The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-11 00:00:00

A PROMENADE in the WEST.

There seems to be but little chance for the present
that we shall be able to sing, with Horace, soluitur acris
horns. One would think that the winter had made up
its mind to pass the spring in London; and. as Na
poleon's grenadier said, on his return from Moscow,
" Si ton ottrappe des coups, ce n'est pas des coups de
soled." This return of the mighty Thor to knock us
down with his icy hammer has created much stir 'and
commotion in the magnificent establishment of Swan
and Edgar, who have ben gradually rolling on in slow
and solemn grandeur like a mighty ocean, until the vast
houses in Regent-strek.t, and as many in Piccadilly, each
in itself as big as a bazaar, have been swallowed up by
their encroachments. If the gun-maker round the
corer were to follow the example of his own amble-
borrels, and " go off," this would be tho most stupendous
shop in the world. Every foreigner is overwhelm d
with astonishment and admiration at the florid cencep-
tion and elaborate execution of the wing of this vast
magazine which faces Regent-street, with its long range
of plate glass, behind which the costliest productions of
Manchester, Lyons, and Paris, are hung around in
graceful profusion—walk round and look through the
crystal portals, and if your gaze can penetrate through
the peopled avenues which are bounded by Piccadilly,
you will find the same magnificence pervading every.de-
partment—the buzz, the stir, the bowing, the measuring,
the buying, which keeps on in this huge emporium from
morn till dewy even, render it as amusing a scene as if
we were in the bazaar at Constantinople, whilst the rich-
ness and variety of the silks, which are strewed about
as if dropped in careless haste, although each fold has
been studied, and the gorgeous splendour of the shawls
and other productions of, eastern manufacture, tend to
heighten the illusion. We generally find that every
establishment which has the good fortune to attain
celebrity, monopolises the market for some particular
article, but here we find umbrellas, shirts. neckcloths,
and other items of male attire in equal excellence and
profusion, with silks, muslius, or cainbrics. On leaving
Swan and Edgar's, and driving up Piccadilly, the eye is
at once attracted by the sumptuousness and elegance of
the various nicnacs which are plat d in the windoa a of
Barry's " temptation shop"—the Egyptian-hall. What
crowds of passers by and lounging idlers may be seen
gazing listlessly upon the articles of virtu and beautiful
novelties of Barry. Bat if you venture in take Shak-
spere's advice, and " put money in thy purAe," for there
is enough within this fairy domain to shake the saint-
ship of an anchorite, or tempt a miser to loose his purse
strings. Barry always contrives to outstrip his rivals in
Ihe race for novelties. Something new is always to be
found in his shop. His bijou de famille is his last in-
vention. This is a screen of rich crimson velvet, en-
circled by a gilded frame, standing on a pedestal of the
same costly material; to several rows of hooks are sus-
pended tiny frames for minatures, so that a whole gallery
of family portraits may be enshrined in the narrow
comp iss of the glass shale which shelters this elegant
and graceful fabric, lest the dust, or, what is still worse,
aukward servants shall visit it too roughly. Several
buhl desks, some superb papier de luxe, satchels for
scenting, stamps for marking linen, and a novel kind of
fan, which possesses the power of a peacock, and
spreads itself suddenly into a circle, resembling the tail
of that bird, are amongst the most recent addition's to be
found there.

Notwithstanding all the late new-fangled.inventions
wh ch., under the name of improvements, tried to destroy
the " power of sound," we find that Broadwood still re-
tains, undiminished, the immense reputation which he
has so long. and so deservedly enjoyed—his pianos are
to be heard in every corner of the world, their fame is
not confined within the narrow limits of an European
celebrity, for scarcely a ship now leaves the Thames
without bearing three or four of these instruments to
our far- distant Indian possessions.
In society, now-a-days, the congregated men look like
a backgammon board. Black waistcoats and white are
01 ly to be seen, and yet near the Quadrant, at Nicholl's,
the famous tailor of Regent-street, there ara costly stuffs
for waistcoats, which are as eblouissan tas the Bude light
opposite to the United Service Club-house. Some of
these stuffs are positively startling in their magnificence
—none of those vulgar waistcoats which are to be foun3
in the Palais Royal, for the endimanches epiciers to ,porr
at the Prefect's balls in the provinces, but real splendour,
chastened by the most exquisite taste and subdued by
the careful blending of colours, so as to attract attention
without offending the eye by over tlispl.4y Some of
the materials are curiously rich, ith the precious metal
worked info the rabrie, whilst there are others more
limply, in immense variety. A robe de chantb, e, which
they have just completed for an illustrious personage,
realises our dreams of the Field of the Cloth of Gold.
Besides all this, there are rich Oriental shawls and
cashmeres for morning waistcoats, and velvets in such
variety as would lead us to suppose that the Lyons and
Spitalfields manufacturers would speedily exhaust their
ingenuity.

