The Sun.
London, England, 1828-05-01 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS, APRIL 30.

The SPEAKER took the Chair this evening at the usual
hour.

Mr. DENNISON presented a petition from the Roman
Catholics of Guilford, and another from Horsham, for
Catholic Emancipation.

Mr. H. HUTCHINSON presented several petitions
from parishes in the county of Tipperary against the Sub-
letting Act.
Colonel BARNARD presented two petitions from the
Roman Catholics of the King's county, praying for Eman-
cipation.
Mr. PAYNE presented a petition from Banbury, in the
county of Oxford, against the proposed Corn Laws.
Mr. CHAPMAN presented a similar petition fiom Han-
ford, Lincoln.—Oidered to lie on the table.

Mr. CARTER presented a petition from the Roman
Catholics of Gosport, in favour of the Catholic claims.
Mr. CARTER presented a petition from the Victorious
Nelson Society, of Portsea, against the Bill for the Regula-
tion of Friendly Societies.—Referrsd to the Committee on
the Bill.

Mr. R. PALMER presented a petition from the Corpo-
ration of Oakiugham, Berks, for some alteration in the
Alehouse Licensing Bill. Ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. F. WILSON presented a petition from Bray,
county Wicklow, and from Ballymure against any further
concession to the Roasan Catholics.

Mr. LITTLETON presented a petition from Stafford-
shire, against the system pursued by Retail Brewers. The
petition prayed that the Alagistrates and Parish Ofticere
should be allowed to visit Retail Breweries, as they were
now empowered to visit Alehouses. The Hon. Member
wished to know whether it was the intention of Govern-
ment to propose any alteration in the law as it respected
Retail Breweries.

Mr. G. DAWSON said the subject was under the con-
sideration of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was
aware that the present system gave rise to great irregularity.
Mr. STANLEY said that the retail brewers were li-
censed under an Excise Act, and that the Magistrates had
no power to interfere. He wished to know whether the
Hon. Gentleman opposite was aware of that fact?
Mr. DAWSON said the subject was a very embarrass-
ing one, but he believed the Hon. Gentleman had stated
what was the law.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL presented a petition
from the Archdeacon and Clergy of Ely against any fur-
ther concessions to the Roman Catholics.
Mr. MONCK presented a petition from the Roman
Catholics of Bath, Weybridge, Chertsey, and Reading, in
favour of the Catholic Claims.

Mr. DAWSON brought in a Bill to enable Bankers to
issue unstainped promissory notes, upon compensating the
Government, which was read a first time, and ordered to
be read a second time on Monday next.
Mr. G. BANKES gave notice, that he would to-mor-
row move for a Select Comniittee of Inquiry, relative
to those persons, whose taxes may have been increased in
consequence of the repeal of the Roman Catholic Land
Tax Bill.

On the motion of Mr. G. BANKES, the order of the
day for a Committee of the whole House, upon the East
Bettor(' Disfranchisement Bill was postponed from Friday
next to Monday sen'night.

Sir THOMAS LETHBRIDGE brought up the report
o❑ the Riddleeby Enclosure Bill, and the Bill was read a
second time.

Sir T. LETHBRIDGE presented a petition from the
Recorder and Corporation of Wendover against further
Confessions to the Roman Catholics.

Mr. WIII. SMITH presented a petition from the Mem-
bers of the Benevolent Union Society at Norwich against
the Friendly Societies' Bill.
Mr. CURTEIS presented a petition from the Land-
owners of Coveutry and Warwick against the Corn Reso-
lutions.

Sir J. GRAHAM presented a petition from the Roman
Catholics of Carlisle in favour of the Ronan Catholic
Claims, and a similar petition from the Protestant Dissen-
ters of Cockermouth. lie also presented a petition
from the Owners and Occupiers of Land, praying for an
alteration of the Laws relative to obtaining parish settle-
ment.

