Star.
London, England, 1812-07-04 00:00:00

I

be considered a Heathen, and A Publican, until he
be restored to the Chuich by a Judge who had power
so to do. On this principle there werea great many
Heathens and Publicans in that- 'Souse. But on ano-
ther occasion, when Lord Mansfield was deciding an
appeal, he said, that persecutions for religious opi-
, nTons never produ:ed convictions It had been sug-
.gested that these laws should be repealed one by one ;
but who was to produce them. He (Lord S.) had
read the whole of the Statutes, from Magna Charm
down to the 27th of the King ; and he would rather
clamber over a park paling, full of tenter-hooks,
. thiut read to George 111. again. He had heard of
..a Painter (S:r Joshua Reynolds) being asked how he
would paint a - fool ? 1 e replied, that he would
paint a fellow clambering over a park paling,'full of
tentcr hooks, near an open gate, by which he might
•have gone to the house without trouble.—(Largiier.):
'Now ( Lord Stanhope) would paint a fool in that
sittation, with the addition of a wall 50 feet high be-
bittd, the park paling; and he would represent the
,
ideot
endeavouring to scramble over the paling, with-
out looking at the wall which he • would next have to
'surmount.— 4,/fruch laughing.)—As he was speak-
ing by .parables, he would explain. The park pa-
ling was the Statute Book ; the wall behind it Ec-
clesiastical Jurisdiction ; the open gate his Bill ; and
the strait road the first clause of it. (Laughter.) He in-
stanced en Act of Henry VIII. making it equally
culpable to marry a man to, one widow as to two
wives; and the wags cf th‘'Terriple used to call this,
the Act for keeping Widows on short commons !
The subject of uniformity, his Lordship illustrated by
an anecdote of the chapel clock with four faces in
• Vere-street,.near Cavendish-square, which on passing
one day he looked up to, to observe the hour, and ob-
served, that on one of the faces it was five o'clock ;
but having an angular view, he saw that the second
face pointed at a quarter past five : thinking thisvery
tidd he looked at the third face, and found that to point
at half past five : this was odder still, he looked to the
fourth face, and found it was three quarters past five.
Adverting.to a variety of enactments respecting the
book of Common Prayer, his Lordship obser Ted upon
the diffiirences that existed in the copies of that book,
as published by the Universities of Oxford and Cam-
bridge, satins that they amounted to 4000 and odd.
Be quoted an opinion of Lord Mansfield, delivered in
giving judgment in air appeal in that House, stating
that conscience was not amenable to human law, or
controulable:by human tribunals, and urged this in
support of this Bill, the object of which was, to
'give liberty of conscience and the right of private
Judgment in matters of religion without interruption.
Among other Acts of James I. it was made penal
Ito
feed any wicked or evil spirit with animal or ve-
getable food. He wished every man, Jew, Christian,!
or Mahometan, to be allowed to interpret his Scrip-
tures in his own way, as was his right. TO him
ho would oppose religious liberty, in the most ex-
tended sense of the expression, the Dissenter might
say, in the, words of. Paul to Agrippa—" Would•to,
GOD thou wart like unto me in all things, except these
bonds !" —And these bonds he ( Lord Stanhope)
would be the first man to endeavour to break.—He
then moved the second reading of his Bill, on which
the Flouee divided—For the second reading, 10—
Against it, 3l.—The Bill was therefore thrown out.
Lord HOLLAND wished to know, whether the
throwing cut of this Bill was to be considered as a
proof that Ministers' would allow nothing to be done
. on this subject ?
. The Earl of LIVERPOOL hoped that he should
be able to bring in a Bill, in a few days, to remedy
the evil.
Lord HOLLAND declared, that no Biil on this
subject could be usetul, unless it be founded on the
principle cf that which had just been thrown out.
kIN ECU RE PLACES.
Earl GROSVENOR moved the second reading
of the Sinecure Bill. This he was satisfied was an
extremely popular measure with the country at large,
and he hoped it would become so with the House.
The principle (tit was so plain, that lie could anti-
cif ale no opposition, namely, that no one should hold
an Office without performing the official duties.
The LORD CHANCELLOR declared it imps.
sible for the Noble Earl, or amy one else, to tell the
nature of this Bill. He therefore moved, that it be
read a second time that day three tmonths.
The Marquis of DOUGLAS and: Lord HOLLAND
. supported the Bill, and Lord REDESDA LE opposed it;
when the House divided—For the Motion of Earl
Grosvenor B—Against it 35.—The Bill .was conse-
quently thrown out.—Adjourned.
•

