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Northern Star (1837-1852), 29th June 1844, Edition 1 of 1, Page 7, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      PRAKCE . The Bxpcblicas Pbisosebs . —We have received from Doullens , says the National , a long letter announcing the dtath of Jonve , ode of the political prisoners , vrao has sunk under a frightful disease of the chest taught in the central nrisons in "which he was at first "placed . Josve was Eenteneed to 5 re years' imprisonment aa an accomplice in the pretended Ilepnblican conspiracy at Marseilles . He "was first sent to Aix , next to Emhran , and thence into the prisons of the department of the Nord . "When he "was first confined he w& 3 in robust health , but the regimen he has undergone has killed him in le ? 3 than three years . He is the fourth who hag fallen under the same disease—vi _ , Jeanne in 18 S 7 , Mirey , in 1839 , Bnlsson in 1843 , and nowJonvem 1844 . These victims are to he added to those of Mont Ss . Michel .

      Pbj £ Stcbxf _ - —The Conshtuiionntl announces , that tfee Pantheon "will be restored to Catholic worship on the occasion of the anniversary of the revolution of 3830 ; that a solemn serrice "will be celebrated in it on the 29 _ of July next , for the repose of the Eouia of the combatants who fell in lhe Three Days ; and that the edifice will be afterwards open for religious worship on Sundays . Refugees . —According to the report of M . Daguenet on the bill Telative to foreign refugees , there were , in France , on the lsi of January , 3844 , 4800 receiving sncccnr from the Government , and 946 * who required no assistance , in all 14 , 265 persons , consisting mostly of Spaniards , Poles , Italians , and Germans .

      Itlz Holy ' Wab " . —It appears that tbe naval preparations making at Tonlon against Morocco have been suddenly arrested . The orders given by the Minister of Marine , when it w& 3 first resolved to send the Prince de Joinville to the coast of Morocco , were on a most extensive scale , and instructions were then given to the dock-yard authorities that not a moment should bt > lost- in preparing for § ea . Fresh instrnctions have , however , now been gent , and ihe force originally ordered has been greatly diminished . The Prince de Joinville will not leave Tonlon till the beginning of July . He will then Xiart with a portion only of his squadron , it being intended that the remainder shall join him on the coast of Morecco . It is evident from this that the intentions of the French GoTfcrnmcnt have become more pacific .

      The was . ts Morocco . —The Messager of Sunday contains the following telegraphic de-patch : ~ * 'Toulon June 23 j three o'clock , _ n ,, Lalla Marguia , June 16 th .

      B IHE GOTKBXOB-CrSEBAl OF ALGERIA TO IHE MDOSIEB OP WXE . " ^ Yesterday , during a conference with the Commander of the Morocain army , b _ troops to the number of 5 , 000 cavalry , fired upon ours , and grounded an officer and two soldiers , whilst we did l » ot . return their fire . The conference was broken up , and Generals Lamoriciere and Bedeau have been attacked by the troops of ihe Emperor of Morocco . ** I arrived and assumed the offensive , and killed of the enemy from 300 to 400 men , whose bodies remained on the field . I captured some Jhorses , and from 300 to 400 stand of arms . Never was any chastisement be : ter merited . We had six killed and about twenty wounded . "

      SPAIN . A letter , dated Bayonne of tie 20 ih , contains the following remarks , whieh , probably , are more true than thfr fulsome reports published in the Madrid journals : — M people of Barcelona appear to take very liitk inserest in the movements of the Spanish Qoeens . Altogether ibeir Majesties lave met with a . Tery coid reception from the Catalans , If it weie not for the soldiers in their new uniforms , and the coaches _ td horses of the Ambassadors , and General Karvaez , Barcelona would be very dull . *• Several insulting pasquinades , reflecting upon Qieen Christina , hare been affixed to the walls of the Palace and against the Theatre in the Rambla , " Queen Isabella continues her course of sulphurised tepid baths , but die irruptions on her face and hands remain the same , "

      PRUSSIA , { From our ottn Correspondent ) . —The people have achieved a great triumph ; they have by their steady and-protracted opposition , forced the Xing to abandon hi 3 pet measure , the proposed new law of divorce . The present law in this respect , is very liberal , sad , of course , never pleased the Christian King . Ever since i ? 3 accession to the throne , he TFas bigwith an amended law , by which a divorce was to D 9 granted in very few cases only . The holiness of the marriage bond was to be enforced as strictly as possible , and another 4 oor to be opened to the parsons to meddle with the family &fikirs of other people . The spirit of the nation , however , arose against mch a Jaw ; the press opposed it , and

      when a democratic paper succeeded in getting and publishing an authentic abstract of the proposed law , a general outcry was raised against it from one en J of the conntry to ; he other , Jfeveitheless , the King persisted in his intention . The bill was laid before the Privy CouBcil , iu order to be prepared for the provincial ParlLameniB , the adtice o ! which is necessary , according to the Prussian constitution . Whether there was already a strong opposition in the Privy Council , or whether the King saw that tiis measure weald never pas 3 the provincial Parliaments , may be difficult to decide ; it is enough , that an ordinance dated the 11 th instant , has been directed to the Council , withdrawing the bill , abandoning entirely its principle , and declaring that the

      King will be satisfied with the alteration of & few formalities of the present law . This most important triumph of the opposition must strengthen permanently the popular party , and will be received with cheers in every hamlet of the realm . It will show the people that they are strong , and that if united , they may defeat any measure they do not like ; nay that by merely using their strength , they may frighten the government into any thing taey please . In the manufacturing district of Silesia very serious riots here occurred j the workpeople ot the neighbourhood , depending almost entirely npon the linenmanufacture and suffering great distress , not being able to stand the competition against the English machine-madearucle , have for sometime been in a

      condition similar to that of ibe . English hand-loom "weavers . Oppressed by competition , machinery and greedy manufacturers , they at last arose in PcttrsTaiden ( Silesia ) , demolished the bonse of a manufacturer , and were only dispersed by the appearatca ttf the military . In l * Bgenbielan , outrages of a similar nature were committed ; . the military were repelled by the people , and could only restore tie peace after having received reinforcements and fired on the rioters , of whom several wece killed . In other districts tumultuous assemblages took place , and even in the capital of the province , ( Breslvw ) , the peace wa 3 disturbed . Thus it is evicent that tee consequences of the factory system ,

      of the progress of machinery , 4 . O ., for the working classes are quite the same on the continent as they we in Engiand : oppression and toil for fhe many , r iches and wealth ior ihe Jew ; insecurity of fortune , discontent , and riot exist 3 among the hills of Silesia , as wed as in the crowded citie 3 of Lancashire and "Yorkshire . [ In addition Lo the above , we sire- the following paragraph from the Sum—We learn from 3 Jres ! aw on ihe 9 Ji inst . that the weavers have returned to their work after having obtained an iDc . ease of wages . They burst in , during their excursions , ihe doors of several wood-rangers' houses , and carried eff ihe fowling-pieces and ammunition , bat Without touching anything el 3 e . l

