The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-09 00:00:00

Their Lordships then divided, when there appeared,
for the clause—

Contents ... ••• ••• 4
Non-contents... ••• 14
Majority against the clause ... —lO
The clause was then struck oat.
Clause 36 was postponed.
Clause 37 was agreed to.
The remaining clauses of the Bill were struck out.
Lord BROUGHAM then proposed an additional
clause, authorising the appointment of more judges.
On the suggestion of Lord CAMPBELL,
Lord BROUGHAM consented to the postponement
of this clause, giving notice of his intention to bring it
forward upon a fature stage of the measure. The
Noble and Learned Lord then said he would maintain
the opinions which he had already expressed—that the
clauses struck out, if adopted, would have greatly im-
proved the Bill. As to the clauses relating to the esta-
blishment of courts of reconcilement, he conceived that
these courts would be a very important step made to-
wards an extension and radical improvement of our ju-
dicial tribunals. Whatever had a tendency to bring
parties speedily before a judge—whatever had a tea-
dency to enable the judge to hear the whole case with-
out the assistance of legal practitioners—would be of
the greatest possible importance to carry out. The
mischief done by these practitioners of the law
in this country was incalculable. It he were asked
his reason for introducing this novelty into our legal
institutions, he would refer to the advantages result-
ing from these courts in various countries on the Conti-
nent. Unless human nature in this country was dif-
ferent to what it was in other countries, the effect of the
jurisdiction of these courts of reconcilement would be
most extensive, most important, and beneficial. In
France, where these courts had succeeded less than in
the north of Germany, Switzerland, and above all, in
Denmark, he had the highest legal authority in that
country for stating that the average number of cases i❑
1847 and 1848, brought into these courts, was very
nearly 1,000,000 in the year. And of this number no
less than 780,000 were amicably settled through the
friendly advice of the judge; and only 270,000 cases in
which there was no reconciliation effected. The great
majority of the cases decided involved claims to sums of
1,000 francs, or 401. The number of cases involving
larger claims amounted to about 60,000 in the year.
The first twelve clauses, which, we believe, referred
to these courts of reconcilement, and which had been
postponed for consideration until the remainder of the
Bill was disposed of, were then put and negatived with-
out a division.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, April 8.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
PETITIONS.

A great number of petitions were presented against
Papal aggression.
Mr. B. WALL presented a petition from Clerkenwell
against the Sunday Trading Bill.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL presented a petition
complaining of the mode in which petitions on disputed
elections were at present adjudicated upon.
Colonel THOMPSON presented a petition from the
board of guardians of Bradford in favour of the Small
Tenements Rating Bill.
Mr. PORTAL presented a petition from a farmers'
club at Winchester, praying for the abolition of the in-
come-tax as far as regarded farmers.
Mr. LOCULIART presented a petition from the
Presbytery of Glasgow against the Schools (Scotland)
Bill, unanimously agreed to by that reverend Pres-
bytery.
Mr. LOCHHART also presented a petition praying
that no alteration may be made in the Ecclesiastical
Titles Bill to impair its efficiency, and for more stringent
measures to repel Papal aggression, from the Free
Church congregations of Stonehouse and Maryhill, and
from the inhabitants of Beith and Stewarton, numerously
signed from the Free Presbytery, and from the Free
Kirk Session of Lanark.
SMITHFIELD MARKET.

On the motion of Sir JAMES DUKE, the petition
of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of
the city of London, in relation to the Smithfield-market
Removal Bill and the Smithfield Enlargement Bill, pre-
sented on the 7th of April, was ordered t) be printed
with the votes.