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Leader (1850-1860), 15th March 1856, Edition 2 of 2, Page 3

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      Tjea.Ce With Russia, And War With Americ...

      so long ; sacrificing what we have , to attempt what we have never succeeded in attaining . The criminal record continues to be brisk and interesting , for we have plenty of events this week . The ease of Talbot versus Talbot is before the House of Lords , and the appeal is attained which we have assisted in demanding . The inquest of John Sadlbir has closed in a verdict of felo de se ; and if he is not buried in a cross road , it will not be for any mercy shown to him by a commercial public , whose morals he has so gigantically outraged . The official inquiry into the fire of Covent-garden Theatre has brought forward the point-blank declaration from the fireman , that the conflagration had been planned ; and thus the flame of accusation , hitherto smouldering in the

      form of rumour , has burst forth about the ears of the Wizard of the North . The inquest on Mrs . Dove , at Leeds , is another chapter upon the domestic life of England . " Nemo repente "—no man begins by poisoning his wife- There are preliminaries to that process- —thwartings , harshnesses , blows ; for wife-beating , which Mr . Dili / wyn has introduced a new bill to check , is not limited to the lower orders . And , disgusting as the Leeds tale is , no one of the witnesses appeared to he astonished by it . Wh y should they ? They would have been astonished if wife-beating were a novelty , an exception ; but they are not . Mr . Dillwyn proposes flogging as the sole effectual check upon brutes that beat women ; but the proposal outrages the humanity of honourable members !

      Mahch 15, 1856.] The Leadbe 243

      Mahch 15 , 1856 . ] THE LEADBE 243

      The National Sun-Day League.—A Large Pub...

      The National Sun-day League . —A large public meeting , consisting mostly of working men , but ineluding several women , > was held on Monday evening at St . Martin ' s hall , Long-acre , to promote the objects of the National Sunday League , and to lead to the opening of the British Museum , & c , on Sundays . Sir John Shelley was iu the chair , and , after a few remarks , introduced Mx . Joseph George , who moved the first resolution , to the effect that the meeting , while acknowledging the religious aud temporal obligations to maintain the Sunday as a day of 3-est , devotion , and innocent enjoyment , Viewed with , deep concern the attempts of organised bodies to shackle

      it , and pledged itself to defend the right of the people to a free and 1 'ational enjoyment of the day . The speaker twitted Sir Benjamin Hall with unrnanliness in not voting for the motion of Sir Joshua Walinsley , after ordering the band to play in Kensington-gardens on Sunday ; but lie oxcused this inconsistency by calling Sir Benjamin a mere ministerial hack . After the delivery of several other speeche s to the same effect , Charles Murray , a working man , moved , and James Baxendale , another artisan , seconded , aii amendment in support of the present sti'ict observance of the Sabbath , on . the ground that the day of rest is a sacred appointment ,

      and that the opening : of public institutions would impose a large amount of extra labour on many individuals . This amendment met with great opposition , and the original motion \ was carried by au immense majority . Another resolution , pledging the meeting to promote the opening of the British Museum , National Gallery , Crystal Palace , and Bimilar institutions , on Sunday , waa also carried , with only a few dissentients ; and , after a vote of thanks to the minority in the House of Commons , which supported the motion of Sir Joshua Walmsley , the meeting , which , was enthusiastic in favour of the objects of the League , seimrated . —The monthly report of this

      association statfls that meetings convened by the League and others iu favour of its objects , have been held during the month at Bermondsey , Soho , and the Cowper-streofc and PUilpott-street Institutions . In the proviuoos , meetings have been held at Newcaatlo , Leicester , aud Newport . Of meetings called in opposition , the most important was that held in Kentishtown , presided over by tho Earl of Shaftesbury , whore tho opponents of tho League were signally defeated , as also at Chelsea , Bermondaey , Islington , Famugdpnhall , Hackney , and in the Borough , I » tho provinces , at Dover , Htuldersfield , and Durham the

      , opponents of the movement had been vi go r ou s l y mot aud defeated in publio meetings . In the defeat off Sii > Joshua Walmsley ' s motion , the committeo of the Loaguo fqel bound to acknowledge tho fruits of that powerful organisation of tho clerical bodies employed agamut thorn , aud now fully developed , aud they feol that muoh onergy will bo needed to oolloot and arrange their own more numerous but aoatterod forces . In the full consciousness of much labour before them , the committee rely upon tho oo-oporatiou of their fellow nioiribera in perfecting that extension and organisation of the-League which is now thoir chief turn .

      SuroiT »« , —An inquest was hold on tlio Wdy of Mr William Dunn , latel y residing at Stamen , who - was found dead in a batli in Bath-istroet , KT'cw ' gftt < 5 '' fltreot A verdict of " Accidental'Death" was returned .