      Fcstheb P-Ufncciiss op the Sjx __ s Riois—The TiOVs cemmencett , as statedin my last , at Peterswaldan , in the District of Reichenba ' ch , the centre of the manufacturing part of Silesia . Th * weavers assembled before the honse of one of the most respectable manufacturers , of lhe name oi Ewacziger , singing a H ) Dg , in which the behaviour of this individual tfW 3 rds his workmen wa 3 animadverted upon , and "which « er _ to have been manufactured for the oecaskra . Mr . Zwanziger sent for the police , and got several of the ringieaders arrested ; the people assembled in growing Timbers before bis door , ihrea . ened to T _ ene them , and , tbe prisoners not being liberated , they immediately commenced tbe work of destruction . The d ors were forced , the Windows

      smashed , » he erowd entered the house , and destroyed every thing within their reach . ^ Zwanreers family had hardly time to save themselves , and the throwing of stones at them was so incessant that n was found necessary to wrap up in bedding the female part of the famdv , and have them carried in a eesci : o Schweidniis , To this plaee messengers also were sent to csll in the aid of tbe military , but the commanding ofieer replied" be could do mxinng without orders from tbe provincial authorities at Jam an . The people , in the meantime , entirely demolished the dwelling house of __ Zwanziger , sjnd proceeded then to ibe warebonse , where they destroyed all books , bills of exchange and other documents , and threw tbe cash they found , amsnnting to upwards of £ 1 , 000 . upon the street , where it was picked up by a lot ^ of Bobeccian fmugglers , "who bad Passed the frontier to see whether they ^ eould

      » t profit by tbe riots . The baits of cottoa * nd bags , as well as all the manufactured J » m » td goods were , as far as possible , de-*^ pyed or - made oseless . and the -machinery in the Wyoming factory , entirely broke . Having finished ? J > here , they left the rnins of the demolished bnildtt Rs and proceeded to langenbielan , tha men of * aish town joined them immediately , and whae Mr . i ^ erig ' a factory and warehouse was attacked . Mr . iflerig fim tried to buy thtm off , but aft « r having pud part ^) f bis bargaiD , be was liiformed that the ^ "ita ry were on lhe roid , andhe iminediateJjr refused w pay Ihe ^ remainder . iTie or&wd immediaiely iweed their way to' the premises , and demolished * fc * in in the same way as they bad done at Peters-? alaen ; while thpywixe engaged in thi 3 , a detacb-™« a of about 160-foot Eoldiers arrived , with the « tu minorities ; the Kiot Act was read , tbe people *^ i by lbj ° wing stones at the military , when the » cm to ire-was giTen , and tweive onbB riow-ri

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      were killed and many wounded . But the enraged crowd rnshftd on against the soliers , and wounded such a number of them by stones , that the commanding-cfiieer , who had been dragged from his horee and severely beaten , retreated with them , to await reinforcements , while the destruction of property condnued ^ oing on . At last two batalboi , s ; of infantry , aCv-mpany of rifie 3 , ' 8 ome cavalry and artillery appt-artd , ai : d dlsprrssd the rioters . Further attempts at simitar proceedings were swfied by the military keeting the town and surroundiDg places ocenpied , and , as usual , when everything wa 3 over , the proper smhorities came forward with proclamations and guc& like , declaring the district in a state of siege , and threatened the most horrible

      punishments for « very breach of the peace . Tbe riots were not confined to these two towns ; in Alt-Friealand and Leutmansdorf similar scenes took place , though not characterised by such a violent manifestation of feeling towards the manufacturers ; some arms were broke and some windows were smashed before the military eouid restore trauquiluy . The people throughout tbe district profited on this occasion by giving to the manufacturers such a display of their feelings as could not Da mistaken . The causes of ? hfcs « affrays "Were the incredible suffenags of these poor weavers , produced by low wages , machinery , and the avarice and greediness of the manufacturers . It will scaroely be believed that the wages of this oppressed class , in a family where father , mother .

      and children worked , all of them at the loom , amount eu to a sum which would buy no more than six shillings would in England . Besides , they were all in debt , which is not at all a matter ot surprise , when wages are eo low ; and the manufaosurers glaaly advanced them small sunss , which the men could never pny , ~ tm-, which were sufficient to give the masters an absolute sovereisnity over them , and to make lhem the slaves of the manufacturers . Tnen there was , besides that , the competition of the English article , which had an aovaaiage over them from the superior machinery ol the Eaglith factories and tho low wages there , and

      which tended to bring down their wages too . Iu short , it was the factory sysum with all i ? a consequences that pressed upon tbe Silesian weavers in the same manner as it has done , and now does , upon the English factory—workers and hand-loom weavers , and which has occasioned more dissatisfactiod and riotous outbreak * within this conntiy than anytfckg fci ? e . It is to be noticed , that unring all these disturbances , according to the etateaenis of all Girman papers , not one single TObbery has be » n committed by the starving weavers . They threw tho money on the street ; they did not convert it to their own use . Tbey left tbe stealing and plunder to the Bohemian smugglers and poachers .

      BAVARIA . A serious riot took place at Ingolstadt , in Bavaria , on the 17 th . The labourers in great numbers attacked the br « wers , bakers , and butchers , and it was with great d , Scully therk-t was put down . The Avgs lurg Gazette says , that from four to fiv « thousand pertons were engaged in ft . The cause of the disorder was the arrest of a workman by an agent of police . The workman resisted , and the police agent killed him with his sword . This exasperated the people , and they immediately attacked the breweries .

      TURKEY . The AvgsbuTg Gazette gives the following letter from Constantinople : — " Cosstanti . noplb , Jtwb 5 . —The Sultan has b « en received with enthusiasm throughout his journey On the 3 rd he enttred the Dardanelles . The Albanians who are in a state of revolt appear to be Bending in their submissions to the legitimate authorities everywhere . Ninety-fonr of the rebel leaders have bsen taken and brought here as prisoners . They arrived yesterday by the steamer from Salonica . "

      UNITED SrATES . The packet-ship Cambridge , arrived at Liverpool on Saturday morning . Axnixaiiojj . —Mr . Polk , the candidate for the Presidency , has published his opinion in favour of the " immediate re-annexation of Texas . " He also urges the establishment and maintainance of the anihority and laws of the United States ov « r the Oregon , and that it be not permitted to Great Britain , or any other foreign power , to plant a colony on , or hold dominion over , any portion either of that territory or Texas . Geohgb M . Daiaas , of Philadelphia , who was nominated at Baltimore by the Democrats for Yioe-President , has accepted the nomination .

      President TyleT also appears in print , at considerable length , accepting mosi gratefully his " nomination to the Presidency by , " as he expressed it , a Democratic Canvention , held at Baltimore f or , &b one of the papers styles it , " by his office holders at Washington . " He complains bitterly of the denunciations hurled at his head from all parts of the country , and says , ihat if two candidates for the Presidency , whom he does not name , had co-operated with him in the annexation soheme , his name would have been withdrawn .

