The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-28 00:00:00

STA.FFORDSFLIEE MAGIS- 1
TRATES-CASE OF ELIZA PRICE.
The report of Mr. F. Newman Rogers, the Commissioner ap-
pointed to inquire into certain allegations contained in the petition
of Emza Puler of ill-treatment toward, her on the part of ice/.
constan es of the county of Stafford, and into the manner in which
the magisterial business of the Kingswinford district in Stafford.
♦hire has been conducted, has been presented to both Houses of
Parliament by command of her Majesty. The report fully bears
out the statements already before the public as to the improper
conduct of magisterial business in that district, and is accompanied
by a letter from Sir James Graham to the Earl of Talbot, the Lord-
I ieutenant of the county, of which the following is a copy :
" Whitehall, 30th June, 1845.
"My Lord,—l think it necessary to bring under your Lord-
ship's notice several 'ratters affecting the administration of justice
in the county of Stafford, which have come to lay knowledge in
consequence of the inquiry recently instituted by me into the com-
plaint of Eliza Price. I have the honour to inclose a copy of Mr.
Newman Rogers's report upon this subject, to which I beg to direct
your immediate and particular attention.
•' It appears that, in the Seisdon division of the county, two
petty sessions are periodically held for the same district within a
short distance of each other ; the one at Wordsley, and the other
at the Cross Inn, Kingswinford. This concurrent jurisdiction of
two benches of magistrates within the same division has led to
conflicting judgments, collision, and disputes between the magis.
crates concerning their clerks' fees. It is obviously important at
once to put a stop to such proceedings ; and I beg, therefore, to
impress upon your Lordship how essential it is that immediate
steps should be taken to separate, into two distinct divisions, the
populous district which is now made a subject of contention between
two benches of magistrates. Until this can be legally effected, I
would suggest to your Lordship that the magistrates should be en-
joined to act, by agreement, within certain parishes, or to adopt by
anticipation the division, which I learn is about to be proposed by
a committee of magistrates.
" I regret to find that it has long been a practice in the county
to detain prisoners during the night chained at the stations, and
even at public.houses and beer shops. It would appear, moreover,
that, in subjecting persons taken into custody to this mode of de-
tention, no reference has been made either to the nature of the
offences with which they were charged, or to their condition, or
the probability of their attempting to escape. I am informed that
this practice, though it has been recently abandoned by the con-
stables of the police force, is still resorted to by other constables;
and I would particularly recommend that, through your Lord-
ship's suggestions to the magistrates in quarter sessions,
such directions may be given to the parish constables as will
nce put an end to this practice, which I consider inde-
fensible.

is, at the same time, represented to me that there is a great
want of proper places of temporary confinement, and there is goad
reason to believe that suet irregular proceedings may, in many
cases, have arisen from the neglect to provide convenient lock.up
houses; I beg, therefore, to call your Lordship's attention, and,
through your Lordships the attention of the county magistrates,
to the 12th section of the 3d and 4th of Victoria, c. gS, which
empowers the magistrates to erect suitable buildings for this
purpose.
"Two other irregularities appear in the course of the inquiry,
which do not seem to be confined to the particular case out of which
it arose. I allude to the performance of judicial duties (net mere
Ministerial acts) by magistrates in their private dwellings—a
practice which I consider open to serious objections, and which I
am happy to learn has for some time been decreasing among county
magistrates. The grant of warrants also in trivial cases, where
the attendance of the parties against whom a complaint is made
might be secured by summons, is a course which may unnecessarily
entail upon innocent persons the degradation of criminal custody,
and frequently a useless loss of their time. lam afraid that the
result of this examination proves the existence of dissensions
among the magistrates acting in this district of the county of
Stafford, which are at variance with the public interest, and in-
consists•nt with the due administration of justice.
" In reference to the particular case complained of, I have
learnt with much surprise that Mr. Briscoe, whose conduct the
petition of Eliza Pries brought specially under the notice of Par-
liament, has been in the habit of executing blank warrants of
commitment, and of sending them a distance of seven miles to his
clerk, by a constable, with instructions which it is not clear were
always in writing, to fill them up. lam sure it is unnecessary to
call your Lordship's attention to the serious abuses which such an
irregular proceeding might produce, or to the injurious effect which
so great an informality must have upon the administration of justice.
" There is one other point to which it is necessary I should
advert; I am of opinion, that part of the irregularity which this case
has disclosed, would not have arisen, had she clerks to the magic.
-rates acting at the Cross Inn Petty Sessions been Cully qualified
persons, and I trust that your Lordship will (seem it right to impress
_loon the magistrates how necessary it is that they should be assisted
ID the important business which belongs to the Petty Sessions, by
clerks who possess every qualification necessary to fit them fur the
discharge of such duties.
" After full inquiry and consideration, I regret that I cannot
avoid expressing my disapproval of Mr. Briscoe's conduct. Ido
not attribute to him the improper treatment of Eliza Price, while in
the custody of the constable. But I have already expressed to
him my opinion that it vas a harsh proceeding to issue a warrant
far her apprehension on a charge of common assault, instead of a
summons to appear at the petty sessions. His proceedings, more-
over, as a magistrate, are shown to have been marked by great
irregularity. And I request that your Lordship will impress
strongly upon him the necessity of exercising great caution in his
future magisterial duties, of strictly adhering to those legal forms
of proceeding which are important to the proper administration of
justice, and of preventing, by a more vigilant superintendence of
those who may act under his orders, any unnecessary harshness in
the execution of the law.
" I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's very faith.
ful servant, "J. R. G. GRAHAM.
" Earl Talbot, Lord-Lieutenant of the county of Stafford,
&e.. Ike."