INCENDIARISM.—On Sunday evening last, abou
seven o'clock, the inhabitants of Porkellis, in the parish
of Wendron, were greatly excited by an alarm made that
a corn stack, belonging to William and Walter Pascoe,
brothers, residing at Hal wyn, had been maliciously set on
fire. Th- wind being low at the time, the fire was soon
subdued, it having been principally confined to the butts
of the sheat es. Had the wind been blowing even mo-
derately, the situation of the stack would have greatly
endangered the seety of the dwelling-house adjoining.
The sufferers are i eer retailers, and also shopkeeperS, and
have been in the habit of supplying some of the miners
in the neighbourhood, whose ill success in unifying pre-
vents their l ayiug off their monthly accounts for victuals
till a more fivonrable opportunity hn. s. ttling arrives.
Having lately denied further credit to a few of them, they
were in return threatened with injury, and it is ..opposed
their revenge has ben satiated by the committal of this
shameful act.— Wei t Briton.

WILSON'S SCOTTISH ENTER-

TAINMENTS.

MUSIC-HALL, STORE STREET.
Mr. Wilson comnienctd his series of Scottish -enter-
tainments for the season- of 1845 last evening.:. at the
Niosii•-hali, Store-street. The first part consisted prin-
etp-41i,..0,et not fxclu,ively, of the songs. of Burns. .We
" Birks of Aberfeldy," " Taw -Glerr," HaziitCs
favourite sung of " Mary Munson,"i "Bide -ye yet," and
that quaintly humorous song, "My Spouse Nancy,"
which was not only sung, but aetesl, by Wilson, with the
richest gusto, and, was, of course, rapturously encored.
Then followed that fine song by the Rev. John Skinner,
" John o' Badenyon," and Hector M`Neill's beautiful
ilialogue song, "Saw ye my wee thing"--in itself a
drama.. This concluded the first Dart. The second part
j consisted of the favourite Jacobite songs ; and if the
Scottish minstrels of 1745 sang these songs with half
the taste, pathos, and expression which the Scottish
minstrel of 1845 infuses into them, we do not marvel at
the enthusiasm excited throughout the whole of the
north country by the arrival of the hero of such soul-
stirring- lyrics. The most delightful part of the enter
tainment, however, to our thinking, was the introduction,
in which Mr. Wilson gave us some exquisite fragments
of old Scottish song ; true they were but fragments ;
but fragments such as these—like the fragments of Gre-
cian sculpture—are worth whole collections of finished
works by less-gifted artists. We hope Mr. Wilson will
give us more of these delicious fragments. Could he not
give us the remaining portions of some of them ? At all
events we would request him to use his best endeavours
so to do. The Mu-ic hall was, as it always is on these
occasions, crowded.

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY MORNING, FF,BRITARV 11 1845

THE INCOME-TAX. •
TO TEE EDITOP.'6f: TEE TIMES.
Sir;;.—Your leading'article in this day's journal leaves no
doubt on my mind that we are to be subjected to this bur-
densome impost for an indefinite period; I therefore beg that
you will allow me a small space briefly to state my own case
in illustration of its unequal bearing.
engraver, acid litykreat exertion have lately earned
an average anntitirincotne of 5004 At the time of my mar-
riage I insured my life for 1,000/. ; and at. the birth of each
of my four children I have insured a further sum of. 1,0001,
so that I have now to provide for premiums on policies
amounting to 5,000/. This would have required an annual
sum of 180/., but I am so fortunate as to have insured in an
institution where success has enabled the Directors to reduce
my payment to 120/. This is still a serious call on my 'united
means ; nevertheless, my wife and I prefer abstinence from
every approach to luxury, and even privation of eome com-
forts, to the risk of leaving our children chargeable to our '
friends or to the community.
Should my health, and especially my eyesight, be provi-
dentially preserved, so as to enable me to continue my pay-
ments to the insurance company, my wife and four children
will, at my decease, inherit 1,060/. each, producing a scanty
income of 301.