      Imperial Parliament. Monday, March Lofh....

      IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . Monday , March lOfh . KAES . A brief conversation took place in the House ot Loeds -with , reference to the Kars blue book ; Earl MIalmesbury giving notice of his design of . calling tbeir Lordships' attention to the correspondence after the Easter recess ; and the Earl of Elleitborough alluding to certaiu deficiencies in the correspondence , and expressing a hope that they would be supplied by Grovernment .

      LEASES AND SALES OP SETTLED ESTATES BILL . On the motion for going into committee on this bill , Lord St . Leonards urged the Lord Chancellor to delay it until the measure introduced into the House of Commons , transferring to the Court of Chancery the powers of the Encumbered Estates Court , should be disposed of . The two measures could not work concurrently , and it appeared to him that , if the work of the Encumbered Estates Court in Ireland and the business created by the present

      bill m England were thrown on the Court of Chancery , that court would be overburdened and would break down ' altogether . —The Lord Chancellor defended the bill , which he said merely gave the Court of Chancery the power of enabling parties to dispense ¦ with the necessity of applying to Parliament for private aobs . The oases were not so numerous as to justify apprehension that the Court of Chancery would be overworked . ^— The bill then went through committee , the report was received and the House adjourned .

      CENTRAL AMEBIOA . In the'House op Commons , Sir E . Btjlwer Lytton gave notice that he would , after the Easter recess , call the attention of the House to the present state of the relations between the Government of this country and that of the United States of America in reference to Central America .

      major . Lord Palmerston , in answer to a suggestion from Sir De Xiaoy Evans , put the House in possession , of the words of the telegraphic message sent to General Simpson , in reference to Mr . Dowbi gg in , by Lord Panmure ( his uncle ) . The message was—¦ " I recommend young Dowbiggin to your attention , if he is fit , and you . have a vacancy . " The second was from General Simpson : — - " In the trenches last nig ht , the Russians made a strong attack to regain the cernetery ; but we were prepared , and Captain Dowbi ggin and his party behaved admirably . "

      SUNDAY SHAVING AT OLDHAM . Sir George Grey , in reply to a question from Mr . M . urrodgh , stated that the conviction of Joshua Wolstencroft for shaving oil Sunday had taken place under an obsolete statute , -which he thought it would at present be undesirable to attempt to amend . ST . PANCRAS WORKHOUSE . Mr . Botjverie , in answer to Sir John Pakington , mentioned that the guardians of St . Pancras , elected under tlie local act , were taking measures for improving the state of matters in the workhouse . These measures would undergo his consideration . THE BAY ISLANDS . Mr . La-Bouohisre , in answer to Mr , Milner Gibson , said that the Bay Islands had been erected into a colony by a warrant dated March 20 th , 1852 .

      LOCAL DDES . Lord Palmeeston , in answer to Sir Frederick Thesigejb , mentioned that it was intended , to amend Mr . Lowe's motion for a select committee to inquire into the question of local dues , so as to meet the views of all parties . He read the motion in its amended shape , which included these additional words : — " And that the committee be instructed to inquire into the sovoral matters referred to the royal commissioners appointed to inquire into the local charges on shipping iu the ports of the United Kingdom , and in those of the- islands of Jorsey aud Guemsoy ; and that tho committeo do report their opinion tliereon ; and that tlie report of those commissioners should be laid before tho committee . "—Sir Frederick Thesiqer expressed his willingness to acoept tho motion as altered .

      TUB ARMY IN THIS CRIMEA . Mr . Layaud , iu reply to a question , from Lord Hotiiam , statocl that it was his intention to postpone until after Easter his motion relative to tho conduct of tho officers in tho Crimea .

      OOUNWJja AND BOROUGHS 1 'OLIOM DILL . Sir Gjcorqe Q ridy , iu moving the seooad reading of t his bill , entered into a very pi-olonged statement of faota and arguments to remove tho popular prejudioo against tho bill . Ho x-oad various extracts from the evidence taken , boforo tho Committee of that House , upon whoso roport tho bill was founded , whioh showed tho necessity of a , gouoml aud uniform system of polioe , owing to the want of whioh crime is fostorod , and gi-oat difficulties are thrown in tho way of tho detection of evil-doers . The provisions of tho Municipal Corporations Aot showed that Parliament han the power of dealing , not ouly with tho polioe of oountioa , but also of boroughs j ami , aa regards tho oliargo of OQutraliHittion , it must bo rooollootod that

