The Sun.
London, England, 1828-03-19 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

DONCASTER SPRING MEETING.—MARCH 17.
Our Races commenced to-day, and were both nume-
rously and respectably attended, all the principal Nobility
and Gentry of the County being present. The following
is a return of the sport, which was excellent :
The Craven Stakes of 10 sovs. each, two-yr-olds, 6st. 41b.
three, Bst. 41b. four, 9st. five, 9st. 51b. six and aged,
9st. 91b. One mile.
Mr. Houldsworth's ch. c. Vanish, 2 yrs 1
Mr. Hopkinson's b. f. Eliza, 2 yrs 2
Lord Scarbrough's b. f. sister to Tarrare, 3 yrs 3
Sir J. Byng's ch. c. Pedlar, 3 yrs 4
Vanish was never headed, and won easy
The Trial Stakes of 10 sovs. each, and 10 added, for hun-
ters, four-yr-olds, I Ist. 121 b. five, 12st. 81b. six, 13st.
and aged, 13st. 21b. Three miles.
Mr. Whittaker's ch. h. The Justice, 4 yrs 1
Mr. Smith's br. g. Candidate, 6 yrs 2
Mr. W. Tute's b. g. Chance, 4 yrs 3
Two paid.—Won easy.
A Silver Cup, value 50 sovs., given by G. S. Foljambe,
Esq., for horses hunted with Lord Scarbrough's hounds;
welter weights. Pour miles.
Mr. Martin's b. m. Lady Easby, 6 yrs 1
Mr. Harrison's b. h. Blendcorn, 5 yrs 2
Mr. Haywood's ch. c. Morton, 5 yrs
Three others started, but were not placed.—Won easy.
The Ringston Hill Stakes of 5 sovs. each, four-yr-olds,
12st. five, 13st. six and aged, 13st. 41b. From the
Red House, once round to the Ending Post.
Mr. Gordon's ch. g. Cataline, aged 1
Mr. Clarke's ch. h. His Worship, 4 yrs
Seven paid.---A fine race, and won by half a neck.
The Badsworth Stakes were walked over for by Mr.
Earnshaw's ch. h. Remus.

FIGHT BETWEEN DICK ACTON AND NICHOLLS
(A NEW BRISTOL MAN), FOR £25 A SIDE.
This fight was fixed to come off at Hayes Common.—
" 'Twas on this spot, in ancient lore oft fam'd,
Jack Randall and Joe Parish once held sway."
Poor Jack ! The vallies shone in their native loveli-
ness, and the hardy sons of Surrey, and "Men of Kent,"
streamed to this pastime of the brave and bold, when he
sprang like a zephyr on the velvet turf (in 1817), and
finished off his man with the agility of an antelope. Poor
Jack ! The vallies still smiled—the unsophisticated sons
of nature, rough and ready as their sheep-dogs, left the
plough and harrowfor the truly British pleasures of the mill
—the milk-maids, ripe and ruddy as summer peaches, smiled
on their swains as they scoured through the briars and
brake ; but poor Jack smiled no more. He was hit
out of time last Wednesday, in consequence of toe often
acting as his own bottle holder. It was here, however,
that many a tale was told of his fistic prowess among the
joakins; and one might, almost fancy that his youthful shade
smiled o'er the ripg he had so honoured—" But
Jack's no more, and so no more of Jack." Other,
but inferior heroes were to grace the scenes, and as the
anxious hour approached all were ready at the rendezvous,
the Shirly Arms, Shirly Common, about three miles from
Croydon. From information received, however, it was
deemed expedient to prefer a meadow in Addington Lodge
Bottom, about two miles distant; thither as pretty a ring
was formed as ever contained a hero. The men were
near at hand, Nichols appeared rather fleshy than
otherwise, but in excellent spirits. He had been train-
ing at the Jolly Sailor at Norwood. The arena was in a
valley of the most picturesque description, and the hills
forming a sort of ampitheatre, were studded with groups
of the natives—male and female. The betting was about
five and six to four on Nichols. Mr. Cato, however, a
country Magistrate, interfered, and sent them all a-going
again. Smitham Bottom was then named, and to it they
went across the country like wildfire. The ring was then
pitched, and Nichols was waiting for full an hour, but
Acton from some mistake did not make his appearance.
The owner of the ground, Mr. Landsear, again interrupted
them, and went to fetch a Magistrate, who appeared,
and said no fight should take place there. The Fancy
then adjourned to Wimbledon-common, where they
had hardly pitched when Mr. Cato again appeared, and a
move then took place to Middlesex. While the lads of the
ring were some of them stopping with Acton, John Martin
and Young Dutch Sam came into collision, and same
words ensued, during which Martin challenged him to fight
for love. Sam however declined. When disturbed at
at Wimbledon Common twice, they removed to Parson's
Green, and the ring was made for the fifth time at ten mi-
nutes past five.

Acton Caine in first, and was loudly cheered ; he seemed
in excellent condition. Nichols followed. The preli-
minaries were settled, and the men went to work, Oliver
and Reuben Martin looked after Nichols, and Peter
Crawley and H. Holt assisted Acton.
At twenty-one minutes past five the men set to—they
were well matched in size, and Acton made play first, but
nothing was done; they rallied, and Acton drew first
blood from the butcher's left eye. Sparring again—
when Acton put in a heavy right-hander, but was
floored by a body hit.—(Loud cheers for Nichols.)
2. Beth cautious, Nichols made play, but Acton jumped
away laughing. Nichols stopped a straight lefthander,
he fought cool and fretted the other, and was taken for
choice, he however seemed weak; both then went in to
rally, at which Acton had the best of the hitting but was
thrown.

