The Statesman.
London, England, 1819-07-07 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Mr. W. SMITH permeated Petition% hem the Pre.
restint Dissenter* el Groot bed latti• Broaghlaii, in
Cumberland, rod Irmo Ciliate', praying au alteration
in the Marriage AM.

EXCISE Pt/WM*7IOMS.
Mr. W. SSil Ell also Ise.. open rho iablea POWs,.
Now Jerinaish Abell, a prisoner in Norwich Jail.—

The Hen. Mellb, stayed, that thin was one of the
many CAWS where the supposed offender bad newt in-
doted to content to a compromise, obtain fact after-
wards no such compromise hid been completed by
the Crown. The Delendeat, a small farmer, was
ptosoceltd by Os Ems., for pone' ies to the ailment
of 1,0001.; end motwithstsndiughe ss as abbe to Nees
most olivine'', an alibi, by 17 witnesses, epeeist the
siogle testimony of the seesaw, his Cooovel us the
hist had consisted to a compromise for 3001.„ con.
troy to the express
injonctions of the Defendant.—
Afterward. the matter Led slept for more then a
year; the poor ENO was then token into custody,
and had bee" now confined for lli months in NOP'
wich jail. Th. Honourable Member made several
ebsersalions epos the tesecity of the rate, and upon
the clearness of the proof of the alibi. It could be
established. that the Wollner was actually to Nor-
wich et the very limo he bad sworn that he was
'watching the defendant and slit others •nri.E..l in the
smuggling transaction In gamin's. Two of those in.
dieidoals had ont yet been prosecuted. '.he prayer
was, dot some step. 'night be taken by the House

for as relief of the Petitioner.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER did
not object to oho Petition being laid upon the table,
bat bo felt a strong per.ssai•too that unless the Board
of Eider had bad reason to believe that I h. facts in
the Petition were false, they would have ordered the
discharge of the Petitioner. Ile admitted that the
statements were estraordinary.
Mr. W. Sll urn added that the case had been be.
fore the Treason) for a year, and all possible moons
lof information be. been afforded. The Counsel ori-
;Welly ipmployed by the Petitioner did not condict
his defence, bet put his brief into the hands of ants-
they Barrister. The lion. Member was very numb
surprised that sot/Moos a matter had Wow allowed by
the Treasury to sleep so lows. Tins lion. Member
road the affidavit of a 'Pitons, who saw the inform►r
in Norwich twice, and in the ratan space he could
not have travelled 30 miles, tau distance from thou
city at w►ich Ake trasesetion took place : that whole
story seemed to be en absolute fabrication.
It was &adored that the Petition should be printed.
Mr. BROUGHAM presented Petitions from Pen.
• Comberlaud, and Kendal, Wostmorlaud, for ow
alteration of the Marriage Act•
Mr. BROUGHAM stated some ravine why he
had sot yet presented a l'etiii )))) from an Ilnetoorabla
andLearmed Friend, Mr. o'llBlllin, of Newry, cos.
ploining of the misconduct of soma of Om chief Law
Officers in Ireland.
flit G. HILL complained that the chirps bed been
so long hanging over the Lord Chancellor and Lb.
Attorney-General of behold : as individuak, hew.
over, it moat be perfectly indifferent to them when
tin charges were attempted to ba substantiated.
I Mt. BROUGHAM said, that ha had takes the

mad* to aseortaln, by direct evidence, whether these
morel - which had been entertained with
rove. t to the criminal laws, were to be held as resting
en iamb evidence. er coo en appeal merely to those
feelings which homes natter, loss implanted ie our
besets. The eastrileationa of evidence had occupied
es much of the Cansalttire's flap, that the Report
trail certainly cots. complete as they wished to have
made it. With respect to fist of which he bad the
homier to premed the Report, he would soy, that e
Committee, t. ore impartial is their 'lamination of
evidence; mere assiduous In their attention to the
ltssiness before 'hem, move zealous in the discharge of
diets doilies,
The list part was, if he might so cell it, document.
•ry ; it consisted tif official and authentic retards of
priosecutiono *nil convictions, furnished from differeet
parts of the kingdom. The Committee hod used their
best exertions to precise, from the Offices, Who
were the depositaries of these and simile, tomtits, every
information which It was la their powei to bestow.
Oise of these ref urea c.ruiptised en account of the new.
ber of convictions cud executions, for capital offences's
Loodon and Middleser,from the year 1d99 to I 814.
With respect to the City of London, which had lint