The case of a friend and close neighbour offers a marked
contrast to mine. Ile is in the enjoyment of a clear income
of 500/., derived from freehold land, occupied at present by
market-gardeners, but which may shortly be in demand fur
building purposes. He has five children; but as he is a
widower, our families are equal in number. My friend, being
of a literary turn, spends much time in his study, and in the
education of his children, thereby saving those schol charges
which unavoidably fall upon me. This gentleman can spend
his whole income without solicitude, as, at his decease, each
of his children will inherit a certain income of 1001., with
expectations of future improvement. Nevertheless our re-
turns to the Commissioners are necessarsly the same.
Now, Sir, is it consistent with equity that I, with my pre-
carious income (necessarily reduced by life insurance to 3801.
to secure a pittance to my family), should be called upon to
pay the same amount of tax as my friend, with his inde-
pendent and certain income of 500/. ?
I do not pretend to contest the advantages of an income
and property-tax based on equitable principles, neither am I
unwilling to bear my just proportion of the burden. In my
humble opinion, a tax on property of 5 per cent. and 2 per
cent. on earnings would meet the justice of the case. This
would, I am persuaded, give universal satisfaction to the
industrious classes, and would raise a large sum, enabling
the Ministry to take off many imposts bearing unfairly on the
poor.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant, C. T.
Camden-town, Feb. 8.

THE WINDOW-TAX.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Sin,—Your leading article: of the sth contains an earnest
expression of a very natural wish for the removal of the
window-tax, on the ground that attempts to avoid its
exactions frequently lead the builders and occupiers of dwel-
lings to stop up windows that should be open; and, by doing
so, risk injury to their own health, and certainly disfigure
their houses. If these evils were inevitable consequences of
the tax, your strictures upon that impost would be perfectly
legitimate; as the tax is at present levied, these are the con-
sequences that must naturally be expected ; but I think it is
quite possible to adopt a mode of assessment which:would not
be_open to this objection, and would have the further advan;
tage of distributing, the burthen of taxation more equally-
among those who have to bear it. At present, window-tax
is charged according to the number of windows, the amount
varying, according to a graduated scale. The builder, is
therefore, tempted to put in as few windows as possible, and
frequently, nay, generally, houses are rendered less commo-
dious and healthful than they otherwise would be, in conse-
quence. W. E. Hickson, Esq., one of the Commissioners ,of
inquiry into the condition of the hand-loom weavers,
was, so far as I know. the first to propose a
plan by which the temptation to this evil might be..
avoided without injury to the revenue from the window-tax.
Mr. Hickson proposes that the tax should be charged ac-
cording to the size of the house, not according to the number
of its windows. Let a man live in a glass house if he please,
he should pay no more window-tax than another who has
only a little peephole in each room. It has been objected
that such a mode of assessment would operate as an induce-
ment to build low rooms. It will operate as an inducement
to inhabit small housts, but so do all rates upon such pro-
perty, but it need not be made to operate as an inducement
to construct the houses in any particular form, except that
which individual convenience dictates. It would be easy
to construct a scale of charges regulated proportionately to
the area of the ground occupied, and the number of stories
in the house, assuming that the number of windows ought
to be proportionate : let the window-tax be charged accord-
ingly whether the windows be made or not..
It would not perhaps be just to apply the new mode of assess-
ment to houses constructed to meet the present law, but it
would be easy to give the occupiers of houses already built
the option of being assessed according to the present or an
improved plan, and apply the improved plan imperatively to
future houses only. I need not, however, enter upon details.
You will perceive that the adoption of some such principle as
this would remove the principal objections to a tax which, I
fear, we must for the present at least submit to. Those of your
readers who desire to see more argument on this subject may
refer to Mr. Hickson's evidence published at pages 436-7 of
the first report of the Health of Towns Commissioners:—
Yours, &c., X.
Manchester, Feb. 7, 1845.

