Current:

Northern Star (1837-1852), 5th May 1849, Edition 2 of 3, Page 7, ,, :;: r MAY.ro,jl849. ^ / T.H E^ IfO^fH...

Page 7
Page 7
7 of 8

On this page

  • Departments (1)
    • ^wwal^atjiammt
  • Text (3)
  • Transcript

    • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

      Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

      ,•: A : Waterford ^P Aper: Thus¦; Descri...

      — strflbrers , pi ' tne- ' clean ^ g ^ the ^ town . It is quite :-- distressing to witness . the scenes of misery , ; ' at the present time , in this neglected town . —I have the honour Ac ., M . Creigh , Colonel . —Galway , April , 23 rd . —To the . MUitary ' Secretary . " . ¦ Even , this remonstrance has been unavailing The chairman and the other commissioners agreed that "it was quite impossible for them to do anything in the way of improving the condition of the town , when they had not one-penny to expend ;" and the secretary of the Galway board of commis sioners was directed to make a representation of this utter helplessness in reply to the communication from the Lord-Lieutenant .

      Tuesday . —Agbicbltdhaii Phospects . —Some additional-reports have been received by the secretary Of the . Koyal Agricultural Society from the practical instructors under Lord Clarendon ' s letter . They do nbtj . nnfortunately . tcudto decrease the alarm that is felt at theprospect of a fourth deficient bar-Test , while it is manifest that in parts of the south and west the mfatuated peasantry are still resolved to cling to the culture of the potato , notwithstanding the fatal experience of three years of successive . faOure . -Writing from the union of Kenmare , Mr . Potterton , the inspector of the district ; observes ' —^• Throughout the whole union little work is hi progress but potato planting , ' and this is done extensively , and-in a most-slovenly and imperfect

      manner , lhe breadth of ground , sown under . this crop is alarmingly-grea ' t ,-even compared with the years of its most successful cultivation . As considered in the . ratio of the honseholdmg population , there ; is ,-from the best information I could obtain an undoubted acreable increase of fifteen- per ; cent ' to the quantity of last current- vear ; and this will appear still more incredible when it is stated -that the people entertain only a- vague probability of even an average- crop . A sort of desperation—a reckless mtuity , has impelledthemto this dangerous career—for not : unf requeritlv their existence is at issue with the . successful result of this- hazardous expedient . -Potato planting has been in operation here smce last December-and has continued' with

      , ittie-ntcrruption ever since .- After the potato , the general desn-e i 3 f r barley and oats , for which crops * ° - 4 ividual . s . are . now „ breaking lea or bawn . Some few instances are to be found in which an inclination to try a turnip crop prevails , but these are few indeed . From east to west , that is from miles beyond ffilgarvan to fWaterville , being in extent about forry-Ave miles , and excepting a small tract the KUgarVan direction , and some townpark ' s at Senmare , almost every acre it contains , requires reclamation in the strictest sense of the term . The country- is in a most ; deplorable condition ; farmhouses are everywhere deserted , arid the land

      attached to them has become waste , and a regular commonage enjoyed by those . fortunate individuals who have survived the dreadful ordeal of the last fouryears . The central and three auxiliary workhouses are overstocked ,. and unable to admit the numerous and daily applicants , in consequence of which extern relief is largely , though , " I believe , rigidly -and -judiciousl y ^ adminstered , and its wretched recipients have located themselves in the now doorless and roofless habitations to which I have alluded , and have become the nocturnal plunderers and terror of the country , disdainingto work for ordinary wages , so lpng as they receive ^ public charitr and relief . " "

      Mr . Bole , thelnspector for the " West of Galway writes : — " I proceeded towards Spiddal , and found the farmers along the , coast making great efforts , to plant the potato , lasked many of them what they would do if the potato crop should fail this season , and the universal cry was , ' If the potatoes fail this year , we have nothing to do but to lie-down and die . ' I explained to item how they might have plenty of food , even ; in the absence of the . potato , by cultivating peas , beans , parsnips , carrots , Swedish turnips , and cabbages , which would be fully as abundant and as good as their old favourite . They were quite ignorant of any of those crops , except turnips and cabbages , which they said were very good ; and one of them described his turnips to have grown as big as his fist and as thick as potatoes on the ridce last vear . I explained to him how he

      might have them as bis as bis head instead of bis £ st , by sowing them in drills , instead of broadcast , on the ridge t ais 0 explained the cultivation of the other crops , and the manner of making composts _ of sea-r weed , sand , bogstuff / iic ., which they have in great abundance . They appeared thankful forinyadvice , and many of them eagerly asked if they would-get the seeds for nothing , as they had no money" to buy them ; but if they got them for nothing , they would not spare their own labour , and would do as I directed . I told them I had no seeds at present at my disposal , but urged them to -prepare their land and manure , and that , in a short time ,-some charitable persons might send them seeds . I have transcribed the above remarks at full length from my journal as it is a fan * description of the general state of tbinsrs in this barony . " ... .

      A aew Goioxtrnoa IbeiiSxd . —Attmsmoment arrangements are in progress for a systematic emigration , on a vast scale , from districts and by a class apparently not much affected by the prevailing embarrassments . In fac ^ it is in contemplation-to establish an Irish colony in the United States , composed of substantial farmers and graziers frorii the counties of Carlow , Kildare , and Meath . Several Roman Catholic clergymen , including parish priests , are to give up their parishes in those counties , in order to enter upon a new mission with ihe colonists in the ' . 'far west . " This project has been on foot for a month or two , and is to be conducted quite systematically . Returns are in preparation of the number disposed to join in the enterprise , of tlie

      amount of their resources and other necessary , details . Some of the intending emigrants are extensive farmers and graziers on a large scale , who have recently been losmg then- capital , in consequence of high rents ' and local taxes , altogether disproportioned to the present prices of corn and cattle . Scarcely any emigration has up to this time taken place from among those , classes , who " have been in general in better circumstances even than the farmers of Ulster . Poor rates have been comparatively light in the three counties of Leinster I have named , and fromtheir contiguity to "Dublin , and facility of conununication with Liverpool and the markets in the English manufacturing districts , the graziers had been hitherto enabled to realise fair profit for

      then * invested capital . But the potato failure is at length producing its effects in those counties , the farmers and graziers are now working at a heavy loss , and hence the readiness to join in the new colony . The Rev . James Maher , parish priest of Graigue , Carlow , a man of remarkable energy and unbounded influence amongst the Roman Catholic population , is one ofthe clergymen connected with the project , and a letter on the subject addressed by him to the tenantry will appear in the Dublin Evening Post of this afternoon . It is intended to send out three or four persons of intelligence to make inquiries as to the most eligible position for the establishment of the colony , with a view to the purchase of large tracts of land . They will be directed to

      proceed to Michigan ; . and other western states , and whilst those preliminaries are in progress , the necessary arrangements for the colonisation will "be -rigorousl y poshed forward at-this side . One effect , at least / of this species ot emigration will be to withdraw from Leinster a large portion of the best , most solvent , and most enterprising of the tenant class in any part of Ireland , or , perhaps , in the United Kmgdom . —JJ & rniJH * Chronicle , May 1 . - " Wedj-esdat , mat , 2 . —Tire Faxine—The Irish Law as » EQiirxv Coubts . —3 Jever was there so dull a term as the present ^ nor one so unprofitable to fcotkhrancb . esiof the legal profession . Experienced nractitioners assure me that £ 3 , 000 will not

      circulate among the bar for the entire term . In fact , the famina has ^ sashed- the hall of the Four Courts , and the empty hags of the lawyers exhibit the : uiuf ersal pressure Of the destitution . The Rolls Court is full of business ; produced , however , by the deplorable condition ofthe country . On Monday , and again yesterday , the Master of the Rolls was occupied vfith applications from tenants seeking reductions in their rents , oh account of "the badness of the tMes , " or for Hberty to surrender their farms . Thus , upon all sides , and by every section of the commnnitv , the effects of the protracted famine are mostseverel y felt , and in the legal professions there are' now pretty manifest indications of a panic . " : -- "' .-.. " ' . '

