The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-06 00:00:00

CRETE.

Mr. G. DUFF asked the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs whether any steps had been taken with a view to
increasing the salary of her Majesty's Vice-Consul at
Canoe, in consequence of the high prices of provisions in
the Island of Crete ?
Lord STANLEY said the salary was increased last year,
and he did not see any reason at present for its further
augmentation.
MINISTERIAL EXPLANATION.

- -
Mr. DISRAELI said he hoped he would be allowed to
make a few observations on certain changes that had oc-
curred since he last was in the house. The retirement of
Lord Derby was unexpected, and ho need not say that the
great political party that acted with him felt a great loss at
such an event. No language could describe his (Mr. Disraeli s)
sense of it. Ile hoped that Lord Derby would soon be
restored not only to health, but to enduring health, and
that he would again be found amongst the great assembly
which ho so much adorned by his matchless eloquence.
Her Majesty most graciously, on the retirement of Lcrd
Derby, entrusted him (Mr. Disraeli) with the duty of
forming a Ministry. Under ordinary circumstances any
one so placed would feel that ho would have to encounter
great burdens and much disappointment. He know that in
his position, in accomplishing such a duty, he would find
the burdens aggravated and the difficulties multiplied.
Yet he could not allow them to stand as an obstacle,and in
accepting the duty he did it, trusting to the support of a
generous party, and also that ho should have fair and im-
partial treatment from the House of Commons, in which
he had now passed the half of his existence. Under these
circumstances, he had accepted the c face, and ho felt he
could not sufficiently express the gratitude ho felt to those
of his colleagues who had given him their assistance, and
by whom he was now surrounded. Under ordinary cir-
cumstances, when a new Government was formed
it was expected by the house that some inti-
mation should be given of the new policy it was
intended to pursue. That policy would be the policy
eatabliblied by Lord Derby somewhat less than two years
ago. (Hear, hear, from the Ministerial benches.) For
twenty years he had acted with the noble lord, and
during the whole of that time not a cloud or difference
had ever existed between them, so therefore he hoped it
might be thought that ho must be cognisant of that policy
and of the opinion and course he would take upon the great
questions of the day. With regard to the foreign policy he
had to say that that policy which had been pursued under
the guidance of his noble friend near him—(Lord Stanley)
—would be still pursued, because he felt it had received
the approbation of the house and the confidence
of Europe. That policy was a policy of peace
—not a policy of peace at any price, but a policy that
would best secure the peace of the world, and one that
would not be dictated by selfishness. Wit 4 respect to
their domestic policy, the present Administration intended
to pursue a liberal policy—(loud cheers and laughter)—
he meant a truly liberal policy—(loud cheers)- a
policy that would not shrink from any of the
changes required by the age we lived in. (Loud cheers.)
With regard to Irish matters, the most important one
they had been called upon up to the present
time to perform was the suspension of the
Habeas Corpus Act, but that was not done
as a coercion of the Irish people, but it was adopted as a
means of protecting the Irish people from the machina-
tions of a foreign confederacy. (Loud cheers.) They
had now at hand an important debate which would raise
the whole question, and in that debate he should be quite
prepared to state the views of tho Government. His hon.
friend had the matter in his own hands, and all he could
say was, his great desire was to facilitate him in bringing
the matter under the consideration of Parliament. He had
one word to say before ho sat down with respect to what
had been called the unfortunate delay in the progress of
public business, but various matters over which
he had no control had perhaps occasioned some
of it, but his great desire for the futuro would be
that the greatest progress should be made consistent with
safety and a regard for the public good.
Mr. BOUVERIE, in order that he might be in order in
making a few observations, moved the adjournment of
the house. The right hon. gentleman said that the
policy of the new Administration would be the policy of
Lord Derby. Now, what was that ? (Loud laughter.)
He should very much like to know whether it was that
which had been inaugurated two years ago or the
policy that the noble earl had pursued before
that period. (Hear) He thought it most important that
there should be a clear indication of what the policy was.
The right hon. gentleman then went on to allude to the
disorganised state of the Liberal party, which he said was
composed of loaders who would not lead, of followers
who refused to follow—(laughter)—and which was
in fact, little better than a rabble. (Laughter and cheers)
After a few words from Sir J. BOWYER, the motion
was withdrawn, and the house passed to the consideration
of the orders of the day.