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The Local Militia Amendment Bill was read a second time,
and :he Re;.ort ordired to be brought up nn Monday.
A Message was bibught up front the Lords, intimating their
. • etooleitt to the Irish Inland Excise bill, the Charitable Donation
Bill, the Militia Puy Bill, and the Linen Bounty bill, withcot
any amenditteut.
• ilie House then went into a Commit-re on the East India
'1 rot.ps-13111, which was read a first and second time: and the Re-
port ortleted to be methdd On Modday. .
Sir FRANCIh BIAVEIT put tiff h's Motion resrectnielllr.
Ile cher loud Wednesday nest. , •
Detence fines' Eilf was read a third tittle, and passed.
• • The Lo try Bill was ordered to be read a third time on Mon-
day next.
The Papers respecting4he•East India Company, which Mr.
Kines•ou presented on Thursday last, were orders .; to he trinteJ.
he Atictitr 'Silt waspos•poned to -Tuesday nix,.
Mr. S7riER !DAN rose to give notice, that heil•ould on Mon-
day nest, submii n yorion !olhe House respectnig the Report
t f th.e-Lord Lieutenant of Ir. land, on the case of St Jan Masotti
Fsq..—Being up, be would take•diat opportunity of askitig a cues.
tint of •he 0140nel:or .uf• tne I..xchtc,tter, to which it miglit ha.
tuueenieut to many Gentlem. n, es web! s. to himself, to receive
-a ready answer. He Was its sentittlr'as any one of rite necessity
_ezf imposing 'faxes. He bad found himu If compelled to oppo.e
• the,Leather ax, on account sif its rartistlttrand ii.ju,tice. He
row found bitusel:knind to oppose the Auction Tax, not • only
an account of its in.;43tic but as a friend to the l'ublit Revenue.
3be question hew:shed an answer to was—" Am I to consider
• •theyinting off the Auction-tax to Tuesday, as an indicat len of an
. imention to abandon this Tar wholly, which I hope it is; or does
,he mean twerat vire in the sectral multi/ on Tuesday 'r
The CHtNCELL.JR of the-tX4Hl'QUEß•rtylted, that he
inahnt 014 to grant tirnelir coasislitstiou, bat, not ko abandon
Ithiiroeivore.
- • • Latteiti•fitt cltOt; • • •
• Sir FRANCIS BUIZDETT began by observing,'
that it would not be necessary for itini to detain the
House very lung, though the subject was one of the
highestimportance, as* respected the safety of every
Median in the kingdom, but more especially those un-
mforiuusts persons who, for them crimes, were placed
under-the protection of the law ; and those still more
unhappy wretches who, without crime, were impri-
soned for debts frequently incurred.through necessity

lb.

