The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-14 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY, MAY 14, 1844.

In the House of Lords, Lord BROUGHAM moved the'
second reading of a Bill for digesting and simplifying
the civil and criminal statutes, His Lordship entered
at considerable length into the anomalous, disjointed,
and often absurd laws which the people of this' coun-
try were bound to obey, though they did noi—nay
even: the best lawyers did not—know one half of
them. Many of these laws
-had become obsolete, yet
on certain occasions they were revived, an some
unfortunate person or another was caught b some
legislative enactment which, till the moil). nt of
t
punishment, had never been heard of by ariy man
living. He moved that the Bill be read asecond
time pro forma, in order that it might be referred to
a Select Committee.
The LORD CHANCELLOR paid a high compliment to
Lord BROUGIIAM for his able exposition of the pre-
sent defective state of the law, and said there could be
no doubt as to the expediency of that part of this
Bill which related to the criminal law, for many of
the enactments were a disgrace to the statute-book,
but he doubted the expediency of applying the same
rule to the common law. He did not think that much
benefit would be derived by sending the Bill to a
Select Committee, and would rather prefer that it
should stand aver till next session. In the meantime
Government would turn their attention to the sub-
ject. Another reason for postponing the measure
was, that the Commissioners who were engaged on
the subject would complete their labours before next
session, and thereby enable all interested in a reform
of such importance to have the ix st means of carrying
it out with effect.
After a few remarks by Lord DmiziAri and Lord ,

CAMPBELL, the Bill was read a second time, and the
House adjourned.
In the Commons, Mr. TIIESIGER took his seat for
Abingdon ; and Mr. SCOTT MURRAY, one of the
Members for Bucks, who has become a Papist, took
the oath administered to Catholics.
A new writ was ordered for. Launceston, in the
room of Sir IL HARDINGE.

Lord ASHLEY presented petitions from several
places in Lancashire, in favour of a Ten Hours' Fac-
tories Bill. _

Mr. WYsE gave notice that, on Wednesday, he
should move for a Select Committee on Art-Unions.

In answer to a question from Colonel WOOD, Sir
J. GRAIIAM said a Bill, founded on the report of the
Welch Commissioners relative to the late disturbances,
was in preparation, and would be introduced next
week.

Mr. LIDDELL complained bitterly, amidst loud
laughter, of the attacks made upon him in the news-
papers in reference to his speech on the Factories
Bill, and said he had never, on any one occasion,
given the slightest symptom that he would support a
Ten Hours' Bill.

Mr. MILNEs opened the adjourned debate on the
Factories Bill, and strongly supported the amend-
ment of Lord ASHLEY. Mr. WARD opposed the
amendment. Mr. M`GEAcity and Mr. lIAwEs
supported it, and Mr. M. SUTTON, as a Member of
the Government, of course declared his intention of
voting against it.
Lord POLLINGTON and Mr. S. WORTLtY, though
both strong supporters of the Government, took the
humane side of the question. The former, in reply to
an assertion that if Lord ASHLEY'S motion was car-
ried, the corn-laws must be repealed, manfully declared
that if the corn-laws rested on such a rotten founda-
tion, he would be the first to vote for their repeal.

Sir R. PEEL entered into a number of statistical
details, to sbOw the hazard and impolicy of interfering
with the trade of the country to the extent proposed
by Lord ASHLEY, and expressed his determination to
oppose the amendment.

Lord J. RUSSELL followed. Ile went into some
statements to prove that the proposed limitation of the
hours of labour would not be productive of the evils
anticipated, and concluded by stating his intention
to vote for the clause.

After a few remarks from Sir R. INGLIS, the House
divided, when the numbers were—

For Lord Ashley's clause .. 159
Against it

Majority against the clause .... - 138

A clause proposed by Mr. BROTIIERTON was nega-
tived without a division. Mr. GRANGER then moved
additions of words to clauses 4, 45, 69, and 70, which
were carried. On a division the Bill was passed by a
majority of 129.
The House then, at Two o'Clock, adjourned.

