Star.
London, England, 1827-05-22 00:00:00

an with the requisition of Certain of the inhahitat.te,
The Petitioner further complained. that the Meeting
held on the 14th May last was interrupted by the 111,14
Constable, Mr. Lee, and many of those who attended
were grossly abused. lie should abstain from giving Any
opinion on the merits of the Petition. Ile must say,
however, that, from what he always understood of the
character of the High Bailiff, he would 19r order the
to address
dispersion of the meeting unless be considernedr.hsifen:rii—,
authorised by circumstances to do se. He must, host.
ewer, regret that any circumstaAces could have atiseisli
call for such a proceeding.
Mr. HOBHOUSE said he had a cons municationftem *
Mr. Morris, which was a complete answer to the ant:,
gations of the Petition. The answer of
to the first chargeghwas, that the terms of the requ.sitioe.,-,
did not authorize him to call the Meeting. It purported • •
to be for the purpose of calling a meeting
the King, without stating on what subject. Mr. Mom*
thought very properly that he should not have been left'-'
to guess the object, and he sent a very civil answer to
that effect. The letter received in reply from the
Learned Civilian, Mr. Tucker, commenced in these
words : " Your refusal appears to me in so hideous a
form." With respect to the second charge, of dispersing
the Meeting on the 14th, the High Bailiff denied that
he gave any orders to that effect, or took any part in it
directly or indirectly. The fict was, that the Meeting
was interrupted in consequence cf orders from the Come
missioners of the Paving Ward. As one of the Mem-
bers for Westminster, he must say that the inhabitants
. -
were hardly dealt with. They were precluded by an
Act of 1816 from meeting in Palace-yard; and now the
Commissioneis of the Paving Board excluded them
from Covent Garden, in compliance with the Act of
Mr. Michael Angelo Taylor.
After a few words from Lord &Immo, the Pruden was or.
tiered to lie upon the Tables..
The Assize of Bread Regulation was read a fint time, and
ordered to bo read a second time to-morrow.
DISSENTERS.
.'fir. DENISON said, he held in bin hand
from the Protestant Dissenters of Clapham,
the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts.
take that opportunity of observing, that
Baronet (Sir T. Lethbridge) continued to proceed
course he had for some time been pursuing, '
reduce the OppOsiiion as low in point of number
recollected it to have been some years back.
name signed to the petition was that of a Cler&
the Church of England, and one-third of the
-were of the Established Church.(l-lear.)--Tr
wish to press the question at present, but tt
sircits to shew the House in what manner ,
'all denominations should live together. H.
press his regret that the Right Hon. Gentleman
Canning) had expressed himself so decided]
subject, wishing, as far as he could, to
Government and that of his Hon. Friends
joined hind. The Right Hon. Gentleman
it the most effectual way of providinglor
fame, and securing the good opinion of the
giving equal rights to die Protestant Dissent
England and the Roman Catholics of Irc'
system of judicious and temperate reform,
rigorous attention to economy. If '
should be conducted on these principles he I.
to scorn any opposition, however elevated
high in station, or powerful from influence.
not then regret the secession of his late colic
were half a century behind the present age
Lion, liberality, and intelligence.—The Petition
and ordered to be printed.