      this is a question that concerns the whole community and not particular localities . In many placeB the polioe are singularly insufficient in point of numbers . There are eight boi-oughs with an aggregate population of 32 , 500 , in which there is only one policeman in each for day and night duty . In twenty other boroughs , comprising apopulation of 82 , 000 , only two policemen discharge the duties imposed by the act . In Ashton-under-Line , with a population of 30 , 000 , there are only seventeen policemen . At Blackburn , thei'e are only forty-six policemen to a population of 47 , 000 ; at Bolton , there are only twenty-seven policemen to a population of 61 , 000 ; at OMham , there are but thirtythree policemen to 53 , 000 ; at Preston , there are only

      thirty-seven policemen to 30 , 000 inhabitants . Then the police rules differ in various places , and in some are very objectionable . For instance , there are towns where the pay of the police is not by a fixed salary bu t b y fees—a system constantly exposing the poor man to extortion . But it had been objected by the boroughs that the effect of the sixtt clause—empowering the Home Secretary to make rules for the government , clothing , pay , & c , of the police—would be to throw a dangerous power into the hands of the ministry for the time being . However , that clause gave no greater power than had been exercised for the last fifteen years with respect to the county police , and nothing could exceed the harmony with . which the

      system works . Still , if the House thought the powers granted too large , he" would not obj ect to conferring on Parliament that which he proposed to -vest in the Home Secretary . With respect to the fifth clause , which , it was feared , would enable the Government to determine the duties of the police , he would propose the omission of the latter portion of the clause , and leave it to the local authoiities to determine what duties the police should perform . With these modifications , he trusted the bill would be allowed to pass . —Mr . Charles Forster , however , persisted in pressing the amendment of which , he lad given notice , to defer the second reading for six months . Thia amendment was seconded by Captain ScobelI ; , and the bill was also opposed , by Sir G . Pechell , Sir Joshua . ' Walmsle ' y ,- Colonel Smyth , Mr . W . 'J . Fox , Mr . Henley ( who said that the evidence taken before

      the committee of 1853 was very defective , and who quoted a large mass of statistics to show that counties having no rural police are more free from crime than those - possessing a police ) , Mr- J . B . Smith , Mr . Deedes , Mr . Mxjntz ( who recommended the -withdrawal of the bill ) , Mr . Barrow , Mr . Cobbett , Mr . Knight , and Mr . Hadpieldj all of whom conceived that the measure would introduce a despotic centralisation , and place too much , power in the hands of the police . —On . the other side , the measure was supported by Sir Henry Stracey , Mr . Paoke , Sir William Heathoote ( who , replying to the observations of Mr . Henley , said the real test of the necessity for this bill must be sought for in the amount of detected crime ) , Mr . Rice , Mr . Warner , and Mr . Ciyley . —Sir Gkorge Grey replied , and the House divided , when the amendment was negatived by 259 to 106 , and the bill was read a second time .

      TRIAL OP OFFENCES BILL . On going into committee on this bill ( which has ' , arisen out of the application for changing the venue , in the case of William Palmer ) , Mr . Whiteside objected " to the power given to the Crown , in political as well as other oasea , to remove the trial of the accused from one locality to another , and lxe therefore moved the insertion of words , the effect of which was to make all applications for changing the venue to the Court and not to the judge , and to make them in all cases with the consent of the accused person . If these

      words were introduced , he had no objection to the bill . —The Attorney-General resisted this amendme n t , and said that , as wo do not live in the days of Judge Jeffreys , and as the judges act uuder a sens © of public opinion , the House need be under no fear of an undue exercise of the power granted by the bill . Subsequently , however , ho consented to a suggestion by Mr . Hibnlhy , that the word " treason " should bo struck out ; and with this amendment , together with verbal alterations in olauscs 8 , -4 , 7 , 8 , and 16 , and tho omission of clause 30 , which was negatived , tho bill ¦ was agreed to .

      joint- crrx . On tho order of tho day for goiug into committee on this bill , Mr . Lowu snid that , iu order to avoid tho objections which had been urged against tho bill , he would , with the pornusfliou of the houso , withdraw ib iu ito present form , with the intention of introducing another measure upon the subject at a future day . Tuesday , March 11 th . OONTHAOT MOR'l'AKS .

      In tho Housrs oic Lords , tho Earl of Derby , according to notion , aakod Lord Panmurm whether ho waa prepared to confirm a fitatomout made by Mr . Mousell , tho Clerk of fcho Orduanoo , iu tho House of Commons , rolutivo to frauds committed in a oontraot with tho Orduanoo Department for mortars ; and , if thqsQ charges wero trno , to stato tho name of tho firm guilty of doooption in oouooaling tho . defects iu tho mortars supplied j also whon , and by whom , tho dofeobs wore discovered ; whether they wore discovered before

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), March 15, 1856, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_15031856/page/3/