Though in common, no doubt, with the majority of
our readers,, we anticipated a majority against Lord
ASHLEY'S clause in the Factories Bill, 'yet we could
have had no idea that that majority would have been
so great as the result of last night's division proves it
to have been. How many Tories, like Mr. GALLY
KNIGHT, must have apostatised from the faith which
they maintained—in direct opposition to Ministers—
hut three short weeks since ! How many must have
abandoned their own solemn and deliberate convic-
tions, and unhesitatingly given up their conscience
into the keeping of Government, ere such an untoward,
triumph could hare been achieved! The tergiversation
has not been a retail, but a wholesale, one. It has not
been exhibited in a reluctant, shrinking spirit, but with
the most intrepid effrontery it is possible to conceive.
Scarcely a single Tory apostate seems to have thought
it worth his while even to apologise for his apostacy.
What a humiliating potion does this give us of the
honesty and morality of the House of Commons !
Who henceforth will place faith in its consistency ?
Who henceforth will deem it capable of being influenced
by any other motives than those of truckling •expedi-
ency? We look on the result of last night's division as
furnishing a stronger argument in favour of Chartism
than any that has taken place since the Reform
'Bill. The Premier has evidently inoculated
the House with his own convenient and accom-
modating views of legislation. He has brought the
doctrine of expediency into fashion among Hon.
Members, and lofty, unbending, comprehensive prin-
ciple must no more be looked for among the majority
of the British Senate. The House, in fact, has
ceased to be the House of the People. It has be-
come the great manufacturing firm of PEEL and Co.
It professes to have no interests incompatible with
his—to hazard no experiments but. such as he ap-
proves—to entertain no opinions but such as are part
and parcel of his own idiosyncrasy. He—and he only
—is its " Sir Oracle"—its golden Calf—before whom
it bows down in abject idolatry. Does any man'
doubt this ? - Let him read Sir R. PEEL'S speech last
,night, more especially the bullying threat with which
it concluded; let him mark, too, the.direct, the im-
mediate influence which this threat produced on the
votes, and he will at once see hew complete is the
vassalage in which the Tamworth Doctor holds the
British Commons. One of the strongest pOints—or
rather that which he intended to be the strongest—in,
the Premier's speech, was that where he essayed to
prove the impolicy and hazard of interfering be-
tween the manufacturers and their workpeople. The
point-Was adroitly put, and produced an evident im-
pression on the House ; but as a strong, valid argu-
ment it is worth just nothing at all. Indeed, we re-
gard the whole doctrine of non-interference With
such momentous public questions as the Factory Bill,
as being neither more nor less than a piece of con-
temptible cant, without a leg to stand on, inasmuch as
Parliament has never hesitated to interfere with the
best interests of the people, whenever it suited
it,s own purposes to do so. What was the
corn law, but a direct, arbitrary interference
with the price of the poor man's loaf? What is the
Rural Police, but a direct interference—we might
almost say—with his ordinary liberty of action—a
system of petty espiomwge originating in distrust of
principles and his nature ? What are the In-
closure Acts, but another direct interference with one.
of the few remaining priVileges that the law has left
in his possession? Parliament never hesitates an instant
to interfere against the poor man's interests; but when it
is proposed to interfere in his behalf, then a -howl is get
up that the principle is a dangerous one, and must be
discountenanced at all risks! We .have no patience
'With this mean—partialone-sided system of policy
—this craven doctrine of non-interference, which
owns no nobler inspiration than that dry saw-dust
which does duty for brains in the skull of a Political
Economist ! Possibly before the session closes, some
Tory Member, who voted against Lord ASHLEY,
may deem it his duty to direct the attention of the
House to the necessity of ethicating the poor, benighted
factory children, and take credit to himself for the •
humanity Of his motion. The question has been-
mooted more than once already, and we scarcely think
it will be allowed to drop. But mark the absurdity
not_ to say the insulting irony-7of such' a proposition !.
How are the Young operatives to be educated, when they.
are engaged the whole live-long day in the fac-
tory ? Where is the time to be found for their
instruction ? , Who is to furnish them with the brisk,
unjaded faculties the fresh, vigorous state of
body, so necessary to their intellectual improvement?
The proposition, regarded even in the most favourable
light, is a mere wanton, heartless hypocrisy ; and,. if
brought forward,,as we strongly suspect it will be,'
will meet with its fittest treatment in the laughter
and contempt of every right-minded and consistent
Member.