AGRICULTURAL PROTECTION.—A number of no-
blemen, gentlemen, and farmers, representing the agricultu-
rists of the country, waited upon Sir Robert Peel by appoint-
ment, on Saturday, and laid before him the present depressed
state of the agricultural interest, urging its claim upon
the Government for a share in any remission of tax-
ation. Several tenant-farmers addressed Sir Rob

Peel, stating, from their own practical knowledge,
the existing distress in their own particular districts. The
Prime Minister received them with great courtesy and at-
tention. The Duke of Richmond read a letter from the
Duke of Buckingham, expressing regret at his unavoid-
able aF.sence. The following were present :—The Duke
of Richmond, the Marquis of Salisbury, Earl of Essex, Earl
of March, M.P., Sussex, West ; Lord Beaumont, Mr. G.
Bankes, M.P., Dorsetshire ; Mr. T. W. Bramston, M,P.,
Essex, South; Mr. Darby, M.P., Sussex, East; Mr. E. B.
D scn, M.P., Yorkshire, West Riding; Mr. Du Pre, M.P.,
Buckinghamshire • Mr. W. Miles, M.P., Somerset, East;
Mr. Newdigate,_ 111. P., Warwickshire, North ; Mr. Stafford
O'Brien, M.P., Northamptonshire, North; Mr. Posey, M.P.,
Berkshire ; Col. Rushbrooke, M.P., Suffolk, West ; Sir
John Trolope, Bart., M.P., Lincolnshire, South ; Sir
John Tyrell, M.P., Essex, North; Mr. Wodehouse,
M.P., Norfolk, East; Mr. J. J. Allnatt, Berkshire; Mr. H.
G. Andrews, Somerset ; Mr. R. Baker, Essex ; Mr. W.
Bennett, Beds. ; Mr. Brickwell, Bucks. ; Mr. Blandford,
Somerset; Mr. Brown, North Wilts ; Mr. Cramp, Kent;
Mr. I. Clarke, Lincolnshire ; Mr. 1. Ellman, Sussex ;
Mr. Hilditch, Salop ; Mr. Fisher Hobbs, Essex •, Mr.
Hudson, Norfolk ; Mr. S. Jonas, Cambridgeshire ; Mr. S.
Mills, South Wilts ; Mr. Moseley, East Suffolk ; Mr. Oak-
ley, harts ; Mr. Pain, Bedfordshire ; Mr.Rodwell,West Suffolk ;
Mr. G. Shackel, Berkshire ; Mr. R. Smith, Rutland; Mr.
Stevenson, Lincolnshire; Mr. Turner, Devon; Mr. Warsop,
Huntingdon; Mr. Weall, Surrey; Mr. Edward Wyatt, West
Sussex.

SERIOUS ILLNESS OF THE BISHOP or ELY.—The
greatest alarm, a few days since, pervaded the palace and
town of Ely, in consequence of its being ascertained that
the Right Reverend Prelate was suffering from a serious fit
of apoplexy. His Lordship had, it appears, been found by a
domestic, stretched on the floor of his bed-room, seemingly
lifeless; and, medical aid being instantly called in, he was in
some measure restored to sensation. Up to Friday night, he
remained in a very precarious state.
Mr. Josi, the keeper of the prints at the British
Museum, died on Friday last, of consumption. The taste
and judgment displayed by this gentleman in the perform-
ance of his duties must render it no easy task to find a suc-
cessor to him, who will not, to some extent, suffer in the com-
parison.
SUICIDE AT WATERLOO-DRlDOE.—Sunday even-
ing, shortly after five o'clock, a respectably dressed female
threw herself oil Waterloo-bridge into the river. She took
off her shawl and left it in the first recess on the east
side of the bridge from the Strand, then climbing ovsr
the balustrade, divested herself of her bonnet, and, before
any person could arrive to her rescue, jumped in. Boats
immediately shoved off, but she had sunk before they reached
the spot. The bonnet and shawl of the ill-fated woman
were taken to Bow-street station-house, for the purpose of
identification.