3. Acton let loose, but was stopped cleverly—encore.
Nichols then began but did no mischief, he tried again and
caught the other heavily on the head, and followed up his
hits till he floored him.

4. Nichols began, jobbed the other cleverly, and
floored him by a body blow.
5. Acton piping like a bullfinch ; Nichols led in, a ter-
rible rally, and both gave and took terrible punishment,
Nichols was, however, swung down.
6. Nichols the favourite everywhere. He led as before,
and Acton seemed almost useless; at length he was hit
badly in a rally, and received such a desperate fall on his
head and neck that he lay like a log, and all the efforts
of his seconds could not make him hear " time." Nichols
was therefore declared the winner, in 14 minutes, and
we left Acton senseless on the ground. Some, however,
mentioned the word " cross," but, we hope, only to sig-
nify that Acton lost his temper.

The RECORDER will make his report of the
prisoners that were capitally convicted at the last Old
Bailey Sessions, to the KING in Council, this day, at St.
James's Palace.

GLASGOW
mcceopdntsietohqneueronefcceeanoftfewitecul,ptorrita7jogien:peoloifußgblavnndS
MARKETS, MARCH 15.--In
lint ktehliti,
etuidg: withlittle a to
e
week ; the Sales are only 21 hhds. of Strong Brown
Jamaictis, that were taken by a Refiner at 625., being a
full price. Refined Sugars are very scarce and wanted, and
are
selling freely.—No sales made in Demerara Molasses,
which are now offering at 255. 6d. a 269.—Nothing
whatever done in Coffee, Pimento, or Ginger.—The Sales
made in Jamaica Rum are confined to small parcels taken
by the Trade at 3s. 2d. ; nothing done in Leewards,
which are held at 2s. Id. for Proofs.—The sales made in
cotton amount to 1,557 Packages; prices continue the
same.—ln Jamaica Logwood there has been nothing done ;
the inconsiderable supply at market is held at six guineas.
—Ashes are dull; the transactions are confined to retail
parcels at former prices.—Nothing whatever done in
Tobacco, prices are without variation.—RussianY. C.
Tallow is dull, and prices rather lower ; large parcels 465.,
and small 47s.—Fish Oils steady ; Whale at 19/. 10s. a
20/. ; Cod 20/. a 21/. ; and Pale Seal, 221. a 23/. per
tun, old measure.—We have had large arrivals of Grain
from Ireland this week. The finer qualities of Wheat are
in fair demand, while inferior samples are dull. A consi-
derable business has been done in Oats, at a decline of 6d.
per boll ; latterly the trade has been more firm. Prime
Malting Barley Scarce, and in good request.

Mr. Maurice Fitz Gerald—Consideration of the Petition for
leave to deposit plan, &c. in the Private Bill Office,
and proceed with the Tralee Canal Bill.
ORDERS OF THE DAY FOR THIS DAY.
I. Supply—Committee.
2. Ways and Means—Committee.

NOTICES GIVEN YESTERDAY.
Thursday, March 20.
Mr. Lamb—Bill to regulate the office of Sheriff and Sub-
Sheriff in the Counties of Ireland.
Tuesday, March 25.
Mr. Ferguson—Petition from the British, Native, and
other Inhabitants of Calcutta, respecting the Law of
Real Property within that Settlement, and particu-
larly respecting the liability of such property as as-
sets (in the hands of Executors and Administrators)
to the payment of the debts of the deceased.
Friday, March 28.
Mr. Charles Grant—Consideration of the present state
of the Laws affecting the Corn Trade.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, MARCH 18.

The Lord Chancellor took his seat on the woolsack at
five o'clock.

