I have given any
offence."

Mr. Sergeant SELLON recommended the ladies in fu-
ture to rese:ve their musical abilities for a more appro-
priate situation than the public streets, or they would
subject themselves to another apprehension and confine-
ment in the station-house, and he discharged them.