THE CASE or CARUS WILSON.-THE WRIT OF

HABEAS.—The States met on Tuesday and Wednesday and
discussed with closed doors the subject of Mr. Wilson and the
habeas. It was decided after a rather stormy debate that the
writ should be obeyed under protest, and Mr. Dupre, the So-
licitor-General, and Mr. Godfray, constable of St. Saviour's,
were directed to proceed to London to represent the interests
of the States and the Royal Court. They will leave the
island this day by the Monarch, and Mr. Wilson will go in
the same vessel. Colonel Le Couteur left this island by the
Transit, on Wednesday lass.—Jersey Times of Friday.
We understand that the marriage of the Mar-
chioness of Hastings with Captain Hastings Henry, will be
solemnised at the beginning of April.—Court Journal.

A NEW MODE OF PASSING COUNTERFEIT COIN.—
On Sunday, whilst a collection was being made at the doors of
St. Clements Danes for a charitable purpose, an elegantly
dressed female, about forty years of age, and of lady-like
manners and address, expressed her willingness to contribute
a small sum towards the object sought to be b:,nefitted, but
regretted that she had no small change in her possession, at
the same time producing a sovereign from her purse and
offering to give Is. 6d. if they would oblige her with the
change. This request, after some delay, was complied with,
and 18s. 6d. was handed to her, and, having leisurely placed
the silver in her purse, she left the church. A short time
after the sovereign was found to be counterfeit.

\VEST-END CLUBS.--Although the great west-end
clubs have in many instances damaged, and in some ruined
the proprietors of the comfortable old-fashioned taverns and
coffee-houses, they are to a certain extent compensating, at
least mitigating, the evil, by the unquestionable services
which they render to the poor of the metropolis. There is
not one club of any respectability which is not in the habit
of contributing to the maintenance or relief of the indigent
iu their respective parishes. We may illustrate this state-
ment by a reference to the Union Club, which distributed in
the year 1844 to the poor of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields,
under the control of the officiating ministers, no less than
3,1041b5. of broken bread ; 4,5561b5. of broken meat, 1147
pints of tea-leaves, and 1,158 pints of coffee-grounds.
DEPUTATIONS ON THE COTTON TAX.--We under-
stand that Sir Robert Peel has signified his willinnessloni:ll
re-
ceive, on Wednesday next, the different
ntdeputations
have been appointed to wait upon him in reference to the
repeal of the tax on cotton. Amongst them will be three
from Manchester, namely, one from the Town-Council, one
from the public meeting of merchants and manufacturers, and
one from the Chamber of Commerce. Wre understand also,
in
that most of the large towns interested the cotton manu-
facture will also send deputations, so that the number of gen-
tlemen who will assemble in London for this purpose is likely
to be considerable.
DRINKING TO DEATH.—Mr. Walley, M.P., held
an inquest on Saturday forenoon last, at the White Lion,
Edgware-road, on the body of 'Thomas Stamford, aged forty
-
one. Deceased was found dead by his bedside on Wednesday
evening last, and his wife said he had drank himself to death.
He bad been a hay salesman and corn chandler, once well oil.'
in that neighbourhood, but becoming embarrassed a year
Ago, he abandoned himself to intemperance, and had not
been scarcely a day sober until within three days of his death.
His irregular habits had brought on a violent cough and (Ls-
ease of the lungs. Verdict—Natural death.
LONDON FEVER HOSPITAL.—On Sunday morning
a sermon on behalf of this highly valued Institution was
preached at the church of St. Peter's, Vere-street, St. Mary-
lebone, by the Rev. Edward Scobell, M.A., &c. The im-
mense utility of such an establishment in so vast a metro-
polis as that of London, and the benefits of which were alike
available both to the sick and to the poor in the hour of con-
tagion and danger, was very warmly and eloquently dwelt
upon by the Rev. Gentleman, and at the conclusion of a very
energetic appeal, the sum collected at the doors amounted
to 1501. 14s. 4d., exclusive of annual subscriptions. The-
total amount of patients received into the ivards of the Dos-
pital since its establishment ia 1802, exceeds 17,000.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 10.