Sir A. GRANT, and others from the Commons, brought
up the Westminster Sessions Bill.
Sir W. GUISE brought up the Cheltenham Road Bill.
Sir H. COOPER brought up a Road Bill.
Sir A. GRANT brought up a Bill for erecting a chapel of
ease in a parish in the county of Essex.
Lord COLCHESTER presented a petition from the
corporation of Colchester, against any further concessions
to the Catholics, or any concessions which would endanger
the Constitution.—Laid on the table.
Lord KING brought forward his petition against
any further grant of money to the Society for the
propagation of the Gospel in North America.—
The petition was signed by a Clergyman of the name
of Griffin, who had been to the United States.—
The grounds on which it was presented were the inefficiency
of the society, the misinformation given to those who
directed it, and likewise considerable abuses that existed
in the distribution of its funds. Against the petitioner's
moral character nothing whatever could be said, and
the Noble Lord believe him to be a person fit to
be accredited, in as much as an offer had been made
to him by a person coming from the Society, first
of 50/., then of 1001., if he would not bring the sub-
ject before the public. • The Society for the Propa-
gation of the gospel was incorporated in 1701, and existed
for more than a century on voluntary subscriptions.—
About 1814, grants from the Crown towards its
support first began. Those grants increased until
in the estimates of the present year the sum
for it appeared to be 16,180/. and there was reason to
believe the society intended to call for a con-
siderable deal more. The society had found out that Go-
vernment was a good milch cow.. Their Lordships had
all heard of this society; but he believed that very few
knew the purposes for which it was originally formed.—
The object of the society at the time it was first incorpo-
rated was declared to be, to form a society for the purpose
of providing learned and orthodox Clergymen for the ad
ministration of God's word and sacrament in the aorth
American colonies, where, for the lack of spirit, the
King's subjects were abandoned to infidelity, atheism,
Popery, superstition, and idolatry. In those colonies, the
great majority of the inhabitants were not of the Church q,fi
England, but Presbyterians, Baptists, and other persuil
sions, yet the funds of the society derived frond
the public were devoted to the maintenance of
Church of England Clergymen. The society stated
their object to be the maintenance of learned and
orthodox Clergymen. Did they then mean to say that
Presbyterians were not orthodox ? The Government had,
however, given salaries to Presbyterians, yet the society,
confined their funds strictly to the maintenance of clergy-
men of the Church of England in those colonies where the
majority of the inhabitants were not of that persuasion.
This, he asserted, was not a fair distribution of the funds.
Was it proper that money should be taken from the public
for the maintenance ofan establishment which did not snit
the population of the country? Having stated to their
Lordships the original objects for which the society had
been formed, he would now call to their recollection one
material alteration which had taken place since its institu-
tion. In 1792 or 1793, when the Bill for settling Ca-
nada passed the Parliament, one-tenth part of the lands
were set apart for the maintenance of the Protestant
Clergy. An attempt had lately been made exclusively to
appropriate that grant to the benefit of the episcopal
clergy. That attempt had been resisted, and he hoped
successfully; for a more narrow interpretation could not
be given to that law, than by appropriating exclusively
to the Church of England that which was given for
the maintenance of the Protestant Clergy of all de-
nominations, whether Episcopal, Presbyterian, Bap.
tist, or any other persuasion. The Church of Eng-
land establishment, he was sorry to say, when carried
out across the Atlantic, exported with it the original sin
which beset it in this country,—namely, a useless expense,
and the sins of pluralities and non-residence. In the co-
lony of Nova Scotia one Clergyman was Archdeacon of the
rectory of St. Paul's, with an income of 800/. per annum,
Ecclesiastical Commissioner, with a salary of 3001. per
annum, and, in addition to those emoluments, he received
from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel 2001.
yearly as a missionary. That was what he called being a
pluralist ; and this person was the proto-pluralist of the
North American Colonies. The first person who united
in his person and in his purse those three offices was
Bishop Inglis, Bishop of Nova Scotia, who, he (Lord
King), thought resembled very much a certain Minister of
State in this country, who some years ago, if he was not
mistaken, united in his person the offices of the President
of the Board of Controul, the Treasurer of the Navy, and
Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland, who, he believes],
augmented the emoluments while he held those offices.—
Bishop Inglis might very properly, he thought, be described
as the ecclesiastical Dundas of the colonies. To return to
the subject of the pluralists—the ultra-pluralists they
might well be called—he would state to their
Lordships the emoluments of the professors of divinity.
There were three professors of divinity in the colonies,
with a salary of 800/. a year. Each of those professors
also received from the Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel, the sum of 2001. yearly. He did not think that
that was a proper distribution of the funds of the Society.
He could not see, if a person received a salary as a pro-
fessor of divinity, what need there was to give him 2001.
besides as a missionary. There were also one or two in-
stances of Archdeacons getting 2001. from the society as
missionaries. He now came to the class of non-residents.
Bishop Stanger, not finding it convenient to stay in Ame-
rica, came to reside in England, and received from the funds
of the society a pension of 1,000/. Four missionaries who
resided in England were also receiving a pension from the
society; and the missionary sent to Quebec lived in Prince
of Wales's Island, which was only about 800 miles dis-
tant from Quebec, and received a salary of 2001. a year.
In looking over the report printed by the society, he found
that there were forty missionaries in Canada receiving
each an income of 2001. yearly. The greater part of
these salaries were paid out of taxes collected from
the people in England. There were also four school-
masters there; who received salaries from 15/. to 204
though they were quite as useful, he thought, as mis-
sionaries. Their Lordships should remember, too, that
the people of England were paying for the maintenance of
the clergy, in a country where one-tenth part of the whole
lands were set apart for that very purpose ; but the clergy
were not satisfied with that provision, but were calling out
for further grants. That provision for their maintenance
had been first made, as be stated before, in 1813, under a
Noble Lord who was much interested in the Colonies, in
the times of profusion, extravagance, and Mr. Vansittart,
who made a very bad Chancellor of the Exchequer. In
looking at the estimates of the present year, he found that
Government gave salaries of 70/. to two Ministers, to a
minister of the Church of Scotland, 50/. ; to another,
100/. ; and to the Lord Chief Justice, 850/. In com-
paring the salaries paid by Government to those clergy,.
men, with the salaries granted by the society, he found
a great disproportion, the latter amounting to 2001. or
300/. He therefore asserted that the controllers of the
funds of the society were most unprofitable stewards.—
He would advise the Right Reverend Prelates, if they did
not credit his statement, to turn to the Noble Duke,

