Current:

Northern Star (1837-1852), 5th May 1849, Edition 1 of 3, Page 7

Page 7
Page 7
7 of 8

On this page

  • Departments (1)
    • JWrial $a^wmw^ J.»,«^.-i ^ ^.,.^ A - .
  • 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.

      Untitled Article

      s ^ rere ; aean 3 % <) fthe town . It is nnite present time , in thisneglected tow ^ K the Wour&c ., M . CREAGHi ColoneL ^ -Gdi v AdS 23 rd .-To the Military Secretary" * P ' Even this remonstrance haV been unavailing Thechamnanand the oilier commissioner * agS that it was quite impossible for them to do anything in the wiy of improving the condition of the town -when they had not one penny to expend : " and the secretary of the Gal way board of-commisj flionera was directed to make a representation of this ntter helplessness in reply to the communication from the Lord-lieutenant . ggffererS > prthg c 1 ean 3 ingoftheto ^ . Tf ; , m u ,

      Tcesdat . —Agricultural Prospects . —Some additional reports hare been received by the secretary of the Koyal ^ gncultoral Society from the pract'i cal instructors under Lord CWeudon ' a letter They < lo not , unfortunately , tend to-decrease the alarm that is felt at the prospect of a fourth deficient harvest , while it is manifest that in parts of the south and west the infatuated peasantry are still resolved to cling to the culture of the potato , notwithstanding the fatal experience of three years of successive iallure . Writing from the union of Kenmare , Mr . Poiterton , the inspector of the district , observes : __ Throughout the whole union little work is in * progress but potato planting , and this is done extensively , mid in a most slovenly and imperfect

      manner . The breadth of ground sown under this crop is alarmingly great , even compared with the years of its most successful cultivation . As considered in the ratio of the householding population , I there is , from the best information 1 could obtain I an undoubted acreable increase of fifteen per cent * I to the quantity of last current year ; and this will I appear still more incr edible when it is stated that 1 the people entertain only a vague probability of IS eren an average crop . A sort of desperation-a I jeckleog fatuity , h asimpelledthem to this dangerous p career—for not unfrequently their existence is at h issue with the successful result of this hazardous I ! tspedient . Potato planting Las been in operation I lere since last Decemberand has continued with

      , I uric interruption ever since . After the potato , the rcnend desire isf or barley and oats , for which crops same individuals are ' now breaking lea or bawn . Same few instances are to be found in which an in-< Jmat ion to try a turnip crop prevails , but these are jaw indeed . Iron ? east to west , that is from miles t eyoud Kilgarvan to "Waterville , being in extent , bout forty-fire miles , and excepting a small tract jjithc Kilgarvan direction , and some townparks at I Henmare , almost every acre it contains , requires rectunation in the strictest sense of the term . The country is in a most deplorable condition ; farmhonses are everywhere deserted , and the land

      at-H taehed to them has become waste , and a regular commonage enjoyed by those fortunate individuals who have siirvived the dreadful ordeal of the last IB four years . The central and three auxiliary work-U louses are overstocked ,-and unable to admit the B amnierous and tbuly applicants , in consequence of B which extern relief 13 largely , though , I believe , H rig idly and judiciously , auminstered , and its If wrctclied recipients have located themselves in the ¦ 9 now doorless and roofless habitations to which . I H have alluded , and Lave become the nocturnal plun-II dcrers and terror of the country , disdaining to work II for ordinary wages , so long as they receive public H charitv and relief . "

      Sir . Bole , the inspector for the West of Galway II mites : — " I proceeded towards Spiddal , and found II the farmers along the coast making great efforts to ¦ i slant the potato . I asked many of them what they ¦ I Vould do if the potato crop should fail this season , Ef aid the universal cry was , 'If the potatoes fail this ¦ I je . tr , we have nothing to do but to lie down and H ob . ' I explained to them how they might have K ji ! ci ! tT of food , even in the absence of the potato , K fey cultivating peas , beans , parsnips , carrots , Swell dan turnips , and cabbages , which would be fully as H alun < tont aud as good as their old favourite . They K -irere quite ignorant of any of those crops , except ¦ 1 turaii « and cahbages , which they said were very < rood ; and one of them described his turnips to 1

      have grown as big as his fist and as thick as potatoes on the ridge last year . I explained to him how he mijTit have them as big as his head instead of his fist , liTsowjuij iheni in drills , instead of broadcast , on the jfdje ; I also explained the cultivation of the other crops , aud the manner of making composts of seavreed . -sand , hogatuff , &c , which they have in great abundance . They appeared thankful for my advice , and ninny of them eagerly asked 5 f they would get the seeds for nothing , as they had no money to buy them ; but if they got them for nothing , they would noiqiare their own labour , and would do as I directed . I told tbenrl had no seeds at present at my disposal , but urged them to prepare their land and uiauure , and that , in a short time , some

      charital / lc persons might send them seeds . I have transcribed the above remarks at full length from my journal , as it is a fair descr iption of the general state of ihni » $ in this barony . " A Xe » v Golost TRoxt Irelixo . —At this moment 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 fact ) it is in contemplation to establish an Irish colony in the United States , com-H posed of substantial fanners and graziers from the comities of Carlow , Kildare , and Mcath . Seve-H ral ltoiuan Catholic clergymen ,- including parish jiiiezis , are to jpve up their parishes in those couutie ? , in order to enter upon a sew mission with the

      U colonists in the "far west . " This project has been ' on fojt for a month or two , and is to be conducted I 1 " ™ systematically . [ Returns are in preparation of the number disposed to join in the enterprise , of the amount of their resources and other necessary dell tails . Some of the intending emigrants arc extcnsre farmers and graziers on a large scale , who have IB recently been losing their capital , in consequence of % ' ** an ( I local taxes , altogether dispropor-U tiuuvd to the present prices of corn and . cattle . II ; Scarcely any emigration has up to . this time taken ¦ 1 place from among those classes , who have been in Hi I- 61 * 131 ! ™ better circumstances even than thefarm-II ! ers of Ulster . Poor rates have been comparatively IK % at '" the three counties of leinster Ihave named ,

      ¦ j and from their contiguity to Dublin , and facility of III CGininunication with Iaverpool and the markets in 111 * be £ u S ^ isu manufacturing , districts , the graziers IH ia (! Y'm hitherto , enabled to realise fair profit for In their invested capital . But the potato failure is at B len » ih producing its effects in those counties , the H farmers and graziers are nowworking ^ ataneavy B loss , and hence the readiness to join in the new B colony . The Itev . James 3 Iaher , parish priest of B Graigne , Carlow , a man of remarkable energy and B unbounded influenceamongst . the Roman Catholic R population , is one of the . clergymen connected with B the project , and a letter on the subject addressed by B } um to the tenantry will appear in -the Dublin £

      vcnfiyiW of this afternoon . It is intended to send out three or four persons of intelligence to make inquilies as to the most eligible position for the establisluueiit of the colony , with a view to the purchase I Of . large tiacts of land . They will be directed to I preceSl to Michi ^ m , and other western ; states , and l | vLilst those prelimmaries are in progress , the ne-I cessary arrangements for the colonisation will be I vigorously pushed forward at this side . One effect , I at" least , of this species of emigration will be to I witlidKiw from Leiuster a large portion of the best , most solvent , and most enterprismg of the tenant B class in any part of Ireland , or , perhaps , in the H Taited Kingdom . —Morning Ckronide , May . 1 .