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT WITHIN PRISONS

BILL.

Mr. HARDY moved the second reading of the Capital
Punishment Within Prisons Bill, explaining that it con-
tained improved regulations for the attendance of public
unctionaries at the ' executions, and arguing that the
change, while it avoided the scandals of the present
system, would have a more deterrent effect on the cri-
minal classes.

Mr. Sergeant GASELEE moved the rejection of the
bill, and created some amusement by arguing that this was
a poor man's question, and that the poor man had a right
to be hung in public.
Sir G. BOWYER also objected to the bill, and, to illus-
trate the deterrent effect of public hanging, gave some
graphic reminiscences of executions he had attended.
Mr. GILPIN grounded his opposition to the bill on his
objections to capital punishment altogether ; and Mr.
NEWDEGATE opposed it, believing it would intensify
the evils arising from the present uncertainty of punish-
ments.

Mr. ITUGESSEN and Mr. lIIBBERT warmly supported the
bill, as being in entire accordance with the humane legisla-
tion of the present day, and putting an end to great public
scandals.
The LORD ADVOCATE having intimated his willing-
ness (in answer to an appeal from Mr. M'Laren) that the
bill should be extended to Scotland, the second reading was
carried by 181 to 25.
ELECTION PETITIONS AND CORRUPT PRAC-
TICES BILL.

Mr. DISRAELI moved the second reading of the Elec-
tion Petitions and Corrupt Practices 13111. Admitting fully
that the objections taken to it on the first reading were
sound, he explained the new tribunal which ho proposed
to establish for the trial of election causes. Power would
be given to her Majesty to nominate two judges of the
superior oourtg for tits purpose, Who TfOtlid conduct these

inquiries on the spot. They would cease at once to
be ordinary judges, but besides the duty of inves-
tigating into controverted el2ctions, they would act
as members of the Judicial Committee of Privy
Council and of the Exchequer Chamber, or any
other court of appeal which might be establishod
in its place. This arrangement, ho argued, would meet
all the objections urged by the Lord Chief Justice to the
employment of the judges, and also the objections to the
tribunal which the bill as it stood at first proposed to
create.

Mr. GLADSTONE admitted that this new suggestion
was a great improvement on the original tribunal, and
assented to the second reading with tho reservation of full
liberty of future discussion.

The bill was read a second time, on the understanding
that it would be committed pro forma for the insertion of
the necessary amendments.
The London Coal and Wino Duties, the J udgments Ex-
tension, and the Sale of Liquors on Sunday (Ireland) Bills
were road a second time.

Mr. BAXTER gavo notice of au instruction to the Com-
mittee on the Scotch Reform Bill to take the seats neces-
sary for increasing the representation of Scotland from the
Euglish boroughs under 5,000 in population, instead of
adding to tho aggregate numbers of the house.
T ho house then adjourned.

Airival of Colonel Burko in London.
(THIS DAY.)

Burke, Casey, and Shaw left Warwick this
morning, by the 7.50 train, for London, accom-
panied by 15 armed policemen. On their arriving
at Newgate later in the day they were delivered
over to the custody of Mr. Jonas, the governor of
the prison.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.--This Day.

(Before the Assistant Judge.
__ _

William Froud, George Froud, sen., and another
man named Leech, were indicted for assaulting a
sheriff's officer, and also resisting him in the execu-
tion of his duty.

Mr. F. H. Lewis prosecute 3, and Mr. Ribton de-
fended, the prisoners.

