The Sun.
London, England, 1845-07-08 00:00:00

EXOISE AND CUSTOMS ACT.

The House then went into Committee on the above
Bill, when
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that he was anxious to bring up certain resolutions
which had reference to the Excise Act of George IV.,
where the duty was levied on two classes of licensed
victuallers in Ireland. The object of the Bill was to
give persons the same power under the Act with the re-
tail spirit dealers in that country. Another question
which he had to introduce was of a different character,
and related to the importation of spirits from the islands
of Guernsey and Jersey. By the Customs Acts of this
country goods, spirits, &c., could be imported from the
Channel Islands duty free ; but a countervailing duty
sufficient to protect the article was enacted by the same
statute. This Act, however, had been found ineffectual
in preventing frauds upon the revenue ; and it was
with the view of remedying this evil that the present
amended Act was brought in. With respect to the case
of Heligoland. it must be known that any spirit manu-
factured in those islands could not be produced from
grain grown in those islands.
The resolutions were then reported to the House.
The Charitable Trusts Bill was read a second time.
The Land Valuation Bill was read a second time.

The Earl of LINCOLN moved for leave to bring in a
Bill to enable the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods
and Works to apply certain moneys now in their hands
towards discharging incumbrances affecting the Shrews-
bury and Holyhead road. Also a Bill to facilitate the
completion of a geological survey of Great Britain and
Ireland, under the direction of the First Commissioner
of her Majesty's Woods and Works. Also
a Bill to alter and amend an Act passed in the tenth
year of the reign of his late Majesty King George
the Fourth, intituled, " an Act to consolidate and amend
the laws relating to the management and improvement of
his Majesty's woods, forests, parks, and chases of the
land revenue of the Crown within the survey of the
Exchequer in England, and of the land revenue of the
Crown in Ireland ; and for extending certain provisions
relating to the same to the Isles of Man and Alderney ;
and for other purposes."—Agreed to.
The Earl of LINCOLN moved for leave to bring in a
Bill for the Improvement of the Sewerage and Drainage
of towns and populous districts, and for making provi-
sion for an ample supply of water, and for otherwise
promoting the health and convenience of the inhabitants.
—Agreed to.'

Mi. M. J. O'CONNELL moved for copies of all
memorials, correspondence, surveys, valuations, and re-
ports, in relation to the extension of canal or river navi-
gation between Lough Erne and the river Shannon.—
Ordered.

Mr. CORRY moved for leave to bring in a Bill for
the constitution and government of tne Naval Medital
Supplemental Fund Society, and the management of the
funds thereon.—Agreed to.
Sir T. FRENIANTLE obtained leave to bring in a
Bill to amend the County of Dublin Grand Jury Act.
Also Bills to continue the Unlawful Oaths Act in Ire-
land, and to amend the Fisheries Act in Ireland.

Mr. T. B. C. SMITH moved for leave to bring in a
Bill for regulating the criminal jurisdiction of Assis-
tant-Barristers as to certain counties of cities and
counties of towns in Ireland.—Agreed to.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of,
and tho House adjourned at a quarter to Two o'clock.

HOUSE OF LORDS, July 7.
NORWICH AND BRANDON RAILWAY.

Three petitions were presented against this line.
IMPORTATION OF CORN INTO CANADA.
The Duke of RICHMOND moved for a return of the
quantity of wheat imported into the United States of
America from October, 1843, to October, 1844, which
was agreed to.
LOTTERIES BILL.

On the motion of Lord STANLEY, this Bill was
read a first time.
DRAINAGE OF ESTATES.

The Duke of RICHMOND moved the second reading
of this Bill, which is to facilitate the drainage of entailed
estates, the expense to be defrayed by way of mortgage.
In many cases, the owners of entailed estates would
not effect the drainage which was required, and those
who were willing to do so were reluctant from the ex-
pense. He was of opinion that the law of entail was a
good One. One of the principal objects of the Bill was to
give employment to the industrious poor, whose services
would be called into requisition at improved wages The
Committee, with whom the Bill originated, were unani-
mously of opinion that it should be passed this session, that
the objects which he had stated might be accomplished.
The Noble Lord concluded by moving the second read.
ing of the Bill.
The Marquis of SALISBURY hoped that a fair op-
portunity would be given of discussing the various pro-
visions of the Bill in Committee.
Lord BE A.UMONT said that the clause relating to
buildings had been amply discussed in Committee.
The Earl of DERBY thought that the extension of
the Bill to Ireland would be productive of great benefit.
The Earl of WICKLOW concurred with the Noble
Earl, and thought it was a very fitting accompaniment
to the other Bill on the same subject relating to Ire-
land.
Lord CAMPBELL thought it was very proper to
extend the Bill to Ireland; not, however, as an accom-
paniment, but because it presented in every respect a
contrast to the other Bill.