      " Wholesale Emigration of Tenant Farmers . — We extracttke following from a letter of the Hey . James : Maher , parish priest of : Graigue , Carlow , to the farmers of Garlow and the surrounding counties , which appeared-in . -theJ 9 u & ftn Evening Tost , in" reference to the establishment of an Irish Colony in the United-States : — "Avery large portion ofthe firming classes ,-, even those who are considered most opnlent ,-haveSnallyinadenp their minds , but not Without a ' - ;* ftrnogle , " tp leave old Ireland ; All of the ahle ^ boief . mDouringpopulation , "who could Teach the " shores of the American : contirierit with twenty , shillings in their pocket , ought to . emigrate —there is no ; hope for them at home . Reduced by want and disease , theyarenomnger-tobecorisidered able-bodied . ' " "Their raceisMearly extinct ; - A war of

      extennination , rthe niost cruel and heartless , has been waged against , theni < for ; year & ' .. Attached to my country , and anxious : for . its prosperity ,- ! have long and painfully deliberated before ! ventured to recommend einigratioh . r ; and even now I give . that adviee'Only because I cannot free my mind from the -well-grounded apprehensions , that therack-nented tenantry of Leinster will , ere" long ; have to witness and passthrongh those-scenes of woe and horrors , Of which every post from the west brings the heartrending details . - 'The same burdens here;—the very Mme . exprbifent charges' upon land , with their accompariyirig long list of arrears—the same eviction of the cottier classes , andreckleasness of their safety , wiflThi the ^ longrnnrprodacethe same sad results itt oai » 0 M favoureiproTOiees . " . ^ Election of : a Tsmpobai , Peul— . Writa . have issued firom the Hanaper-office , for the election of a *^ jjj ? J ? Jj ^ ofI i « i--n - *» in the woin of the late Earl

      ,, :;: R May.Ro,Jl849. ^ / T.H E^ Ifo^Fh...

      ,, ; : r MAY . ro , jl 849 . ^ / T . H E ^ IfO ^ fHEjl ^ S ^ AR . * . 7

      ^Wwal^Atjiammt

      ^ wwal ^ atjiammt

      Satc-Rdaiy April 28. House Of Commons.-T...

      Satc-rdaiy April 28 . HOUSE OF COMMONS .-The Speaker took the chair shortly after twelve o'clock ;" Poor Law ( Irela ^ d ^ Rate' IN AinBlIX .-This bill , as amended , was furiher considered arid the report was brought up and agreed to , and the bill was ordered to be read a thud'time on Monday . ' ' - •• ¦ -1 . . Suppir . —Mr . " Bursal brought up the report of theeommrttee of supply on grant of £ 52 , 123 to her . Majesty , for the purpose of being refunded-to the next of kin of the late Mr . Turhef ; adjudged to be daeto them by the Court of Chancery ; ' ' - ' - ¦¦•

      ExcHEdcuR Bixls BiLt . —On the motion of the t , H 4 NcELi . oR of the Exchequer ; ' the Exchequer Bl ( - £ 17 , 786 , 700 ) Bill went through committee . _ the tHAKCEtioR of the ExcHEquER ,. in moving the adjournment of the House ; gave 'notice of " , fiis nitention , on Friday next , 'to move for a committee p fthe whole House , to consider'of the advances to te made to Ireland .- ' - » :---.:.: -The House then adjourned . - ¦•¦

      - - -, Monday , ; April 30 . - , . . "i - HOUSE OF LORDS ! — Lord Brougham again called the attention of the House ; to the fact that the Financial Minister of the Reyolutionary Governm ent at Rome had left that city with , the avowed intention of " raising money by the sale of the inestimable works' of art in the . Vatican ; ( He hoped , after what had . been said on the subject . tbat , this scheme would meet with no encouragement in England ., No love ofthe . fine arts was a ' sufficient : justification for men layingout . their money in acquiring works of art the produce of public robbery ; for they

      must know that by so d . dng they became , nothing else than " purchasers of stolen goods .,- ; - n -. - .- !; t ' ¦ ' . ' <¦ - -Lord . Whabnclufpe then moved ; for " copies' or extracts of any . further correspondence that might have taken place between her Majesty ' s . governnieht arid the government' of ^ . Ireland j . or ^ between her majesty ' s Treasury and . thePoor Law Commissioners in Ireland , relative to the steps taken , or to be taken , for . the . relief of : destitutipnin . certain . parts ofthe country , since , the last papers were presented to Parliament on this subject , at the commencement of the present session . ' . ; ., -. . -

      After some , discussion , the motion . was put arid carried ..... ' ,.- . < . ¦••; .-. i ; .. :-:..-, ; . ;/ , ' • ; Some other busine ss : was . then . . disposed 0 if , " and their lordships adjourned .. ..-.. ¦ . ¦ V ' .-: HOUSE OF COMMONS .-Poou Law ( Irei . and ) Ratb lJi-Ain Bin . —Oh the order of theday for the third reading of the skid bill , Captain Jones moved that it be read a third , time , that day , six months , resting hs main objection to the bat upoii the ground that it would interfere with-the working of : thePo 6 r , Law . ; - ) - . -y-.:. yy-.::: ; ¦ - T V Sir JiWi ^ sHrep eated his obj ec tions to ' -the : pill , " which he believed to . be as . pernicioiis in its : tendency as it would prove inefficient in its provisions ! He even doubted the urgent necessity fo ' r this measure—" the chief argument put . forth in its favour ; . with much distress'in'Ireland-there existed , m ' uch fraud and imposition , against which"the present svstem of

      out-door relief provided no check . ¦;;;• " \ : Iiord Castlereagh , premising that-there was up disinclination on the part of Irish members' to submit to srieh an alteration of the system : of-taxation as might beirequired by the ^ circumstances . of the country , applied himself to proving from Pariiamen- ' tary documents that , relatively wife England ; Ireland was oveitaxed ; In addition to her fisral burdens , Ireland , which of all parts of the : iUnitedi . Kingdpm was most likely to'stuTer froin' / flie change in : the corn ' lawj had , in > ¦ fact , ; er . dured . vital injury > fr 6 m . that change ; arid a new-tax was now cast upon a' brokendown arid an impoverished class , in theveryteethof testimony against the measure borne by the ablest practical officers of the government . He Implored that government to pause and reflect upon -the critical state of Europe , and the condition of bur colonies , before they imposed this tax upon an overburdened and wretched country . ¦ ¦¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ' -

      • Lord J . Russelt rose , not to discuss this bill but to state that , in consequence of the distressing accounts received from Ireland , and ofthe whole ofthe " £ 50 , 000 ' advanced being sow expended , "it would be absolutely " necessary to make a'larger advance from the civil cbntinEericies than he had before stated , in order to reheve the exigency elf distress during •'• the interval between the second reading bf the bill . and its receiving the Royal assent . " " With the recent accountsfrdm the Poor Law Commissioners before them ,-he did not think the government would be justified in limiting their advance to £ 6 , 000 . The conclusion of Lord Castlereagh ' s speech ; he observed , had inspired him with no alarm haviriglate ' y

      read a'inost excellent letter from the Marquis of Londonderry , who declared that , whatever objections might be entertained to the Rate in Aid , he was quite sure the loyalty ofthe people : would suffer no change . * : ; ' , : . ' Mr . BAJJKES - was not surprised at Lord John ' s announcement . The aggregate sum proposed , to be advanced was totally inadequate ; but he ;' wanted to see a security for the repayinerit of the money , and he found none even for this sihall sum j and a much larger would he required .- He looked hot only to the principle of this bill , but to its provisions , with great alarm , by one of which ' a moiety of the Rate in Aid levied upon comparatively ; prosperous districts , would be-a > plied to other "districts in pr iority . to their own claims . - " ¦ ¦ :- - "•• - ¦ - .