the First Lord of the Treasury, and ask him what he
paid for the Ministers of the Church of England and
•Scotland in the Colonies. When the Noble, Duke in-
formed them .that be paid 701. to those ministers, while
the stewards of the society's fund wrote down 2001. and
3001., they would be convinced that those stewards were
verily and indeed wise in their generation. Me would now
draw their Lordships' attention to the expenses of this so-
ciety at home, and he found in the report of the society
that the total income of the society amounted to 28,0001.
and their Lordships would be surprised to hear what pro-
portion of that sum was appropriated to the management
of the society's affairs. No lees a sum than 1,9601. was
applied to that purpose. The different items of that ex-
pence were for officers' salaries, about 760/. ; for taxes
21/. ; for printing and binding the anniversary sermon
Ind report, 666/. ; expenses attending the meeting, 70/. ;
committee and other expenses, about 245/. ; making in
the whole nearly 2,000/. He did not believe that Govern-
ment had ever, in the most extravagant times, expended
the same proportion of its income for paying the expenses
of the Administration. If the society were only expend-
ing their OWN money, they might do as they pleased, but
it was quite another matter when they called upon the
public to pay the sum which they required. It might per-
haps be told him that the petitionerwas exceedingly trouble-
some, and that it was very difficult -to find any one to agree
with him. The petitioner had, however, explained to
him (Lord King) the reason of that difficulty. By a ge-
neral rule of the Society, the Missionaries were directed to
send home a report of the exact state of affairs in` the
place to which they were sent—to state where they found
no churches, nor congregations, and always to report the
truth. The petitioner followed the direction of that rule,
but was informed by Bishop Inglis that he must not do so,
as the Society, did not like to hear unfavourable accounts.
If a person told the truth, after being informed that the
truth was not wished to be heard, well might he be consi-
dered as a person with whom no one could agree. It was,
however, the duty of the trustees of the Society to encou-
rage one who spoke the truth, and to endeavour to find out
where and bY whom they were imposed upon. The Bishop
who thus put himself forth as the keeper of the conscience
of the Society was the same person as the proto-pluralist,
and he certainly had well provided for himself by first
uniting three offices in his own person. His Lordship
stated that the petition was a very long one, but he would
mention the leading heads of it. The petition states the
origin of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel ; it
then goes en to say, that in 1814 began the grants to it
from Parliament, and that in the space of 14 years it re-
ceived no less than 131,8121. drawn from taxes imposed on
the people, and 43,0001. collected under the King's autho-
rity, making a total, exclusive of voluntary contribu-
tions, of 174,8121. Still more money was required if he
were to judge from the report of the society, and the ser-
mon preached by Dr. Philpotts. The petitioner was a
clergyman of the Church of England, who had gone out to
Nova Scotia, and had been transferred from place to place,
with great inconvenience to himself, and from being a wit-
ness to the abuses in the management of the society's funds,
he was prepared to prove that more injury than benefit to
the objects of. the Society was the result. The petitioner
stated, that the trustees were grossly imposed upon by art-
ful representations. His Lordship then mentioned several
instances of reports having been made of new churches
being built, and congregations attending in them, in conse-
quence of which salaries were given to missionaries to per-
form religious duties, which reports were in the end found
to be false, the new churches, in many cases, being nothing
more than empty shells, without boards or coverings. He
stated that the established religion, instead of increasing
was losing ground, and public money was granted for the
purpose of paying missionaries to persuade the people of
Lower Canada, where the Roman Catholic was the esta-
blished religion, to reject the errors of Popery,—thus main-
taining a war against the established religion of the coun-
try. His Lordship then presented the petition, which was
signed by Cornelius Griffin.
The Bishop of LONDON did not think it necessary to
follow the Noble Lord through all the various particulars
of his long speech. Many of the statements of the peti-
tioner were full of misrepresentation ; and he considered the
support which the Society for the Diffusion of the Gospel
obtained, as a full indication that that it had, in the public
estimation, fully discharged the objects for which it was
established. Before the year 1813, he understood that the
Society paid from its own funds 701. a-year to each mis-
sionary, and no one could think that sum too much, to in•
duce clergymen to leave this country. The Government
having also made a grant of 701. to ministers in the Ameri-
can colonies, it was thought that it would be more conve-
nient if the Society was allowed to be the channel for the
distribution of that money to the members of the Esta-
blished Church. The Society had undertaken that duty
with no view to the private advantages of individuals, nor
with any desire of increasing its patronage. In fact, there
was always a great difficulty in persuadiug clergymen
to go out as missionaries. After that period Lord
Bathurst recommended to Parliament to grant a sum
in aid of the designs of the Society, by which it was
enabled to raise the salaries of the missionaries to
two hundred pounds. In the year immediately subse-
quent to the peace, the population of the American colonies
increased to a great extent ; and upon the recommenda-
tion of the society, Government was induced to make a
pecuniary grant to enable the society to pay additional re-
ligious instructors for the increased population, and in no
case had that money been lavishly expended. The Noble
Lord had made some remarks with respect to the building
of new churches, but he should remember that churches
took a long time building, and that they must at one time
have been only shells. There were, he could assure the
House, no less than 101 churches in Nova Scotia, 20 were
building, and 20 more were wanted. With respect to the
I credit due to the petitioner, though he did not wish to say
any thing harsh towards him, yet he must say that he was
very violent and vehement in his temper, and if the peti-
tion had been read at length to their Lordships, they would
have been able to judge for themselves of the temper of the
petition, from the expressions which it contained. The
Learned Prelate then read an extract from a letter of Bishop
Inglis, addressed to the society, stating the unfitness of Mr.
Griffin as a missionary, and complaining of the violence
of his temper, and his insolence towards several Mis-
sionaries. As to the lavish expenditure of public
money attributed to the society by the Noble Lord, a very
slight acquaintance with their proceedings would be
sufficient to prove that the charge was unfounded.
After some further observations, which were delivered in a
tone of voice that was quite inaudible below the bar—as
we regret to say that the greater part of the Right Rev.
Prelate's speech was—he concluded by expressing his
readiness to answer any question the Noble Lord might
wish to put to him, or to supply any omission he might
have made in the course of his address.