DISTRICT MILITARY PRISONS.
The following general orders have been issued to the Royal
Regiment of Artillery :-
1. It having been officially intimated that the necessary arrange.
ments have been made for the reception of prisoners at the District
Military prisons at Fort Clarence, South Sea Castle, and the Provost
Prisons at Devonport and Athlone, the Master directs that, in con.
formity to the practice laid down for the army, all prisoners of the
Royal Artillery, sentenced by court martial to periods of imprison-
ment above twenty- eight days, be committed to the prisons esta.
Wished within their respective districts, but at those stations where
garrison or barrack cells, of approved construction, have been
erected, and duly certified as fit for the confinement of prisoners, it
is left to the decision of commanding officers to confine prisoners
in such cells, if under sentence for any period not exceeding twenty-
eight days. In all cases when the term awarded is th,t
period, they are to be committed to the prisons of the military
2. It has beets arranged that soldiers of the Royal Artillery sent,
under sentence of court martial, to undergo their imprisonment in
the several buildings set apart by the Secretary-at-War, as district
military prisons, or as provost prisons, agreeably to the 28th sec-
tion of the Mutiny Act, are, for the periods they are actually in
confinement, and subsisted in such prisons, to be distinguished in
the troop or company pay list as being in such prisons ; but no
charge whatever, during their confinement therein, is to be in-
cluded in the pay list, as the cost of ithe subsistence of these men
will be provided in the army estimates as a part of the public ex-
penditure of the district military prisons.
3. In all CUES, however, of soldiers of the Ordnance corps being
sent to undergo the sentences of courts-martial in the civil prisons,
or confined for short periods in the garrison or barrack-cells
established for the purpose, their subsistence not exceeding 6d.
a day will be drawn, as heretofore, in the troop or company's
pay-.fists.
4. The Secretary-at-War has stated, in reply to the Master-
General and boards of inquiry on the subject, that the services of
solciers are not forfeited when sentenced to imprisonment, and
forteiture of pay, by order of the comm,:nding officer, for periods
not exceeding seven days, under the provisions of 52d Article of
War.