      Mr . r . Scrops wished . to give his reasons for opposing this bill in the last stage . He had opposed it as inconsisterit with the poor law which it professed to support . It was unjust in its working-to those who wished to pay the rate . He thought the advancing bf £ 100 , 000 to save life in Ireland was absolutely necessary , but he disputed that the security for repayment of the money was the ' best security / or any good security at all . He had formerly said advance the money on the security of the rates of the union , take " alien on the fee-simple of theJarid , in repayment of these rates , ' arid expend the money on the productive employment of able-bodied paupers " . In five unions of the comity of Mayo the number of paupers , who were expected to be on the rates during the next four

      months was 130 , 000 ; of that number 40 , 000 were able-bodied paupers . In four other unions 90 , 000 but of 120 , 000 were able-bodied ^^ paupers ., By advancing the money for the employment of the people you would relieveihe union from-two-thirds of the expenditure . There were 800 , 000 acres of land in Ireland not cultivated ; 47 , 000 were declared to be reclaimable . "Mr . Brett said tbat'thercwere 50 , 000 acres ot cultivated land thrown out of cultivation at this momeni .. What , difficulty **; as there ^ in employing the men in cultivating tliis land , and supporting themselves on it , arid also upon unfinished roads ? There was a union in Kilkenny which , during the last three months , had employed , thepoor in finishing roads . .....--. ? -

      Mr . S . Crawtord referred . to the appalling accounts ofthe misery in Mayo , and contended that raising money by the rate in aid would not furnish employment , —on the contrary , it would . drive a greater " number of substantial people out bf the country . . - ; . Mr . Grattxs— who added lis . ' testimony to the existing distress in the west " pi Ireland , which was extending to the north and south — renewed his attack upon abssnteelandlofds , and upon the general policy pursued by successive governments towards Ireland . He supported this billj however , as a means of affording relief to a famishing people .

      Mr . J . O'Cosnell likewise " eipatiated upon the vices of English administration in Ireland , ' the miserii-s of the people , the tyranny of eviction , and the cruelty of the quarter-acre ; clausej accusing-the British public of shamefully grudging money to Ireland which they were , ready enough to spend upon their owusteeetaandpuh \\ chuMinga ; . '• ; ;• • ColoncIDnNKE denounced the ' measure as delusive . Half of the unions of Ireland would want relief , which must come from the other half . -There would be no help-for Ireland " until the . poor law , into the guif of which this money would be absorbed , was fundamentally altered .

      The House having divided , the third reading was carried by ! 29 ayes against 55 noes . .. - The bill then passed . ' - ' -, '¦ . Colonel RA-wnoN demurred to the title ofthe bill , the word " general" beipg , in his opinion , at variance with the contents " .. He protested ; against the whole measure as ah invasion of the " act of union , and as calculated to jeopardise the working of thepoor law . Hemoxed the insertion ofthe words " other more " in the title , -H-hich' would then run "A bill to make a temporary provision for a general rate in aid of certain , other more distressed unions and electoral divisions in Ireland . . . .-. - ., ; . .: -, ; . Lord J . Russell objected to the alteration , which was negatived . ; . . . . , . . ¦ . . . ¦; .- - ; ¦ _ - _ . .. ; . ..:

      . NAVAn . EsTiMATKs .- —The House then went Into ^ committee on the ;; navy estimates ,, the votes . discussed being the salaries of officers : pf the naval estabiiBhinent at home ; the , yote ; for defraying the wages of artisans and-Jalwurer 3 , ; inJ . the ;> naval establishments at home ; the expenses of naval stores , the g-ant . pf i £ 391 , 934 / 6 ^ - , naval establishments , \ upon which Sn-i " vF . : MoMSW'okrH moved an amendment , in reference to the works at Keyham , tb reduce the vbteby thesum of £ 120 , 000 . In this and ' previous votes Mr . Cobdbn detailed his : views of the recklessness of-the . naval expenditure , as regarded ships , docks , und stores ; and ultimately the committee diyir dedwhen

      , the original graut . irasamrmediby . a majontyof 74 , "the , numbers 27 to 101 . On the vote to defray the expense of half-pay , Mr . Mi - Gibson defended a former opinion " expressed bylnm . as to the COlTttpMative number of officers in the navies of ; Jingiand ^ . jrrance ,: and . America , contending that steps ; ought to _ be taken in order to bring the number in this t » untiy : within proper Hmiti '' " , Sir . J'ilBABiKBsddlMr ; Hume had giren a iotice of amotion on : thiS Subject , l ) ut was too unwell to attend the Honss ; he should beglaU ; howeverl 0 „; futureoccasion to enter upon thediscussion * of the pointinquestion .: , -. - - .: OntheTDte : to defiray the eharg * : of the packet aemwljeingpu ^ radehate , w wliicll Mr . Flotm ,

      Satc-Rdaiy April 28. House Of Commons.-T...

      .-7 " ^—** " —" - " ¦* - " * -- —* --- ' - ' --.-., _ ,, „ - ^ .--cv-S ' . tyMA ^ . t'Xfc'JVJ' . v-- " .-- •'" » Mr . . Cowper , " Mr 71 C , bripEN , . Sir , F . Bjrixo , Mr . HEsiEY , ' Mr . BRioHVi ; -Wd . the ; CHA * scELL 6 R of the ExcnEqGER :, toot parti ; erisued : at ' the' te ' rminatiori of which the vote was agreed to , arid the'Chairman reported progress ! The House then-resumed and adjourned .- '•;• - ; ; . '• • "" ' ¦ ' ¦¦ _ : ¦ - . - •' ¦ •' ¦ ' ; j ' ; ; i f T « ES » AY ; MAy ' 'l . " '•'' , '; " ; ' :

      HOUSE ' OF . . . LORDS . — Railway ' FRiubs ; . — Lord Brougham , rose to bring iinder . ' theinotice . of the House a subject which was second / toijpne in importance—he , meant the railwayJbusiiiess ' . ' of 'tKe country , a prodigi ; us mass of ebmine ree ' ,. vast iriyestment of-capitaj" , anil / . great ' fehtariglement pf creuit . The modern systein'bf locori ^ ptidn was , no doubt , of great advantage to th ' e ' public ; but the present condition of railway ' s was de ? i : rvi ' ng the serious attention of tiie goyernment ' . ahd parliament , Because whatever might bXita ultimate ; benefit , yet wfenbiTe gMded its present state ,, and' its ' . ' vast . and complicated details ,. he' was 'filled with apprehension arid dismay . Their jordships . suJTered ; the bills to become laws ' and to erect these nuisances ^; the gambling conipanies-r- ;

      conferring on them the most trangcendant pbwtTB ( m dealing with ' property ^ and'the ; most ' extraprdiniiry rights . ' Not only had they'the power' of acquiring lands by purchas ? arid excharigeT-not '' only did they allow these speculator ' s to obtain land , riot one acre of which" could the law of ' the land have . touche d---but they b , l ( owed all private nghts ' to beset at nought - ^ usurping the rights ' of the harrow arid the plough ^ - and enabling these p ' ersdns to ' go through ' everybody ' s lands with , their engines and trains , and they allowed them-toobtain capital to ' an ' eriorriibus ; amount ' . by s ' ubscriptibri . V He . adriiitted theadvantages , which had arisen from railways ^ -but they enabled parties whose object was not to give increased facilities to lbcbmotion ' -T-they ' eriabled engiheers , '' suryeybrs , ' and the makers of attorney ' s bills ; who only wanted to get

      up ' these' railways to , make large" sums of money - ^ they enabled them toeffect their purposes without any . regard ; to rtheibaking pf the railways . ' , They also . enabled th ' etrafficXersJand gamblers . in railway stock to obtain shares , ' which they disposed of in the market , to . get ' . frbni'their dupes the . ' money which they gathered into their own coftcrsi and ' upon tlie ruin of many smaller incomes made priricely lor tiihes of their " own . 'What had been " the causes uf iliis reckle ' ss ' . legislation ? . ( Ue & r . ) ; Inl 816 n ' olessthan 519 railWay'bills . ^ w ' efe in parliament . , 'Their 16 ' rdT ships ^ were perhaps' n " otj aware of the nature of many of' the , ciauses' in th ete "bills . The Great Western RaflWayhadpower tp ! make , ' ariy extracts from their books evidence wthbut ' proyingthat ' they ' werecorr ' ect f-tiiey ! wefe " madieeviuence of the payment of money .