      H WEPXESBAT , ifaT 2 . —THE TjOOXE . —THE IRISH I ! Iatt axd E < iciTT CocnTs . —3 fever was there so dull H a term as the present , nor one so unprofitable to H Loth branches of the legal profession . Experienced H practiiioiiers assure me that £ 3 , 000 will not circu-11 "temnoiigthebarfortheentiretcnn . In fact , the B famine Las reached the hall of the Four Courts , K and tie emptv bags of the lawyers exhibit the uni-H venal pressure of the destitution . The Rolls Court H is full of business , produced , however , by the de-H ptoralifc condition of tue country . Oh Monday , and H 3 | aiuyesterday , theMasterof AeBolls was occult pied witli applications from tenants seeking reduc-H tioas jn tbeir rents , on account of " the badness of H the times , " or for liberty to surrender their farms . Rj-Tlias , upon all sides , and . by . every section of the H commu nity , the effects of the . protracted famine If are most severely felt , and in thelegal professions H tlien ; an . uOW . pretty manifest indications of a

      H ^ HOIXS-ttE EMIGRiTIO . f OF Ze 3 M 5 T-FuO 1 I ; BS . — U •? « tra \; tthe following from a letter of the Key . It flj ? Malier ' parisfi priest of Graigue , Carlow , to m ^ wruivrsof Carlow and the surroundiDg counties , B ^ cu appeared in the Dublin Evening Fost , in ' re-I ' * ence to the establishment of . an Irish Colony in I ? vUIl »^ States : — "Avert large portion of the I ~ ? Ml 5 Masses , even those who are considered most ^ r " ' liaTe finally made up their minds , but not Itt , f a struggk / to leave old Ireland . ^ 1 Lof ir , auje-bodied labouring-population , who could « ach the shores of the JLmerican continent with in

      I ^ - ? uiUings their pocket ought to emigrate ¦¦~ uiere is no nope for them at home . Seduced by ^ nt and disease , thfey are no longer to be considered a » -e-bodied . Their race is nearly . extinct . A war of ESenniaation , the ; most cruel and heartless , has bee awaged against them for years .- Attached to m ™ 7 conntry , and anxious for its prosperity , I have ¦ ions and painfully deliberated before . I Ventured to ¦ Jreeqnuuend emigration . ; and .-even now . I give that ¦ in 1 * 01 > ly . becauseJ cannot iree my miadirom the ¦ J ^ eH-eronnded apprehensions , that the rack-rented jaiutry ofLeinstcrwill , ere long , have to witness Ht ^ PassthrouHi tliosfi * ppt \ pr of-woennd horrors .-*™

      Bj ^ c " every post from the west brings the learfc : B wading details . The same burdens here—the very M Z * * t ^ orbitant charges upon land , with their ac-II tf rt ? ' ' inyU - ' = lou = ^ st oi awea" —the same eviction II 4 » - COtt ' ' c ^ es » aa ^ recklessness of their safety , II i-T * m thc l ° JT run , produce the same sad results |» our more faySnred provinces . " If . tLEcnos . oF . a iTKMPOBAt Pewi . —Writs have IS * = sned from the iJanaper-bffioe , for the election of a 11 ^ ° ^ »> eer of Ireland , in the room of the late Earl I « UosforcL -

      Untitled Article

      Saturday .. Apru . 28 . - HOUSE OF COMMONS .-The Spbakeb took the chair shortly after twelve o ' clock . Poor Law ( Iueijikd ) -Ratb " «» Aid Bua . — This bill , as amended , was farther considered and the report was brought up and agreed to , and the bill was ordered . , to be read a thud time on "Monday . ' .. .. . . Supply . —Mr , Bibsai . brought up-the report of the committee 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 . Turner , adjudged to be daeto them by the Court of Chancery . . . ; Exchequer Bh . ls But . —On . the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer , the Excheauer Bilk (^ 17 , 788 , 700 ) Bill went through conimiS 1 he Chancellor of the Exchequer , in moving theadjournmeiitofihe House , gave notice of hu intenuon , on Friday next , to move for a committee ofihe whole House , to consider of theadvaucesto i e made to Ireland . - ' ' Tlie House then adjourned . Monday , April 30 . HOUSE OF LORDS . -Lord Brougham again eaUed the attention of the House to the fact that the Financial Minister of the Revolutionary Government arRume 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 beva said on the subject ; that this scheme would meet with no encouragement in England . No We of ths fine arts was a sufficient justification for men laying out their money in acquiring works of art the produce of public robbery ; for they must know , that by so ding they became nothing else than purchasers of stolen goods .

      : Lord Wharncmffjs then moved for "copies or extracts of any further correspondence that might have taken place between her Majesty ' s government and the government of Ireland , or between her - Majesty ' s Treasury and the Poor Law Commissioners in Ireland , relative to the steps taken , or to be taken , for the relief oi destitution in certain parts of the country , since the last papers were presented to Parliament on this subject , at the commenctmeht of the present session . " ' : .-- - - ¦ After some discussion , the . motion was put and carried .