Madrid papers of the 6th have been received, but
they contain no revs.
The Spanish Funds still continued low,' without
any appearance of improvement. On the 6th the
Three per Cents. closed at 29 for cash, and 29i at 60
days ; and the Five per Cents. at 21 for cash, and
21i at 60 days.

The discussion in the French Chamber of Deputies
was continued on Saturday, when an amendment to
confinement,
the Ministerial plan was moved, to the effect that the
cellular system, meaning solitary en
not be extended at present to the central and should.
not
ro
vincial prisons. This was opposed by the Minister of
the Interior, and on a division rejected, so that all
persons condemned to Lard labour (travaux forces)
for any term exceeding one year, shall be shut up
night and day in separate cells. The horrible cruelty
of such a law, we trust, will awaken the attention of
the French public to the subject. On Saturday M
VzuuzoT, the editor of the Univers, and M. BARRIER,

the responsible agent for that paper, were indicted
for publishing the pamphlet of the Abbe CHAMBALOT,
entitled the " Liberty of Education," and a verdict of
guilty was returned. The Court sentenced them to
be imprisoned for one month and pay a fine
of 3,000 f. each. The following reports from
Italy appear in the Courrier Francais :—" Se-
veral vessels, it is said, have sailed from
Corfu, -without their destination being known. It is
feared that these vessels have been freighted by some
political refugees, with the view of effecting a landing
in Italy. What in some degree corroborates this opinion
is, that in a printing-office at Malta, the police has
seized a large number of proclamations, which were
to have been disseminated in Sicily and on the Italian
continent, and in which the people were exhorted to
rise and recover their independence and liberty.
Almost all the refugees have left Malta, where the
English police molested them, and exercised over
them a troublesome surveillance. On the application
of Prince DE METTERNICH, the Austrian subjects of
the Lombardo-Venetian kingdom, who had retired to
the lonian Islands, have been expelled from thence."
At TORTONI'S, on Sunday, the Three per Cents.
were quoted at 84f. 40c.

Tim COURT.—Her Majesty and Prince Albert, ac-
companied by their Royal Highnesses the Prince of
Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice,
and attended by the Royal suite, arc expected to leave
Buckingham Palace this afternoon for Claremont,
where the Royal party are expected to remain until
Thursday next.

THIS DAY'S NEWS

COMMON PLEAS.-(THIS DAY.)
(Sittings at Nisi Prius, before Lord Chief Justice TINDAL

and a Common Jury, at Guildhall.)
SKUNDER r. STRATTON.

Mr. Sergeant Talfourd and Mr. Warren were for the plain-
tiff; Mr. Sergeant Channell and Mr. Cole for the defendant.
This was an action to recover damages from the defendant,
Mrs. Stratton, for an injury done to the plaintiff's horse. It
appeared that in the latter part of last year, the defen-
dant was driving in a phmton from Grosvenor-square,
along Mount-street, and as she was turning into
South Audley-strect, the shaft of the phaeton struck the
plaintiff's horse on the off shoulder, which considerably in-
jured him. It was proved that the horse, before the injury,
was worth 201., and that it was sold afterwards for 50s. It was
alleged on the part of the defendant, that the injury arose
from the neglect of the plaintiff, who was on the look-out
for a fare instead of attending to his horse and cab.
The jury retired for a short time, and soon returned with a
verdict for the plaintiff—Damages, 201.

UNION HALL.-(THIS DAY.)
Thomas Leary, a well-known young thief, was charged
before Mr. Traill with stealing four pairs of gold ear-rings
from the shop of Mr. Morris, jeweller, in Snow's-fields.
It appeared that in February last the shop window of Mr.
Morris was cut with a glazier's diamond, in which were ex-
hibited several articles of jewellery. A lad who witnessed
the circumstance saw the prisoner and two other boys (since
convicted) standing near the complainant's window at the
time, and observed one of them introduce a stick with
a crook at the end of it into the aperture of the pane of glass,
and draw out some gold earrings, which he handed over to
the prisoner, who immediately ran away. Two of the offen-
ders were taken the same evening„ but the prisoner managed
to elude-discovery until the preceding night, when he ven-
tured back to his old quarters, and was taken into custody.
The prisoner was remanded to give an opportunity of find-
ing the stolen articles.