Chapman, the sheriff's officer, said that on the
30th December he went to Acton to arrest a person
named George Frond, who kept the Railway
Tavern at that place. When he went into the house
he had two other persons with him, and there he
saw the man he was about to arrest serving in the
bar. Having informed Frond that he had to
arrest him for a debt of £57 he made no
particular observation, but asked to be allowed
to go into the cellar to attend to some
barrels. One of the persons in company with
Chapman went with him, and, on retiring above
stairs, he then washed his hands, and afterwards
made a bolt out of the back door of the house and
escaped. A scene of confusion ensued, when the
prisoners, it was alleged, assaulted the officers, and
they were compelled to leave the house without
retaking their prisoner. Chapman said he was
quite sober when he went to the house, and so were
those who accompanied him. The prisoners not
only obstructed the officers but violently assaulted
them.

Two police-constables, who were on duty near
the public-house, said they heard the cry of police,
and, on going to the place, saw Chapman, who
told them that they had been violently assaulted,
and the prisoners were then given in custody.
For the defence it was urged that Chapman and
his assistant were wholly and entirely to blame.
Mrs. Froud, the wife of the debtor, said the officers
came to the house, and he and his friends having
partaken of some ale, they all entered into conver-
sation with her husband ; but she never beard,
neither did he tell her, the business they had come
upon. Her husband appeared to transact his busi-
ness as usual until some disturbance took place,
when he went out of the back door, the officers go-
ing after him. The other prisoners then spoke to
the officers, when (as the witness alleged) G. Frond,
sen., received a violent blow on the head from one
of the men who charged the prisoners with aiding
and assisting George Froud to escape.
G. Frond, the debtor, said he was at home on
the evening in question when Chapman and his
friends entered the house in a state of intoxication.
They asked to be served with some ale, and know-
ing one of the men he gave them some ale, and then
Chapman came into the bar parlour and told him
what he was about to do. lie (witness) without
the slightest obstruction walked out of the back
door into the yard and concealed himself behind a
wall when the disturbance took place, which he had
a good opportunity of seeing. He was certain the
blows that were struck were inflicted by the prosecutor
or his assistant. He had remained out of the way
ever since, but he believed a proposition had been
made to the effect that if he surrendered himself the
present proceedings would not have been taken, but
he had refused to accept such proposals, because he
believed that the officers had acted in a most unjus-
tifiable manner.

Mr. Lewis said there was an escape warrant for
the witness now in full force, and he asked that he
might be directed not to leave the court.

The Assistant-Judge gave directions accordingly,
but intimated afterwards that he did not do it with
respect to any other civil proceedings.
The jury being unable to agree to their verdict,
the Court proceeded with an indictment against
Mrs. Gordon for keeping a disorderly house in the
Haymarket.

A number of witnesses proved the character of
the house, and some of the " unfortunates" who
frequented the place informed the judge that the
prisoner used to charge very high for her apart-
ments, and that she also used to insist on receiving
five shillings out of every sovereign they received
in her house.

The prisoner said the whole of the witnesses for
the prosecution bad not spoken the truth, and in-
sisted on some witnesses being examined to support
her assertion. The first called was a Mrs. Claxton,
a young widow, who said she had resided some time
with the prisoner, and always thought her a very
nice and respectable person. Another young lady,
occupying apartments at the top of the house, was
called, and she said " her aunt," the prisoner, al-
ways took the greatest care to have none but quiet
people. A " professional lady," another lodger,
was also called to the respectability of the house.
The Assistant Judge, after hearing her, told her
he had a great mind to commit her to gaol. The
prisoner vehemently protested her respectability.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty, and the
Assistant Judge told her her case was bad enough,
as it had been proved, but she had made it worse
by imputing perjury to everybody. The " com-
mission," or whatever it was called, that she exacted,
and thus pillaged the poor objects who frequented
her house, was detestable. Ile then sentenced her
to six mouths' imprisonment with hard labour.