      T > x ISAM ) the Obegon . —The DemocraticNation ^ Convention , recently assembled at Baltimore , pasted the following resolution unanimously : — " That our title to the whole of the territory of Oregan is clear and unquestionable ; that no portion of tbe same ought to be ceded to England , or any other power ; and that the re-occupation of Oregon , and the reannexation of Texas , at the earliest practical period , are great American measures , which this Convention recommends to the cordial , support of the Democracy of the Union . " : Gtekplow ot thb Mississippi . —The St . Louis Reporter of the 22 nd inst . cays : —

      " The river rose yetterday abont six inches , and is still rising . It has alrtady entered many of the Etores on the wharf , and from present appearances the first floor of but few of them will escape inundation , lllmoiitown is scarcely viable . The American bcttom is covered with wattr to » he bluffs , except in a few gpois of rjdges . The rivers above are still rising . The villsge of Cahokia , a few mile ^ below this city , on the Illinois shore , ia almost entirely inundated . " In addition to tbe above ( say 3 the Lousvilk Jour * nal ) we learn from Captain Page , that at ten o'clock on Wednesday morning , the 22 ad inst ., the water had reached within thirteen incnes of the first ioor ot the old warehouse of the American fur company , which is the most elevated building on the Levee .

      The Liverpool packet-Bhip , Boscoe , which sailed Jience on the 1 st of Apri ) , had not arrived at New York when the Cambridge sailed . She was bbdposed to be fast in the ice on the banks . Much anxiety began to be felt concerning her , as she was full of passengers , and had a valuable cargo on board . K > . w York—Laieb fbom Hatti—The Pondora , Paxson , from Jertmie , wiipnce she sailed on the 29 ih . It was reported by Captain Paxson that there are now four parties in Hay ti , each desperately seeking the reins of government , and that the island was in a' complete state of revolution . Later -News . —The fast-sailing Bbip Sea , Captain Edwards , arrived s , i Liverpool on Sunday , after a quick voyage . She left New York on the 3 rd inst .

      At Washington , on tbe 1 st insiant , in Senate , the join , resolution of the House , to adjourn on the 17 th of June , was adopted . Mr . M'DufaVB tariff resolution , pronouncing the present rate of duties unjust and opnressive , was taken up and rejected—ayes 18 , noes 26 . This Native Americans . —In the House of Representatives , Mr . Adams broached the great principle of the Native American party , » . e ., the alteration of the Naturalization Laws so as to require foreigners to reside here twenty-one years , instead of five , before they exercise the rights and powers of

      nativeborn citizens ; and he presented a petition from citizens of Pennsylvania , praying Congress to make this change in the naturalization laws . In presenting this petition , be supposed an opinion would be expected from him on the subject , and he therefore staged that the . petitioners being nnknown to him , be did not feel bound to support the prayer of the petition . He moved that the petition be referred to ibe Judiciary Committee . Mr . 'Murphy called for the ayes and noes on a motion by Mr . Hammett to lay it on the table . The question was ordered , and resnlied in 104 votes in favour of laying it on the table , and only 26 against so doing .

      Amurder and suicide of the murderer , of a very horrible description , bad been committed at Philadelphia . The Philadelphia Ledger says , under the date of Saturday , Juno l ? t , that a Frenchman named Jules Lesuenr , early thai morning , shot bis wife in the right side , between the fifth and sixth ribs , and committed suicide by Bhooting himself in the left side . It appears that suspicions of infidelity on the part of tbe woman in refusing to live with deceased , produced this deplorable result . She was alive at noon , at tie above date , bat her recovery was impossible . She was suffering great pain . She says , he awoke her on Friday night , asked her to kiss him ; and on refusing , he shot her . She is ft Creole , of Louisiana , where she has a sister .

      FOREIGN MISCELLANY . A Ropman . —Two days ago , the following ontrageons scene was enacted at the Mairie of the 8 tn Arrondissment . A statuary , aged 60 , having hired for his servant » yonng-woman named Honorine , aged 18 , became violently enamoured of her . By hiB liberal presentb and promises , bat above all , by solemnly engaging io marry her , be succeeded in seducing her . His end obtained , be no longer thought of his engagements , and the deluded girl finding all her entreaties disregarded , determined to break vS the connection . and left her service . Being

      called to the Mairie by some business , she suddenly found Tierself face to face with her old master Alarmed , sbe wished to withdraw , but be grasped her tight , and taking a phial from bis pocked en- , deavonred to force the contents down her throat . Honorine made a- desperate resistance , and in the violence of the struggle the bottle broke , and the liqnid , ' which was vitriol , ran over her face and handB , which were Beverely ^ burnt . Her cries brought assistance , and the etri&tnary was arrested and taken to prison , amidst the execrations of all pif £ &iti ~ -Galignani ' t Messenger .

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      HOUSE OF LORDS-Fbiday , June 21 . After 8 orae conversation abont Don Carlos—Lord Brougham then called tbe attention of their Xordahipa to the report on his Bill for the Amendment of the Insolvent 2 > abfcora' Act , which he contrasted very favourably with that latelyintroduced by Lord Cottenham en the same subject . Lord COTTEKHAM ably defeaded hia Bill , and recalled to the recollection of the House the almost unanimous applause -with which it bad been read a econd time on the 30 th of May last , and trusted that their Lordships were not now , in imitation of another assembly , prepared to support a measure based on antagonistic principles . Lord Ashbuktoh ; defended the principle of lmprisotment for debt , which both Bills agreed in asB&iling .

      The Lohd Chanckliob inculcated caution in dealin ? with bo important a subject , and recommended , as the only wise , proper , and sober course , that the whole subject should be referred to a select committee . Lord Bkougham assented , so far ss his own Sill ¦ was concerned , and In spite of strong opposition from L ^ rds Campbell and Cottenham , tbe reference was carried without s division . Lord-CoTiENHAM then moved tbe third reading of his bill , but was met by an amendment that it should be re-committed . The amendment was carried by a large majority , and their Lordships then adjourned .

      Mojojat , June 24 . The Earl o ? " vVimchusea gave notice that on Friday he ahonld present some petitions on the Corn Laws , and call the attention of the House to public granaries —a sublet -which be had deeply considered . The House r . solved itself into Committee on the Bishoprics of St . Asaph and Bangor Bill . The Dufce of Wellington had previously announced that he would oppose the motion , but little notice appeared to have been taken of this announcement , for the Biil went through Committee , and was ordered to be read a third time on Monday . The Bishop ef Exeter moved that the House resolve itsalf into a Committee on the Brothels Suppression BiH .

      EBri Pitzhahdinge took the opportunity of deny . fc ) 3 the statements made by the Bishep of Gloucester relative to the suppression of theBe uuUances In the neighbourhood of Westminster Abbey , and on property belonging to the Dean and Chapter . It was said that he had made an accusation against the Sean and Caapter of Westminster ; but he would repeat that he had not done so . He wouid , however , now make an accusation against thtm , and he wonld say that tbe brothels within two minntea' walk of that House on their property were still txtant , and he would give bis authority to their Lordships . He had received information that Nos . 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , and 8 , on the left of Deanstreet , In the Almonry ; Nos . 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , and 8 in Jeffries' Buildings ; Nos . 14 , 15 , and 18 in a passage leading to the Aliaoniy , were notorious brothels—( hear , bear ) . He bad no great reason to doubt the accuracy of this information ; for it was given to him , not by ary

      schismatic or anonymous writer in a newspaper , but by tbe vestry-clerk of the parish of St MargateVB —{ hear , hear ) . He would beg to call their Lordships ' attention to the third clause in the BilL The Noble Earl here read the elause , and contended , amidst much langbter , that the Dean and Chapter came within the description of persons letting their houses as brothels , and would be Habit to the punishment awarded by the act Ho said they ought to legislate fairly , and not attack consequences without examining first into causes —( hear , hear ) . They should not be satisfied with knocking off the twists , bnt lay the axe at the root of the eviL If they passed that Bill , knowing that the Deau and Chapter had been breathing the air of prostitution and sharing the veiy -wages of public infamy , he would tell them that they wonld not deal out evenbanded justice unless they brought in a bill of pains and penalties against tbe Dean and Chapter of Westminster —( bear , hear , and a kuch ) .