Lord KING observed, that the real question was, whe-
ther the Society had not mismanaged the public money—
a charge from which it did not appear to him that the Right
Rev. Prelate had extricated them. The character of the
petitioner had nothing to do with the question ; it was the
conduct of the Society that required to be investigated, and
as the Right Rev. Prelate had acknowledged his ignorance
upon some of the topics which it involved, that was a good
reason amongst others why the House should appoint a
Committee to inquire more minutely into the subject.
Earl BATHURST should oppose any motion for a
Committee, on the ground that no case had been made out
to attach suspicion to the conduct of the society,—a
society characterised by the most exemplary devotedness to
the great cause in which they were engaged. The Noble
Lord had assumed that the whole of their duties were
limited to the North American Colonies, but that was only
a small part of the vast territory over which their labours
extended. They had, besides their numerous Missionaries;
a correspondence with all parts of the world. conducted at
an expense of not more than 5001. or 6001. a-year. After
what the Right Rev. Prelate had already said, he (Earl
Bathurst) should not have felt himself called upon to offer
any observation, if the Noble Lord had not alluded to a
measure introduced by him some years ago, and described
by the Noble Lord as the first instance in which public
money had been advanced to the society. It was a mistake
to represent that as the first period when public money
was advanced to them, for at all times since their institu-
tion it was customary to charge the public 701. for every
Missionary ; but no Missionary was appointed without. a
recommendation from the Governor of the Province,
stating that such an appointment was necessary. There
was something very peculiar in the state of the Colonies
with respect to those ecclesiastical affairs. At the
time these Colonies were established, the Church of
England was established also within the various (Hs,
tricts. Unfortunately, however, it happened that while
they established the Church, they forgot to snake

any provision for the Clergy ; they even forgot to pro-
vide them with houses to live in, or with churches to
preach in, or to take any one of the necessary steps which
were required to give effect to their intention. It was
owing in a great measure to this society that the negli-
gence of the Legislature was obviated. What had been
since done was done by them. On looking to Nova Scotia
and New Brunswick, they would. find that there was a
considerable growing demand in those colonies, which
called for and obtained the active exertions of the society.
The Right Rev. Prelate had justly said that no new church
was built, and no new clergyman appointed, without an
application from the inhabitants, who contributed to the
expence of building the church and making the other ar-
rangements. The Noble Lord had said that there was a
provision for that purpose of one-tenth of the waste lands.
It was true that there was not a tenth, but a seventh of
those lands granted for the building of new churches. But
the lands were altogether waste and unproductive, and it
could not be expected that the colonists would show so
great an attachment to the Church of England as to pay
for that land which was in reality of no use, and which
they could get for nothing from the Government. In
fact, it produced nothing; so that the clergy were obliged
to come to the Government or to this society.
Lord CALTHORPE expressed his coniktion that the
proceedings of that truly valuable society need not shrink
from any investigation, on which account he was rather
disposed to approve the appointment of a Committee. At
the same time he felt that the House would net deal more
unfairly towards the petitioner, than be had dealt towards
others, if they refused to enter into the merits of the society
at his request. With regard to the proceedings of the so-
ciety in North America, he was not sufficiently acquainted
with them to say how they were conducted. He knew enough
of their conduct, however, to pronounce generally that their
management of the funds was most judicious and beneficial.
When their Lordships considered how unequal all the assist-
ance that could be afforded by societies of this nature was
to the spiritual wants of the people, they would not be sur-
prised at the expenditure which had taken place from time
to time. On looking at our empire in India alone, how vast
a field presented itself for the benevolent exertions of those
who took an interest in the cause of religion. The in-
habitants of that vast region could not now be said
to live under the influence of a mild system of mo-
rality. On the contrary, the more they advanced
in the arts of life, the more they degenerated into all
that was hateful and impure in superstition. It was
clear that the utmost range should be given to a society
like that, which ought to be hailed with satisfaction by
every friend of religion. After all that could be done,
much would still remain to do. After the best directed
and most active exertions that could be made, a vast por-
tion of that territory would still remain buried in the dark-
ness of superstition and idolatry. As far as he was ac-
quainted with the measures taken for the mitigation of that
deplorable state of ignorance in which the Indian empire
was plunged, he could say that they were highly valuable.
Their prejudices were not insulted wantonly,—their opi-
nions were not assailed in any manner to give offence, but
the Imre spirit of Christianity was taught and insinuated
in a way the most likely to conciliate and improve. He
was persuaded that the experience of the Colonies would
tend to show that great benefits had been conferred on
them by the zeal and discretion of the society.
Lord KING then rose to move for the appointment of a
Committee to inquire into the conduct and expenditure of
the society, when it was suggested to him that he could
not proceed without first giving notice pursuant to the
orders of the House. His Lordship accordingly gave no-
tice, that he would move for the Committee on Friday next.
TEST AND CORPORATION ACTS.