its elfecteal &solitaries le the Committee in every
point of Mew, they were induced to hope, that they
should be enabled to bring before Parliament dem
menet still More ahciest and se ostensive, that they
should give a return of such convictines end *seem
Lions for the whole of the 17th tentory.--[neer !]
—Oat be had now to speak of the Home Circuit,
which Honourable Gentlemen meet be aware in-
cluded the celestite in the vicinity of London ;
for this district they ponemed an scrotal drawn
by with singular cure and research by Mr. Knepp,
11-pety Civet of Anise. His account compre-
hended a larger space of time than that to
which be had alluded, relative to London and Mid-
&sea ; for it emended from the year 1689 (the year
of the Revolution) to 1755 ; and from 1755 to
1814 ; end no doubt they sloald-be speedily able le
lay before lb* lime the Returns fer the intermediate
Iperiod dawn to the present year. They should tisk
be able to lay before the Public a view or estimate
of the moral Mate of the country fora period of more
than 130 years. He hoped that the appearance of
these Returns from various districts of Esgland
**aid speedily be Imitated by ether parts of the Em-
pire. Is seem confess, and it was with some ear-
pe in. that the Committee bad received we Returns from
Ireland, so notice had been taken of the various
orders which had bete issued from the Committee,
sad sent to that ceseery.—(llear, Ater !)—lf, how-
ever, it was more desirable that them of the one
country shoold have bete furnished than the other,
it was, nerhape, efgresterconseqeencethat they ahelald
bare possessed those of Ireland than of Great Bri-
tain, with the details of which they were necessarily
better acquainted. Of the objects fur which, es the
House rebid see, this Committee was eppefielted, the
6151 was, to ascinteln the ciecumitences 'Mending the
infliction of death for various felonies; and the se-
cond, a collection of such lies as had become eke,.
let, and onsecessery, and were mere incontinency,
epee the Statute Beek. With regard to the morel
cheekier of the coesery, as regarded the capital of-
fences*, wordier, he bad meth satislectine in corr..
boreties the sweeties advance(' by the Noble L.erd
(Casilterlagb) le es early stage of these proceerlinge,
that the Mimes of violence and atrocity had dimi.
gashed le e proportion, which amities but she um'
thessikily and Hiviney of these decaneva., could
wareant them in mappeiting.—E neer .heart)—Thos.
le the lime (Amite, taking dirk several periods of

salt was very consolatory, for it appeered that the
conviction's for minder (Load°, and Middleses),
(loathe year 1681 t• 1784, were 51; from 1784 to
1814, they were 86 ; bit in the three jean lobate
geent to the lest of those periods, slimily, In 1815,
1816, sod 1817, the convictions is Middleses were
poly nine. On the whole, when the House tonal.
tiered the lacrosse of propolation frost I he fear 1785
to the present doe, they would see abet there olive
very tautiderable dimlustios in the number of mar•
dors committed in Lood.b, somparing the lest 30
veers with the preceding period of 30 'eon. Taklog
tbe convictiens (for carder) from the year 1685, be
average somber of them had beet about nine le fete
years. Hs had no crass of comparing this amount
with tbst gain by, other capitals; for to the trot
place, there was no other city In the world which ma-
tatted 1,000,000 of inhabitants; aid in the ',weld,
tbire was none Ii which they could find welt adtlase.
tic records as the& of whieli he was speekine. flat
if any sue eonakinred this. statements, be must isiode
think the ereerity of human life in tali groat apy,
was very teler•loe ; insenech as it resulted, that
there were 500,000 chances ld one against (vete
awes being iurdered in the criers* of the rem—.
[Meer !)—A very small rate, therefore, litchi be
',sectary for the iesoracti of basin life, so fir as
regarded the 'goriest. of such sorority. it would he
necessary here, to recollect another circumstance,
which mist be taken; certainly, Into satinet, al.
Owlish be knew it was one that had greeter weight
with other indiviJnals than with himself. In cossi.
deriog the security of basso life in this city, it bad
bites held that she esjnyed it generally es relying on
the hogisnlty of the people; bat they meet re-
collect bow bug the inhabitants Were left to that
humanity alone, and that People were only leery
lately restrained by those laws and roles, *sad
measures of polka,
_So mach relied 00.---it
was gratifying to observe, shit the same pleasing
prospect was afforded b,k the retorts of the Waiters
Circuit : there oeititer was there iny increase of vio-
lent and atrocious crimes. in that district the name
her of coovictions for mirth, had remained muck lb.
same for the last 50 'earl ; se that it would see. t,
although circumstances of unexampled distress hed
driven the People, la seas instances, to commit de.
predations epee property, yet that they had set, Is
any degree, bolt that ripegosoce to blood, which bad
formed put of their character in all former times,
and which appeared to form also the great distioctlos
balms these who became cricioil from .entity,
sod those who subsisted upon the plunder of aye.
tematic violence sod rspatity. He could Cot
hold himself from observing, with a feeling of great
satisfacties, that whatever alight have been the
°eremitic of the People of England, they had
boat no part of that active and littoral hams.
city which was the dearest and most admire.
ble of all their poseessions.—(Loud cheering.)—
A second object of the Committee was to ascertals,
as far as could be ascertained, what Statutes math%
Mettles were proved by experience to be of no sc.—.
They had assented that such laws relative to capital fee
lonises bad not bees executed it this country, part;.
calmly lb lie great district of what is called the West-
ens Circuit, for the list 50 or 60 years, could not be
very necessary. He was aware that it had been held
as a better argument, that there wet Isws, backed by
capital felonies, which therefore prevented the sacrifice
of human life, sad teemed to be useless tell because
they proved to be perfectly effectual. It appeared
to the Committee en object of grave and primary is,.
portage*, by inducing Parliament to abrogate seed-
less laws, to remove from our Criminal Code that
needless stigma of a sanguinary climactic, which times
laws had acquired for it, in the eyes of the world.—
lie had now mentioned to the House a part of
what was proposed to be done; he would oily add
here, that in the Itepott this was divided into
two cosier's : the introduction of two Bills into
Parliament is the beginning of nest Session ; the
one relating to statutes attaching felony to acts which
were in themselves merely indifferent, or Nearly
and of which the immediate repeal was t• be
proposed; thee with seaport so cettain crimes
and ofeoces, the other Hill was to emboli's's
trassportation for the peoisltmeist of death in
cites of forgery, &c., leering to lb. Judges largo
I discretlonsry powers in doureetioine the eaten and
voanoer of the sentences. 11. proceeded new tee most
Important peel of the Iteport, via. to that which rep
aoected the disposed eases. On too one hand it was
I sew ended that the ',verity .if the peoishlrent es.
ireeregoil rather Shea repressed crime; on the ••her.
' that this might be tree with respect to some ponies,