The House sat to-day shortly lsfore Four o'Clock.
Earl ST. GERMANS took the oaths and his seat.
The House then adjourned during pleasure.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY took his seat on the
Woolsack again shortly after Five o'Clock. .
Earl POWIS presented two petitions from parisbt
in the county of Montgomery in favour of the Ecclesias
tick: 1 Courts Bill. The Noble Earl also presented *
petition from the Bath Church of England Lay
Slciety, praying for the repeal of the Bill joining the
sees of Bangor and St. Asaph. The Noble Etta
begged to state that it was the intention of this
Society, shortly after Easter, to bring the considera-
tion of this subject before the House.
The Earl of DALHOUSIE laid on the table
certain returns relative to the Customs.
RAILWAYS.
The Earl of DALHOUSIE gave notice that to•
morrow he would lay before their Lordships some
communications relative to the Railway Department
of the Board of Trade. The papers would bear upon
the powers of the Board of Trade, and the course
pursued by them in obtaining railway accommodation
for the public in the south-eastern districts. For
some time past a general misapprehension prevailed
with resspect to the jurisdiction of this department of
that board in such matters, and the course the Board
of Trade had adopted to obtain this accommodation.
He should at the same time take the opportunity of
submitting to their Lordships his views upon the ex•
tent of the jcrisdiction, and the course of proceeding
adopted in coming to a conclusion as to what was
or was not a sufficient amount of railway accommo.
dation.
THE ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS.

The LORD CHANCELLOR said he had to
crave their Lordships attention while he submitted to
their Lordships' her Majesty's most gracious answer
to the Address of their Lordships on the Speech
from the Throne. Her Majesty, in the answer,
which his Lordship read, expressed herself as
being fully assured of the loyalty of the House.
The terms of the Address gave great satisfaction, and
she relied with confidence on their Lordships' support
in her Majesty's endeavours to promote the happiness
and contentment of her Majesty's subjects.
On the motion of the Earl of SHAFTESBURY,
the answer of her Majesty was ordered to be entered
on the journals of the House.

- LAW OF BANKRUPTCY.
Lord BROUGHAM gave notice that to-morrow
he would present to their Lordships' a petition of some
importance on the subject of the proceedings which
took place before the Commissioners of the
Court *, ott Bankruptcy in the City of Lou.
do*. "His -Lordship also gave notice that
on an early day next week he should renew the Bill
which he brought before their Lordships last year,
relative to the Bankruptcy Law, and which would
contain certain clauses suggested by a Noble Friend
and a Reverend Prelate, who was not then present,
for destroying the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy
Courtin certain matters.

RIGHT OF SEARCH.
Lord BROUGHAM wished to know if the Noble
Lord the Secretary for Foreign Affairs had any ob..
jection to lay on the table of the House the correft
spondence which had taken place between her Ma-
jesty's Government and the French Ministry on the
subject of the Right of Search ?
The Earl of ABERDEEN said he was prepared
to lay portions of it before their Lordships.
Lord BROUGHAM asked if it would be printed P
The Earl of ABERDEEN was understood to re•
ply in the affirmative.
POSTAL REGULATIOINTS.
The Earl of ABERDEEN laid upon the table of
the House the convention between her Majesty and
the King of the Belgians relating to communication
by post between this country and Belgium.
GOVERNMENT MEASURES.
The Marquis of NORMANBY said he held in hie
hand certain returns granted to a motion made at the
conclusion of last session, relating to the period at
which different Bills had come up from the other
House. He found that three-fourths of the Bills in
the last session came up in the month of July. He be-
lieved he was correct in stating that nearly se-
venty of them did so. It was impossible to judge
of the intentions of her Majesty's Govern-
ment from the measures alluded to in
the speech from the Throne. It did not appear to
him that any of these Bills were likely to be originated
in that House; and as the Easter recess would hap-
pen very early, he did not apprehend that there could
be any immediate attempt on the part of the Noble
Duke and his colleagues to remedy the evil of
which he complained. He was sure, however,
that the Noble Duke would exert his powerful in-
fluence with his colleagues in the other House to
secure that as many Bills as possible should be
brought into that House soon after Easter, instead of
all being postponed, as was the case last session, until
the last month of its continuance.
The Duke of WELLINGTON said he did not
understand the Noble Marquis to put any question—
his suggestion should certainly be attended to.
The Marquis of NORMANBY said he would
ask the Noble Duke whether any of the measures
in contemplation would originate in that House, and
whether they were likely to have any important mea-
sures submitted to them before the Easter recess ?
The Duke of WELLINGTON requested the
Marquis of Normanby to let his question stand as a
notice for to-morrow.
BAIL IN ERROR.