Harriet Edwards was charged with striking a woman,
named Glindon, with a " life-preserver" on the head, and
inflicting a severe wound, from the effects of which she was
suffering.
The parties, who live in one of those disreputable streets
leading out of the Waterloo-road, had a dispute on Sunday
night, in the course of which the prisoner and her sister at-
tacked the complainant and beat her in a very brutal manner.
Mr. TRAILL convicted the prisoner, and sentenced her to
pay a fine of 31., or be committed for six months. The
Magistrate gave directions to apprehend her sister, as she
seemed to have been the chief aggressor in the outrage, and
said he should commit her for trial.

lIIURDER AT BATTERSEA.

WANDSWORTH POLICE COURT.-(TIIIS DAY.)

This being the day appointed for the re-examination into
the circumstances attending the murder of the female, Sarah
Eleanor M`Farlane, upon Battersea-bridge, on the night of
Monday, April 29, a very great crowd of persons assembled in
the street leading to the Court-house, no doubt with the in-
tention of seeing the prisoner, who was, however, by the
admirable arrangements of Superintendent Bicknell, who is
entrusted with the getting up of the case, brought down as
early as eight o'clock, and lodged in a house adjacent, until
the hour appointed for opening the Court.
. . . . . . .

Soon.after ten o'clock Mr. Clive entered and took his seat
on the bench, and a few night charges having been heard,
the prisone: was then brought in and placed at the bar. He
exhibited the same nonchalance that had before so much dis-
tinguished his conduct. , Mr. Gilliam, his solicitor, had been
in attendance at an early hour.
Timothy Wells, 83 V, was the first witness examined—
Remembers the 29th of April, and was on duty on the Chel-
sea side of Battersea-bridge that evening. It mit be a
quarter before eleven when I heard the cries of "Murder,"
apparently from the bridge. The voice sounded like that of
a young girl's, and when I ran on the bridge I met a young
• girl with a horse and cart. I asked her if she had called
" Murder?" She said she had. I asked why? She replied,
because her father got out of the cart, and would not come
along. She said Pais was all she cried murder for, and
I then got back on the Chelsea side. Soon after
a man came running, and asked if a horse and cart and girl
had passed over. I said yes, and he then drove back the
horse and cart again. I asked him if anything was wrong
over the bridge, and he said a woman had got her head he if
cut off. I said why did you not tell me so before, and I ran
over to the toll-house and saw a pool of blood, found the wo-
inan in the Swan, and then rau for a superior officer, Sergeant
No. 14 V.
By Mr. Gilliam—,Do not recollect seeing the witness Cook,
and am sure that he did not speak to we on the bridge.
_John Timmons—l am a carman to Mr. Halding, coal mer-
chant. Remember the night of the 29th of April. Was the
worse for liquor, but knew what I was about. Was standing
on that night at my master's stables, in Duke-street. I was
standing with James Cook, and heard a man call " Police,"
who afterwards said a woman had cut her throat on Batter-
sea-bridge. No one was with me but Cook. The man called
" Police, police," aloud, " a woman has cut her throat on
Battersea-bridge." Those were the words he said. lld stood
against the. church wall, at the corner of Church-street, when
I saw him. He had on a surtout coat, but I would not know
him again. I then went to attend to my work.
By Mr..Gilhain-,-Cook had been with me about five mi-
nutes. I can't sayhow long he was with me. I am sure it was
after half-past 'ten, because I had brought my horses home,
and before I got to the stables I heard ten strike. I was in
the King's-road when it struck. No one but Cook and I
were together. Cook and I have spoken about the thing since
he was brought.up:here. The only thing I had drank was
beer, but I could both stand steadily and my work. The
man was not running when I saw him ; he was standing
,when he said the woman had cut her throat. I did not see
where Cook went, to, as at that moment I turned and went
to finish my work.
Wells recalled—lmmediately on seeing the man with the
cart, I went to the toll-house. Know Cook, but did not see
him on that night.
Cook recalled,
Wells—l did pot to my, knowledge see this man Cook, but,
he might have stun over the bridge with the other persons'
who followed me immediately.
William Evelio, :a boy of 15, was next called, and after
being examinee as to the nature and obligation of an oath,
said, that he lived:in Alanners'atreet,,Chelsea, and about 25
minutes to eleven, Ctiy,,,a man .and worDan standing on the
bridge. A few.tinialitea.after heardia faint scream, and saw
the woman run from the top of the bridge towards the toll-
house. She was running towards the toll-house when Mr.
Hall caught her. The woman had a straw-bonnet and dark
'shawl. He thought it was the same woman who screamed
that lie afterwards 'saw at the toll-house. I thought she said
:at the toll-gate that:" a man had cut her throat," she said,
" Cut my throat." Did not see the man when the woman
was running.
By Mr. Gilhatn—Two
.minutes after I saw the man and
woman together, I • heard the scream, but did not see the
man then....