but the' the fall (a of the penally Illial.l Operate optitt
ell NOW.II for this totter, the CeStoitieo had been
eodetiviveritg iw s.cortisits the fact, sod had bees rot.
oiled (the Arse time. Ito boiVesed, that it loal eve.
Items dime by soy Committee appointed by that
line..) in otiempliog to 'este by stamiestioes of
permits' engaged in rose trinssesions. nt those who
weir vmpening to suffer for thefts and fee forgeries.
ma welt es bt shine whet out he the prosegeirm. *oil
grime pewees to. rod of those also who moss be J •
del spun. Seat MOPS; what was the epos/lion ..1
orinisol poviiistrevesets, oMNbar they piorlecod
impaohs
of crime, or operated to repress them. St lilt respect
to those who Weft surmise& they rooristed of eat
vises snits of mem. lln Ihr brat place, they abstained
feta rsselning• the Judges, from respect to Omit
Ohmmeter. rev/rents for their statiens, sod 11.11•10111 el
delicsry in timid to it • r oficlab foie!' • . (nor I)
it as .0.4, sisorefneo. out of 1111 Y wait .f trepest
fur those. learned and upright permeigee, bin after
way entity sod roosidrisble disceigibe, tisit
Committee determined 'hat appl;catiersetg Stem was
gokt.• net gm:emery, anil.would be gessolling: not
es
re those loafer/I piors,.na: who bird rotated, liked
the Mete stationa, and •ito new relfilser from the
/rigors of office, so mach olio. don piloted, and the)
bed accuidingly applied to • 14-ird Er'skine, Sir Wa.
Grant. Sir Vies., Gibbs, Sr. J. Nlenskolti, and Sir
Aliso Chroo bre. Pot' Lord' Eakin. and Sir William
'Gast h was inoonvonient to attend; bet the Cern.
motor Ir.d rossha to beli.v.vi hat they still entertained
the some sentiments on itto•viestion which they had
torrid on swings Occasloos in Parliament. 11 was
• Sent for 'sir Allan Chambiro nod Sir James
Mansfield also.• front quiets retrains, io attend
thorn ;• god they Name tq albs re:Motion of asaminhig
iklagimestes. Sir Alosandor NI cdonaid, a most active
cud iu.olligent Moab., of that holly,' hod the good.
one to 'mead fM C imieditee, sod from him tkey de-
rived Informatioe of *kith they wets in great want.
H. said, that else treater somber orpooishinestir by
far inemied, at present, were for torgery,'sbnpliftiog,
and bnasevii.s4init• 'Jones sod prosecutors, be ob.
served, womb equally averse in prosecute and coo.
demo, bowel's ate penalty to M diito, useless the
cases before them were of treason,- or arson,
or murder. The nest class of easinieauts were
lifsgistrates of !widene• in espies/ offences S they
were unanimous in saying tbat leo poisishmeet
"of &gab lost its effect in consequence of -ks peelers!
ladicolon. Mr. Otaquhoon, who bad been a Maps.
Wane for lb. lest seven years._ aid was knows to
the.* es a mitt serious aid well-many used en.,
...poke in ilso salve effect, and conceived the teem..
gayeties so be highly lojorioos if 'Wang will. devils
o I edger *fences sow eaten to that penalty.—
.Dlr. B. Siein•aring corroborated his testimony,
which was Ali mare distinctly confituseribyilte
den. • of one .1 the 014 Bailey Officers, else Link of
„ Wrreigns. Clolks. t the Police-06mi stated massy
Cases, in which promnialsrs bad milled eist, " Is it a
%Ingle{ .glee ? tenant y reduce it t• below 40..!"
There was soother class of possum from whoa the
"Committee bad received 4he most ample igtellittnce
the tradesmen of the cities of" Leaden sod West.
Though those indislderls bed 'era peat
sufferdrs free Aryl:asking god .11 am class of minor