Mr. HEATLICOTE presented a petition from the Inha-
bitants of Boston against the Roman Catholic Claims.
Admiral SOTHERON presented a petition from the In-
habitants of Worksop, in Nottinghamshire, stating the want
of accommodation in the parish church, and praying par-
liamentary aid to procure the necessary accommodation.
Mr. HUME moved for variuus returns connected with
the receipt, expenditure, &c. of Land Tax in England,
Scotland, and Wales, for the last three years.—Ordered.
Mr. HUME moved for returns of the Imports and Ex-
ports between Russia and Great Britain for the last six
years, and also similar returns to and from all parts of the
world and Great Britain.—Ordered.

Mr. HUME presented a petition from the Operative
Weavers of Blackburn, praying for the appointment of a
Committee, before which the petitioners undertook to prove
that by the proposed Corn resolutions the manufacturers
would be deprived of bread at a reasonable price, and that
a minimum of wages ought to be fixed.
Mr. JOHN WOOD supported the prayer of the peti-
tion. Indeed, he considered the Corn Laws nothing less
than a tax upon bread, and that if the landowners were en-
titled to such a bonus as that tax gave them, the manufac-
turer was entitled to a drawback on his exports as a pro-
tection against the low price of labour on the Continent,
which gave an advantage to the foreign over the English
manufacturer in the markets of Europe.
Upon the question that the petition be brought up,
Lord STANLEY said, he thought the appointment of a
Committee would be productive of no benefit to the peti-
tioners, and might be productive of great inconvenience.
Mr. MAXWELL said if a Committee were appointed,
although it might not he able to comply with the prayer
of the petitioners, the investigation would give them great
satisfaction.

Mr. HUME said he was one of those who objected to any
Legislative interference with the rate of wages, but he sup-
ported the appointment of a Committee, because the evi-
dence before that Committee would satisfy the petitioners
that their prayer could not be granted, and that the grant-
ing of that prayer would be productive of very serious
injury to the community at large.--Ordered to be printed.
Mr. H. GRATTAN presented three petitions from pa-
rishes in the county of Dublin, in favour of Catholic Eman-
cipation.
LICENSING VICTUALLING HOUSES.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose, in
pursuance of a notice he had given, to bring in a Bill to
repeal the Act of the 35th Geo. 3, relating to the Li-
censing of Victualling Houses. The subject was one
of great difficulty and importance, but he had a very
objeet in view in this Bill. There were a number
of persons selling wine only taking otit an Excise licence,
and the thing bad gone on fur a number of years in this
way, the practice being clearly inconsistent with the law.
Of the numerous hotels in this Metropolis there were not
above sixteen which complied with the express terms
of the law, and the remainder were therefore open
to the informations of informers. The object of this hill
was to afford those persons a temporary relief until the
Bill brought in by the Hon: Member for Oxford was be-
fore the House, when an enlarged discussion might take
045,e on tl-T whple of that most important subject.--
Under these circumstances, be thought' thine "10't be uu
indisposition to accede to the measure he proposed.
Mr. FYSHE PALMER mentioned a case where one
individual (we understood in the town of Reading) had no
less than 94 informations against him.
Mr. G. WOOD hoped it was not the intention of the
Bill to bring retail Brewers more under the surveillance of
;,-be 14iagif;iial:v.. When Lord Goderich brought in the Pill
for enabling' Retail 'FiriiWers sell beer, he (I,4ricclY
stated that it was not intended to put them under the
veillance of the Magistrates, as the retail brewers necessa-
rily came in collision with the publicans, who were to be
protegk of the Magistrates.
After a few words from Sir T. Act.ANn and Sir J.131E%
The CtIANCLLOR of the IXCIIEQpEII. replied,
and leave was giv'en to in the
MILITIA ESTIMATES.
Lord PALMERSTON rose to state the course which it
was his intention to propose respecting the Militia Esti-
mates. lie would, for the present, move for the appoint-
ment of a Committee in the ordinary way, to prepare

those Estimates ; and, on the bringing up of the Report,
he would move for a vote on account. This was all that
he intended for the present to do ; and he would await the
proceedings of the Finance Committee, in order to see if
they should recommend any change in the amount or na-
ture of these Estimates. As this was the course which he
meant to take, he would now briefly move the appoint-
ment of a Committee to prepare the Estimates for the Dis-
embodied Militia of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland.