The Duke of RICHMOND said there was a clause
relating to the guardians of minors, but he would intro-

duce another provision of a similar tendency that would
met the approbation of the Noble Earl (Wicklow).
The Bill was then read a second time.
WAGERS AND GAMING BILL.

The report On the Wagers and Gaming Bill was then
brought up.
STANDING ORDERS. _

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE moved that the
standing order of which he had given notice be added
t) the standing orders of the House:—" That the direc-
tors appointed shalt continue in office until the first
ordinary meeting to be held after the passing of this
Act, and at such meeting the shareholders present, per-
sonally or by proxy, may either continue in office the
directors appointed by this Act, or any member of them,
or may elect a new body of directors, or directors to
supply the place of those continued in office; the direc
tow appointed by this Act being eligible as members of
such new body."
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said this was a
question which not only concerned the Members of the
Legislature, but every person in the country who had a
sovereign in his pocket. The person who had refused
to have anything to do with the scheme, afterwards
found to his astonishment that he had attended a meet-
ing in favour of the line, and had not only attended a
meeting, but had made a speech, although he had never
been near the place; nevertheless, his name had been
used, as also had the names of other persons in the
ci: untry, who were also reported to have made speeches,
though they had neither given their sanction, nor had
they attended or spoken at the meeting in question.
This gentleman advised the bankers of the company not
to pay the money which had been subscribed since their
names had been so surreptitiously used, large sums of
money having been subscribed in consequence of the re-
port to which ho had referred.—(Hear, hear.) He
would recommend that the practice should be put a stop
to by a standing order, requiring proof of the consent of
the parties whose names appeared as promoters of the
BilL—(Hear, hear.) Parties could have no security
unless this were done.

Lord BROUGHAM complained that their Lordships
were too apt to take the correctness of the proceedings
of the House of Commons for granted, instead of in-
vestigating for themselves. The gentleman whose name
was placed in the Bill as one of its promoters did not
know of its existence until it had received the royal
assent. He deprecated the gambling mania of the pre-
sent day, and trusted that the public would not fall into
the snare of those cheats—he could use no milder term
—who were more anxious to propose schemes, that
they might take them into the market, than to carry
them out.

The Earl of FITZHARDINGE said the case applied
to his brother, Mr. Grantley Berkeley, who knew no-
thing of the Bill until he was sued for 530,000/. on behalf
of the company, and his solicitor had informed him that
his own expenses, whether the matter was settled or no,
would be 4001.

Lord ASHBURTON could hardly conceive it pos-
sible that a person could be sued for the debts of a com-
pany, and hoped that steps would be taken to prevent
its repetition.
Lord BROUGHAM assured the Noble Lord that
such was the law of the land.
Lord ASHBURTON said that there was no Act of
that kind which made a subscriber liable to a greater
extent than hi§ subscription.
Lord CAMPBELL said the subscriber was just as
much liable as if he signed and sealed the most solemn
instrument of law by which consent was obtained. •
A message from the Commons was here announced,
intimating that it was their wish that his Grace the
Duke of Grafton should be allowed to attend the Select
Committee of the House of Commons now sitting on the
operation of the game-laws.—Agreed to.
The motion was then put that the order moved by the
Noble Marquis (Clanricarde) should be added to the
standing orders of the House.—Agreed to.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY presented a peti-
tion from a place in Ulster, which, he said, would be fol-
lowed by others to the same effect, against the Landlord
and Tenant Bill.
The Earl of FALMOUTH presented 36 petitions
against the Wolverhampton Railway Bill.
Lord REDESDALE presented a petition from a num-
ber of ironmasters to the same effect ; also a petition
against the Edinburgh and Direct Northern Railway Bill.
Lord BROUGHAM presented 58 petitions, which,
with 65 on a former occasion, made altogether 123 peti-
tion, against the Cornwall Railway Bill.
ASSESSMENT OF WAGES (SCOTLAND) BILL.
Lord KINN .I.IRD moved the .third reading of this
Bill.—Agreed to.
BRAZIL SLAVE TRADE BILL.

The Earl of ABERDEEN moved the second reading
of this Bill. A treaty was concluded in 1826 between this
country and Brazil for the abolition of the slave trade.
The first clause of that treaty stipulated that three years
aftei the expiration of that treaty the slave trade should
be abolished in Brazil, and all parties concerned in it
should be treated as pirates. Her Majesty would have the
power of seizing and punishing the subjects of Brazil
engaged in the slave trade. The Noble Lord then de-
tailed the various negotiations which had been entered
into for the suppression of the slave trade with Brazil,
and referred at great length to documents on the sub-
ject. The object of the Bill, therefore, was briefly this
—to remove from the Board a•f Admiralty the restric•
Lion which had been imposed upon them by the Act of
the 7th and Bth of George IV., for carrying out the
treaty made at that period with Brazil for the suppres-
sion of the slave trade. The old treaty had been openly
violated—shiploads of human beings had been landed at
the capital ; their officers had been unable to carry out
that treaty in full force, and had even been ill-treated
and slain in the execution of their duties. lla therefore
moved that the Bill be read a second time.