robberies, to sods en Parent that scarcely a shop
'whim /he lasr twenty years bed ...coped less; yet
'they fell so strongly lb. onjost severity of the law,
ch.,. with equal humanity sod good tenor, they bad
-gi..ya sheen the irmost-rel octanes so prosecute.—
olstraotile house bed deposed, that ig the rams pe-
'tiod of lime obey had discharged several porters,
ant all for the salmi offence. Ti. pancipal 'ranger
• li. sMa boom lad once suffe•ed an much analoty, Is
c•,irveqo • nee of crinah-l•prosecation,beicire he dicer.
tativ•d this ropiest pentshmegewould got fellow,ihat
ti c 1 deletwineti never 1. prosecute saran. The
'Non. sod looresod"Geothras... it•en Wetted to the
evi 'face of •Mr. Carr, Solicitor so the Esciso, eke
slated, that prior to the year Hilts the fingers 41 so
Eider stamp ohs puilsbabis by a Peddle, of SOOLt
since that roiled this effuse* had Wee wide a tap'.
tattrellAty. In the yes, 11108 inert tromi,2l presets.
tiring, and 19 to *vine*. ; Jetts after• atlas it the
year ISIS, thrtressere fatly sine presetetions,anil three
convicting': to contpletely bad the copilot !Amity
the effect of amerrilig the Maid from µcomicial*/ S
and it . might be further observed, that hew the
proportion of cotivietions was es one to three oily,
while formerly it was as shriteeis t. vwesity•one
Thor/ was also the evldeoce of Mr. J..sevb 11..mee,
Crown bonnier for SI steams, the Old Wiley, a Gen.
flees so who had had conliderstial iniercoorse with more
thee SOUP candor& storing 'Mt pres.A. and a Gentle.
wan who brought aregcb Isooolildge sod regootio•
to the ensv
ir eflise •ohject as go) rosairlill
maciotest.) Pad ever met. ilk judg-
ment mss poly equal en his bassaulty ; and he gams
such marks of both is hit testimony to the Comddt.
tee, as rendered earwig), to all he sold she more
incombent upon the Combater* 'sod the House.—
Laiminier, Ito observed. Were not vary frequently
punished in conseqseece of the seedily of the penal.
ties; persons woo were to serve en Jetts e.rd
every effort, amongst others by bribing, the Ratans..
log Officer not to piece their names upon llie p.nnol ;
mod Jed*, when impsneelled, were frequently in.
laced to enprit a prisoner, alttioagh there was sets.,
nest tesid•oce of his guilt ; and sll this en dove is
consequence of the ilmirdful severity of Ohs Penal
laws. The ends of justice were defeated, because
huanahisy interim ed end feeling &Voted mercy, who
there is•s DO proportion heillefh the punishment sed
the critic The old professed thieves, seem of the
humanity of 3urors„ wished to be promeoted capital.
ly, as their chances of maps wets greater than
If 'heir punishment were less severe; and them
were a class 61 persons, who could neither be consi-
dered theorists, norsiskinalies. one philantheopists.
—Thetefore it was that the Public at largo were
called epee,. end the Governmetst itself were called
open, to 140,141 their forms and their property by
the @penmen/ of laws translated if sot to repress, at
all events to penish vile. with soot salutary +Sect.
Tht ...Rees capitol ensciments to be found in oar
Crimea,' Code, appeared to Mr. 'Harmer 'Squat in.
irtiegeste to the preerrosion of trine. Ho therefore
wi.l.od the pty.rtil screen to be strolirbed. 110 wish.
odc.,oeiriesi effeerfers to be pot to bard hairier, for
that they felt, sod rather than be employed,
. would cease to plunder and to rob. Debauchery
led shem lot* crime, soil No o.'o\ ve reerim•
oesdid &Wife/ace to be imposed on Ono! VA