      The Bishop of Gloucester made the best of a bad case , bnt , at the same time made a singular admission . On that very day he said the Dean and Chapter had given notice to many of the tenants to quit .. He complained with some bitterness of the attacks to which tbe Chapter bad been subject , boih from Lord Fitzbardirge and a portion of tbe press ; but promised in conclusion that ha wonld at the next chapter meeting recommend that a clause should ba introduced into every lease prohibiting the conversion of the premises to the abominable purpose the bill was intended to suppress . The bill then went through committee , and theii Lordships adjourned .

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      HOUSE OF COMMOxNS . —Friday , Jone 21 . On the motion for bringing up the report on tbe Sugar Duties BilL Mr . Ewart moved that free-labour and slavelabour sugars be admitted on payment of the same rates of duty . The proposition was rtjected by 183 to 65 . After some conversation between Mr . George Palmer and Mr . Gladstone , the report was received , and the third reading ordered conditionally on Monday . Oa the question for going into committee on the Dissenters' Chapels Bill ,

      Mr . Plcmptke expressed bis sorrow and snrprisa that sush a Bill as this should have received tbe sanction of the Government . Had it been proposed by Lord John Russell when be was in office , it would have received strennons opposition ; and in comparison with it , the appropriation clause was honesty and purity . The Christian people of this country felt deeply the wound inflicted by the Bill ; and he had clung to the hope that it would be abandoned . He moved that the order for going into committee be discharged . Lord J . Russell did riot doubt Mr . Pumptre ' s sincerity ; ha bad been warned by constituents , no doabt t quatly sincere , thot he would lose their support if he continued bis support of the Bill . But further

      consideration only strengthened his conviction in its favour . I ! Unitarians were not to receive equal consideration ¦ with other Dissenters , then let toleration be the exception , rather toan tne rule—he , bowever , would call it persecution . If the TJnitarianB were not to be secured in possession of the property now in their hands , be knew of no other body of Dissenters who could establish theircUim to it ; aud in doing justice we had no right to look at the religious opinions of the parties . Thongh the Unitarians were not legally tolerated till 1813 , practically they enjoyed it long before ; and had the question involved in this Bill arisen in the time of Sir Robert Walpole or Lord Chatham , tbey wenld bava dealt "with it on the same principle as it is now proposed to settle it

      After a discussion shared in by various members , Mr . Plwnptre withdrew his amendment , the Speaker left tbe ebair , and tbe House went into Committee on the Bill . On tbe first clause , Mr . Habdt objected that while its object was for tbe benefit of one particular sect , it professed tn be for the relief of ail ; and therefore be proposed the introduction of the qualifying words , " Unitarian Christians . " The Solicitor-General said that Mr . Hardy completely misunderstood ; tbe scope of the clause . It ¦ was positively a measure of protection to all classes of Dissenters , and the amendment would limit it to one . The amendment was withdrawn , and the first clause was agreed to . Tbe second clause raised considerable discussion . Mr . Stuart Wortley made some comments on its object ; and

      Mr . Shaw , as an amendment on tbe twenty-five years' usage , moved that if any congregation possessed documents contemporaneous with tbe endowment , indicating specific religions doctrines , the u- < age should not be taken as evidence contradictory of these documents . The SolicitobGbnehal said that tbe Bill did not interfere with any tsoowment which appeared , from the will of the founder , or from any authentic deed or document , to have been intended for some specific religions doctriDB or opinion . The amendment , therefore , "was not only unnecessary , generally , bnt specifically , as in the case of the Synod of Ulster , -would work monstrous injustice . On a division , the amendment was rejected by 161 to 43 . Mr . Shaw then moved that " sixty" years should be substituted for *• twenty-five'" years * usage . This , however , was not pressed to a division . »

      Tbe second clause , after prolonged discussion and division , was ultimately carried by 188 to 62 . Lord Asblet wished to replace clause three by another , which would have the effect of enabling a separation to be made between the Trinitarian and Unitarian bequests in an endowment ; but being met by an objection in point of foim , did not press it . The third clanse was then agreed to ; and the Bill having gone through , was ordered to be reported , a lond cheer marking its passing this stsge . Tbe County Rates' Bill wai read a third time and passed . The County Coronen' Bill was read a third time and paased . The House adjourned at half-past twelve .

      MownAT , Junk 24 . GOVERMENT ESPIONAGE . Mr . T . Dukcohbe rose to present the following petition from Mr . Charles Stolrman , a Pole , residing in Somers-place , Camden-town : — " To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom , fee . ke . " Tbe humble Petition of Charles StoJzman , of No . 11 , Little Drummond-street , Somerstown , late captain of Artillery in tbe Polish service , now engaged inBnglub literature . " Sbeweth—That your petitioner , a Polish exile , landed in 1837 upon what he-has always been taught to believe is the sail of freed am , the hospitable shore of Great Britain .

      " Taat while youi petitioner is devotedly attached to his native land , a sentiment that -will accompany him to his grave , your petitioner bega leave to assure your Honourable Houbo that be bos never held any treasonable . correspondence nor interfered in tbe politics oi this country . :

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      " That your patit-onar most resp ctfully begs leave to represent to your Honourable House , that , with astonishment he baa discovered , letters addressed to him are secretly detained and opened at the General Post-office , and that this system of espionage is carried on toso great an extent that he cannot any longer with confidence and 8 ecurity aVii 51 hirtge ! f of % he 8 aJ . privil-gea hitherto supposed to belong to her Majesty ' s General Post-office , being averse to bis social and family tatetcouwe bein « rxposed to the inspeotion of that psUbltshment , especially as your petitioner maintarns , and is ready to prove , thai there does not exist , and never has existed , the slightest pretence for th ' . a gross innovation of his private correspondence , Your petitioner therefore prays your Honourable House to institute a rigid inquiry into tho ckcumstapces that have led to this breach of national hospitality , and to give your petitioner such immediate redress as intne wiBdom of your Honourahle Housa the praaBing nature of hia personal wroug demands .