      Iftheywanted , ^/ 'for ; instance , j ' tb prove a ;' payment . ' of 425 , O 0 O , . that entry' was atph ' ce ; mye eVidence . / He mentioned this to sh ' owth ' egreat" zeal which / pjai-liaineht f elt in burr jirig forward these measuresyandjthe ' corresponding Carelessness with . which theyj * per mitted ' all sorts :. pf clauses tb beih ' se ' rt ' edih those bills ' . In England : and Scotland alone , " ^ without ;'' . inctndjhg ! India , , BritisK' / ' ( juiana , - ; ^ D ^ other places ^ b ' eybhd the seas , there had been inves . ted in . th ' ese ^ 5 pecuIati 6 ri ' s , ' or ^ rather . actoaliyypaid ' up , ' ^ £ 180 . 000 . 000 . Nb ' great wonder ^ if . themoriey . market arid the ' £ hahcellor . ' pf the Exchequer should feel . the . effect of ' this ., . But ^ how much remained yet itb . be paidupl / JeioO . OOO . OuO' more . , h ' ad t ' o ' . b ' e ' addftdtb the £ 180 , 000 , 000 , for / that . was ' .. the , sum remaining to be paid ^ ariditmight / be all called' ft r at '; oiie ' e ,

      or . notfor a / few months , or years . " The capital of the shareholders was / therefore locked ^^ up'f-they were in a state Of j Constaht ' arixie harigirigpver ' them which ' . might burst' in , a storm that would bring inevitable" , dtstriiction' upon them , arid / . they / could . riot ; see , the cheerl ' iil / lightofday . Might they ' not'lobk forward to another . panic when th ' ey'found that , ' £ ^ 180 , 000 ; opj ) h ' ad . not been enobgh to , aitisfy . the hiaw ' of this " travelling pest ; ; but that £ 150 , 000 , 000 more , was ' to be ' demanded ?/ From such a system of ; gambling , . the riibns ' t ' er ' . evil : of the present day , the worst results were to be ap-jrehended . Sihallasit ; mighthave been at . thebeginuiugi the spirit " of gambling , would , if ' not checked , become pverwhclming ' at last , " and lay its fell hands upon the soil . - ; ' - . ' . ' . ¦ ' . ' / . . ' ¦' : .. ' ;! . " . . ' Parvametu primb '; " mpx seseattollit in auras ;

      . , .. ; Ingreditarque solo . " et caput inter nubila corid . it . ' / And ; on that . soil it would pour out its evil effectsas sure , as . effect , would . follow cause . , He feared , ina moral point of view , that these gambling propensities could , hot be indulged with safety to the character of any . people , and might induce persons to become reckless gamblers instead of honest and industrious traders . f-But Worse remained to be told j it was riot merely the common gambling in shares of which . he complained , but contrivances of a worse kind were resorted toi : There aiose a' practice < of carrying on those speculations in one particular way , the bbj ' ect being , not to make railways , but to profit by shares ; and the first , point was to get a great nuriiber of shares ; . but the person who obtained them' did not hold them . too fast . He did not think Braglwas a

      gopd idogand Holdfast a better . He wanted to dispose of his shares at a great profit , and it was therefore necessaryitoimake it appear " that , the shares were of great value ; : upon which he said , I will guarantee seven or eight ,-or ten per . cent , upon the shares of this line , although in reality ' they were-, only making three and .: a-half per cent , atthat time .: ; He knew many instances of tain which had been the result of this fraud ; The " shares" rose-the "dividend wasdeclared ^ -and ;; they : mounted ; up ; to ; . ten , fifteen , or twenty per cent . What did Mr . Holdfast do , then ? \ Vhy , he took-. the sharesinto the ' market ; and sold them to the poor persons who were anxious to invest their little property . where they could get so high a rate of interest . The next year , however , the holders were called ; uponmost unexpectedly to pay up

      twehtyfive . per cent , on £ 100 shares , upon which-sfi 40 only had been . paid before . ' This was the case , with a surgeon whom he knew , and who had been ruined in this way . Down came the shares , which ,. were at twenty . per . cent . premium ,, to . twenty per cent : discount , and thousands were : iuined . He did hot allude to any individuals in particular who . had ipractised these frauds , but he-knew , one man- who had guaranteed ten ! per cent , for ; some years ; and , in fact , ' all these people wanted was a temporary rise , in order that they might- sell their : share ' s ; and . to make : their , promise good- for a time ; , they paid the dividends : out of the capital ; - ( Hear , 'hear . ) "He knew a party wmx had ; cried down North Western shares ; he said nothing ofthe Midland —('' hear . " and ; a laugh ); -until he ? could" buy theni for £ 100 ,

      and he subsequently sold them at jE 134 . But tliis was not . the . only j shift . to which they resorted . A worthy friend of his , an official assignee in bankruptcy ( Mr . Hutton ) happened to succeed , as legatee to a . wealthy , shareholder in railways , !/ to several shares , / and he wished to- look at the books of . the company . " They said they had a balance at their bankers of £ 32 , 000 . -The railway . was' the South Devon hue . He went to-PIy mouth to see the ; books , but he was told that he must not make any extracts from them . His memory , however , was accustomed to figures , and retained the amount ' of thebalance . which was less than £ 2 , 600 , the rest being made up of over-due bills , - not one of which was wortli ' a scrap ; . £ 11 , 000 ofthe deficit was owing by a solicitor of a respectable-house , which he had lOngknown ,

      and he i had given , these bills as his . calls , 'This led to further' inquiry , and-it turned- out that Mr , Saunders , wlio enjoyed an income of ^ 63 , 000 a-year , as Secretary to the Great ; Western Railway , bad been allowed-. to run in . arrearto the' amount of £ 16 , 000 forhis calhv Could anything be more' dishonest on the part of these directors than to allow their secretary- to-run in arrear "for calls to such ; an amount when they ¦ would have pounced dowtf-upOn poor widows and orphans ? - ( Cheers . ) And'the solicitor he had referred to owed . the company JE 90 . 000 , ' which he had obtained to purchase land ; and they had allowed him tohave first £ 20 , 000 ; thenT JE 30 . 000 , : then £ 40 , 000 . to make thess purchases , without requiring him tol piodueea . single " voucher . ' -If these facta had been known ,-would the shares have ^ sold at such

      premiums ? ( llear , hear . ) It might be said , why did they not ' sue'hint ? " Because he" ffas not worth a penny . . AVhy , however ,. should there . be tliis concealment ? But , hericeforth . j . and for ever it should cease—the , motion which he / was . about " . ' . to ' move should piit- an end to it . , There was , however ; ano * therf . niqde . of . . ' trickery ' < A railway was started , the bills , pf engineers and solicitors amounted to 'large sums , the plant was most , expensive , and tfce-miilion at ; first granted was found to be inmlficieht , upon Whichthe company applied to ParUa ' merit fcr powtr to grant mere : shares ,, wliich ;/ were / palledpreference shares ' , by way of . inducing people to take . them ; and thesepreference shares w « re / guaranteed a-large dividend , the holders being / secured the- amount : guaranteed , even if it had to > be , paidout of the capital .