      Some other business was then disposed of aB ( j their lordsiiips adjourned . ' house of commons—poor Law ( Ibelaxd ) Rate in Aid Bill . —On the order of the day for the third reading of the said bill , Captain Jones moved that it be read a third time that day six months , resting hia main objection to the bill upon the ground that it would interfere with the working of the Poor Law . - " " .. ; Sir J . Walsh repeated his objections to . the . bill , wbich he believed to be as pernicious in its tendency as it would prove inefficient in its provisions . ' He even doubted the urgent necessity , for this njeasurenthe chief argument put forlh . in its favour . ; . with mu ' . h distress in Ireland there- existed much / fraud

      and imposition , against which tbe present pystbm of out-door relief provided no check . Lord Castlereagh , premising that there . was no disinclination on the part of Irish . members , to submit to siichan alteration of the . system of taxation as might be required by the . circumstances , of the country , applied himself to proving from rarliamen tary documents that , relatively with England , Ireland was bve » taxed ; In addition to . herfisal burdens , Ireland , which of all parts of the United . Kingdom was most likely to suffer . from the change in the coni i law , had , in fact , endured vital injury from that change ; and a new tax was now cast upon a broken-, down and an impoverished class , in theyery . teeth . of testimony against the measure borne by the ablest practical officers of . the government .. Us implored , that government to , pause and reflect ! upon' . the critical state of Europe , and the condition of our . colonies , before they imposed this , tax upon an over-¦

      burdened and wretched country . .... " . --. Lord J . Russell rose , not to discuss this bill but to state that , in consequence of the distressing accounts received from Irtland , andoftlie \ yliuleoftlic £ 50 , 000 advanced being sow expended , it would be absolutely necessary to make a' larger advance from-the civil contingencies than he had before stated , in order to relieve the . exigency of distress , during the interval between , the second reading of the bill and its receivmg the Royal assent ; . "With the recent accounts from 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 , having lately read a most 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 of tne people would . suffer no change . .

      Mr . Bankes was not surprised at Lord John ' s announcement . , The agsregate sum proposed to be advanced was totally inadequate ; but he wanted to see a security for the repayment of the money , and he found none even for this small sura , and a . much larger would be required . He looked not 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 , wOuWuS a * -pYie 4 to other , districts in priority to their own claims . . . -, ,. ¦ .:

      Mr . P . Scropb wished to give his reasons for opposing this bill in the last stage . He had opposed it as inconsistent with the poor law which it professed to support . It was unjust in its working tp those wha wished to pay the rate . He thought the advancing of J&lOO . QO&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 meney on the security of . the rates ofihe . union , take alien on the fee-simple of the land , in repajment . of these rates , and expend the money on the productive employment of able-bodied paupers . In five unions of the county 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 out of 120 , 000 . were able-bodied paupers . By advancing the money for the employment of the ; people you would relieve the union from two-thirds of the expenditure . There-were 800 , 000 . acres of land in Ireland not cultivated ; 47 , 000 wore declared to be reclaimable . Mr . Brett said that there were 50 , 000 acres ot cultivated land thrown out of cultivation at this moment . What d'fficulty was tliera in employing the men in cultivating this land , and supporting themselves on it , and also upon unfinished roads ? There was a union in Kilkenny which , during the last three months , bad employed the poor in finishing roads . . .. ¦ ¦

      Mr . S . Crawford referred to tlie a : palling accounts of the misery in AJayo , and contended that raising money by the rate in aid would not furnish employment , — on the contrary , ii would , drive a greater number , of substantial people out of the country . . Mr . GiuTTAN-who added his testimony _ to the existing distresi in the west . of Ireland , which was extending to the north and south — ' renewed his attack upon absentee landlords , and upon the general policy pursued by successive government ' s . towards Ireland . He supported this . Jbill , " _ however ^ as a means of affording relief to a famishing people . . .. V

      Mr . J . uvJonnell likewise expatiated , upon the vices of English administration in Ireland , tlaeinisen s of the people , the tyranny of . eviction , and the cruelty of the quarter-acre , clause , accusing , the British pnblic of shamefully grudgingmoney . to Ireland which they were ready enough to spend upon their own streets and public buildings . .... ; ColqnelDoNNE denounced themeasure as delusive . Half of the unions bFLlrehmd' Would ' . want relief , whifh must come fr 6 m tKe other half .. There would benobelp for Ireland until the" poor law , into the gu'f of which . this mi ney would be absorbed , was fundamentally altered " .

      The llduse having divided , the . third reading was carried by 129 . ayes against 55 noes . " . . , The bill then pasted . ' Colonel BAWDpx . demurred to the title of \ he hUj the word" general"being , in his opinion , atTariance with the " cohtent 8 . He protested against the whole measure as ah . invasion of the act of union , and as calculated to jeopardise thVworking of the poor law ., He moved the insertion pi the . words - ' . 'Jpilier . Tnore " in the title , whicb [ wpuld then . runiV A-bUljto intake a temporary .-provision , for a . ge . neral " rate in aid of cer'ain ether . more distressed unions and electoral divisions in Ireland .. - ¦ - ¦ ' ¦ . -. = , - , LorS J . Itusst fLi . objected to the atteratiQn ,, ? fhjcli wasneratived .: - -.. ; .-,: ;» -,. . ¦ :- ;¦ - £ ¦;»

      ^ Naval Estimatbs . —The House then . wcnt . into committee on the navy estimates ,- tlie jrojtes .-idiscussed being tbe aalarieB of pnicefs of . the nayal establishment at ' hopie ' ; . the vote . for defraymg , the wages of artisans and- labourers , ; in- the naval eslablishments at home ; the expehses ; t . f naval . . stores ,. ; the g « ant If £ 391 , 93 i for . naval e 8 tabli 8 hm . entg , . I Hpop which Sir W . Molesworth moved an amendment , in reference to the works at Key ham , tp . reduce the vote by the sum o £ . £ l 20 , 000 ... In . this and previpu voteslJr . CoBnBN ^ detailed hjs Vievfs of tbe . reqklessness of the naval expenditure , as rega ^ dedships ,

      dock * , and stores , and ultimately the committee dmd " , when the original ^ rant was affirmed ., by . a majority of 74 , tne uumbws 27 to 101 . On ihfi ; voUi to defray the expense of half-pay , Mr . M . GiBSoii defended a former opinion expressed by , him , as ' . to the comparative number of officers in -the navies of England ; Francei and America , contending that stepsoughtto'be jtakeh In order to bring Che number in this country within proper limits . ' - '" - Sir F . Babisg said Mr . Hume had given a notice of a motion on this subject , but was too unwell to attend tfaeHouse ; heshould be glad , however , on a future occasion to enter upon the-dlscussion . of lie point inquestion , , " . On the vote to defray the charge of the packet service being put ; a debate , in widen lir . Fioieb ,

      Untitled Article

      Mf . ' . CowPB , Mr . Cobden ; Sir -gp , Bahixo , Mn HENLEr , Mr . BBioiir , and the Chancellor of ith ' e Excheqdeb , took parfc , " ensued : 'at the ' tferminatiori of which the vote was agreed to , and the Chairman reported pregresa . The House then resumed and adjourned . . '