Earl FITZ WILLIAM presented a petition from the in-
habitants of the town and borough of Melton, in the
county of York, praying for the repeal of the Test and
Corporation Acts. The petition did not come from per-
sons interested in the repeal of these Acts, but was the
result of a conscientious conviction upon their parts that
their fellow-subjects ought to be released from disabilities.
on account of religion,
The petition was ordered to lie on the table.
The Duke of WELLINGTON presented a petition on
the same subject from the parish of Bolton-le-Moor.
Lord HOLLAND, on presenting a petition from the
inhabitants of Norwich against the Test and Corporation
Acts, observed, that it was his fate for the last twenty
years to be employed at various times in presenting peti-
tions to that House from the Dissenters,- praying for
relief from the civil disabilities ander which they
laboured. His feeling as to the justice of these ap-
peals was not different now from what it had been on
the occasions to which he alluded. But still there was a
difference, a great and striking difference in the feeling
with which he approached their Lordships on the subject
of those acts. He was always of opinion that the prayer
of these petitions was founded in justice, policy, and rea-
son : he was always of opinion that the persons in whose
behalf they were presented were entitled to claim the ob-
ject of their request from the justice of the country. But
though he still maintained the same opinions—though he
felt that he never could change them—it was with very
different feelings that he now approached their Lordships.
He had before entertained considerable doubts as to the
success of any application to Parliament in the spirit of
these petitions ; but when he looked to the votes of the
Commons of England and saw that they were clearly the
voice of the people of England—(hear, hear,)—he could
not refrain from indulging the cheering hope that the time
was not far off when that great and important measure
would be carried to a successful result. (Hear, hear.) He
believed that the other House of Parliament was occupied
at that moment in the details necessary to complete. this
measure. It would not become him to do more than
merely allude to these details; but he was glad they were
in progress—he was glad that the great object was advanc-
ing to its completion, though he should not consider it en-
tirely obtained unless the Dissenters possessed that which
he, and not only such an humble individual as he, but Mr.
Locke himself, had always recommended them to apply for,
—he meant equal and impartial liberty. (Hear, hear.)
The petition was then ordered to lie on the table.
Lord HOLLAND presented various petitions on the
same subject from different places, amongst which were,
one from the county of Buckingham, one from Ebenezer
chapel, six from Halifax, in the county of York, one from
the Protestant Dissenters of Camberwell, three from Car-
marthen, one from the Unitarian chapel in Essex-street,
Westminster, and one from the county of Warwick.—They
were each ordered to lie on the table. •

OFFENCES AGAINST TILE PERSON.-LAW OF

EVIDENCE.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE rose pursuant to the
notice he had given, to move the order of the day for the
second reading of two Bills, for consolidating and amend-
ing the criminal law of the country. Though satisfied as
to the utility of those Dills, they were improvements which
he would not himself have ventured to carry into effect if
he had not recently filled a situation which enabled him to
obtain that assistance, without which he should have felt
the utmost diffidence. He alluded more particularly to
the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department,
and to a legal gentleman whose talents had been occu-
pied in improving the technical language of the law.
After the work which that gentleman had lately pub-
, lished—a work which, by improving and simplifying the
technicalities, had rendered the law accessible to the ca-
pacity of almost every individual,—it was unnecessary for
him to say how competent he was to the task. He thought
he should best consult the convenience of their Lordships
by stating the substance of both Bills at the same time, it
being his intention, if it met with their Lordship? appro-
bation, that the two Bills should proceed pari passu to
.
their completion. The first was chiefly a Bill of consoli-
dation and was intended to comprise in one act the vari-
ous acts which referred to offences against the person,
Their Lordships would reuollect that some time ago much
discussion had taken place in Parliament on the state of
the criminal law. A Right Hon. Gentleman, the Secre-
tiry of State for the Home Department, who then occu-
pied
ae tttheen tsioan'to me s
ttuhaatt piona'r thao(fl the law. The mintier in most commendably directed
li
which he had done se had called forth much approbation,
but not more than it was justly entitled to both from Par-
liament and from the country at large. His object was to
consolidate and simplify the various laws on the subject. It
was impossible that, in a field so extensive, every thing could
be done at once. That large description of offences which
referred to violence against the person lay scattered over
a wide surface. To reduce them under one title, and
comprise them within one Bill, was a task which presented
much difficulty, while it promised great benefit to the
country. There were no less than fifty-six Acts of Par-
liament on this subject, commencing with the reign of