This latter class seemed more peculiarly subject to
rigorous treatment, as the gaolers had an interest in
their confinement, and set a price on their indulgen-
des. He almost regretted that the nature 'of his
queition would not suffer him to move an knquiry
into the Gaols throughoUt the Kingdom ; but as his
attention had been called to Lancaster, he held it to
be his duty not to confine his information to his poc-
ket, but to present it to the House. In thus perform-
ing kis duty, he did not pledge himself to the truth
of the statements which he should present • the re-
sponsibility must rest on his informers : but he trusted
that the House would think that he would pot have
been justified in not bringing forward such serious
'charges. He heard, indeed, from the most compe-
tent authority, that if any gaol was superior to ano-
ther for its regular and humane management, that
gaol was that of Lancaster. But the general good
character of Mr. Higgins ought not to have any
weight to prevent an
,invesugation into alledged
facts. What he had to state was ckvisible Into
three parts : as it affected the Magistrates, the
Gaoler, and the Coroner ; which latter officer was
not regarded with that attention which his, impor-
tant duties, involving every man's safety, demanded.
—The Honourable Baronet then observed, that
the Magistrates had shewn an undue haste in their
endeavours to exculpate Mr. Higgins ; and be com-
mented at great length on the Resolutions entered
into by the Magistrates at Lancaster on the charges
preferred against the gaoler. Their mode of inves-
tigation was unfair, and similar to that pursued when
the enquiry was instituted into Coldbath-fields pi i-
son. The gaoler was examined separately, and then
the prisoner was brought out and confronted • with
him. No wonder that the prisoner should, under
such circumstances, feel too much terror to abide by
his first statements. This case bore also a resemblance
to that of Mr. Aris in another respect : thete was a
sort of family compact in the prison : the sons of the
gaoler were the attorney and the surgeon attached to
thefaol. This appeared to afford the opportunity
of im proper connivance. The Magistrates had stated,
that after an examination, the charges were all fri-
volous and malicious ; and had accused part of ,
the prisoners of insubordination, while they praised I
the manly conduct of the rest in corning forward to
bear testimony to the character of the gaoler. The
varue of this latter testimony could not be very great,
given by persons under the influence of the gaoler,
and among whom, it was stated, small sums had
been distraeuted. As to the charge of insubordi-
nation, he had heard a circumstance that proved,
that no great care had been taken to preserve or-
der in the prison. He understood that oaken boughs
were introduced into the gaol, for the prisoners to
wear on the triumph of the gaoler over the charges
made against him. There wore other charges against
Mr. Higgins, affecting the health of the prisoners,
of which the principal was, the not carrying away
the filth and manure or the gaol for four days; the
not suffering coals to be introduced; and the bribery of
the turnkey, who was allowed to exculpate himself on
oath. The Sheriffs bad been applied to, but referred
the charges to the Magistrates • two of whOm, he
understood, were relatives of ;he jailor. Another
-charge was, that Hayes, one of. the men who came
forward in testimony to the good character of the
jailor, had forged the name of Seddon, a respectable
debtor, and signed it to the paper drawn up by the
debtors. But the most serious charge was one con-
tained in a letter sent to himself (Sir Francis Burdett)
by a prisoner named Jacob Wordle. It stated, that
horrible cries were heard to proceed from the cell of
one James Rawlins, who seemed to be under the un-
merciful flogging of the turnkeys : that his shrieksof
" murder! kill me!" were heard at intervals during
several hours, till he was removed to a distant cell,
whence his cries were feebler. That it was reported
the man had strangled himself with a stockin*, which
from the confined state of his arms appearea to the
letter writer impossible. The prisoner was a lunatic,
cm fined for murder. An inquest of six poor debtors,
and six stone-masons employed in work about the
prison, sat on the body, but there was no naked in-
spection. If there had been such an exposure, two
persons oho laid him out said that it would appear
he was a mass of congealed blood. He would not
dilate on this case ; but he thought the House would
agree with him that it was necessary to investigate it.
—ln corroboration of some of the minor charges, the
Honourable Baronet read a letter from a prisoner for
debt, named John Spencer, and attested by Fletcher,
Phillips, and other prisoners, stating, that John Spell-
cer having had the misfortune to bre.ik his leg, the
son of the gaoler was called in to attend him ; bin
he performed the cure so badly, that the deponent
wished to have another surgeon. This was refused ;
and because he ventured ,to make a modest remen-
strance, the prison allowance was withdrawn, and all
intercourse with his own son forbidden. He had been
lame ever since, on account of the ill management of
his leg. Whether these facts were well or ill-founded,
be could not think the good character of the gaoler
a sufficient answer to them, especially asMr.Higgins
had himself demanded an enquiry.into his conduct.
The Hueourable Baronet then entered into a long
account of Horsham gaol,•founding his assertions on
the authority of the Rev. Mr. Bingham, who bad
been tried and acquitted on a frivolous charge of
at son at the Sussex Assizes; but in the course of his
observations he was called to order by Mr. DENT, on
the ground of the irrelevancy of the remarks to the
subject befote the House. Sir FRANCIS Buxom'
acquiesced in this opinion, and said lie shOuld, on a
fuo.re occasion, hring the general question of
~,fraole
before the House. His object now w.is, that them
should be an Address to the Prince Regent, to order
a commission of enquiry into the state of Lancaster
gaol. Though on tormer occasions this method of
investigation had moved to be useless, and though
he had reason to be jealous on account of the pro-
ceedings of the commission appdinted to investigate
the state of the prisons in Inland ; yet as the present
Ministers, unlike any of their predecessors, seemed
willing to court rather than suppress inquiry on the
subject of distresses and abuses, he would recommend
I and mete this mode of pi ocedure, in full confidence
that it would not he abused. He then moved an
Address to the Prince Regent, for a Commission of
Inquiry into the co4ct of the Magistrates and
Gaoler, and the state of Lancaster gaol.
Mr. DENT seconded the motion.
Mr. W. BOOTLE wan into a minute statement, to sbew
that the charge of suffering filth to remain too long In the prison,
was frivolous and unfounded. The Hon. Gentleman then.rpad