      Tuesday , Mat 1 . HOUSE OF . LORDS . - Railwat Frauds .-• Lord Beououam rose to bring under the notice of the Houseagubject trhich wa 9 second to none in importance-r-lie meant the railway business of . , " the country , a prodigious mass o ^ commerce , vast investment of capital , and . great entanglement ef credit . The modern system ' of locomotion , was , no doubt , of great advantage to the public ; but the present condition of railways was deserving tho serious attention of the government and parliament , because whatever might be its ultimate benefit ,, yet when he regarded its present state , and its vast . and complicated details , he was filled with apprehension aud dismay . Their lordships suffered the bills to become laws and

      to erect these nuisances , the . gambling companies;—conferring on them the most transceridant : powers - m dealingYvithproperty , arid the most extraordinary rights . Not only had they tKe power of acquiring lands by . purchass and exchange—not ,. only did ttyey ; allow , these speculators to obtain land , not one acre qf . which could the law of " the , land have touchedout they allowed . all private . rights . to be , set at nought —usurping the rights of the barrow and the ploughs ami enabling these jjerions to go through everybody ' s lauds with their engines and trwns , . and they flUoYfed ¦ them to obtain capital to an enormous . amount bv subscription . .. He admitted the advantages which had arisenfrom . railways—but they enabled , parties whose object was not to give , increased facilities to

      locomotion—they enabled engineers ,-surveyors , and the makers of . attorneyls bills , whoonly wanted to , get up these , . railways to make large sums ofmoney —they enabled them to effect their purposes without any regard to . the making of the rail ways . . . They , also enabled the traffickers , and gamblers , in railway stock to obtain shares , which they disposed of in the market , to get from their dupes the money which they gathered into their own coffers , and . upon-the ruin of many smaller . incomes made princelyjbr . tuhes of their owp . \ Vhathad , been , the causes of i . his reckless legislation ? ( Hear . ) In 18 , 46 , no less than 519 railway . . bills ,, wera in parliament ... / fheir lordships were perhaps not aware of the nature of many of the clauses in these , bills . .. The Great Western

      Railway had power to make any extracts from . their books evidence without proving that th . ey were correct —they were made evidence of the payment of money . Ifthey wanted , for instance , to prove a payment of £ 25 , 000 , that entry was at once made evidence ^ He mentioned . this to show the great zeal which parliament felt in burryingforward these measures andthe corresponding carelessness with ,, which-they permitted all sorts of clauses to be inserted in those bills . In England and , Scptland alone , without including India , British Guiana ,. > Demerara , ; Jamaica , and other places beyond the seas .-there had : been invested in these speculations , or . rather actually ; paid up , £ 180 . 000 , 000 . " No great wonder if the money market and the Cliancellorrofthe Exchequer should feel the effect of this . But how , piufih remained yet to be paid . up ? ^ loO . OOO . OOOHmore . had to be added to

      the . £ 180 , 000 , 000 , for that was the sum remaining to be paid ; and it might be all called frat . once , or not for a few months , or years ... The capital . of the shareholders was therefore locked , up—they were in a state of constant anxiet)—there was a cloud hanging over them which might , burst , in . aatorm that would bring inevitable destruction upon . tbem , and . they could not see the cheerful , light of day . Might they not look forward to another . panic when they found that 4180 , 000 , 000 bad not been enough to satisfy the . maw of . this ; travelling , pest- ; , hut that £ 150 , 000 , 000 . more was to . be . . demanded ? ; From such a ^ y ? tem of gambling , the monster , . evil of . the . present , day , the , worst results were to . be apprehended . . Small as it might have been at the beginning , the spirit of gambling would , ir ' . not checked , become overwhelming . at last , and . layits fell hands upon the . soil .. ; — ,,,, . : - . . . .. Parva metu primo ; mox se ? e attollit in auras .

      Ingrediturque solo , , et , caput inter nubila condit .. And on that soil it would pour out its . evil effects as sure as . effect would follow cause ;' i-Hefearedy in a moral point of view , that these , gambling propensities could not be indulged with safety to the character of any people , and mii ; ht induce persons to become reckless gamblers instead of honest and industrious traders . But worse remained to be told ; : it was not merely , the common gambling in shares of which he complained , but contrivances of a worse kind were resorted to . There arose a practice ofca'ryingon those speculations in one particular way , the object being , not to make railways , but to profit by shares ; and . the . first point was to get a great number of shares ; but the person who obtained them did not

      hold them too fast , fie did not think Brag was a good dog and Holdfast a better . He wanted to dispose of his shares at a great profit , and it was therefore necessary to make 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 , at that time . He knew many instances of ruin , which had been the result of this fraud . The shares rose—the dividend was declar . d—and they . mounted up to . ten . fifteen , or twenty , per cent . . What did Mr . Holdfast do , then ? Why , he took the shares into the market , and sold them to the poor persons who were anxious to invest their little property where thev could get so high a

      rate of interest . The next year , however , the-holders were called upon most unexpectedly to pay up twentyfive per cent . on £ 100 shares , upon which £ 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 ruined , lie did not allude to any individuals in particular who had practised 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 shares ; and . to make their promise good for a time , they paid the dividends out of the capital . ( Iltiar , hear . ) He

      knew a party-who had cried down North Western shares ; he said nothing of the Midland —{ "hear . " and a laugh ) until he could buy them for £ 100 , and he subsequently soldthem at £ 134 . But this was hot the only 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 companr . They said they had a balance at their bankers of £ 32 ; 000 . - The railway was the South ' Devon line . He went to Plymouth to see the books ; but he was told that he must not make , any extracts from them . Bis memory , 'however , was accustomed to : figures , and retained the amount' of the balance ,

      which was less than £ 2 , 500 , the rest being made up of over-due-bills , not one of which was worth a scrap ; £ 11 , 000 of the deficit was owing by a solicitor of a respectable house , ' which he had long known , and he had given these bills as his calls . This led to further inquiry , ¦ and it turned' out that Mr . Saunders , who enjoyed an income of £ 3 , 000 a-year , as . Secretary-to the Great Western Railway , had been allowed to run in arrear to the amount of £ 16 | 000 for . his calls . 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 down upon poor widows and orphans ? ( Cheers , ) And the solicitor he had referred to owed the company £ 90 , 000 , which