      , x " Chabies Stolzman . " June 22 nd , 1844 . " Ho ( Mr . DuncombtJ ) thought be should be able not only to satisfy the Heuse that it was of tbe bi ^ beat importance to the happiness and comfort of tlie community tbat the correspondence between man and man in a fret , country should ba held eacred , but alsj to satisfy them that the personal wrongs of whifh this petitioner complained were of such a nature and of » nch a character , that tho House would not refuse tj afford him immediate redress . On a former occusion , when he ( Mr . Dnncombe ) called the attention of the # k < l u thi 8 - 8 ut J ' » PP « ared that the grievance of which tho then petitioners complained wan supposed to be removed by the wimdmwal of tka warrant which

      had been issued by the Secretary of Stu ' . e for the Home Department for opening the letters of one of them . The Secretary for the Home Department dfd not then inform the House which of the four gentlemen who had addressed the House it was for the txtniination of whose letters at the General Post-office he had issued the warrant , bnt onlysaid that it was with . reference to one of tbe four that he had iesued the warrant . When he ( Mr . Dnncombe ) asked him to : state which of the parties it was for the elimination of whose letters tbe warrant had been issued , the Right Honourable Gentleman positively declined to do so . Ho then ; stated that he believed he could , and accordingly he did , supply the omission of the R'&ht H <> n Guntleman , by sutina that it was the

      correspondence of Mr . fihiEKiui , a highly rospectable gentleoian , resident in this couauy , but having tha misfortune to be an Italian refugee . He . snould like to ask the Right Hon . Gentleman , if he had presented a puti ' tion singly and solely from Mr . Mnzzini , whits his answer would have been ; » nd he again put tbe same question to the . Right Hon . Baronet which be had put before—whether he was aware that Mr . Mazzini ' s correspondence had been opened ut the General Post-ofike , aud whether that proceeding had his sanction ? because he conceived it must have been the same sort of answer as the Bight Hon . Baronet bad given when he said that a warrant had been issued . The Right

      Honourable Gentleman sheltered himself under a sort « f mystery and silence , merely saying : 11 A warrant was signed , but you must find out for which of tho four . " Naw , then , here was the case of one petitioner , Mr . Charles So &taan , an officur of artillery in the Polish Buvvice , who complained tbat his letters ware opened without any reason whatever , as he had never interfered with the politics of this country , or been engaged in any treasonable correspondence whatever . Whether the Right Honours-Baronet Would screen himself behind the same g . rt of official i solemn silence he knew not , but he trusted that the House would see that the

      great and enormous power which be admitted to bo vested in one of her Majesty ' s principal Secretaries of Sz&u > was abased or not . If a Secretary of State or the Government , were juatiUL-tt in screening and skeltering themselves behind this official aecreojr , he wanted to know what became of tbat responsibility of which we heard so much when any measure was submitted giving more extensive powers to khe Secretary of S ate or the Government —( bear , hear ) . Ho bad heard the Right Hon . Baronet talk of that responsibility when the Poorlaw Bill was under discussion ; and , last year , when the Chelsea Pensioners' Bill wjs proposed , to which he ( Mr . Dancombe ) objected , the answer was , as it had invariably been , ond always would be , tbat the Secretary of State was always in his place in that house , and wae

      responsible to Parliament , and that he could always bt > called upon for an explication of his conduct , if it was thought that he had abused his power . Well , then , he now called upon the Right Hon . Baronet to explain tbe manner in which he had txetciaod this grave and important power ; and h « ( Mr . Duncombo } was there to maintain , and to prove , that the power which was entrusted to the Secretary of S ate was intended merely to be a- security agolnst internal treason or domestic disorder ; aud he maintained that there was no pretence for violating the corrtsspondeace of Mr . Stolzman or of Mr . Mtzzini , or the other gentlemen , a » was acknowledged by the Secretary of State to have been done . Well , then , new this grievance presented itself to the House and the country in two points of to

      view . First , had tho G ^ Vbrnment adhered the strict letter of the law in ordering , if they had ordered , the letters of Mr . StolBTian , Mr . Mozzini , or the other individuals , to bo opuncd ? Hud th * y vioiatud or transgressed the strict letter of the law in issuing the warrant , or if they had not transgressed tbe letter of the law , had they , or had thty not , abused the power vested in them , by opening these letters at all ? He maintained that they had done both . He sal ; that the Government had transgressed the law . He charged the Government with having dune thatwith having transgressed the law , and abused the power vested in them , and the Gavernment ought not to shrink from it—( hear , bear ) . It Would not satisfy the public for the Right Hon . Baronet to stand up in his

      place again and say , " Respectfully , but firmly , I decline to answer the Question "—( cheers ) . As to Mr . Mazzini , what did that gentleman say in his letter to him ? It must be observed that Captain Sto ' s . uan was a friend of Mr . Mazzial , and tbe opening of the letters of these two gentlemen was part of the same system — ( cheers ) . He might admit that tho Government should have tbe power of opening the letters of suspected persons in oases of internal BtniiUon , Oi tho letters OJC persons who had absconded frum justice . But wnen the people looked to these ca ^ esj they would think that the advantages and benefits of that power were counterbalanced by the abuses oi it —( hear , hear , )—and would say with him tbat it ought to be abolished—( bear , hear ) . In the case of Mr . Mczz ' ml thete was no

      ground for interference . This country had nothing to do with foreign powers , or thuir squabbles with their subjects , as long as those subjects conducted themselves peaceably and properly in this country . The following letter had been received by him from Mr . Mi . zz Bi : — "The warrant has been in operation against ) me at least since the beginning of March . Sixty or seventy letters addressed to me have beun opened , coming from perhaps twenty-five or thirty different persons , every care taken to avert suspicion , impressions of the seals taken , the cut sometimes so dfliuate that it almost required a magnifying glass to follow ito trice , a duuble stamp invariably applied to alter or make illegible the mark of the hour at which the letter reached the General Post-ofiile , and to conceal the delay . The first mouth

      or the first week of the system must have proved to the Home-office that neithtrEi . glaud nor English safety was concerned in the correspondence . The suspicion must , therefore , have been continued for the sake of only a foreign power . The coiucvlencs of these facts with the beginning of tbe cgitatiou prevailing in southern and central Italy , affords anolher proof . There appeared ia the Milan Gazelle oi the 2 » th of April last , and a fuw days before in the Suaiian Mercury , an article saying tbat 1 'the English Cabinet had addressed to that of Vitnna promises extremely satisfactory concerning tbe agitation prevailing in Italy , and especially in tbe territory of tbe Pope ; that besides formally protesting against all suspicion of sympathy with Young Italy and its politics ! tendencies , tha Government of Great Britain , going still further , was

      anxious to put an end to the agitation ; and , in order to affurd a direct co-operation towards that ot je t , the English Government would pat a stop to all agitating proceedings from the exterior , beginning with Malta ; that as to the Italian exiles in London , hospitality would be confined to the mere limits of duty ; tbat Mazz ni would cease to be a person unknown to the London police . ' A short time after that the Augsburg Gazelle said , tbat * to cscupa the strict watch of tbe Lwndon police , M ^ zz ' nl bad fled to Portsmouth , '—false ofconrse . I have , Sir , trie J , and will try , to fulfil my duty towards my country , as aa Eaglishnmn would do towards his own country ; but I challenge any Secretary of State , past , piesem , and future , to bring forward , not a proof , ' but a single slight indication , of my being , or ever having been , connected with English affairs , or any of ( he English political parties in

      existence . " Joseph Mazzini . "To T . S . Duncoinbe , Eiq ., M . P . " If that was true , aud ho ( Mr . Duncornbs ) believed every word of it , he wanted to know what , pretence or right tbey had to open the letters of Mr . M : zzini or Captain Stolzman ? Not only had the Government done this with these gentlemen ' s letters , but be would undertake to prove that other persons' letters had been most unscrupulously opened , not only in London , bat in different parts of the conntry , within the lost two years , and that must of course have been done under tbe orders of the present Government—( bear , hear ) . Did the Government think that the public would be satisfied under sneb cirenmstance with the flimsy pretexts the Government had adopted 1 Did they , when the Dufee of Bordeaux was over here the other day , open bla

