The Sun. — 1845-05-08 (London, England)

THE CONDEMNED SERMON.  Alderman and Sheriff SIDNEY, after having presented the usual Sheriffs' returns of the state of the prisons, said the Sheriffs thought it right to inform the Court that some remarks had been made in the House of Peers on the subject of the admission of the public to hear the condemned sermon in the chapel of Newgate, and also with reference to the public execution of the convict murderer, Hocker. The Sheriffs had deferred making any reply to these remarks, knowing as they did know that the Secretary of State had directed an inquiry into the facts and circumstances attending the matter, and when the report which would be the result of the inquiry should be laid before the Legislature, and furnished to them, the Sheriffs would to ready to enter fully into the case, in their own defence.  Sir PETER LAURIE observed that he for one could not but thank the House of Lords for interesting themselves upon that which he thought was a most nefarious course of proceeding. Alderman and Sheriff HUNTER rose to address the Court, but resumed his seat. Alderman CHALLIS here interposed, and called upon Sir Peter Laurie to retract the expression he had made use of.  Alderman Sheriff SIDNEY observed that he should have thought Sir Peter Laurie's sense and gentlemanly conduct would have induced him to recal the expression to which he had given utterance, since that the Sheriffs had delayed and deferred a reply to the grave charges made against their conduct, pending the inquiry set on foot by the Secretary of State. Sir Peter Laurie had been a magistrate sufficiently long to know that expo to statements were not always to be relied upon. Sir PETER 'LAURIE —I know nothing to recal. I merely meant to say that " thank God there is a House of Lords."  Sheriff HUNTER said he was not aware that his colleague had the slightest intention of making any observations in reference to the proceedings in another place, hut he was prepared to express his opinion as to the propriety of the observations which had been made in the High Court of Parliament He felt that his colleague and he were placed in a certain position from not having been aware of the nature of two orders which were on the records of the Court, and which were made, the one so far back as the year 1825, and the other, an explanation of the former order, in 1842. It was due to the public, as well as to themselves, that he should at once express the reasons why the Sheriffs were not aware of the existence of any such rules or laws as these orders to which he referred, being in force. He found,however, that in the books of the Court there was to be seen an order which, with the permission of the Court, he would now read. " Court of Aldermen, March 29, 1825. " The Court proceeded, in•the adjourned consideration of the report of the Committee in relation to the several gaols of this city, recommending the public to be excluded from hearing the condemned sermon at his Majesty's gaol of Newgate, and the said report, as delivered in and read in this Court on the 18th day of January last, was now again read in these words . " To the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, and Court of Aldermen, we whose names are hereunto subscribed, your Committee, in relation to the several gaols of the. City, to whom, on the 30th day of November last, it was referred to consider whether it may or may not in future be expedient to exclude the public from the chapel in. Newgate on the Sunday preceding the day on la hich any convict or convicts may in future be ordered for execution, and to report our opinion thereon to this Court, do certify that we have taken the same into our most serious consideration ; and, after due deliberation, are decidedly of opinion thtt in future it will be expedient to exclude strangers altogether from the chapel in Newgate on the Sunday preceding the day on which any convict or convicts may be ordered for execution, in the same manner as they are excluded on other Sundays ; and we recommend to this Honourable Court to give the requisite directions accordingly. " All which we submit. Dated this 18th day of January, 1825.  " M.