      he had obtained to purchase land : and they had allowed him to have . first £ 20 , 000 , then £ 30 . 000 , then £ 40 , 000 , to make these purchases ) without requiring Mm to produce a single voucher . " If these facts had been known , would'the shares have sold at such premiums V ( Hear , hear !) , It might be said , _» hy did they not sue him ? Because he Vas not worth a penny . ¦ W hy , , howeveV ; !; sli <> uld . there be tlus concealment ? But henceforth and for ever it should cease—the oiotion which he ' was about to move should put an end to it 7 There was , however , another mode of trickery . A ' railway was started , the biljs of engineers and solicitors amounted to large sums , the plant was most expensive , and tl ; e million at first granted was found to be insufficient , upon

      which the company applied to Parliament fur power to grant mere shares , . which were called preference shares , by way of inducing people to take them , ' and these preference " shares wm guaranteed a large dividend , the holders being secured the amount ; guaranteed , even if it had to be paid out of the capital . ( Hrar , heari )" The secretary and sol cifor of the 6 reat Western Railway ,-as long as they-tbougbt these preference shares worth having , kept them : but the moment the ' shares fell to a discount , and'tbey we ' re called upon ' to j-ay up , they turned iound . and . said they , were all illegal . " Tiie solicitor did this , and lie believed the ' secretarydidso eswjell .:, If there were to be another House of Parliament—whign was , nc . t very- lik- lr ~ they should JnstUutejaii ftajjiry into the expenge of . pfpsecuting ' railway ; bi ! ls .. He gv ould sueeest that the parliament of Canada 8 hou ; d d » so .

      ( Alaugh . ) " And it was said during this railway mania , if the orders which their lordships had adopted . worked well in England , why should they not m . Canada ? : ( Alaus ; h . ) . ' He had cpinmunicatfid with some'df the members of the Canadian legislature—( aiau « h)—and endeavoured . to induce them to adopt the Same standing ordew / but . . vflthput . effect ; tiiey . wefened 't ttjobfor tMifriend ; in . passing a . tj . ll . Iheorders wereat . last Mopped ; . hem . ght . sayv ^ were adopted in another place , known as the British House of CommonsT- ( a . laugh ) rrafter some six ot Sven " Years' consideration . The ., salutary ,. effect S ilwv badhad in the ino . dft . of conducting . b « s | - S in tHeiri : r . dShipS'house . waS / wen the Question of passing these railway bills ^ and the . LxpeW attending-Uiem , , were thoroughly ^ fted SeSere-in the Canadian Jloiie , of Commons-?_ ^? . i _; vtnV , l « l . no doubt , throw great light . on

      thrmode . orcarryiDg "bills . through theXanaaian House of Commons , rt- ^ &TS ^ t&t to house ., ( A laugh . ) A frwad had tpWhna tHat to

      Untitled Article

      ha d ^^ PJf ^ ed . toliiinifhewouldlendhis name : difectortoa- railwHy c 8 n 6 erri ^ SM twb other fnen ds-of his had been- offered similar - sums ; - Well ; but if there were 658 meiai !« rs of the- ^ ohf'hebMed pardon , he wwi speaking of . the Oanadlan ^^ JaS _ { alaugh ) -if there were 150 members Wffl'tfr nadian House ot ; Commons , they' would find ' that ; it was a most interesting , inquiry tQ' ascerFain lTbw " all the money had been spent . And ' he" ' felt' the ' ihore anxious on tins point be ' ciuse this Canadiari Hoiiae of Commons had lately thrown out a measure ' for preventing bribery at e ' ections . - ( Much ' laugliter . ) ' He should . nevcr rest in his bed ' until there waa a ' committee Sitting at Quebec ' to . inquire into ! these practices with , reference ro ^ railway ^ 'b . ills , ' and ' the ' manner in whirh ' the monpy was disposed of . ( Muefr

      laughter . ) , lie wassorry 'tosee this'dahihirig mania of reckless speculation stiU existing , and be . . ' almost despaired of the people" of this country' being ' cured of it . Nevertheless . 'that ^ -as no reason why they should not do-all they could to prevent it | by giving unsparing and absolute publicity to all the affairs oi these companies . ' Parllaraerit had a right : to adopt such a course ' andjt was absolutely necessary th » ' t they should do so . . The noble and jeBrned ' lord concluded by expressing his hopesjhat as little time as possible sh' . ukl be bsb in ' checking this disgraceful sys ' em , which he feltit hisduty to submit ' to their lo-dships consideration . ' ' ' ' ' 'JheMarquisof Lan sdownje , on behalf ' of her Majesty 8 government ; observea that they were fully impresse ^ withthe jcave impwtance' of the kubjeiit , and felt tliat tne time had arrived when steps ' must bte taken to prevent al recurrence of the system so graphically described by the noble and learnedlord . After referring to the fact that many railways were conducted the

      Jn mostsatisfactbrymanner , ^ ^ ancl ^^ carried OUt With the mos ^ laudable objects ' , the noble marquis proceeded to say that no man ought to be condemned . withoiifa careful examination of his conduct ; but in the railways to which reference had been n § e » 2 ° . > on , . couI . . entertain' the least :, doubt , that their affairs ' were most ' scandalously carried oiu In his opinion the bejs $ inqde of correcting effeetuhlly theexiiting abuse ^ wouldbe the cstablishmeht ' . of a power to bfeVested ; in parliament , tb' examipe ^ and aud ' it ' . railwaycompanies' accounts ,, ^ o thaf . it might be ascertained thattKecohditions on . ' wlbicli they .. had obtained their acts of parliament' had been faithfully and properly fulfilled , ; . With " such" a , measure the government ; would ; be . prepared , ¦ by " the end . bryear ; when . in possession of all tne necessary details bearing onthe . questi 9 n :: but , ' admitting the necessityfor an immediate reYnedy ,. he trusted Lord Moritehgle would produce . His measure , when . the .. government would afford him every as . istance—the laatter could not be in abler hands . . ' , " ' .. .