henry In., and ending with that of his present Majesty:
The preliminary part of the Act was an accurate state-
ment of the substance of all these Acts, He did not
mean to go through a detail of all those Acts which were
to be re-enacted; at the same time he should be prepared
to answer any question respecting them which their Lord-
ships might think proper to put. The great object of
simplicity had been all along attended to : having stated
which, he should now call their Lordships' attention to the
present statute. In the 2d section, petty treason was put
on 'the same footing as murder. Their Lordships were
aware of the artificial nature of the crime which went
by that name, and the artificial state of thelaw by which it
was created. Petty
:treason was murder, •and the only
reason for substituting the charge in the place of that of
murder was to invest the party with certain..Rsivileges
which he could not have under the latter 4m.—
When their Lordships considered that petty treason was
not only murder, but murder in its most aggravated form
—for instance, the murder of a father or a wife—they would
think it extraordinary that any desire should be felt
to invest the criminal with privileges which be could not
otherwise possess. By the third section it was proposed
that accessories after the fact to murder, should be liable
to be transported, or to be imprisoned, at .the discretion of
the court. By the law as it at .presen&itood, • they were
liable to imprisonment only. He thongtheir Lordships
would feel the expediency of giving to the court a discre-
tionary power to transport or imprison, as there were many
cases of this description in which there were such aggra-
vating circumstances as made it much to be regretted that
according to the present law the offender was liable to
imprisonment only. The eighth sectioi related to offences
committed beyond the seas. By that section justices of
the peace were empowered to take -Cognizance of the
offence out of the limits of their ordinary jurisdiction.
According to the present law, the case of a party
charged with the commission of an offence beyond..l/4
the seas, could be inquired into only by the Privy
Council.' Great inconvenience had been found to result
r from the restriction under which,. Magistrates were
placed with respect to these cases; and this had been
strongly felt in the case of Governor Wall, who was exe-
cuted in this country many years ago under very peculiar
circumstances. In many other cases also the greatest diffi-
echualtiy.gedhawditrannoffexp
elieeerieeonmce in bringing
committed
ittedheyo beyond
dseatso trial a p
.The
propaortsy_
ed alteration would remedy that difficulty. By the 9th section,
provision was made for the trial of murder and manslaughter,
where the death, or the cause of death only happened in.
England : it was proposed, that all cases of manslaughter,
where the offence was committed out of England, should
be dealt with like those of murder, in the place in
England in which the death or hurt should happen,
as if the offence had been committed in England.
The 12th section provided for cases where a person
killed another in an attempt to prevent the commission
of a felons.. It was .proposed by the present Bill that
in those cases the offence should be considered as jus-
tifiable homicide. Ile now came to an important clause
which had reference to one case in which a capital punish-
ment was proposed to be inflicted, and that punishment
was required by strict justice, Under the late Lord Ellen-
borough's Act, which by some persons had been thought
to contain some severe clauses, the offence of maliciously
cutting or stabbing had been made capital. By the Bill
now before their Lordships, it was proposed that any per-
son maliciously attempting to procure the death of an-
other, the intention being clearly manifested, he should be
dealt with as a felon. The Act, as it at present stood,
was extremely limited in its provisions. It was now pro-
posed, that in addition to the words " wilfully shooting,
stabbing, or cutting," the word " wounding- should iss
introduced ; and that instead of the words " fire-assts.,'
to be found in Lord Ellenbarough's Act, the wows
" any kind of loaded arms" should be introduced.—
The present Bill also proposed to alter that part of the Act
by which it was rendered essential, before a party could
be convicted, that the instrument used should be a sharp
one by which a stab or cut should he inflicted. A re-
markable instance had lately occurred, of a person indicted
under this Act having been acquitted, because it was
shown that the instrument he had used was one whiel,
would not produce an incision, but a contusion, notwith-
standing it was manifest that he had intended the commis.
sion of the crime contemplated by the Act. The present
Bill proposed, that in all cases where the intention to in-
flict the injury was clearly manifested, the party should
be subject to the same punishment, whether a sharp or ,s
blunt instrument were used. By the next clause, if any
person should maliciously attempt to drown or strangle an-
other, or should administer any deadly poison with intent
to murder, he was to be deemed guilty of felony. It was,
he thought, impossible to deny that if a person took the
most effectual means to accomplish a guilty purpose, as
by folloWing another by the side of a river or hedge, and
then attempting to drown or strangle him by throwing
him in, the crime which was intended to be provided for
was not as fully completed as if the party had sue.
ceeded in his design. Their Lordships would there-
fore, he hoped, see the propriety of extending ties
provisions of the Act as proposed by the clause,_,._
By the 15th section, the using of an instrument with in-
tent to procure the abortion of a woman quick with child
was made a capital offence. There was a singular anomaly
in the law as it at present stood with respect to this crime.
The 16th section altered the present law with respect to
the concealment of a bastard child. It was proposed to
make this a substantive offence instead of being preceded
by an indictment charging her with murder. Offences of
this sort were generally attended by circumstances which
occasioned a great deal of harass and misery to the unfor-
tunate individual, and her family and friends, and it was
proposed therefore that instead of indicting her for mur-
der, in order to obtain a conviction of the concealment of
birth, she should be•indicted for the concealMent, and be
punished by imprisonment. By the 17th, 18th, and 19th
sections, some alterations of the present law were pro-
posed, but he (the Marquis of Lansdowne) wit:ohne ue,rl:de:d.ni
ntutsaotl
toaysi
eiecr defilescg
.vttt hooiaolennimispaeo2narmro.,now,teyi
lAaoevfel
introducedtactneisogir thoughteradhtiioeanofinigilyntac
offence
nrtnhoepaoe v
future
dt fie yn i
tuis,trgloedf
eltfihaevteheto trimsuui
of
er
abduction, by making the law apply to all eases where
away
by a party from motives of lucre, with intent to marry or
abduction,f rise' nstilaaiwl
be a
marriage, as well as a forcible tal:ing away, and yet there
were cases, where he (the Marquis of Lansdowne) thought
a party was equally guilty, for attempting from avaricious
motives to marry a woman against her will, and ought to
sutler the same punishment as where he actually as.-
complished his purpose; in this respect, therefore, he pro-
posed to alter the existing law. Section 21 proposed to
make a clearer definition of the crime of abduction by ap-
plying the law to cases where a girl under the age of six_
teen should be taken from her parents or temporary
guardiaes. The introduction of this clause had been
suggested to him (the Marquis of Lansdowne) by the un-
fortunate case of Miss Turner, which excited so much in-
terest and occupied su much of their Lordships' attention
during the last session. The 23d Section altered the ex-
isting law with respect to the crime of bigamy, making
it felony in a party marrying a second time during the
life of the former husband or wife, unless such husband
or wife should have been absent for seven years, and
should not have been known by the party to be living
within that time. By the law, as it at present stood, a
person whose consort had been abroad for seven years, •
though known to be living, might marry again with impu-
nity. By the 30th section it was proposed to make cases
of assaults, with the intent .to obstruct the buying or sel-
oluialdblielott
ling of wheat or other grain, or the free passage thereof,
punishable summarily before two magistrates, and a second
offence to be made felony. By the 31st section, it %vas
proved, that a discretionary power of imprisonment should
nif• edatsnhh:i pi shiprsr,, a and be invested in the Court, for abandoning seamen abroad.
According to the law as it at present stood, a poor mariner
might be left on a desolate island, under circumstances which
amounted to little short of actual murder, and yet the
obeinalpmriesonnambleentto,
in
nmtnhise
It was now proposed to make the party wilfully leaving
a seaman behind, or refusing to bring him home, guilty of
discre-
tion of the court. Ire (the Marquis of I.ansdowne) had gone
through all the clauses in this Bill for consolidating and
tanhiewaisritesdie
amending the laws relative to offences against, the
person, to which he thought it necessary at present to call
attention. He would nosy submit to thei
consideration the second Bill to which he had alluded,—
e
the Bill for amending the law of evidence. The first
clause related to the admission of the evidence of Quakers
upon their affirmation, in criminal as well as in civil cases,
and he thought their Lordships would feel no hesitation in
agreeing to such an alteration in the existing law, consider-
rug the very high authority ou which it had been deemed
expedient that the affirmation of Quakers should be ex-
tended to criminal cases. The opinion of Lord Mansfield
an had given it as his opinion that
Quakers itted as witnesses in criminal as
on this subject was well known. That Learned Judge,
who from his peculiar attainments was one of the fittest to
decide
upon
oughtsuc
tho a
bep d
point,
well as in civil cases. He had, in an able judgment,
stated the grounds on which he thought that their affirma-
tions should be received. The exclusion of the evidence
of Quakers in criminal cases had to his (the Marquis
of Lansdowne's) knowledge been attended with great prat,•
tical inconvenience. Front the disability of Quakers to ap
pear as witnesses many crimes had gone unpunished. He
had reason to Isnow that a system of depredation to a great