      letters ?—( hear , bear ) . He wanted to Know did they open his letters ?—( hear , hear ) . No doubt it Would be agreeable to Louis Philippe to know what was in those letters —( hear , bear ) . Perhaps the Bight Honourable Gentleman did not open them —( hear , and laughter ) . But in all probability they aotsdtnus to curry favour with Austria—( hear , hear , hear ) . Bab what bad they to do with the Pope ?—( hear , bear , hear ) . They bad no diplomatic relations with the Pope—( heat , hear , hear , ami laughter ) . And yet they were told by Mr . Maaini that-i they opened bis letters to gratify the Pope—( laughter ) . He asked them , then , dtdthay open tha Duke of Bordeaux's letters ? Perhaps they thought him too great a personage ; bu ' o not ? he wanted to know , if they would not dare to do tbta with the Duke of Bordeaux , why should they presume to open the letters of aa bumble individual , compara-

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      tively humble , for Mr . M . izzioi was a man of eminent qualifications , who was conducting himself here aa a peaceable subject , aud as ; such was resident in this country . Ho was now , then , going to esk for inquiry into this subject . He was Batufi « d that the Secretary for the Home Department ; waa tha very last parson who ought ts , as he supposed he wonld , refuse it ; for it was due to hia own chkractet —( laughter )— "it v » si dus to the character 6 f thej Gjveinment not to rot ' use it , and not upon such an occasion as thiB te rely ppon a majority that sometimes " supported it—( hear , hear ) . It couid not be said that any man was safe , unless they knew how this power had been exercised—( hear , hear ) . It had , in a former debate , been said that which was morally wrongi could not be politically

      rit > ht . The R ght Hon . Gantleman the Secretary for tha Home Depart me it , lie new recollected , had rather di . 'putt-d th . fc position of the Noble Lor < i—( cheers and laughter ) . The Right Hon . Baronfct had thrown rather a doubt upon it —( laughter ) , because he b-irl said , Who was to be the judge of what was morally wroni ?? ( Hear , hear , and lan ^ hter , ) He thought the Right Honourable Gentleman bad some re . isun in bis argument , then , on the factory labour . Htre , bowt ' . ver , thera could be no question as to what was morally wrong . He would defy any man to have a doubt about it ? What had been done ? B <> th fraud aud forgery had been committed , and unless fraud ami forgery were morally right , he would claim the support of Honourable Gentlemen opposite on fehiB occasion .

      What had they done ? They took man s letters , read aud examined them , kept copies of them , then resealed and re-enlosdd the originals in souh a manner , that tbe ui fortunate individual was not awaie that the government was in possession of his family secrets . He believed that mach odium might have 6 * en removed if Individual * had been apprised of what had been done —if the letters bad been { stamped on tbe outside " opened by authority . " E ( e would ask the Honourn&t-i Barcnet if he dare nssjinformation thus obtained in a court of justice in a trial for any political offence , as sedition —( an Honourable Member , " or conspiracy ")— or conspiracy ?¦—( laughter . j If he did attempt to do so , he believed judge and jury , and every individual in tbe court , : would unite in taking

      the Right Honourable Bironot by tua bead and shoulders , and turning him out of court altogether—( loud cheers and laughter . ) Tha question was , hud not the Government exceeded and transgressed the letter of the law , and abused the power which the law invested in them ? He contended that they had done both these things ; be contended that tbey bad abused that power—the almost sacred power Vested in it by Purl lament , of opening letters of individuals . If they had not done so , they need not shrink from inquiry before a committee . In 173 * a committee was appointed to inquire into some abuses which had oocurred in franking letters , and Certain abuses of the Post-office department The appointment led to the same sort of discussion which was now

      caking place . Several members complained of their letters having been opened , the intention being to discover whether any treasonable correspondence was being carried on against the Government ; and it appeared that tbe practice of opening letters was 89 well known , that no man would ever attempt to carry on such a correspondence in that manner . Sir Robert Walpole at first opposed the -appointment of the committee , but afterwards granted it , on condition tbat they should' not inquire into any thing that would tend to discover tbe secrets of the Government—( hear , hear ) . Now , he did { not want to know tbe Becrets of the Government—he doubted if tbey were worth knowing—but wbat he wished to inquire

      into was , whwther the Government had abused the powers intrusted to it . Ho should therefore move that "The petition of Charles Stolzman be referred toasckct committee , for the purpose of inquiring into the circumstances under wkica letters tmve been secretly cpened , delayed , or detained at the 0 enerui Post-office , since the 1 st of January last ; also into the form in which warrants for that purpose have been issued , and the mode in which they have been executed and obeyed ; tbe said committee to report thereupon to the House ; together with their opinion as to the expediency of making any alterations in tbe law under which the secret opening , delajiig , oi detaining of poBt-lfcttere is conducted . " ;

      Dr . Boweino seconded the motion . A grave responsibility ( he saiti ) weighed upon ; the Right Hon . Baronet if he did not desire to be considered as an Italian Sbirro , and if the Government din not wish to submit to the imputation of being a " ¦ Cabinet-Nuir . " Public opinion wonld not be satisfied by hearing that the warrant no longer existed , j The Right Honourable BDronet , perhaps , did not know what misery he had oausod , nor estimate how- much tbe reputation of this ountry , and this country ' s Government , would suffer by its becoming the willing tool of those Governments who are every where resisting | tbe tide of human improvement . !

      Sir James Graham assured the Honse tbat he by no means wished to under-rate tbe importance of the subject now brought under consideration . Though on a furaier occasion he had returned his thai . ks to the Hon . Member forFinsbury for the fairness of the course he then pursued , yet he was bound to say tbat he could not do so in the present caseit for all tbat his notification stated was , that at the meeting of the HouMe hw would present ouotlior petition from « . p *» --aon who complained that his letters bad been opened , and that he wonld call attention to the subject us soon after half-past four o'clock as ! he ( Sir James Graham ) should be : present ; yet tbe Hon . Gentleman gave him no notice with resptct to the nature of the debate that was to be raised . « f the form of the complaint , not of

      the words of the petition , and until the Hon . Member rose to address tbe House he had no knowledge of the petition , still less was he prepared , for u motion for a committee . The Hon . Gentleman ' s motion assumed the fact that in this case a warrant bad been issued . Now , he begged the House net to draw any inference from the coarse he intended to pursue on this occasion . No public servant had b greater respect for public opinion than he bad ; but though it was his sincere and ardent wish to stand well in the opinion of his fellow-c « nntrymen , yet holding a high and responsible office by the favour of his sovereign , and being continued in the diecharge ot his duties by the confidence ot that House , not for the Bate of his private character , not for the tuke of indulging his private feelings , should he be justifies in