      , Loan iloNTBAGLE , thanke , d the . govefnmevit for their proffered support , but , should infinitely prefer that the subject , sijpuid be taken up by them . He hoped , however , the , measure he , intended . ; to ihtrpduce wolili ' meet the zealous and weU adviged support ' of . the rai' -way proprietarj . tbemselveii , as many objectionable .. provisions * of . tjb ' eV , bill hi introduced last year would . be ] omitfie ^' . b _ ut ; . it ( ^ qu ' ld . r . be ' ,. in 6 re 8 | ri " ngentih ; s ' o ? he ' par , ticul £ ir 8 . V . ' . ; , ; .. ' . "'' . ] " ^ , ., liOrdfeoupHAM should be goriy'jf . it was understood that he . ' had a * tacked all railway companies indiscriminately ; he hadriot . done so , he had not the least intention of confounding the innocent with the guilty . . . : ?¦¦ ;!" ¦¦ ¦ ¦ . " ;" . ' ¦¦ ' .. ' . ¦ ' , , ¦ ' . ' ¦¦ ' . "' ' . ' ' ""

      , 1 Earl Gii&syihVB , after refcrrirg to the neci ssity of ; a" better , system . of , arfdifc ,, \§ aiil . the . government would' lose iio ; time in ' fjie introductibh of a measure if Lord Montergledeclj ^ p il tp prote ' ed ., ,,:,., '; , " , . . ' , , ' Lord BBOUGUAJ « ' | how ; nt . the biU !^ . passingniight be rendered ' mpre secur ^ , by its' introduction' as a go-. verrimentmeafure . V / . Thenoble and . learned lord then placed a pkper . in tlie hands . of . the _ Lord Chancellor . ; but whether it was amotion or ' . not jdi ^ l not appear , as question was put / 7 .,, = , •!• '¦ . i- , m Their lordships then adjourned . .. * . HOTJSEQF COiyi . MQNS- —T . he . ;/ IIepobikrs . —The . preliminary prdceeAings . were somewhat re-HfiVed by an enlivening . episode , for , '( which tfe House was indebted to Mr . Johh ; Q'Connell ,, whose . cqni plaint on this occasion bad less ; Wdo . with ; ' . ' ' poor 1

      Ireland' than wjth himself in the . first place , and with ihe ' .. ' otter Irish meinbers" in the ' . nescjLTOe honourable and loarhed gentleman ., ' was dissatisfied with tbe . inanner in which his speech , pf the prey jous evening had-been reported in . the Times .... Not . ' . only had what he said been omitted , ri but ¦ . that which Syas attributed tfthim was . so different from . that of which He had really , been deliverpd , that it . . was with : ¦ djmcul'y he could recognise , his own child , .-Is was ,. ^! simply of . his oratorical immolation on the , occasion in question that he complained , but also ) , of the pracr tice which too generally , obtained amongst the newspapers , of curtaiiins not only his speeches , ;; vsA likewise those of the ' . Irish Vmi mbers , generally . ; No matter , how trivial might be . the . ' English question before the House , it was reported minutely , and in

      detail , but the most important masters relating . to Ireland were very differently dealt w | th . . ' He nnder ,-. ^ tood ; lu 3 riglit , and would stand upon / it ? . If . other hon . members were Up be reported in / extmsp , he should take care that . he was not selected for . mutilaT tioh . ^ If the partialities of . which lie complained were persevered mKbo , ! . wbuld , en ^ or''e his privilege as a rnember of the . Hcuse , ' and exclude strangers from the gailery .- ' In conoludiug , he .-moved , that . Mr . John Joseph Lawson , the printer , of the Times , be called to the bar . ; .. , .. ,..-,, „ ..- . . . ; , -. Ajft ^ rapause , wmen ,, indicated W 3 . rekclance to mix . himself up in the matter , Mr . ScuttY seconded the motiVn .. : . ¦ . . • • . . . Mr ., 0 'CoNSOR hoped . thehop ., gentleman would spjirc the tinie . of the Wouse by not proceed ing , with his * motion . ' If ariv ' . hon . ' gentleinan , in , the House or

      out of it , had a right to complain of m 1 sr . epflrts . J 10 ( Mi-. 0 , ' Connoi" ) had ,. ' andhe shoul 4 begin . to doubt Iu 3 own identity . wjheney . ei . newspapers , began to report him " or speak of him . well . ( Laughter . ) The hon . gentleman wished to stand well , with his constituents , . but , if jthe S'nieii did not 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 ui . extenso , as he must confess % it he " was not in tho .. hain ' t of reading them . His parliamentary reading was-confined to tlie summaries ,. which , asa mero ., Jibstract of the debates , ; were- usually to . bejfound , pecupying a portion Of the space devoted to . theleiiding articles .-This feature in-each of . thej . papers ,,, he-. considered

      most , usotul . The prnctico ot giving . a sumnwvy , ot the proceedihgs . was « a comparatiyely . modern one , and the , pith and substanc . e , ^ pf . the . debates were usually " given ; in it ' with | grpat ability ' and . also with fairness and -. impartiality ; . * ,. As-to . the motion before the ilouse , 'it '; could scarcely be the intention of . the henoiirahle andleaxnodgentleman to pevsist in . it . , . llr . BnoTHKBTON expressed a hope ; that . . the hon . and learned gentleman , : would ., not press , his motion , lie was not . the only , pne .. > hv the House who had a grievance of -this ; kind of . which to . complain , IJe ( Mr . Brotjierton ) had been niade to . say bv the Daily-. News that -his . last election had cost hur t £ 4 , 000 ! ( Laughter . ) He certainly had never uiu ituiiaLiiuuni nuiuiiuu

      siiiu auy sucil liuug , , ; ns . o , ., a little astonished at finding . such a report in a daily paper .. ( Laughter . ) :, ' ... . ¦ ¦ ¦ ,- : . Mr . J .,, 0 ' posxELr ,. said that , , in .. deference . to . tho obvious feeling of the House , ho . wouhl withdraw his motion , which piece of forbearance he accompanied with an intimation that ,, should the offence of which he . complained lie repeated ,-, ) ie .. w . ould again submit the matter tQi-thqeonsideration of thellpuse .. ., ¦ :, Mr . Grenville Berkbley advised the hon . and learned gentleman , as the . best mode . of getting justice'done to him by the press , to send his speeches in' future to the papers ,. instead , of deliveringthem in the house . ( Great laughter . ) : , ,., ., .. The . motion was then withdrawn . ; , ¦¦ .., ,-,.-, .

