The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-03 00:00:00

S WITZERLAND.

The Council of State of the Canton of Tessin, by
decree of the 26th ult., forbids the public exhi-
bition of the Holy Sacrament for three days, and the
chaunting of the Te Deum in the churches, as
ordered by the Bishop of Coire, to celebrate the re-
turn of the Pope to Rome. The reasons assigned
for this step are, Ist, that the Bishop issued issu,d
his circular, fixing the ceremony without previous
communication from the government; next, that the
circumstances which preceded and accompanied the
return of the Pope were of such a political character
as to cause " disagreeable sensations." in a republican
state ; and, finally, that the propoeed celebration might
give rise to demonstrations injurious to religion, and
and calculated to disturb public tranquility.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
SHERIFF'S COURT, May 2.
(Before Mr. Under-Sheriff BErecHELL.)
PAYNE V. PLOWMAN-SEDUCTION.

This was a writ of inquiry to £ISSPS3 the damages in an
action brought in the Court of Exchequer to recover
compensation for the loss of the services of the plaintiff's
daughter, by reason of her seduction by the defendant.
Mr. THOMAS appeared for the plaintiff; and in stating
the case to the jury, said that his client wai Mr. Joseph
Payne, a master plumber, glazier, and painter, carrying
on business at Bedford, and the defendant was Samuel
Plowman, a boot and shoe maker, carrying on business
with his father, also at that town. In 1847, the plaintiff's
wife died, and he was left a widower, with seven children,
of whom the eldest was Emma, the subject of this
inquiry, who was then but_ sixteen years of age;
and, upon the decease a her mother the whole
care of her brothers and sisters, and of her father's
house, devolved upon her, and her services in
these respects were of great value to him. Shortly after
her mother's death the defendant became acquainted
with the family, and he visited her, avowedly to pay his
addresses to her, and afterwards he formally became her
suitor, professing the moat honourable intentions and the
greatest affection, and he regularly visited her at home,
with her father's sanction. This continued until 1849,
when the plaintiff, to his great grief, discovered that
his daughter was enciente by the defendant, who had
overcome her scruples, and accomplished her seduction
more than twelve months before, and he then made great
exertion to induce the defendant to marry her,
but he continued to make promise after pro-
mise, disregarding them all, until, on the 7th
of December, she gave birth to a child. The defen-
dant, his mother, and sister visited her during her ill-
ness, and the defendant repeatedly hoped that she would
soon recover, in order that they might be married ; and
when she was well, fully expecting that the defendant
really intended to marry her, she actually took the pre-
liminary. steps for the performance of the ceremony at
the registrar F. Perceiving that the defendant held
back, the plaintiff again urgently requested him to fulfil
the pledge., and the defendant sent him the following
letter, which the L?arned Counsel characterised as one of
the most cool and insolent epistles that could be written
under such circumstances, and, considering that it was
addressed to the father of the girl he had seduced and
abandoned, one of the most heartless ever perused.

" Jan. 29, 1850.
" Sir,—ln answer to your request of last night, con-
cerning either from uie, or trying other means, I suppose
by that you mean to bring it into court. If you have
any regard for your daughter you would not think of
such an exposure. As it regards marrying, I decidedly
shall not, and for this reason, I am too fond of a single
Ho ever to think of such a thing. Without any tur-
ther trouble on your part or mine, I propose to pay two-
and-sixpence a week for the child.
" I am, Sir, yours,
SAMUEL PLOWMAN.
P.S.—An answer to-morrow in writing will oblige.
" To Mr. Payne."
The plaintiff's answer to this communication was the
writ in the present action, and no correspondence or
conversation had taken place between the parties since.
The Learned Counsel concluded by commenting rather
warmly on the detendant's-conduct.
Emma Payne was then called—She proved the facts
stated by Mr. Thomas, and the handwriting of the letter.
She stated that it took nearly the whole of her time to
attend to her baby, and she was entirely dependent upon
her father. Her lather had had to engage a person to
perform the domestic duties she discharged after her
mother's death.

Evidence was given as to the expenses incurred.
Tho defendant did not appear.
The Learned UNDER SHERIFF, in summing up, re-
marked that the defendant's letter was certainly au ag-
gravation of the conduct he had been guilty of, and told
the jury that they ought to take, as an element in their
estimation of the damages, the outraged and injured
feelings of the parent at the loos of the services of a
good and virtuous daughter.
The jury gave a verdict for 601.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

-
.HOUSE OF LORDS, May 2.
AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.
(Continued from our Fourth Edition of last night.)
Lord STRADBROKE saw no ground for hoping that
the present depression of agriculture would pass away,
and he knew from his own experience that farmers were
all anxious to get rid of their farms and emigrate. Not-
withstanding the statements that had been made, both
in and out of rev liement, as to the beneficiul effects of
free trade. he believe] that the conviction was gaining
ground among ell classes, that we must either return to
the system of protection or equalise our taxes. He
could not understand why the moneyed men should es-
cape the parochial burdens which fell upon the owners
and occupiers of property. He was grateful to the Noble
Duke for bringing the subject forward, and he hoped
that discussions would take place upon it from time to
time, until the bearings of this question were fully un-
derstood.
Earl ST. GERMANS made a brief explanation.
The Duke of RICHMOND said, he entirely- differed
from his Noble 'riend on the cross benches, as to the
statement that it was the repeal of a e corn-Jaws which
had prevented a revolution in this country, and the
feeling of satisfaction which prevailed in
hat did prov il—
conse-
I
quance ; but he would tell him vi
.ii,
~, 00 i the :load -feeling of::_the.peoplf° Ot .010, Dull try.
It was because they rejoiced in their coniiitu ion,