extent had not long since been carried on at a certain place
n Manchester, and the guilty parties could not be brought
to punishment, because the affirmation of Quakers was not
admissible. He knew also of a case where a quantity of
Bank notes had been stolen from a mail-coach, and where
the party had escaped punishment from the same cause.
In the town of in Hertfordshire, a murder had
been committed in the presence of four persons, none
of whom were allowed to give evidence because they
were Quakers. There was also a case in the West of
England of a bank being
.robbed, where it was found
mpossible to bring the parties to punishment, because the
principal witness was a .Quaker. He (the Marquis of
Lansdowne) could adduce many similar instances in which
there had been a failure of justice, owing to the testimony
of Quakers being excluded in criminal cases. As 'the
law now stood, if a Chinese boy witnessed a murder
on the river Thames, he would be allowed to give evidence
of the fact, While the scrupulous testimony of a Qnaker
would be rejected. Such an anomaly as this ought no longer
to exist. The "punishment which attached to perjury in
cases where the evidence was given on oath, extended to
cases wheee a false affirmation was made ; and.if the evi-
dence of Quakers was allowed in civil cases, low much more
ought it to be allowed in cases where men's feelings were
particularly awakened, and where they would naturally be
much more on their guard to avoid giving false testimony.
13y the second clause in the Bill now under their Lordships'
' consideration, it was proposed, that in cases of forgery the
evidence of the'person whose name had been forged, should
be admitted to prove the forgery, notwithstanding any in-
terest he might have in respect of the instrument forged.
According to the present law, a person having an in-
terest of any sort in the forged instrument could not be
admitted to give evidence ; and this had been productive of
„great inconvenience, and had in many cases impeded the
.:•curse of justice. The present Bill would remove that in-
convenience, ind the party would be allowed to .give evi-
.dence on his own credibility. The two remaining clauses
ithis Bill were of minor importance. By them it was
proposed that every punishment for felony, after it had
been endured, should have the effect of a pardon under the
treat seal, and that no misdemeanour should render a party
;pi incompetent witness, after he had undergone the
puncahment awarded him. The evidence of such a party
would of course be subject to any observations that might
be suggested on the part of the accused, and the jury would
determine as to his credibility from the circumstances ad-
duced before them. He (the Marquis of Lansdpwne) had
now gone through the whole of the alterations proposed to
be made in the existing law by these two Bills.' There was
.aothing extraordinary or novel in any o! the proposed
.mendments, nor indeed would their Lirdships expect
hat there should be, for it was only oy slow degrees
that alterations in the laws could be intro lured, or amend-
soents made that would be intelligible or satisfactory to
their Lordships. In preparing these Bills, he (the Marquis
3f Lansdowne) had had able assistance both in and out of
that House. He had received the assistance of the Noble
and Learned Lord (Lord Tenterden) whom he now saw in
his place. The zealous wish of that Noble and Learned
Lord to improve the laws added lustre to the high station
which he filled, and their Lordships would feel that his

anxiety on this subject would at all times afford the best
security for any amendments of the law that might be pro-
posed to their Lordships. He (the Marquis of Lansdowne)
would now conclude by moving that the Bills be read a

_ .
6econd time.
The Bills were then read a second time, and ordered to
e committed on Thursday se'nniglit.—Their Lordships
hen adjourned.