      making any sacrifice of what he considered necesffiry for the discharge of bis public duty , and the preservation of the pubiio security —( cheers ) , j Raflecting npon this , he had come to the conclusion ) that , as the law had vested in the Secretary of State the power of issuing warrants of this description , he must say tbat he felt it was not for the public good , it was not consistent with the public interest , that he aboulil answer in his place in the House of Commons interrogatories such as tbe Honourable Gentleman had thought fit to put to him—( hear . bear ) . He had , in a manner of which he hopoi the House could not complain , firmly refused to answer in what cases those warrants had been issued . He might have given the Honourable Gentleman an evasive answer , but he spnrned te take such a course— ( hear ,

      hear , and laughter . ) When the case of four persons ha 4 been mentioned on a former occasion , he said that in the case of one a warrant had been issued . Ha refused to go farther ; and he now aiia that neither the House nor the country was to draw iiny inference on the assumption that in the case of Captain Stoiznaan , when he was asked if a warrant had beton issue *! , if he answered thatj he did not deem it to ba consistent with his duty to ' say " aye , " or " i-o . " He said that the house was to draw no inference from the fact , when he stood on the ground « f tho authority vested in him as Secretary of State by the Act of Parliament —( hear , hoar , and cries of " O , O , " from members on the opposition benches ) , ; The assertion of the Honourable Gc / ntleman who brought forward this motion was , that he had transgressed the law , and had violated the letter as well aa the Bpirtt of tbe Act of Par ] iament ^ -, bear , bear ) . The Hoi onnb ' e Gentleman , said he cpnld prove it—( hear , I bear . ) Now , if the

      Hoa . Gentleman could prove tbat letters had been opened or detained at the General Post-offico , the act of Parliament was express , that any party to opening or detaining letters was gailty of a misdemeanour , and was liabie to be indicted . If be had so violated the law he was guilty of a misdemeanour , and be could be prosecuted —( irononical cheers ) . \ The legal tribunals of the country would do justice between the hatublest individual and the highest civil authority . He was amenable to the civil tribunals of the country , to be punished either \ by fine or imprisonment if he had transgteased ! the law . But he demurred to any explanations then ; he demurred to a committee of the bouse to inquire into it He distinctly denied that he had exceeded the authority reposed in him * or that he hadj departed in anything from tbe provisions of the I Act of Parliament . He had obsyed the law , and not oply , had he obwyed the law , bnt he had not departed frem the uBBgea of his predecessors in similar cases ;

      Mr . Macatjlat conld asfure tbe Right Hon . Gentleman that it was bis intention to look st the motion then before the House a 8 anything but a party , question , and to discuss it without the adinix ^ re of anything like party views ; but be must at the same time observe , that the topics here presented were such as he couid wish migfet be avoided ; for , he Jcould not avoid saying , that the language and the manner of tbe Right Hon . Gentleman were not those ] of a man who was conscious of the very peculiar position in which he was placed—( hear , hear ) . Even if the Right Hon . Baronet had the power , and said that the power was necessary , and that in these cases it bad been properly used , still it was a power that it was most odious to nee , aud for which strong reasons ought to be given ; for , even if the power were necessary , still it mast be ebvious

      that it was one singularly abhorrent to tbe genius of the English' people— ( cheers ) . The speech of the Righ ; Hon . Baronet was most unsatisfactory . ' Neither party of 'that House was answerable . ' Both parties Dad received it from their ancestors—both parties , when in power ;; bad * used ; it , and he did not impnte to either tbe having used it dishonestly or oppressively ; but now ; he said , ' since their jattention had been called to this power , it could f not , without very great modifications , be permitted to lost—( cheers ) , Hedeaedthem to show how the public safety coul * justify the breaking open » letter m the Poafc-otfioe * any more than e . letter of his being ^ taken out of his desk . Why was the letter put into tha post bag , except for the purpose of being transmitted to the person to whom it was destined t j Let them only coneider , if there wob a single ie&aon for examining letters

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      to or from him in the Post-office , which was not s ^ od and vati'l for examining letters that be had in hia desk : let them taki it that there was a treasonable plot—the most treasonable ever thought of : the letters might contain treason . Then the treason could hd as vceli discovered in tbe Utter in bis pocket , as the letter when trin 8 mittei 1 . He knew that in cases of suspwted crime tho letters couiri he utMnined and produced in a C « urt of Justice , tvhetb r taken in transit or in tha porsi ; n ' s packet . But then , if a letter were delivered and tbey to » k it wrongfully , tbey would be liable to an acion for damages ; ad if they used violence , the ? wouht be severely punished . Thus , in the case of Mr . Wiikes , when bis letters ha « been seizad , r . ty . d . carried to Lord HalKax aud the Uader Secretary of

      S : atu , he brought an action for tbose letters btnag wrongful . y 8 ( - ; z-. 'd and without probable cause , sad the «* ult was , that he gaiiied his action , and tbey wera obliged to pay , by the vtrdiet of a jury , out ) thousand pounds damages . That waa what ho called ministerial rtponsibility— < h « ar . Sad cheers ) . He wantbd to know , wb . ru a tetter got to Mr . Mrzz al , if it was so sacred tbat it could not be touched , aad yet before it cauie to him that it could be examii ^;—th&t , upon the most vitue suspicion , fifty or a hundred tetters could be thus stopped , and yet Mr . Mnzzini never know whether they were examined or not The qui-stio'i was not whetUev there were advantages in the spy systf ui ; for that had b&en decided by their animators Iobr ago—tfu-ar ) . They weve not now to d * t « r «

      rutnu whether tli » y wsie to adopt the practice of employing spies , as it was dono by foreign govermut-nta —^ ear ) . And what difference was there between their having spies upon worns spoken , or words Written ? 2 a common fairness , he said it wa 3 no difference to him between a government breaking the seal of his letter in the PosUffice , and the Government employin g a 8 ^> y to poke his ear to the key-hole , and listen to tha conversation be carried on—( hear , hear ) . The Frc ; ; CQ had an advantage in having police spies . No cue doubted that tha spy system enabled them to bring to justice many who must otherwise have escaped . It was tho same thing as to torture . There could be no doubt tbat as long as the English law sanctioned the ' use of the torture a great many crimes wera

      detected by it . It bad , too , its advantages—( hear , and cries of " O . O , " from Members on the Tory benches . ) Yes ; for tho instant that Guy Fawkes u > aa shown the rack , out came at once the entire story of tbe gunpowder piot—( bear ) . Even this torture , aa well as the spy system , bad these advantages : Uat tii&n this country had i ttermined long ago tbat such were pt-ruiciuns , dsb ^ stug , and dangerous Modes of maintaining its institutions— - ( Cheers ) . Their ancestor ! declared that they would rather take the risk of great crimes beicg committed , than own their security to tbat system or those means , which would destroy the tuanl ? spirit of the people , on which far more reliance couid be placed than aU the schemes and decrees that could-be invented for maintaining their greatness » nd

      independence as a nation . He could never believe that if the Right Honourable Baronet could have denied the charge tbat seals had been counterfeited and stamps replaced , in order to conceal the opening of ths letter , he would not have bs « n glad to have done so—( hear , hear , bear ) . The Bight Honourable Baronet ruus , t know that unless protected in particular cases , the power exercised by tbe Government , and the practice of counterfeiting seals and replacing stamps , was a tnalum in se against the common law of the land . The Right Hon . Baronet admitted tbat , empowered by this aet of Parliament to do acts which were illegal at common law , he had authorised tbe opening letters at the Post-office , detaining some , and sending on others , taking care , however , to