Colonel DAVIS was desirous, before any step whatever
was taken on this question, that an inquiry should he made
as to the expediency and usefulness of keeping up this
militia staff at all. In his opinion, the whole establish-
ment of the staff of the militia should be done away, as it
produced no benefit cm responding to the expense which it
entailed upon the country. 'I he annual cost of maintain-
ing it amounted to 300,000/. ; and since the conclusion
of the war, in 1815, it had cost the nation 4,185,117/.
Yet he would ask what benefit the country had received
from this establishment ? It was true that the militia had
sometimes been called out, but not for the performance of
any actual services. Indeed, the practice of calling them out
was rather injurious than beneficial ; for the militia con-
sisted principally of agricultural labourers, who were called
away from their useful occupations for no other purpose
that he could see than that of being drilled. Tbey were
kept out only for a short time, for about as soon as they
were able to distinguish their right hands from their left,
they were sent back to that employmeut from which they
were needlessly withdrawn. Under these circumstances,
he thought the Report of the Finance Committee should be
taken upon the subject ; if they recommended the con-
tinuance of the establishment, he would consent to its con-
tinuance, but the consideration of the question should lie
over until their opinion was known.

Lord PALMERSTON wished to explain how the
question before the House now stood. The last vote for
the support of the militia was up to the 24th of March,
and as the establishment was still continued, the Hon. Gen-
tleman would sea the necessity of maintaining it whilst it
was kept up. He only required a vote for its support until
the opinion of the Finance Committee was made known
upon it; if the Finance Committee should make any re-
port, he would be prepared equally with the Hon. Gentle-
man to attend to its recommendation.

Mr. W. PEEL said, that as the subject now before the
Houle related to a department of the Government with
which he was connected, he wished it to be understood
that the present establishment of the Militia was under-
going the attentive consideration of that Department. lie
was not then prepared to state the result of that considera-
tion. He wished, however, that it might be understood,
that the present Establishment was as low as by Act of Par-
liament it could be; in order to reduce it any lower, it
would be necessary to repeal the present Act of Parliament
upon the subject. For his own part, he would be unwil-
ling to see the Militia so reduced, that, in the event of a
national emergency, it would be necessary to construct it
anew.

The motion for a Committee to prepare the Militia Esti -
mates was then agreed t.).
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of,
after which the House adjourned at a Quarter to Seven
o'Clock.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.,

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, Aran. ii).

The COMMON SERGEANT moved for a rule Nisi
for a criminal information against two Magistrates of
the county of Norfolk for alleged illegal conduct-, by
which three persons, whom they had convicted under
the game laws, were deprived of the remedy of ap-
peal to the Quarter Sessions.
Lord TENTERDEN inquired whether notice of this
application had been given to the Magistrates, and
The COMMON SURGEANT answeringin the negative,
The COURT said they could not in that case en-
tertain the motion.—Rule refused.

THE EINC V. SAMUEL BILEY HATTON.

This was a rule Nisi for a criminal information,
which Mr. GURNEY obtained last term at the in-
stance of Mr. Lett, a Magistrate of Surrey, for a
libel contained in a letter written by the defendant
to a person named Poinder, which reflected upon the
character of Mr. Lett, attributing to him that by
improper conduct on his part an insufficient poors -
rate had been made upon his property. The letter
contained other imputations upon the conduct of Mr.
Lett, who, it appeared, was also made the subject of
ridicule by an effigy which the defendant had caused
to be exhibited.
Mr. KELLY now appeared for the defendant, who,
he stated, had made an affidavit explaining the cir-
cumstances under which the letter was written, and
contradicting the statement respecting the effigy.
The defendant had written the letter under great
irritation of mind, but had no intention of reflecting
on Mr. Letta.; a Magistrate, and was sorry for what
he had written.

