The Sun.
London, England, 1835-08-19 00:00:00

POOR LAWS.

Lord GEORGE LENNOX presented petitions from two
parishes in Sussex and Kent, in favour (as we understood) of
the new Poor Laws Act, but complaining of the very oppres-
sive expenses of building workhouses ; also a petition from
Edingbridge, complaining of the great agricultural distress.
The petitioners stated that they did not wish to embarrass his
Majesty's Government, but they trusted that they would give.
Poor Laws to Ireland, reduce the Malt Tax, and settle the
Tithe question.—(Hear, hear.) They also suggested that,
as they saw the session drawing so near a close, without re-
lieving the distresses of the agricultural interests, the House
would meet again in November.—(" Oh I" and laughter.)

ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE IN NEWFOUND-

LAND.

Mr. O'CONNELL rose to present a petition from New-
foundland, which was most numerously signed, and some
of the signatures were highly respectable, complaining
of the administration of justice in that country. They com-
plained of the present Chief Justice Bolton, and they stated
that in the year 1820, upon the granting of a new charter,
there were provisions in that charter directing all rules of
Court to be published for three months, and then transmitted
for approval to the Government and for sanction of the Crown.
It appeared that in 1826 the names of the juries were arranged
in alphabetical order, and the jurors were directed to be called
consecutively in that order. This was a perfectly fair mode
of arranging a jury, without reference to party, politics, or
religion. This was the case till Judge Bolton was appointed
Chief Justice, and his first step was to abolish the former
Jury process. The result, as the petitioners com-
plained, was that instead of having an impartial Jury,
the Jury box was no packed to suit particular purposes.
They complained that the Chief Justice had come to the co-
lony a violent religious partisan ; before that the Roman Ca-
tholic bad his fuel drawn home for him by the Protestants,
and the Catholics at their own expense built a church for
the Protest ants, so much were they then in amity, but the mo-
ment Chief Justice Bolton came there the case was altered,
and he put the parties much against each other, and he had
put down schools. At one time, a paragraph appeared in a
newspaper, complaining of a charge of his in a trial for a poli-
tical libel ; in place of proceeding legally, he had the parties
brought before him on a charge of contempt of court, and
the Chief-Justice, himself being the party, and without
a jury, sentenced him to imprisonment for,three months, and a
fine of 501. There were other charges in the petition, but he
would not state them as they were not distinct. Be would
only lay the petition on the table at present, and he trusted he
would not be under the necessity of taking any further steps
upon it.
Sir G. GREY could not but regret that such a petition
should have been presented. If the allegations of it were
true then there could be no doubt that Mr. Bolton had
deviated from the strict path of his duty. With respect to the
Juries', he thought Mr. B. had acted very properly, for in place
of having a list of only eighteen taken alphabetically, he had
instituted a system by which forty-eight names were now
taken in the same manner as in this country. With respect
to the allegation with regard to the schools, Mr. Bolton, who
was now in this country, assured him that all was un-
true, because—though he had lent the Judge's chambers,
for a meeting with respect to them—it was one to
which the Catholic Bishop was invited, and had nothing
at all sectarian in it. With regard to the allegation
of his having acted wrong, in the libel case, he (Sir
J. Grey) had no doubt that he had acted strictly legal ;
—but the matter had been refei'red to the Attorney
and Solicitor-General in this country, and they reported that
though the Judge was strictly legal in sentence for con-
tempt, yet the practice for many years in t;, e Courts of this
country was against him, and the sentence under Their opinion
was remitted. _ _

Mr. SHAW contended no man could blame Chief Jus:ice
Bolton for his regulation regarding Juries, which had met with
the approbation of not only his colleagues, but the whole colony.
There was at present no religious difference prevailing among
the inhabitants of the colonies. Mr. Justice Bolton positively
denied ever telling the Jury to place themselves in the condi-
tion of the plaintiff; and from the conversations he had with
him, he considered him to be a man of cool temper, and not
likely to be led away .by any party excitement. More than
that, he had seen some public documents bearing high testi-
mony to the impartiality and ability with which Mr. Bolton
discharged his duty ; and he thought that an opportunity ought
to be given him of stating the circumstances under which he
had committed a person for contempt of Court. It was admitted
that he had acted legally, and it should be remembered that
there was a great difference between the administration cf the
laws in this country and in a new colony. It was true that
great party spirit did prevail there, insomuch that an Editor of
one of the newspapers was stopped on the high-road, in the
middle of the day, and had his cars cut off ; but Mr. Bolton
'did not in any way participate in the causes of this excitement.
Mr. DIVETT begged the House to suspend its judg-
ment on the case at present. He had been informed that
many of the signatures to these petitions were in the same
hand-writing. 'lle should merely observe, in conclusion,
that the Chief Justice had received an address on leaving
the Colony, expressive of the gratification of the inhabitants
at the manner in which he had discharged his official duties.
Mr. 0' CONNE L L would only remark that the signatures
had been open to the inspection of the Chief Justice's friends
for several days. He begged to express his entire satisfac-
tion at the statement of the Right Hon. Baronet and he was
sure the Colonists would learn with great satisfaction the mode
in which the case had been treated by his Majesty's Government.
With respect to the. change in the Jury process, he believwl
that was a violation of the charter, and it was necessary to
inquire into it. The charge of having acted in his own case
had, he was glad to find, met the disapprobation of Govern-
ment, and had received as severe a censure as could well be
inflicted upon any judicial functionary. It had been urged
by the Hon. Recorder, that the Chief Justice was a very cool
man, and therefore could not be a party man. Why, he
(Mr. O'Connell) had known men as cool as cucumbers,
who were violent party men, and most bigotted men.—
(Great laughter.) It was also asserted that the Chief
Justice had received an address on leaving the colony,
but probably the praise of one party was the severest censure
that could be cast upon the judicial conduct of a Chief Justice,
who ought to be independent of all parties.
After a few words from Mr. SHAW and Mr. DIVETT the
petition was laid on the table.