Star.
London, England, 1817-02-22 00:00:00

•
he Caned. nn by the Flou4 to institute iiineeedings.
[-le stated that the subject of rewards was under the
odious consideration of the Nsble Lord at the head
qj the Home Department.
Sir S. ROMILLY said, that neither he nor his
Honourable Friend (Mr. Bennett) had imputed any
neglect of duty to the Law Officers of the Clown.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL replied, that he
had not Misunderstood his Learned Friend, or the
Honourable Gentleman near him he merely wished
*to inform the House, that the Lord Chancellor was
unwilling to remove-any person from the Cc.mmisi.ln
:'f the Peace, having first required from the Law
Officers of the Crown whether there existed any rea-
sonsfor proceeding against the Magistrates criminally?
Mr. BENNETT said, that suffizient reasons ap-
peared in Mr. Merceron's own evidence, if not to pro-
ceed against him at least to deprive him
of the Commission of the Peace.'

Mr. BROUGHAM wished to know, whether
every Mightn't was to be continued on the Com-
mission, unless a sufficient case cud Isa made out
:igainst him to convict him in a Court of ?
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL could not pre-
view to say whist feelings or principles influenced the
.Lord Chancellor's conduct with respect tl the coati-
' moose or reirival of Magistrates.
Mr. BROUG LIAM aektioultdged that he had
misunderstood his Learned Friend, in. which, he be-
lieved, he had trit been singular. He did conceive
his Learned Friend to have stated, that the Lord
Chancellor hesitated to remove Mr. Merceroo from
lie Commission, because the Law -Officers of the
,Crown did not think there existed a sufficient case for
his conviction. No one ever held the seals in this
country with greater purity than did the present Lord
Chancellor—(Near, krar,)—but he regretted that the
N ,hli: and Learned Lord had not entered into a con-
sideration of the conduct of Mercer.m.

Mr. LOCKHART thought it incumbent on Mi.
nisters to have proceeded to active meartres imme-
diately on receiving the Report of the Police. He
feared that they were in general more influenced by
regard for the revenue of the country than the morals
of the penple.—(iirar, hear.)
The Petition was laid on the table.

Mr. BENNETT presented a Petition, signed by
229 persons of tie Town of Brentford, complaining
of the Magistrates of that division, for having taken
away a licence from Joseph Harding, of that town,
without sufficient cause. Harding's house was stated
as one of uniform respectability, in which no riots or
disorders had ever been suffered. The Petition con-
cluded by praying for redress.
Mr. B. BATHURST and Mr. WOOD severally con-
tended that the House of Commons was not the proper
place for judging, in the'first instance, of the conduct
of the Magistrates.
Mr. HOLME sumNgß declared his intention
of opposing the Petition, and complained of the sys-
t?rn too prevalent, of attacking Magistrates, where it
was impossible for ti.em to defend themselves.
Mr. 13Url'ERWORTH expressed his satisfaction
that no proceeiings had been instituted against the
Magistrates on ex-parte evidence.
Mr. BENNET r, in allusion to what had fallen

from the Honourable Member for Surrey, said, that
he had made no attack on Mr. Merceron, but what
was justified by his own evidence, the whoiof which
was one continued system of contradictions.
Mr. BROUGHAM lamented that his Honoorable
Friend's humanity prevented him from acting as be-
came him as Chairman of the Committee, and bring-
ing Mr. Merceron before the House. With respect
to the Honourable Member's opposition to the peti-
tion, he acknowledged that a line should be carefully
drawn between petitions fit for the House to enter-
tain, and those suited only for a Court of Law ; taut
the. present petition was not of the latter description, for
it did not impute corrupt motives to the Magistrates.
• The ATTORNEY -GENERA La-44 What then
can the House do in the case—what practical mea-
sure is it expected that we can adopt 1"
Mr. BROUGHAM—" The prayer is for redress
generally."
Dhe ATTORNEY-GENERAL I do not see
how the House can entertain the Petition ; for what
spec jAc object has it in view;"
ifr. BROUGHAM-1, I call upon you, Sir, to
sty, whether a petition is to be rejected, because it
prays for relief generally ?"
The SPEAKER—" Certainly not on that account.
The general nature of the prayer is no technical ob-
jection to the petition, but the House may consider
whether the petition is such as it ought to adopt ?"
The petition was laid on the table. -
co:swore IN NRIWATI.
Mr. BENNETT desired to know why the Re-
corder's Report of several unfortunate persons, now
lying under sentence of death in Newgate, had not
yet been matte It the Prince Regent ? Five persons
were condemned to death in July last, and four in
the September following. Of these he was aware,
that the casts of four persons were submitted to the
consideration of the twelve Judges, and he desired
to' know why the Judges had not yet determined on
them The number of persons under sentence of
death at four o'clock yesterday amounted to one
hundred l—(Hear, hear.)—A Noble Rilattve of his
had lately come to town, who had never heed' in
Newgate, and he had taken him there to :hew hint
how the criminal law of the country was dispensed.
There he had witnessed a scene of despair and int-
morality which he wished the House could have seen.
Persons under sentence of death evinced the estrente
of profligacy and indifference, and some of them
had even said, that they looked with pleasure to the
arrival of the warrant of execution, as a relief from
their dreadful state of suspense. He requested the
Noble Lord to say when his Royal Highness would
receive the Recorder's Report ut October and De-
cember last
Lord CASTLEREAGH replied, that the Report
had been ordered los Wednesday, but had been psi.
poned by the pressure of very important business
until to-morrow.
The ATTO ItNEY- GENERA L said, that the
cases refetred, to the Judges had experienced on un-
necessary delay.
After some further conversation fripn Mr. Bre-
PIETA the ATiIbaNAIC-GEXZNAL. and Mr. Alderman,
SMITH, the Report of the number of convicts in
Newgate, presented to the House last Wednesday,
was ordered to be printed.
The. Army Estimates for the present year was re-
ferred to a Committee, which was appointed.