      disguise the fact that they had been opened ; yet ha would not satisfy the Hauao and the country by telling them how often he had done this , nor the circumstances under which be had done ii ; neither the grounds upon which be actatl ; nor wouid he allow them to see the warrant which he had issued for the purpose . When he saw this , be ( Mr . Macaulay ) asked whether the House of Commons was not entitled , in a case like this , to take steps for a farther inquiry ?—( hear ) . Now , ea far as regarded Englishmen , the hardship of the case only went bo far as this , that his secrets were read by public officials ; but tbe case was a very different one in regard to the unhappy foreigner . They cou ' . d not hang an Englishman , whatever his Utters might coutain , without the ordeal of a judge and jury ;

      but-with respect to foreigners , he did wonder tbat mea who assumed to be so humane as honourable gentlemen opposite , should think so lightly of tho consequences of this sort of procedure . Same unhappy forever cauje to our free land , and relying upon : the supposed good faith of the English Post-office , be writes to bia irieads with greater freedom than he wonld otherwise have done , or than would ever do abroad . Then cams the Secretary of some Foreign Embassy to the Secretary for tbe Home Department , appliefl for information as to the contents of the letters of certain parties , informatioa which en relieving , he sends over to tha native government of the unhappy foreigner , who carefully lays it b 7 . No evil conscqtences result to the unfortunate writer whilst he remains in this country ; but at length , unconscious of what awaits , goes bade to bis native land—he actually walkB into the liua'a

      mouth , in a laud where there is no jury to protect him , and upon evidence got up in this manner he would be consigned , perhaps , to the inside ef a dungeon for life . ( Hear . ) He must say , that if the continuance of this power ! u ibe Qjveranjeiii would lead to >*>«!> < . / uNa tions from foreign powers , for the revelation of the contests of letters passing through onr Post-office , he thought the only coarse would be to repeal' the law altogether . Eia ( Mr . Macauley ' s ) feeling npon this ou K j Let was bo strong , tbat even if the motion of the Hon Gentleman bad gone much farther than it did * if it had bees , for leave to bring in a Bill to take this power fit-m tbe Secretary of State , ha would have cordially voted for it ; but , as it was , he would cordially give hiB vote for the motion for a committee to inquire whether this power had been properly exeiciiiod or not- ( hear , hear ) .

      Captain Bebkal said he was not aware whether any Hon . Gii'tleman on his side of the House was satisfied with the ghost of a ; i explanation , which the Rtgiit Hen . Gentleman had given an this subject—( hear , hear)—he , for one , coaid not pretend to be so ; nor could he bring himself to give bis vote upon this occasion without ; notifying to the public bis extreme dissatisfaction at the monstrous dectrines propounded by the Right Hon . Gsntlesuan in the course of that explanation . He had always understood that it was Che prcud distinction of this country , tbat no one should be liable in it to the pstty espionage which went on ia foreign states . He was truly disappointed to find that ; tha contrary doctrine was now maintained .. ( Hear , hear . ) From what he fe ^ ard , he believed that not ; only had this power been &j /;; : i 3 < l to tha letters of some fo ?< 3 ' gnora , but taat the lat ' . ers ' af some Irishmen had

      alsj b . tt ) opened . ( Hear . ) Now , it was all very well for the Rl £ jlit Hon . Gentleman , eaveriug himself up in the tattered garment of his public virtue—( load laughter )—to refuse explanation upcu these charges , Bnd content Lutuseif with saying s » c voio , sic jubeo ; " but will thU House or thti country bo satisfied with such a maaat . r . uf meeting » question of so much interest and importance ? ( Hear , beay . j In the course of the debate the other evening , in inference to tbe case of Count Gotrowaki , it was alleged that same of the papers of that gentleman had not been returned to him ; to w ' uicb li&r Majesty ' s Government replied that every paper had been returned . Now there wera grounds for the belief that the case waa not so ; and , indeed , that one very important papci- had not only been withheld from Count OatrowtJci , but had been givan up to the Russian authorities . ( Hear . ) After some leniarks from LordSHELBURNB ,

      Sir Robekt Peel rose , znd said that the most unfounded assumptions were proceeded upon , in the comments upon " this subject . He save some explanation of what had occurred ia the case of Conaf ; Os £ : owsfei , and defended Sir James Graliam , who acted od a law which had existed sincd tie reign of Qaeen Av . ao , and which fcad ? . e . a properly renewed by tho late Government ; and tboiiflS , from a sense of public duly , the Home Srcrefcury had felt it necessary to refuse explanation , ha bad iu i , o decree tseceded what had been tfle practice under Mr . FcX and Lord Grenville , or that of the late Government .

      Lord John Russell did not think that Sir Robert Paal had altered tne complexion of the case . Sir Jamea Graham might have imitated tke conduct o ! Sir R-jbert Walpofe in lhe case of BLab-op A . tt& * busy , cud « oat « nding that the power was necessary for the public safety , with respect to interned dwigtrs , have given soma general indication of the principle on which , he acted , without entering on details . But the Right Hon . Gentleman took no such ground , and bad not given tbe House on opportunity of judging whether this power had not been need in the way . 'vUeged- ^ naHiely , to enable foreign Governments to psrsecute individuals of thafr subjects —( hear , hear ) . He thought that this would have been a most UDJastinVole exercise of the power repoeed in the Right Hon . Gsntleman— ( aasr ) . Be

      recollected an instance , when L-- > v& Melbourne was m the Home-office , when aa inquiry was instituted into the conduct of a person of the name of Popay , who , being a policeman , was charged with bavmg joined seditious meetings , taking part in them , and exciting them to inflammatory language , in order » f toward , to give evidence against them . Mr . ^ M *^ . *" * " subject , at first moved agenercl ir-qmry , which was not aareed to : he afterwards renewed h . s apphcafcion ^ and Sedan inquiry into tbe particular caseof Popay . IJpon tuia occasion what was the language of Lord Althorp f The Noble Lord than read a passage frem the speech :.-of Lord Althorp , to the tftjet that private tapwnage was never the purpose of the police establishment ; and that he was sure that the two Gentlemen attbeheadvli * would never lend thernseivea to 8 H « h a proceeding ;

      that such a proceeding wenld be quite eonfaary to the institutions of the country , and tbat there could be no o' jdction to the committee of inquiry . which tbaHon . MeBaberasked for .. A committee , was consequently ft ?" pointed , whomade a report upon the conduct of this person , arid afterwards a -motion ^ aa made , npon tha subject , in this House . Now did tbe Gavernment of that day consider that this was . a motion against themselves ? . Did they use any of their authorityrte quash w impede ^ this proceeding r They did no ; such tbing- * - ( hear , bear ) . Why . theyfell there wouldJbean end of the principle of the responsibility of a Government if tbere could be no inquiry—( hear , hear ) . ' In . l 8 a 7 ; when this acfe . was introduced , he thought it a P ° » ^ £ the Government should haves but that was no » ww - - ¦ ¦ ¦ ( Continued in tniTtisbfhtfgt' ) ^ -

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      Untitled Article

      Jtjke 29 , 1844 > THE NORTHERN STAR J ' : , __ _____ ; ; : ~ - : «*

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), June 29, 1844, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1269/page/7/