Lord CAMPBELL said, in connexion with the
question put by the Noble and Learned Marquis, he
begged to draw the attention of his Noble and Learned
Friend the Lord Chancellor to the Bill with
respect to bail in error in criminal cases. He
hoped there would be no delay in bringing
forward that measure, and having been brought in
under the auspices of his Noble and Learned Friend,
it would be sent down to the other House as soon as
possible. Another point to which he begged leave
to draw his Noble and Learned Friend's atten-
tion arose out of a criminal proceeding to which
he was sorry to refer, because he was most
anxious not to revive any past discussions
with regard to it, or to say anything which
could in the slightest degree be disagreeable to
his Noble and Learned Friend. He referred to the
mode of proceeding with reference to a jury which
had been; improperly returned. He would assume
that the opinion of the learned judges, whom their
Lordships had consulted on that subject, was per-
fectly correct ; he would also assume that his
Noble and Learned Friend took a correct view
of the matter when he concurred in that opinion.
Then, supposing it was so, how was the law with
regard to a jury improperly returned? In that case,
as the law now stood, the accused party was without
remedy, because the challenge to the array W 33
taken away, according to the recent decision
of the judges. Before the law was recently
altered, and when the sheriff was entrusted
with the duty of returning the jury, a challenge
to the array would lie if the jury was improperly
returned by the sheriff. He did not find fault with
the law which altered the mode by which the jury
was returned. On the contrary, he thought it was an
excellent law. According to the recent decision of
the judges, the challenge to the array was gone; and,
though he bowed to the decision of the learned judges,
he should have humbly thought that some other mode
of redress would he pointed out, if that were the case.
However, assuming the decision of the learned
judges to be right, he thought that the Noble and
Learned Lord would acknowledge that the law ought
not to be left as it was at present; and if it was not
the intention of her Majesty's Government to bring
in a Bill (in whose hands he would much prefer to,
leave the subject) to remedy this defect in the law,
he would feel it his duty to bring in a Bill for that
purpose. He, therefore, wished to know whether her
Majesty's Government had any such intention .
The LORD CHANCELLOR said that two ques-
tions were proposed to him. The first was whether,
in pursuance of engagements into which he entered
the other night, it was his intention to bring in a Bill
with regard to the subject of bail in error. He
begged leave to state that he had directed his attention
to the subject, and that it was his intention within a.
few days to bring in a Bill on the matter, foundedi
in no inconsiderable degree on the Billofliis Noblewith
and Learned Friend. He thought his Noble and
Learned Friend was under a misapprehension
regard to the other subject. He (the Lord Chancel.lor) did nut understand the learned judges,ta to have
fe,,
given any opinion to the effect
Noble and Learned Lord. Certainly, atsecifarbyas the
(the Lord Chancellor) was concerned, he never in-
tended to express such an opinion, and he did not
think the learned judges had given any opinion
to the effect that the challenge to the array was taken .
away in consequence of any alteration made in the,
tury•law by a recent Act of the Legislatu-a,
All they decided was, that a challenge to the
array did not lie in that particular case
referred to by the Noble and Learned 'Lord.
The challenge to the array alluded to either 'a defect
of the returning officer, or an unindifferenee. The!
learned judges stated that on this record there west
no imputation of partiality—that there was nothing•
in the record showing unindifference. Therefore the..
challenge to the array could not be allowed. The,'
particular defect in this instance arose from a defect
in the book. The book was defective, but the sheriff
was bound to select from it. The sheriff had no-
thing to do with the formation of the book, though
he was obliged to take the names froemnoiot. Hepinio
apprehended that the learned judges
a(required as
lit:),
tt
theed
thateffect t whichthis evil
Nreocible.Fdrieandgrhaealsdt
Jart.ed,Tlhiee
:nniigghtitt
beare from
improperly
or from
impannelled.
ate!
ieddcietdn
ton. fo
tTtdhheeenjybuorot)hk'at these things required a remedy;
hei' had directed his attention to the subject, and if hey
found it possible to provide a remedy for that defect