Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-04-10
FOREIGN.

lature, has been finally passed by great
majority, and The session Is, for the pre-
sent, adjourncd.-The provisions of this
law affect materially, not only the future
repose and tranquility Of France, but the
quiet and security of all Europe, and it
is moi therefore sarprizing thai they have
been SO carefully discussed and so anxi-
ousiy observed, concerning lis general
merits il is sufficient 10 observe that il
resembles very nearly the militia law of
England, except that the levies are liable
to be employed on foreign service. The
establishment OF troops TO be kept up
during peace, will, il Is said, exceed four
hundred thousand men: a number wills II
has been thought alarmingly excessive ;
but when The population and territory of
the French monarchy are considered !;
her immense extent of frontier, and the
number of her fortified places, a smaller
establishment would scarcely be suffici-
ont even for purposes of defence. The
peace establishment of Russia is thought
to be not less than 600, 900 men of Aus
trla $4,000, and of Prussia 100000
That of France, therefore, cannot be
| considered as much beyond her fair pro-
portion.
A committee of the house of commons
has been appointed 10 examine the pa
pers committed TO their care by govern
| ment, with view Of ascertainiug the ac-
tual and former state of the country in re-
spect TO internal quiet, and also of in
curing III what manner the extraordinary
powers vested in government by the Ha-
beas Corpus Suspension Act, have been
used or abused. A great deal has been
said, both IN the house and in the pa
pers, of the manner in which the com
ffoa ha- hna, II, Il = "a.
sible indisposition and probable iusuf-
ficiency TO perform the duties committed
TO lis charge. According TO all appear
ances, these complaints are not without
reason. The greatest part OF the men,
bers are among the uniform supporters of
administration, and The two or three op-
position members who compose the re-
nalnder, are not precisely those who are
the most remarkable for activity and APP
plicatIon. Ii is not 10 be expected, there
fore, that their inquisiiion will be very e.
laborste, or their animadversions very Sc
we're. But the blame of all this rests EN-
tirely with the house itself The mode
IN which committees of This kind are APP
pointed is more adapted 10 indulge the
Incidence of those who choose, than to
decide OH the qualifications of those who
are chosen. Printed lists, arranged by
the MINISTERS, are given 10 each member,
every one of whom has, of course, the
power of striking out particular names,
and inserting others in their places but
this ceremony, il may readily be beIiev-
co, is very generally omitted. The pro-
6able consequence of all this is, that
the trust will be executed as carelesSly
ana inconslderately as 1t was conferrt d.
One point, however, We may venture 10
lay down as principle which ought TO
be most strictly enforced. Several of the
persons confined under the act which is
about TO expire have tot only most So
lemniy protested their innocence, but
have complained bitterly of having been
treated with useless and wanton cruelty,
and of the serious injury which their
health and their affairs have suffered from
their close and protracted confinement.
These allegations ought 10 be Instantly
and strictly investigated, and If they
should appear 10 be well founded, the in
JurIes OF these men ought 10 be complete
~ redTessed, and every agent Of unneces-
sary cruelty should be severely punished.
In this reiribution, the Justice and the
dignity. of our laws, framed alike for the
protection OF all classes, will be equally
consulted. We are well aware that in
times OF general discomfort, when popu-
have The care of the public safety are We
ry liable, from the mere anxiety of their
zeal, to commit errors and these er-
rors, If they arise from misrepresentation.
ought not to be too severely visited; but
at all events, the sufferers by such mis-
takes have full claim to compensation
when the dangeris past.
Another interesting debate on point
connected kyIf IN ct.h
on Tuesday night. Lord A. Hamilton
brought forward complaint against the
Lord Advocate, and some other judicial
iunetionarles in Scotland, for employing
UNDUE methods in obtaining evidence d.
galust persons accused OfTebelious prac-
ilces.-His lOrdship defended himself OH
he ground OF The expediency OF the case;
Tie practice OF the Scottish courts, and
the Importance of the subject in view
but 1t was plain that The house felt con-
siderable dissatisfaction, for the minority
on Lord A. Bamilton's motion was unu-
suaily large, considering the number of
members III the house. We cannot again
refrain from lsmeniiDg, that Questions Of
THIS kind, which ought TO rest entirely or
Their own separate merits, are taken up
by both sides Of the house entirely i'm the
spirit of party. The simple justice of the
case is itli III the arguments, but il has
very lille Influence on the votes.
Accounts were received here Yesterday
OF most alarming disturbances which had
taken place at Kendall, nom the lury with
which The spirit Of eleclioneering now ra-
ges IN the county of WcsimOreland. A
large party of gentlemen in the Lowfher
interest, having eutered the town on the
day before This account was sent off, ihey
were met by the friends Of Mr.. Brongham.
and riot ensued, in which several gen
ilemens carriages, and among the rest