The Bill was accordingly read a second time.
DOG STEALING BILL.

The Duke of BEAUFORT moved the second reading
of this Bill, and briefly described its objects. There was
a great anomaly in the law in its present form, and that
the audacious traffic might be put a stop to, it was ne-
cessary that the Bill should be passed, that dogs might
be placed on a simi'ar footing with other property.
Lord CAMPBELL considered that the law was quite
strong enough at present to protect property in dogs,
which were frequently tar from valuable, and partially, if
not wholly, abandoned by their owners.
The Duke of BEAUFORT said the Bill bad received
great attention in Committee, but he was ready to adopt
any suggestions which the Noble and Learned Lord
might think proper to make.
The Bill was then read a second time.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE BILL.

Lord BROUGHAM moved the second reading of this
Bill, and, in doing so, said it would greatly facilitate the
trial of prisoners. The present judges were totally in-
capable of delivering the jails, and nothing could be
more ridiculously absurd than the distinction between
the practice at the Central Criminal Court, in the circle
over which it presides, and the practice in thecounties
of England. He considered that a most crying injustice.
A suitable expedient was devised to re:nedy the incon-
venience, by making a six months' circuit instead of the
present circuit of eight months in one part of the year,
and four months in the other. He was morally certain
that such a grievous injustice would be no longer tole-
rated. The coulitry, he repeated, would not suffer it ; and
if the class to which the prisoru-r belonged had either real
or virtual representatives ie Parliament, it would have
been put an end to long ago. The only mode was to in-
crease the number of judges. This he considered a dif-
ficult matter, as they would have no employment at any
other time than while they were engaged on circuit, as
there were no other courts over which they could preside.
He wished, however, that two additional judges should
be appointed, and that Chamber business should in future
be conducted in public, over which they could be ap-
pointed to preside. He would conclude by moving the
second reading of the Bill.
The Duke of RICHMOND thought it highly desir-
able that the time which prisoners were unfortunately
detained in gaol before trial should be greatly shortened.
He considered, however, that if that Bill passed, the
county rates would be considerably increased. There
would be also the inconvenience of bringing witnesses
and prisoners to the place of assize. The consequence
would be, that instead of paying 701. or 801. for each
criminal as at present, the expense would b. e doubled.
He hoped that if there was any extra charge it would be
paid out of the Consolidated Fund, and not, as at present,
out of the county rate.
Lord CAMPBELL was not adverse to the principle of
the Bill, but the details he considered would not stand at
all. There were no provisions made for the finding of
hills before grand juries or petit jurors, where the
prisoner was to be confined after sentence, or how the
sentence was to be carried into execution. His own in-
dividual opinion was, that there ought to be a new Com-
mission issued altogether, whose duty would be to take
the whole question into consideration. Since Edward
the Sixth there was no change whatever, either as to
the distribution of the circuits, or the number of the
judges. He thought, too, that Ireland and. England
should be considered jointly in that Commission, and
that there should be art interchange of judges between
the two countries. He believed that English judges
would be received in Ireland with favour, and their de-
cisions would be looked up to with respect. There were
two Irish judges whose time was not fully occupied, and
who might be brought over here, and the Irish circuits
might be more consolidated than what they were at pre-
sent. The Bill was in a crude, he would not say an
imperfect, state ; and he should, therefore, recommend
that it should be deferred, as, in its present state, i
would not efficiently carry out the benevolent intentions
of his Learned Friend ; and if it were improved and
extended to Ireland as well as England, it would have
a very beneficial effect.
The LORD CHANCLLOR said he should feel it his
duty to recommend to her Majesty the establishment of
another Commission with more extensive powers than
the one with which the present Bill emanated. He had
always!y been in favour of judges going to a central spot
to try parties, and that the jury and witnesses should
come to the place where the judges sat; by this, business
was promoted, and expense saved. He would, there-
fore, suggest that the Bill should stand over until it was
seen whether the Government would take the subject
under their consideration.
Lord DENMAN objected to postponing the Bill,
and of appointing another Commission, the re-
sults of which they would not learn for
years. The time of imprisonment was too long
—four months: was too long. What compensation was
it to a man to discharge him after confining him in the
gaol for several months ; or what punishment was that
which took into account the time he had been in prison
before trial, and made allowances for it? He was in
favour of a more frequent delivery of gaols. Through
three of the judges of the Queen's Bench being required
to go on the Winter Circuit, 400 cases of arrears were
on account of the judges giving up their leisure time,
ultimately reduced to 100. Besides, a more fre-
quent delivery of gaols would reduce crime, as ignorant
men, who plunged heedlessly into crime, would be re-
strained from doing so by being speedily brought to
justice.

Lord BROUGHAM spoke in four of the Bill, If