      ( Hear , hearl ) / The , secretary , and solicitor ,, of the . Great Western ! Baiiway , as longasthey thought tliese preference shares worth having , kept them ; 'but [ the moment the shares fell to a discount , and they ! were called upon to P » y "P > tbey turned round . and said they . " were all illegal , the solicitor didi this ,, ; and lie believed the secretary did so aiwelL .. . , If there ; were to be another House ; of Parliament ^ whioh . was not very likejy—they should instituteanipquiry . into ; the expenie of-prosecuting , railway ; bills .-,-He : / would 8 Uggest ; that . the . parliament . of Canada ; shon'd . dp .. so . ( A laugh . ) -. And it / was said during - this . fatlway mania . if the order * which theirlordships

      hadladpptedworked-weU-ia England , why : should ! . they , not in Canada ? ( AdanghO -He , hadcommunicated ! with some ofthe members of .. the-, Canadian legislature--( alaugh ) srand ehdeavoured to ; inducethem ; tq adopt ; the-hnne standing orders , bu >^ without effect . ; , they pr eferred to job fortheir friends -inipassing . ; a j bill . The orders were at last adopted ; , he might . ^ say It hey were adopted in another place . , known as . the British House ofvCommons-. ( a . laugh ) -nfter 8 ome ; six ; or seven * , veara' : consideration , " 1 : ; The , ' salutary , j effect which they had had inthe mode of conducting busiu & ivim tbeirladshiprfihouse . was well . know . ; .-If . * u » nn-atian of Dassinir theser railway billsj- > nd-the

      MDeniea-attenoMnKathem / iwere : thoroushlysilted elMwher ^ n < fce Canadfcnv ^^^^ ( a laUBh > -it would , no : doubt , "throw : great light on hrrtidoDf casing ; bilb , through the Cana ^ jan Houm of Commons , tuid upon , the members . of ; that hSm' ( AhSSL ) AttendMtoldhim thatba

      Satc-Rdaiy April 28. House Of Commons.-T...

      Li pli a ' A" '« ' " ^*' , '' r- * - * 4 l . * »* ' * i . C ^ - ' ^ AvT ^' . , irt ; ^''_^ , ad * o , 000 . offered to him if he would lend his name * . dive ' ctor ' tp a ^ railway ' ' cbncern-ahd two other nendsofhishaabe ' Sn ' offefed similar suing . -Well , out it there were 058 m ' emiiers of tiieMm , hebegfe -ed pardon , he was speaking of the Canadian parliiinient ' —la laugh ) -if there were 150 members in the Ca- ; nadian House bf Commons , they would find that it was a most interesting inquiry " to" ascertain how all the money had been spent . - And he felt the more anxious on -this point because this Canadian House ot-Commons had lately thrown out a measure for preventing' bribery at elections . ( Muehlaughter . ) He should never vest in Wa bed until there wni a committee sitting at' Quebec to inquire into these practices , with reference to ' railway bills , and the

      manner in which the money was disposed of . ( Much laughter . ) He was sorry to see this damning mania of reckless speculation still existing , <& ml he almost despaired of the people of this country being cured bfiti , Nevertheless , that was no > reason why jthey shotild not do all they could to prevent it , by giving unsparing and absolute publicity to all the aftairs of these companies . ; Parliament had a right to . adopt such a course audit was absolutely necessary \ that i J i ? uld do SOi ' The noble and learned lord concluded by expressinghis hopes that as little time as possible should be lost in checking this : disgraceful 5 ? iT- T hic ? l ^ ' * his au -y ta sulimit to jtlieir 10 dships' consideration . . . . < .:-. i I •' ' j lhe Marquis bf ¦ Lansdowneoh-behalf / of her

      ; , Majesty s government , observed that they were fully 'impressed with the grave importance of the subject , ana felt that the time'had arrived . wher i steps must be taken to prevent . a ' recurrence'of . ; the . system so graplncall y describedby the ' nobleand . learnedaord . After referring to the fact that many railways : were conducted in the mostsatisfactory manner , and carried out with the -most laudable- object ' the noble marquis proceeded tosay that no ' man ; ought to be condemned'withouta careful examination of his conduct j but in the railways to which reference had been I ? . » £° . 0 ne could entertain the least doiibt that their affairs were rnostscandalorisly carried' on . In his inion

      op the best mode < of correcting i effectually the existing abuses would be the establishment of a power to be vested ^ in / parliament : to examine and audit . railway companies' accounts , s'b 'that it might be ascertained that the conditions on . which they-had obtained tlieir acts of parliament' had been faithfully and : properly fulfilled . -With ' such ; a measure'the government would be prepared ' by the- end of Jyear , when in possession of all the necessary details Rearing on the question -. but , admitting the'necessity for an immediate remedyj he trusted : Lord Moriteagle would . produce his measurei / when ' the government w 6 uld ! aff . ) rd hlm'every asistance- ^ -the matter could not be in abler hands . ' . ¦ ¦

      Loru MoHtBAGLii thanked ¦ the ! government'for their proffered 1 support ; but should ' infinitely prefer that the subject should be taken up by them . ' He hoped ; however , tlielmeasurc he - intended to' introduce would' meet' the zealous "' ' and : well-advised support ' of . the railway proprietary themselvosj as many objectionable ' provisions of ' the bill he introduced last ' year wi ) uld-be' 6 mitted , but it ' wpuidbe more striiigeritin sonieparticulars . ' " - ;•; ' " . •'>•¦<' ¦ ¦ ¦ Lord Brougham ' should be : sorry if it was understood tbathe ' had attacked all railway ; companies indiscriminately ; he / had not done so ; he had not the least intention of . confounding the innocent with the guilty ; " / ; -v v ;; y v ; : ; : a ; | ' , "I- - - ¦¦ ¦ 'V--. . - . Earl ; GRANYii . i-B , after referring to the necessity of a better : system of audit ; said the government would lo ' seriO timeinthe introduction of a measure if Lord Monte ' rglb declined to proceed . ; ' ., ! '

      / Lord Brougham thought the bill ' s passing might be rendered more ' secure by its iu ' ti-oduction as a goyeimmentmeaSttfei' The noble and learned lord then placed' a papeVih the hands of the Lord Chancellor " ; but whether if * was a motion or not did not appear , as question was put / "! Their'lordships then adjourned . : . HOUSE OF COMMONS . ~ Thk Reporters . -- ¦ The pveUmiuavy' pvbteedinga were somewhat relieved by an enlivening' episode , for which the House was / indebted to ; Mtv John ; O'Cbrinell , whose complaint ' on this occasion had- less to do with" Poor Ireland !'' than' -with . himself in the firstplace , and with the ' "other Irish membera" ^^ in the next . The hbhoufablearid ' learned gentleman '' was dissatisfied

      'ivith the manner in which his speech of the preyious evening had been reported in the 'Times . Not only had what he said been omitted ; but that which was attributed to him was so different from that'W which he ; ha ( l really been'delivered , that it was with difiiculfy he" could recognise his own child . Is was riot simply of his oratorical irriniolation on-the occasion in question that he complained , but also of the practice which too generally obtained amongst the newspaprrs , of curtailing not . only his speeches , but likewise those of the Irish members generally . No matter how trivial might be the English question beforethe House , it was reported minutely and in detailj but the most important matters relatini- to Ireland were very differently dealt with . He nrider ;

      ftpod his right '; ' and would stand upon itj If other honi members / were to be reported 'in :, ' cxtenso ,. he should' take care that he ; was riot selected , for mutilation . If the partialities of which he complained were persevered in , he would enforce his : privilege as a member of the House , ' and exclude strangers from the gallery . In concluding , he' moved that Mr . John Joseph , Lawson , the printer of the Times , be called to the bar , / ; ' ' . ' .. ' . , " , /¦ ' '"' . '' .. ' . ' . '" ' " , ' ;¦'¦ : ;¦ ' . 'After a . pause ' , " which indicated his reluctance to niix himself up in the matter , Mr . ScubtY seconded thembticn . " . "" ' ¦ . " . ' ' "'' . ; ' ' ;¦ '¦; : ; ; ' . Mr . O'CoNKpR hoped the hon . geritlerhari would spare the time of the House by not proceeding with hismdtion . '' If any hori ; gentleman , in the House or out of it , had a righfto complain of misreports ho ( Mr . O'Connor ) had , andhe should begin to doubt

      his own identity whenever newspapers began to report'hi ' m or speak of' him" well . , ( Laughter . ) The hori / gentleriiari / wishedto ' standwell with his constituents , ' ' . but , ; if : the '[ Times did riot report ; what he said , ' . other newspapers ' reported . what " he' did ' not say , ' and he might ; set ' . one against the other . ( Laughter . ) . ¦ '• ' ' , "• ' " '' Sir G . Gbey would not undertake' to vouch for the accuracy of the reports as given "in extenso , as he . must ' confess that ihc . was not in the habit pf readirigtheni ; His parliamentary reading was confined tv > the summaries , ; which , as a mere abstract ofthe debates , . were usually to be found occupying a portion' of the space devoted to the leading articles . This feature iii each of tho' papers , he considered most /' . usefuL ';/ The ' practico of giving a sumriiary of