      ABOLITIO . V OF CArilAL . PUNISHJIENIS .,, —r ] VIr ,. Ewart inmoving for lcivveto bring in a . bill to abo ? lish i capital punislmientjs said , r . Jie woiild ; -show ; that th 9 number of crimes , atVne ' time . p ' unjshed . capitally had continued to diminish . c , vor ; since . a . mitigatio . n . of trio penal code withrespejit tothemhadtaken placeand that this , diminution was : attrjbutable , ; . to , the abolition of , punishment by . death . ¦ If ; the casea .-had been different ^ if therp . had been apinc . rease . in the number of these paHiculai jCrimes , 8 inco , capital punisbnients . were abolished ,. theii ; Sir . Ge , orge < ,. Gre . y ; Wdiild no doubt have attributed thatj increase to . the mitigation . jwhich ; had 1 > bepn effectejl . in ^ the penal c ' ode .. On thesainei ground he felt himself justified in arguing ^ hat : the . diminution which had occurred was the effect of-thc change whieh ,, had . ; beeii , made

      in'tlie law . And in discussing , this subjcct . he . would caypfully avoid ; the theological . p ^ rt of , i " t , " as he . had now come to the conclusion that : the . ; IIouseof ,. Com-. nions tyas not a . placp in which the- Bible ; . sjifiuld . be deseci'ated by quotation from . it , on the : one side or , the other . ; ,, ' lle would rather ,-take it on ; ,. thei great principios of . expediency , . looking . to . ' . the . / effects which it-. was _ likely ' . -to : prpu ^ ice pn § ocipty , . as safeguards to ajust . conclusion on this , subject ., Bec- , ca ' rin , the ; firsfc grcak-wnter , onjpapital . puaiishments ,-saidnpthiug , could juqtif ^ ' theraput necessity . ; Those whojagreedwith that immortal man provedbyfacts th ' at there existed no , necessity for , their , being , icontinued in . the . penal , code \ but those ,, who . opposed these views ,, dispensing with all , facts ; fpom ; . . paat . or . present , and , all the yie i . andppinions of high ' niithnritiGS . nnne . iled tn tho foars of theironnononts

      vath regard to futurity .-.-. HisVright hon . friend , in-, deed , had ' gone ' further , land had advanced-certain statistical data , with arguments founded upon , them ; ivftucuafterhavitigvcareTully btudicd he ( Mr ;; Ew . avtV pronounced to be not based upon fapts .., His friend / had stated that in attempts to murder there- had been an increase during the fjyoye . irs . ending . lS 46 ; as compared . with five years ending in 1831 .. In the latter period : there were 451 . eases , and : in the former , ending in 1846 , 1 , 099 . ' :. H&stiited likewise that there had beon an increasejn cases of . rape , arson , and forgery since , the abolition :. of , death-as the ¦ p uiiishmont attending the commission of ' , them ; an . d he arguod that , this increase . was . attributable to that cnarige , _ The right honourablo gentleman was bound inconsistency ; , with hia own argument to re-, store capital PiiniBhjaentg theu V but was ho pro-

      Untitled Article

      pared to do so . ? . ' ., ? ow there were twenty different crimes with ' respect t » which . capital puhishmenta had been ' abolished , and ' out of that number the right hon .. geritleman ' hadirelectcd , 'fojjr to showari ificiiease i but he had fookcd . oferiho wh ' qle . iWenty , arid ' was prepared to show ihaf there had been a diminution of . cases rather than an ; increase . In attempts tb ' murder , 'he admitted there had been a large , increase . In some crime » , however , wliere tliere had been "' an apparent , increase of cases , the increase whs attributaple to the change of the law , which , after . ' the abolition of capital punishments , called those acts attempts ' tb " murcler for instance , which before had not been included under that head ; He admitted , "likewise ) an increase had taken place in the number of cases of rape i'lbui' ' while , '

      on the otte hand , when capital punishment ? exited , persons refused to . prosecute , it was ; a fact ) on the other , that since the change in the law the number of - convictions , had increased in the ratio of two . to one , _ tho best sign . of an . improvement in the law . Again , in thii case of arson there had been , a diminution of ; crime . during the first ^ six years that followed the ' abbHtiori ' , ' as appeared b ' y ' -the return laid on tho table by the-right hon . ' gentleman himself . " In regard to forgery , in which eiise . tho abolition ' of capital puwi . s \ iHMmt was ' due ' to the noble loru the Chief Justice of the Queen ' s Bench , it had been stated that , "during the five years previous to the change in . the Jaw , .. the CQmmittals- were 330 , and during the five years subsequent to that event , they TOSO to 564 ,-but in tho five : rears ending 1846 the

      number was 731 . Such were some of the figures produced by the opposite side . Buthe dispovercd . thatat one time it had been " customary , ak the Homeoffice , acknowledged , \ . t ' q . omit . from . this register all criiuessuchasf , orgery , notvisitedcapitally , and at the present time every crime wliatcyer went into tlio register . Td . ' this wa ' s attributable , in many instances , Uie apparent , increase in . priine ,. and the false statis tics which . h ' ^ d bepn quoted '" pi the opposite , side . " , There ivas ' hojv on the table of tlio House , however , a return , ; niovod for by him a'f . tnc suggestion " of a friend out of doors , . which exhibited the success with . which the , penal code hae ^ been . mitigated , fof it showed there had been ?¦ diminution of crime con- ; current with the diminution in capit .-d punishments . In fact , . febm " the time that tho change was effected ,

      there had . been a diminution in eiglitecu ' out of . the twjenty , crimes affected . bV ! the change during ' the noxfc five years ; For . ^ five " years '' previous , ' to the abolition- , , there were 259 executions , and for the first five years atterwards . ohly 99 ; while the number of offences in the former period , was 12 , 000 , and in the latter 11 , 322 . The lion , gentleman then proceeded to arguq , that so , far from capital punishnients being , inaispcnsable , the returns on tlie . table showed that . the experiment of abolition had been mostflsucccssful in ; accprnplishing a diminution , , of crime . . By that paper it appeared . that in ISlSthe oxecutions for murder , wove . 122 , and the , crimes committed Hi ; in 1824 ,, the' executions . were 91 , and the crimes 417 ; in 1830 the executions 1 o , and the crimes .. 411 ; in 1836 . the executions were , 7 . 4 ;

      and ihe . crimes 413- ; ; ahd in 1 S 42 _ the . executions ,, -were ' 59 ,, and the crimes , 385 ., The same returnsshowed that , of latoyears' many persons condemned hadnot suffered the extreme penalty of tho Jaw ; and that proportion-which did .. suffer death was reduced fro / iv- one hundred " : to . . sixty r thrc . e . per cent . Ho arjzued thence ,, that . uncertainty , one . of the grcat . estjdcfects ' which could attend on any description of punishment , was " , " clearly incident , to capital , p « nishment 3 ) . and most materially . detracted from their efficiency-tp deter from ' crime . The inequality , also , of this kind of punishment , as meted out to different criminals with different , degrees of Sfuiltiness , had . been evince ^ in the case of the unfortunate woman recently executed at Bristol , and in the case , of . the . infamous criminal executed at

      IJbrwicli . On these ' two . grounds he opposed taeinfliction of capital punishnients , b , ut he opposed them further as . causing . are , action , 'in the public mind from disgust at' the Wimp to pity ^ ' of . the \ criminal , and in the mind of the criminal himself , from penitence , for . his ' crimes , % 6 dwell : on : the sufferings which he must undergo , on the public scaffold . Ho objected to capital punishment ,. because it vras the only ; " pnmshmcni , . wiic ^ 1 imitated the : crime it , pi ; or fessed , fo c punish . ; . " and because , wherT , once inflicted , it . couldnot be recalled . On ' 'former occasions he had sh ' p ivri tha ' tj ' ifc . had been abolished in foreign , countries ,, and even in our own dominions in India , with . success . ' He hud also shown ' that in the best , days of Rome it had been abolished , and that with its revival Rome began to decline .