Mr. WILMOT.HORTON presented Petitions
oration Committees of Blackburn and Manchester, r.;
Petitioners might be assisted in emigration.—Referred
' gration Committee. . .
Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN presented a Petition
Bakers of the Eastern part of the Metropolis against t'
pending fur regulating the sale of Bread.—Ordered t
ADMINISTRATION 01 JOSTICS.
Mr. PEEL said, that before moving the f
Day for the further cbnsideratioa of the Re,
Larceny Laws Consolidation Bill, he trusted
would pardon him for a slight breach of inn
moving for leave to bring in a Bill for the
ministration of Justice. He did not apprehend
would meet with any opposition. The Bill
upon the supposition that Many of those '
used in the administration of justice were
that they might, and ought to be altered. --
state shortly what were the alteration, propint•di
present when a person wsh put Upon trial,
not guilty, he was asked haw he would be tried. I
must see that such a question *as quite unnecessary.
effect of it was, in most cases, to puzzle and confuse
and the answer was given sometimes to a way quite
with the gravity and decorum that was to be desired'
Justice. It was expected that the answer should be '
country." It was sometimes given with great
total disregard to the import of the words, or it was c
the gaoler to the prisoner, or very often the gaoler
for him. Was there any necessity for retaining sat'
When the prisoner entered the plea of not guilty
better that the trial should proceed without asking
.wished to be tiled? The next improvement he
pose was one of somewhat greater importance.
if s person stood mute and refused to plead, the _
whether he was mute from obstinacy, or the visitation
and if mute from obstinacy, be was then considered
=lart was passed accordingly. He thought, fp a ,
would be better tO presume that the prisoner i
piggy, and proceed to trial, than to have him declared I
asateres passed without any disclosure of the facts.
very severe punishment was the consequence of refuting
The person so refusing was exposed to what was called ,
et dare. Mr. Justice Blackstone eonameosiod the
law, which provided that, in place of this ipeci.s
the person who was mete from obstinacy should be.
and sentence passed accordingly. He should think
much mote to the honour of the hies to consider
is having pleaded not guilty, and allow the trial'
Since the time of Goo-ge 111. there were two 1
in 1777, and another in 17911, of persons having bee
and suffered capitally, who were mute from obstinacy,
be far more satisfactory if conviction and execution toll'
a disclosure of the facts of the case. The third alteration
propose was rather of a technical nature. At present,
tresses if the prisoner persisted in challenging more
than the law allowed him to challeoge, he exposed r
coovicilin. It woad be better to alter the law so
ledges, beyond the number allowed by law, should I
and void. The fourth alteration he should propose
that no former attainder should he pleaded in bar of a
He int Wooed a clause in the Bill, the effect of et
to dispense with the useless formula of calling upon
inquire concerning the land and tenements of the r
of treason. The sixth, which was the most importau.
would have the effect of abolishing Benefit of Clei.S.
almost unnecessary to offer any reason for doing -
this. It seemed to be nothing more than a solemn use
troduee into every Act of Parliament, having refesence
the nerd* declaring that the guilty person shall auger dc
benefit of clergy. Even at any time it seemed a very 5
policy, that persona should be entitled w sty peculiar
front the circumstance of their having larva educated.
%ended that the alteration now proposed should extend
of ,o:iesy, anti be could not think that the Peers would
p aticulatly as al clause had been introduced some tint
they NU, placing the Clergy, ou the same footing is
rendering them liable to whipping and imprisonme,
the capital crimes to which the L3a6 ii, urvuut.

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Petition was or. area
51.
d a first time, and beim
'and a Petition into
lam, playing for • 7
Acts. He must met
'at if the Hon. ordt
o proceed in the of 1
ping, be would jest
if numbers as be and
back. The fhst nest
a Clergyman cf
of the petitioners
)...-They did not
at they were dr.
oer Christians of
, He must et.
lentleman (NIL
idedly upon this
, to support his
iends who had
man would 6od ors
glor his foture at C
t the countty,by
it Dissenters of
f Ireland, by a T 1
'oral., and by a .don"
sic Governmert
a he might laugh
!voted in rank, lien.
ience. He need
colleagues, who Dan]
pes
age in civilize. spa
Petition walnut p
al P
4 pa
Limit from the bd. 4 pet
'ter, praying that the 4pm
ieferred to the Erna Leal
s Petition from tie Eras
against the Bin Den Do,
erect to be pri.ani. Colo
rice. Ditti
the Order cf the Do
he Report of the BY
rusted the House
of irregularity is - F
6'n
w the better ad.
per I
pprehend that it 77f.
e Bill proceeded
ose forms now
sere unnecessaryi Ii
!red. He should •
proposed. woo
161, and pleaded ssbj
J. now the House .43
cesury. The outy 'ape
online the prisoner,
y quite inconsistent
'mired in a Court of frail
id be "By Goo ad teal
great levity, soda
niteitingwgausilaotislyueicrtihwilaaaeBlnsiftsia7m,redblr? e'seji
ettp
sating him how he
nt he should Vint
Lance. At previa; to km
• the question now Lind
e visitation of Goo? tleo-
moldered pull, aid and
he, Ifi a ease sl
reamer pkadcd Taw
declared guilty, aroi 111
t facts. Formerly. letter
f refusing ro pkad•
as called Penitjartr. bfki
the of the be rd
a of punishment.
Arm.
d be declared guilty, disth
think it would be
onside the prisoner
13
trial io pnweed.—
two wawa, we frog
log been convicted 1111
bittosci. It would
alion tonowed upon the
alto ation he should
tarp
present, io CaW,A,
g more of the Jeri
• .
posed himself +o•
iv, in that ad chi?
mid be declared lad P•
el
pow in the Hill ens. Berl
sr of any indictment.
t of which would be
upon the Jura 41
+ei
the person sena
nponaut al cc 2 sold
abco
r doing avtai ends
to t
and
dal
of
oh
liia:mnutpecurriwcae!Q:C"scrrunieumecniiyidc;:ergiut:uotkb:iisozatitdri:ltswilcimlitl.ct.,tilliiiit!:::
alto
le time bacainadn
icing as ,al.ersi suul
risonnitst.•' la ad moo
aught 1.4 huntst
_