Mr. GURNEY said his client was quite -sure the
defendant did not participate in any of the expres-
sions of regret which had fallen from his Counsel,
as he had filed a most abusive affidavit.
Lord TENTERDEN said, the rule must be made
absolute, unless Mr. Lett accepted the apology which
the defendanes Counsel made.—Rule absolute.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, AYRII. RO
GIBBON r. XING AND Jo:mime.
In this case the plaintiff sought to recover com-
pensation in damages against the defendants, for
having improperly distrained his goods.
The Jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff—
Damages 101.

PREROGATIVE COURT, APRIL 30.
IN THE GOODS OF LIEUT.-COLONEL WM. READ.

This was a mere ordinary motion for the admis-
sion to probate in this Court of an inperfect testa-
mentary paper left by the late Lieut.-Colonel Reed,
of Madras, who died last year, which the Supreme
Court of Judicature of Fort St. George bad re-
cognized as the last will of the deceased, and had
granted administration to the widow, as constructive
legatee, no legatee being distinctly named by the
testator. The only property specified in the will
was certain household furniture, plate, and similar
articles; but it turned out that there were arrears of
pay due to the deceased in this country to the amount
of about 3001.
The COURT, in granting the motion, observed,
that some inconvenience might arise in granting ad-
ministration in cases of this kind, founded upon the
order of the Courts in India, as had been the prac-
tice. It might happen that the property of the de-
eeased was (as in this ease) trifling in India, but of
large amount in this country, and the peculiar cir-
cumstances of the Courts of India might render their
sentence inapplicable to the practice of this Court.
No appeal lay from those Courts to any other court
in this country than the Vrtvy Council. It was ex-
tremely desirable that a short Act should be intro-
duced to remedy the defect in this particular; and
the Learned Judge recommended the subject to the
consideration of his Majesty's Advocate, 'and the
other gentlemen of the Court who were in the habit
of paying attention to these matters.

A NEW SONG TO AN OLD TUNE,--.-At
Venice, Rossuit's opera of the Siege of Corinth is in-
tended to be performed ; but as all allusions to the Greek
question are strictly prohibited by the police, the opera
will be produced under the title of the Siege of Granada ;
and Spaniards anti Moors will be substituted for Turks
and Greeks.

W4„IoNEs, who was tried and acquitted of
the murder of Mrs. JF.rt's, in Montagu-place, and con-
victed of stealing a coat, end sentenced to transportatiom,
was on Saturday last removed from Newgate, with other
convicts, to Chatham, prior to his being conveyed from
thence to Van Dieman's Land. It is not true that any
compromise took place (as was alleged) with the prosecu-
tors, Messrs. COUTTS and Co., as regards the forgeries
which Jorms wag stated to have committed upon his mas-
ter, Mr. DUNCOMBE, law-stationer, of St. Clement's-Inn:
The sisters of Jowirs are very amiable and accorOptißbo
women, whose connuctions are respectable, and wlm are
deiery-Ally admired ; and in consequence of certain rem_
the Duchess of Sr. ALBAN'S, the firm of COUTTS and Co,
repre-
sentations having been made to Sir Cotrirs TitorrEtt and
declined prosecuting. It is well-known that Mr„l9Ngs,
the father of the young man, like to;OY 13,ther literary men,
was very upfortimatr in his speculations. Since the trial
of 4oNEs, his unhappy mother has been in a desponding
Jos a fact that CIIARLOTTv
State of mind, and on Sunday last she died of a bro,ken
heart. Wm. Joses was her favourite son, and from the
period of his being charged with the crime of murder, his
BmEltil;Tr':s
whebao,ltl:..obdn,ecbliiteoedd•witih t imrs, and
gave evidence
against him on his trial for the murder, has subsequently
visited him several times in Newgate,../Vorning Paper.
,