The Sun.
London, England, 1834-07-03 00:00:00

I. COMMITAIENTS.

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First Period, three years
ending Dec. 1829
Second I'eriod, three years
ending Dec. 1833
Increase of Commitments.)
in the Second Period

Now if it were recollected that, for offences which have lately ceased
to be capital, there no longer exists the same reluctance to pr°se
cute as formerly, it must be admitted that the slight increase oft,
per cent. in the commitments was a virtual diminution: and this
the more worthy of notice, because, in the other two classes, the
,11
commitments had increased in a much greater ratio. The ealul'4l
commitments in the same period had undergone an increase of •
per cent. ! ! and this, too, notwithstanding undiminished rigour.in
the execution of the law ; for the number who suffered death 1_11;
creased from 110 in the first period, to 126 in the second perm"
for those offences which are still punished with death :

11. CONVICTIONS.
In the Second Period, threel
years ending Dec. 1533 5 1,29
Proportion of Convictions}
to Commitments

Crimes
Crimes Capital in-
still nishment
Capital. mitigated in
2d Period.

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Crime!
Not Car
in either
period.
.

38,415
72 per cent.

47 per cent. 172 per cent.

He concluded by saying that he felt bound to resist the
amendment.
Mr. HARDY thought that for the purpose of preserving
uniformity with the other Acts of Parliaments, k K¢s neCes‘
sary that the amendment should be adopted.
After a few words from Mr. ROEBUCK,
Lord HOWICK said that the object of the amendment Iles
to give parties who were in the act of committing robberies a
motive to abstain from the commission of acts of violence t°
the person. This was the sole object of the amendment.
After a few words from Mr. RoEntrcx and Mr. BRISCOE,
Mr. O'CONNELL said that nothing was so disgraceful to
England as her laws. It was lamentable that this countri'
which exceeded the whole world in art and science, should be
so backward in her laws, particularly her criminal laws, whose
bloody code was mitigated only by the humanity of the trial
by jury. What did the noble lord mean by bodily harm ? It
might mean the slightest bruise—a mere discolouring of the
skin ; and this was to be the distinction between life 01
death. Grievous bodily harm they could understand, it was
already a capital offence ; any case of cutting was, under the
bloody act of Lord Ellenborough, a capital offence. The
honourable and learned member referred to some bns"
ins-matches which have lately taken place, and said that
all the parties concerned in these cases, as well the boxers
themselves as all those who excited them or were looking on'
were guilty of murder. The law was, that if men went out to
fight with weapons likely to cause death, and did cause death,'
they were guilty of murder. Were not the deaths which had
lately taken place prima facie evidence that the weapons with
which these men fought were likely to cause death ? He was
of opinion himself, that they ought not to punish with death
any crime short of murder. This was his own belief, thong
society might not be in a state to go so far.
Lord HO WICK withdrew his amendment, and the hill
with a few verbal alterations passed through Committee.
The House resumed, and the report was ordered to be re"
ceived to-morrow.

Mr. T. S. DUNCOMBE took the oaths and his seat for the
borough of Finsbury. The hon. member was greeted on en-
tering the house with loud cheers.
PRISONERS' COUNSEL BILL.

Upon the motion of Mr. E WART,
The house resolved itself into a committee of the whole
house upon this bill, Mr. C. BULLER in the chair.
Upon the Ist clause being read,
Mr. SHAWE objected to it on the ground that it would be
productive of great delay and inconvenience.
Mr. O'CONNELL thought the clause would effect a great
improvement, and he would therefore support it.
After a few words from Mr. LLOYD and Mr. HILL, the
clause was agreed to.
The 2d clause was withdrawn.

Upon the 3d clause being read, which gives the Court power
to appoint counsel when the prisoner was too poor,
Lord HOWICK proposed that the clause should be
omitted, as he understood the learned members in that house
had strong objections to it. ( A laugh.)
After a few words from Mr. Roebuck, Mr. O'Reilly, Mr*
Aglionby, Mr. Benett, and other Hon. Members,
Mr. O'CONNELL suggested to the hon. member Or
Liverpool, who had made a most salutary reform in the laws'
and had vindicated justice, not to press this clause for the
present.
After a few words from Mr. LLOYD, Mr. O'REILLY, Lord
SANDON, and some other hon. members, strangers were
ordered to withdraw, and the committee divided, when there
appeared—

For the clause 33
Against it 25

Majority for the clause
On clause 4 being read,
Lord HO WICK suggested as an amendment that instead
of the party accused being allowed to address the magistrate ie
his defence, by his Solicitor, previous to his committal, that it be
only permitted him to address the magistrate in his defence when
the magistrate has a power of summary conviction, as it would
unnecessary in a case where a prisoner was merely committer'
for trial, and would have a subsequent opportunity of defend'
ing himself.
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. O'DWYER here suggested the insertion of a clause
empowering a prisoner to obtain a copy of the depositions made
against him.
Mr. RUTHVEN seconded the motion.
Mr. BENETT said it was the practice to have the &P'
sitions read over to the prisoners in all cases.
Mr. 0' C 0 NNE LL was glad to find that so rational a prin'
ciple prevailed in England, but the contrary was the case in
Ireland. ( Hear, hear.) The hon. and learned member
instanced a case, in which he was engaged, in wbiell
a prisoner was tried, and afterwards found guilty upon
indictment, charging him with an offence committed at a di':
ferent time from that stated in the committal—subsequent
depositions having been made which he had no Dpportunitl
of seeing. The practice was fraught with the greatest ink's;
tice, and he trusted that the English system would be extended
to Ireland.

A conversation here took place between Mr. LLOYD, Sir
J. WROKERBY, Mr. SLANEY, and Mr. SANDFORD.
Lord 1-1 0 WIC K suggested that the hon. and learned
member should withdraw his clause as they were then merely
discussing a bill for enabling persons to defend themselves by
counsel.

Mr. O'DWYER assented but expressed his determination
to bring it forward on a future occasion.
The CHAIRMEN then reported progress, and asked leave t°
sit agian on Friday next.
It being then three o'clock, the SPEAKER left the chair.