      the , proceedings was a comparatively modern one , arid the / p ith' anil' ' substance of the ' . debates were usually ' given / iri . it with great ability and also with fairness and ;; impartiality . As to the motion before the House , jt could , scarcely be the intention ofthe henourable ' and learned , gentleman to persist in it . / Mr . Brothekton exp ' i-essed a hope that the lion , arid learned ' gentleman : wbiild . . not . press his motion ' .: He was . riot the only , one in the House wlib had a grievance of this . kind . of : which"to complain / ' He ( Mr . ' Brbtherton ) . had been , made to say by ; the : Ddify . 'A eio 3 ' that his last ^ election had . cost huh £ 4 , 000 . ( Laughter . ) lie certainly . had never said any such . thing , arid his constituents' were . not a little ' astdnished at finding such a report in a'daily

      paper . ( Laughter . );; ; , Mr . J . O'Connell said that , in deference to the obvious feeling of the House , he would withdraw his motion , which- p iece of forbciirarice he accompanied with an intimation that , should the offence of which he complained be repeated , ho would again submit the niatter to the consideration of . the House . ' " "Mvl GaTiKmLu Behrki , * -y advised the hon . and learned gentleman ' , as , the best mode of getting justice done . to , him b y the press , to send his speeches in future to ' the papers , instead of delivering them in th ' e . hbuse . " . ( Groat laughter !) ;/ ' / . :, ; , The . motion , was then withdrawn .. ' . . / ABOLIliOH . O T /; ' CAriXAIi . PUNISUMEXTS . — Jlr . Ewaut inmoving for leave to bring in a bill to abolish capital . punishments said , he would show , that

      the number of crimes at one time punished capitally had continued to diminish ever since a iriitigation of the penal code ' with respect to them had taken placearid that' this" diminution was attributable to the abolition of punishment by death . If the ' eases had been different , if . there had been an increase'in the number of these particular crimes since capital ; punistiments . .. ' yfero , . abolished , ' then . Sir George Grey woiild ' no abubt have attributed that inerease . tb the mitigation , which . had been effected hi ; the ^ penal code .: Oh the . same , ground he / felt himself justified ff- ? rgH mg thatthe diminution which had occurred was the ; effect of the change . which had / been made iii , the law . And in discussing ithis subject he would c ' ftrcluUy avoid ' . the theological part of it . as hb had

      now ; come to the conclusion that the , House of , Commons , was not a place ih ' which the " Bible should , be desecrated by quotatjon from , it , on ' . the ; , bne side or theothor .- . ' lie / would rather take it / on' / tho great pr inciples of . expediency , looking to tho effects . which ... it was likely to , produce ,, on society , as safeguards to a just ' conclusion on thisi subject . Bec-. carin , the , first greai writer , 09 capital punishments , ! said . npthing could justifythehi but necessity . |; Those who agreeu with that i ™^ prtal man proved by facts that there existed ho necessity for their heing i continued in the penal , code _ ; ,, but . those ' . > yho . opposed . these ; yiows , ' disperisingwith . all facts ,. frompast ; or present ,. and ; all , the views . and opinions / of high authbrities , appealed toi . the fears of , their opponents with , ree ' ardto , futuritv ., His ' iciBht-h ' nin ' frrni - - r ..

      deed , had , gone further , and . had advanced -certain statistical ,, aata , ' with argumehtsfounded upbnthem . which ; after , having carefuilystudied he ( Mr . Ewart ) pronounced to ;; be not based upon facts . ' . ' " His friend had stated j that ; in attempts ^ to jnurder : therp had been an inereaso during the five years ehdingt 1846 , as compared . with five year s , ending "; in 1831 .-Tin the latterperipdithorb were 451- cases , ' and , ' , in ; the forr nieri ending , m ; 1846 , l , ^ 9 . // ; He ; statea'Ukewi 8 e , that ' thero . had ; been , an increase in case ? of tape , arson , f tndtorgeryijsjnco tho ' abojitioh , o ' f-deatfi . asthe P . nnishnieftt attervdihg the commiBgiohpf i them ; aud he ; : » rgued .. that this -morease ' . yas attributeblej to . thatiChange . The' right . hohpurab &^ wa 9 bound . in consistehoy with'his own argumenttb . rer 8 teW , « ftpitel puaianments then but was / he pre *

      Satc-Rdaiy April 28. House Of Commons.-T...

      pared tpdo so ? "'Now there were twenty-different crimes with respect'to which' capital punishments had been abolished , and out of that : number the right hon . gentleman' had selected four to show an increase ; but he had looked over the whole twenty , and , was'prepared to- 'show that there had been a diminution of cases rather than an increase . In attempts- to' murder , he admitted there had been a large increase . In some crimes , however , where there had been an apparentfincreasc of cases , the increase was attributable to the change of the law , which , after theabolition of capital punishments , called those acts' . ; attempts to murder for instance , which before liad : hot been included under that bead . He admitted ; likewise , an increase had taken place in the number . ? of cases of rape ; , but , while ,

      on the one hand , . when capital punishments existed , persons , refused . to prosecute , it was a fact , on the other , that since the change in the law the number of coavictions h .-id increased in the . ratio of two to one ,. the best sign of an improvement in the law . Again , in the case bf arson there had been a diminution of crime : 'during the first six years , that followed the abolition , as appeared by the return : laid on thotable by the right hon . gentleman himself . In regard to forgery , ; in which case the abolition of capital punishment was diie to the noble lord the Chief Justice of tho Queen ' s Bench , it had been stated that , during the" five years ' previous to the change in the lawj- the committals , were 350 , ' and during the five years subsequent to that event , they rose to 564 , butin the -five ' vears ending 1840 the

      number was 731 . Such were some'of the figures produced -by the Opposite side .:. But he discovered that at one time it had been customary , as the Homcornce ; acknowledged ; to omitfrom the register all crimes such as forgery , not visited capitally , and at the present time every crime whatever went into the register . To . this was attributable , in many instances , the apparent increase in ' crime , and the false statistics which had been quoted . on tho opposite side . There was now on the table of the House , however , ' aretiirn . 'niovedfor'bylrimat-the . siiggestioh of a friend put of doors , which i exhibited ; the success with which the penal code had been mitigated , for it ' shbwed there had been a diminution of crime concurrent with the diminution' in capital punishments . In . fact , from the tinic thatthe cnarigewas effected ,

      there had been a-diminution meighteen out ot the twenty " crimes affected-by the ' ; change "during tho next five' years . For ' . fivo '" years ' previous to- the abolition there , were 259-executions , and for the first -five years' atterwards only 99 ; while thohumhcr of offences in the former period was 12 , 000 , and in the latter 11 , 522 . The hon . ' gentleman , then proceeded ' to argue , " that so far from capital punishments being indispensable , the returns on the table showed that ; the experiment of abolition had ; been most sucdessful in accomplishing a diminution : of crime ? ' -liy that paper it appeared that in -1818 the executions : for murder ¦ were 122 ; and the crimes comriiitted ' 444 ; in 1824 , ' the executions were 91 ; and the crime ' s 417 ; in 1830 the executions 75 , and the crimes 411 ; in 1836 'the'executions were 74 ,

      and the' crimes " 413 ; and in 1842 the executions were 60 , ' and the ' crimes 385 .. ' The samo returns showed that of lateyears many persons coridemried had not ; suffered the extreme penalty of the law ; arid that proportion which did ' suffer death was reduced from ' one hundred to sixty-three per cent . He argued thence , that uncertainty , one of the greatest defects which could ; attend on any description of . punishment , was clearly incident to capital punishments , and most' materially detracted froni their efficiency to = deter' from crime . -The inequality ,: also , of-this kind of punishment , as ; meted out to '' different criminals with different degrees of guiltiness , had been , evinced- in the case of the unfortunate woman- recently executed at Bristol , and in the ' case of the infamous / criminal executed at

      Norwich . Oh these two grounds ho opppsedtho infliction of capital punishments , but he opposed them further . , as causing a reaction in the public mind from disgust at the crime to pity pfthe criminal , and in the mind of the ' criminal himself , from penitence for his crimes , to dwell on the sufferings which he must undergo on the public scaffold , lie obieeted to capital punishment , because it wasthc only punishment wliich imitated the crime it professed to' punish ; and' because , when once inflicted , it could not be recalled . On forriier occasions he had shown that it had been abolished in foreign countries , and even in our own dominions in India ; with success " . He had also shown that in the best days of Rome it had been abolished , andthat with its revival Rome began to decline .