By Mr. Cuvg-4 saw them together, but had my eyes off
them just before I heard the Ecream.
. Superintendent Bicknell, was recalled, and his evidence
respecting the letters produced yesterday was read over. On
the. Tuesday morning following the murder went over the
bridge and found the first spot of blood near the first lamp-
post. on the Middlesex side. Traced it to within fourteen or
fifteen yards of the Battersea toll-gate, and there I found a
pool of it, not on the side-walk but in the centre of the road.

By Mr. CLIVE-4ie first spot of blood was nearer the
Middlesex than the Surrey side. I should think that a per-
son standing at the toll-house might see two persons stand-
ing at that lamp. I do not think, however, they would
see the whole as they would be down a declivity. I saw
another pool of blood about seven yards from the toll-house,
and another at the toll-gate.
Wm. Daniel Andrews, living at Bolingbroke Gardens, Bat-
tersea, was at home in bed when he heard of the deceased's
death. She is my sister, and her name is Sarah Eleanor. I
found the paper produced, marked No. 11, in the deceased's
clothes' chest, at her house, 13, Bridge-road, Battersea. I
gave it to Mr.. Bicknell, the superintendent, on the Tuesday
imorning.
The paper was then read in Court, and ran thus :
. "To hll those whom it may. concern, I hereby declare
that I have made a Solemn promise to Sarah Eleanor M'Far-
lane to marry her, and for that purpose I have published
the banns in the church of Kensington, and rimy° also bound
myself in the sum of 5001. in the current money of
the realm, not to marry any other person, and in case of my
decease before such fulfilment of my promise, I annex my
will, by which -I give to Sarah Eleanor.M‘Fprbine all pro-
perties am now possessed of, or may get afterwards by
inheritance or otherwise. My present property, consisting of
two dwelling-houses in my native city of Tours on the Loire,
in the kingdom of France, now in trust of Jean Landed, I
so bequeath ; as also all moneys, or any other my personal
property."
(Signed by Augustus Dalmas, and addressed to the de-
ceased. The will was dated the 12th of March, 1844).
Richard Messenger was then called, and gave similar evi-
dence to what he had before given. He had seen a man
looking over the bridge, and found the wounded woman at
the toll-house. Would not know the man again.
• Mrs. Messenger was also called, but neither could she
identify the party.
Frances Scott, housekeeper to Mrs. D'Oyley, of Bolton-
place, merely proved that the deceased had come with the
prisoner's youngest daughter, on the night of the murder,
and that the deceased had 'waited about ten minutes, and then
went off. Witness observed a man walking before the house.
Would not know him again.
By Mr. Gilham—Prisoner's daughter had afterwards
discharged herself.. She had not been told to go and see her
father hanged.
Edward Tyne, 25, Montpelier-square—ls a licensed
victualler there. On the evening of the 29th of April, I
should say about a. quarter past eleven, the prisoner at the
bar came in and asked for half a pint of beer and a pipe of
tobacco, lie then went away.
M oparysh"," 5, ---- ence—ia
in
street,a Russell
-santarthe,e
IHwomeeenopf
tPn thelenty
coffee
morning of Tuesday, the 30th of April, at 5 o'clock. When
I went to take the shutters down, I saw a man standing
alone under the arch. Fiye minutes evirwards, he came in