TO THE EDITOR OF SUN.
SITS,—I was much pleased to read in your leading article
on Thursday a well-merited eulogium on the gallant ,01.iitis
who pared the way fr Waterloo, by driviAg the French out
of Spain. I ask, Lad those men not fought and bled at the
various battles in Spain (almost too numerous to mention),
who can say that the battle of Waterloo would ever have
taken place? Would not Napoleon have had the whole of
Spain, of Portugal, and of nearly the whole continent of
Europe, under him in the memorable year 1815? Where
then would have been our glory. our Health—nay, what
might have been our country—perhaps a dependency of
France—when ail the English people were killed in uefend-
nig their country and homes from the tyrant? And for-
sooth, because the brave English, Scotch, and Irish (for
whatever the Tories may say about the Irish and rebellion,
they never can say ought against their love of common coun-
try and patriotism when the foe is before them)—well, be-
cause there were 50,000 men killed in fire years, instead of
50,000 killed in one day, we are to have nothing to comme-
morate our victories but the remembrance of our fathers'
wounds? How is it then that the Duke of Wellington was
made (1 think) Marquis of Wellington before the battle of
Waterloo? For, according to his own showing, the soldiers
(i. e. the privates) are to have nothing, because they did not
do their work in one day.
And moreover. the valiant Marquis of Londonderry, no
doubt recollecting how he had got his decorations, his various
ribbons and colonelcies, must needs tell them that petitioning
the Legislature is not the proper way for redress! Very
likely the Marquis may be quite correct. It may not be the
speediest way, but most certainly it is the proper way, for
the soldiers of this country who have not votes in the House
of Lords. I have written these few lines from feeling myself
the injustice of the proceedings. Being the son of one who
served through the whole of the Spanish campaigns, and was
killed at Toulouse ; and because he fell in the cause of his
country two years before the battle of Waterloo, I am not to
have a medal, when other men who were at Waterloo, and
never in action before, have one. This is injustice. Trust-
ing you will always speak out through your excellent paper
on behalf of the poor, I am, Sir, your obliged servant,
Liverpool, July 26, 1845. T. it

FUNERAL OF THE LATE LORD CANTERBURY
(This DaY.)—The mortal remains of the late Right Hon. Charles
Viscount Canterbury were removed this morning from the resi.
dence of his son, the Hon. John Manners Sutton, for interment at
Addington, near Croydon. The funeral cortege left Southwick.
terrace, Oxford.square, shortly after ten, and proceeded to Adding-
ton Church. The remains of the late Noble Viscount are deposited
in the same vault, near to his father the late Archbishop of Can.
terbury. In the first carriage were Lord Canterbury, Hon. John
Manners Sutton, Richard Sanderson, Esq., M.P., and Capt. Fowls.
In the second carriage, Lord John Manners, Lord Manners, John
Manners Sutton, Esq., and Lerd Charles Manners. In the third
carriage, the Rev. T. V. Lockwood, Archdeacon Croft, H. W.
Chichester, Esq., and the Rev. C. Chichester. In the fourth, the
medical attendants of the deceased, Dr. Guthrie and J. Flockton,
Esq. The Right Hon. Henry Goulburn, Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, joined at Croydon. The body of the deceased was inclosed
in a leaden coffin, also inclosed in an outer one of oak, covered
with rich crimson velvet and rich burnished handles and ornaments.
On the plate was inscribed the arms and crest of deceased, and
" Charles, First Viscount Canterbury, and Baron Bottesford, P.C.,
and G.C.8., died on the 21st July, 1845, aged 65 years."
AFPROACHING CHANGE OF QUARTERS AMONGST
THE HOUSEHOLD TROOPS.—On the Ist of September the Ist bat-
talion of Coldstream Guards remove from Winchester to Portman
barracks, the 2d battalion from Windsor to the Tower, the Ist bat.
talion of Fusilier Guards from St. George's Barracks to St. John's
Wood, the 2d battalion from Wellington Barracks to Winchester,
the Ist battalion Grenadier Guards from St. John's Wood to Wel-
lington Barracks, the 2cl battalion from the Tower to Windsor, and
the 3d battalion from Portman- street to St. George's Barracks.
There exists at St. Claude (Jura) a rock, abut
fifty metres in height, which forms a very picturesque object. It
has acquired the name of the Saut de la Pucelle, from a circum-
stance which occurred towards the end of the sixteenth century,
when a young girl accused of witchcraft was allowed to establish
her guilt or innocense by the result of a leap from its summit; and
it so happened that, her clo'hes having become inflated, she was
borne as by a balloon, and came unhurt to the ground. A few days
since a pedlar, in a prosperous way of business, but whose head had
become rather the worse for the copious libations in which he had
been indulging, ascended to the summit, and, exclaiming to scme
persons near, " You shall now see how I am going to settle my
affairs," leaped off, and, as might have been expected, w»s picked
up A corpse.
INSPECTION OF THE SECOND REGIMENT OF LIFE
Gutans.—The half.yearly inspection of thin regiment, under the
command of Colonel Reid, took place on Saturday last, in Wind
Winor
Great Park, by Major-General the Hon. E. P. Lygon, he
regiment having gone through the sword exercise, afterwards per-
formed several evolutions, and were highly complimented by Gene.
ral Lygon, for their excellent discipline and general appearance In
the Atld,