      The principle was gaining a fast hold upon tho people of this country . . A kyger number of the clergy than had ever" before acceded to the proposition now came forward in its support , and lie reminded the House that last year he had quoted the opinions of three recorders of boroughs , of three English judges , and of two Irish judges ,. in favour of its abolition . With such a feeling among the clergy , and among the people , theday was not far distant when capital punishment must be abolished . The people who had achieved the triumph of abolishing the slave-trade , and slavery , were favourable to its repeal , and they would call upon the House shortly , if they did not call upon it now , to sweep from the statute book such an unchristian spirit of the law ' which authorised it . Tho hon .

      gentleman concluded' by moving for leave to bring in a . Bill to Repeal the Punishment of Death . ; Sir George Gkev opposed the motion , 'feeling the strongest conviction that the time was far . distant when the infliction of the extreme penalty of the law in cases of extreme guilt could be dispensed with . Many of Mr . Ewart ' s' arguments ,, he remarked , applied to a period antecedent to 1841 , since which time no criminal had suffered the punishment of death , but for wilful and deliberate murder . ' " He maintained the necessity , althoughit might not be capable ; of actual demonstration , for tlie protection ; of human life , of throwing around it that terror which was entertained . of tlie punishment of ; death , and which bejng entertained had a detci-ring effect . . 'Ho denied thatthe ' thecrime of

      murder had increased , as Mr . Ewart had assumed ; on the contrary , taking a series of years , murder was the only crime which had not materially increased . Sir George then examined the statistical arguments of Mr . Ewart ; . ' drawing very different conclusions from the-official returns , tb which , however , he did not attach much value , preferring to take a common sense view of the question , and-he asked the House whether it could be affirmed that the time had arrived when capital punishment could be abolished for murder arid for high treason , ho substitute being suggested which would afford an equal protection to society . "He admitted the evils arising from public executions , ' which furnished a strong objection to capital punishment ; but , whilst it \ yas retained public executions were unavoidable . /

      Mr . Bright had listened attentively to . what had fallen from the right hon . baronet , and did not fail to observe that he was himself looking forward to a time when the proposition before the House miaUt become law . ( Hear , hear . ) The right honourable gentleman relied upon statistics ; but surely he could not deny this general statistical fact , that'in those countries where no capital punishments were inflicted the lives of people were , just as safe as they were in England . ( Hoar , hear . ) It was a wellknown fact that they were never able to put down crime by this extreme punishment . Ifthey , could not put down even comparatively small offences by hanging up as many as a . dozen men at a time , he should like to , know how by the same means they could ever- hope .- to / put a stop to the crime ' of miirder ? : ; ( Hear , hear . ) TaKo .-the case of the criminal recently executed , at . Norwich . Did any one suppose that anyi-punishment either in this

      world or the next could have diverted that man from the crime he committed ? it was long contemplated ; it was the crime of . an educated man , and a man of remarkable ability in some points of view ; and , from all they knew . of him , no fear of punishment would have diverted him from his purpose ! Then take the case at Bristol ; the murder was not premeditated , it arose from great aggravation , and under sadden impulse ; and there could be no doubt that when committed the . puriishment to follow was entirely shut out from the contemplation of tho criminal . ( Hear , hear . ) In neither of these cases was the fear of death sufficient to deter front'the crime of rnvrdpr .. The right hon . baronet admitted that the ciiect of public executions was injurious , but were not executions , inflicted just that the people might see and be warned ofthe consequences of crime ? He " maintained that suchexhijbitions tended to excite theworst feelings . The shout of execration iwith which Hush was received ionithe scaffold at Norwich

      sprang from the same source that in himhad dictated . the-murder ,, a cruel and vindictive feeling . ( Hear , ¦ ¦ hear . ) ., He had-no doubt that ; among the 20 , 000 , people present at : that execution , there wore many who returned' home more ready to commit murder than . they were before . ( Hear , hoar . ) Like the gladiatorial exhibitions in ; the ; Roman circus , such scenes could / only increase the ferocity of the people , arid incline them . ; to the commission of crime . rThe late case at Bristol was ofatrulyhbrrible character , and he could not conceive that the right hon . gentleman wi 3 h ° a to eoritmue a system that ied'to suoh . scenes . .. Half a dozen -men dragging a woman ; eighteen or twenty years of age ; untrained , most ignorant , almost imbecile ; to the place of execution , ; and a clergyman' coaxing her to walk

      quietlv . to tho . scaffoldj was not s * ch-a spectacle as the right hon . gentleman would wish to see' often repeated ^ ( Hear , hear . ) :. He . / objected-: to capital punishment because it invested the' criminal with ' aii ' importance that ought not to attaohto him . There ' was an execution lately at Brecon , in "Wales . -When ; the judge passed sentence upon him a voice called out m . court , " Now ,: Jenf ; mindybu die game ; ' ! and the man ^ did . die . ' . ' game . "; During the ; time ! that elapsed . before his execution he was maintaining his resolution to" die game , " not listening to the chaplain , not . preparing for the tribunal before / which he was , about to staiiu ; i . and . his comrades ; iftb > : dpnbt [ would glory mthe defiance this criminal'had ' shown tothelaw . ) ( Hear , hear . ) -Ifsuchamancwere se ^ tencedto some ? punishment short of death ; ( would peoplo crowd to seo to ? . '¦ XirM'i & adm

      Satc-Rdaiy April 28. House Of Commons.-T...

      would still bramWderor ; : but he :. wpuld * not- « be a hero .,-. ( Hear , hear . ) The hon .. member . then referred to tho recent cases of imirder-at Manchester , istockpprt , and , Ueds , . in all which women fell by tlie- hands of men who were , or seemed to be , attached to them ,.. and also to several attempts at murder committed since , and drew the inference that the notoriety of the first offence , tho trial , and the execution , induced the commission of two offences in tho others . ( Hear . ) Two men were convicted at Durham for the murder of the Duke of Cleveland's gamekeeper . ¦ Oho was hanged and the other reprieved ; and he had it on undoubted authority , that not only the man who was-executed but the iman who was reprieved , held that the selection had fallen on the wrong man , and that the one who was banned was . sjot the man who fired tlw

      shot . He was bound to believe that in this case the right hon . baronet shrank- from the idea ot hanging two men for or ?? , offence ; and his ( Ml-. Bright ' s ) opinion was , that both should have been reprieved . He would say that no man was more interested than the right hon . kironetin having this punishment abolished . A ' o man could suffer so much as he did in giving his final decisions . The judge decided according to the law , ano 5 the jury according to the fact ; but on him the last and heaviest responsibility was thrown . Taking into consideration , then , the statistics upon this quesfckm , and looking at the almost unanimous judgment of the ' numerous public meetings respecting it , ho thoaght there was ; imple evidence that tho public sentiment was ripe for tlie settlement which his hon . friend , tho member for Dumfries , had proposed . Mr . H . Drummoxd opposed the motion .

      bir E . JN ' . Bi-xton , Mr . Brotherton , Sir George Strickland , Col . Thompson , Lord Nugent , and Sir 11 . Versey , severally spoke in favour of the introduction of the bill . 1 On a division the motion was rejected by a majority of 24 , the-numbers being 51 to 75 . Crown Prosecutions m Ireland . — Mr . Keooii then proceeded , to call the attention ofthe House to the general luanagomciit of Crown prosecutions in Ireland at assizes and sessions , and to the expenditure incurred in those prosecutions . It was not his intention to make . the smallest charge against the government , or to allude' to the political prosecutions . ; . The vote for Crown , prosecutions in 1817 was £ 71 , 000 ; in 1830 it was £ . 37 , 500 ; showing an increase of £ 33 , 500 in the intermediate period . In

      1840 the expense of fees to counsel was only £ 12 , 000 ; in 1847 it had risen to £ 19 , 000 . Whether the subject were considered with . 1 view to promoting the efficient administration , of . the law or to diminishing the expense of prosecutions , it was of the utmost , importance to-the government . The existing system wanted the advantage of concentration . -. . ; . There . was no . public prosecutor ; there were no resident prosecutors . The system formerly was , to have a Crown solicitor for . cach circuit , which system continued till 1842 , when the law offfcers-of the Crown for Ireland recommended and the' Treasury resolved that tho . Crown solicitors should , be appointed for each county . The result / has been an increase in the expenditure then recommended to bo made for Crown prosecutions . ¦ ' . There was also a class of officers called sessional solicitors . At

      least four-fifths ; of tho business of the country was transacted at sessions ; yet the salary paid to those officers was very contemptible , while tho ; assize solicitors , who had not an equal amount of business , received niuch higher . remuneration . The Crown solicitor knew nothing of . the cases in , which he ' . had to prosecute , and received his information in court , being . generally instructed by a sergeant of police or . a stipendiary magistrate , when the prisoner was atthe ; bar . . . Every one knew in / what a hurried , scattered , and indigested manner the business was done at assizes , 1100 to the discredit of the gentlemen engaged in prosecutions , but owing to the system being such- that it was impossible the business could be well done . The consequence was that people speculated on tho chances of acquittal . The hon . member concluded by moving for a select committee of inquiry . .

      The Attorney-General opposed the motion , and assigned reasons why the matter should be left in . the hands in which the Constitution had placed itnamely , tho Irish Attorney . General , by whom various reforms and regulations had been made , and were still making . After some remarks by Mr . O'Flaherty , Mr . Henley , Sir William Somerville , and Mr . Motfsbll , the motion was withdrawn . ' Mr . Keooii obtained leave to bring in a bill to facilitate tho transfer of land : to railway companies for . railway purposes in Ireland . ' - - The SoLlcixon-GEN-EliAL obtained leave to bring in a bill for granting relief against defects in loasos made under powers of leasiug ' in certain cases ! The House adjourned . at nine o ' clock .

      WEDNESDAY , May 2 . HOUSE OF bOMM 05 S . ~ CAXAnA .-A conversation . took place at the . instance , of Mi-. Herries , in which . Lord John Russell , Mr . Gladstone , and Mr . Henley took part , with reference to the Canada Indemnity Bill , the noble lord stating that the measure had not as yet been referred to her Majesty ' s government for an ultimate decision ; that bills of this description , although passed , did not come under the consideration ot the governor until the session was somewhat advanced ; but when that period arrived Lord Elgin would be prepared and ready to exercise the . discretionary powers with wliich he was invested ; the noble lord in question possessed the entire confidence of the crown , and in the exercise of his discretionarv nowers as

      Governor-General of Canada would be deemed to have acted in a manner so as to protect the interests and prerogatives of the crown , as also to conciliate the interests of the British empire . When the Indemnity Hill came before Lord Elgin he would ; doubtless , address a public dispatch to the Secretary for the Colonies on that particular subject . Cattle and Sheep ( Ireland ) Bill . —Mr . Bourke , in moving the second reading of this , bill , ssvid that its object was to check the crime of cattle and sheep stealing , which had lately increased in Ireland to an alarming ' extent . In 1845 the number of such offences reported by tho constabulary in Ireland was 653 ; in 1840 the number had increased to 3 , 025 ; and in 1847 , no less than 10 , 044 cases we ' re reported , while the convictions were only 1 , 500 .

      Tlie hon . gentleman read extracts fi-oni charges delivered by SHVu-al Irish judges at recent assizes , commenting upon the extraordinary increase in this description of crime ; and he also read letters from several gentlemen in the counties of Clare , Kilkenny , Galway , arid Wicklow ; stating that the offence was very prevalent in those districts , and that it was absolutely necessary that some further protection should he afforded to the possessors of all descriptions of live stock . . Most of the writers expressed their approval of this bill , which the honourable gentleman stated was almost a . verbatim copy of a bill introduced in 1839 by vLord Morpeth arid Mr . Rgott , in order . to suppress a simi ar description of outrages .

      The principle'involved in the bill wassimply to make persons , in whose posession sheep or cattle suspected of being stolen were found , show that they were ob tained lawfully and honestly . This wa ^ not a new principle in legislation , for with respect to deer and venison an act of a similar kind had been passed in England ; and a like act , with respect to timber , was in force in Ireland , and had had a most beneficial effect . He had the best authority for saying , that there was a general wish , on the part of the inhabitants of Ireland , for such a law , arid ' especiall y on the part of the small' farmers ,-whose flocks were so limited , that their profits would not enable them to pay the expense of maintaining a regular-watch for them . He trusted that the House would sane

      tion the principle of this bill , and ifin committee any amendments should he proposed , which , without materially affecting the principle of the . bill , might appeartothe government or to the House calculated to render the bill less stringent , he should not feel justified in opppsingthem . - Mr . Bright said the bill went on the supposition that'rio Irishman could have , honestly , any mutton in his possession . ( Laughter . ) That unfortunately might be- the esse with ra » ny Irishmen at present , but it was not fair to assume'it to be'the case with . respect ' to-alli "He ' thought ' tKe ' bill' ^' a ' sone which . the Hou . se should not approve of , ' and he could not

      understand" how the right ; hon . Secretary for the Home Department could ; give his consent ' to its being proceeded with after the observations which he had made . " ; ' 1 he' bill Would expose the population to informersto ' a degree ' thiit . would produce an amount of irritation , and probably vindictive rehlia * t ' toii which would be wowe than theevil iriit nded to be rectified . As to modifying the bill to ^ meet" the objections of the right hon , baronet ( Sir 6 . . Grey ) , it wOuld be better to withdraw is at once , for he objected to' every clause . ; ' ( "No ! no ! " ) The bill was of a piece with that iatroduced sbhie time since by an bdrii > borbhet ( Sir , Hv W ; Barron ) respscting offences ; '• ' ¦ ''' ¦ ¦• ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦•¦ " . - ; - : -

      Sir 11 . w . Barbon was sure the hon . raember ( Mr . Bright ) laboured under the misfdrtune ofa want of knowledge of thesubject—( a laugh );—b . & was too honest aman to- wish ; to protect thieves . ( Slaughter . ) 'All hist . SirH ^ W . Barron ' s j' farmers in the county of Waterford had told him , within the . Jast twelve * months , that they had been obliged to gjv ' e up ' keep . ing sheep ; and they . had brought Hint back tups which M ^?^ % ^ ^ ha > Vew to intrpoucirig an im , proved breed . ' ^ liat injury could , b # irifficUd . upon an-bOnestmanby obligirig . him to . tall " where he eot his lee of mutton > Tta - tWr ^ d ,, *^ : ¦ ' . » ' rt . ~ „ -.. v 2

      Pr ? - ?« t ea V theHqusewas ' nbw ;; a ' sked , ' to protect the ^ S > , ° ^ ¥ ^ °# ° r tui ? *» s essehtiaiJy k poor man fr WUnd ttf reject ' itwouldbetotellthe poorer c f ° f holders , in Ireland , that they , were no longer tohaveany sheep on their lapd . hp loagerto clothe their families with the- p rbduce of their farm , and by their own industry ^' . 'At pWs ' ent ; m . p , arti ; pf Galway ' and RbscdmuvnVihe ^^ prncticeI was , wSeri a man lost ' a ' shee ^ -tMthe ^ werit . with aparty : of . 'hj . s ; ne 3 ghbours tb 6 veryfsWectea house , ' aia ; . ' when , they . found a 'pieceof Wtton bra sheepskin that they-supposed to be ' atolehi' they bfoiight out the iWj ^& J ? 1-1 * bright geodMngf ftaathen . p ^

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), May 5, 1849, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_05051849/page/7/