      The principle was gaining a fast hold ., upon the people of . this . country . ' A larger , number , of the clergy than had ever before ' . cedcd to the , proposition no \ y came forward iii its support , and he reininded the Iloiise . thaj ; 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 n . feeling among the clergy , anil among the peo . ple , the day was not far distant when capital , punishment , must , be abolished . The . people who . had achieved ' the triumph ' of abolishing the slave-tradej and slavery , were favourable to its repeal , and they would call upon the House shortly , ) if they Uiu not call upon it ' noYf , to swoop from the statute .. book such an unchristian spirit . of the law which authorised it ' . The hon .

      geijtleman concluded by moving , for . le . ive to . bring in a Bill , ift . Repeal , the Punishment of Death . .. Sir .. ( kpRaE Gpx opposed tlio nation , feoliiig t )\ o , st rpngesfc " corivictipn that" "the tiihqV ' was , far , disfcirifc wlieii-tlip infliction of the " cxtrekie penalty of tlie law in ' cases . of extreme guilt could be dispensed , with ' . ' \ . iliiny of Mr . Ewart ' s ., arguments , he remarked , ' applied to . a [ period . ' ahtecedent ' . tp 1 S 41 , sinco which' timo' ha-ei'iminal hail suffered tlie punishment' . ' e'f , death , bufc ' fbr ^ Vilful . and . ' deliberate murder ! ' lie maintained . the neccs ' sity ,. although it might not . be capable of actual demonstration , for the protection of human life , of . throwing around . it that ' terror which .. was entertained of the punishmentof death , arid which being entertained had a detei : rin < r ' , ' effecfc ' ...: lie denied that tlie . the crime of

      miirdei ; nad increased , as Mr . Ewart had assumed ; 011 tlie contrary , taking a series of years , murder : was tlie , only crime which had not materially ihe ' rease ' d . Sir' George then examined the statistical arguments , of Mr . . Ewart ,. . drawing very different ' . conclusions from tiie official returns , to ' which , however ) he did hot ] nttach-niiicn . v . iluo , preferring to take a cpnijiion sense view of the ( iuestiori , an"d he , asked the House whethoi ; . it could . be' affirmed . that , the time had arrived Vnenxapitar . punishment could bo abolished fpr murder , ahdfoi high trcfisoh , no substitute being siiggcstcd , which' would afford an equal protection to ; sp ' ciety . He admitted the evils arising from piiblic cxeciitiohs , ' which furnished a strong objection to capital puiiishment ;' but . whjlst . it Syas rctaindu public . ' executions . were unavoidable . ""; . "' ""

      Mr . ; BnionT had listened attentively to- what had fallen from the right hon . baronet , and did notfail to . observethat he . was himself looking forward to a time when the proposition before the House might bocomo law .. ( Hear , hear ^) : Tho : riffht . honourable : gentleman . relied upon statistics ; But surely .: he could not deny this general statistical tact , that in those countries where no capital punishments were inflicted tho lives of people were jusfc as safe as they were in England . ( Hear ,, hear . ) It was a wellknown fact that they were never ablotopufc down . crime by this extreme punishment . . Ifthey could not put down even comparatively small offences by jiangingup as many . as a dozen men at a : time , he should like to know how , by the same , means they . could ever ; hopo . to put . a stop to the crime . of

      mju'der ? ( Hoar , hear . ) Take . the case of . the criminal recently , executed at Norwich . Did any one suppose , that any punishment either . in this ,-world or the next could , have diverted that man from the crime he . committed ? it w : is long contemplated ; it was the crime of an educated man , and a man of rcmarktable . ability , in sonic points of . view ; land , from . all they ., knew of him ,, no . fe . ir of . punishmpni would have diverted . him . from his purpose . ¦ Then take thc ' . 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 punishment . to follow . was , entirely , shut . out from tha , contemplation of the criminal . ( Hearj hear .. ) - In . neither of these cases was the : feai . . ; of death sufficient-to dotei \ froin ; , tho

      crime of . murder ; . The right , hon . - . baronet admitted , that the effect of public executions , was inj ui'ious , but . iwere not executions inflicted just that the people might see . and be warned ofthe . consequencesof . crinie ? ilemaintained that such exhibitions tendedto excite , the worst ; feelings ., . .. The . shout , of execration with , which -Rush was received pn the scaffold at Norwich sprang from the same , source that ,, in him had dictated the ; murder , a cruel ; and . vindictive feeling .-. < Hear , hear . ) ^ IIe had , np . doubt itjiat ,-. ; among , ; thc , ; 20 , 000 pepple present at , thnt . execution , there .. were , ¦ many \ yho' r , etui ; ned jlvome . movei . rcady , to . ; commit murder than they : were before . ( Jlenr , hear . ) , fyke ithe . gLidiutorial exhibitions , jn the . : Bonian circus , such : scenes , could only , increase . the ; , feroci . ty of . tho . people ,, a ^ . in . cHrio ' " tlwni to ; thQ . commission of , crjme .. Tho late case at Bristol was ^ fatruly horr ; rible , character ,-, and he could . not , cp . pc . eiyo , that ; tho ; right hon . gentleman . wishqd to ., continue -a , system that led to such scenes . . . . Half . a . dozen men . vdrag-

      ging a > wopian eighteen or twenty years , of- age , untrained , most ignorant , abj > ost , imbccilo ,. to Jthe place of execution , and ^ a . clergy man coaxing her to . walk quietly to . tho scaffold , ; was . not s « ch .-. a spoctacle . as . the right hon .: gentleman ; wpuld . wish to . , see often repea&d ( Hear , hear . ) . . He objected .. to . ; capjtal punishment bpfi " a « seit . inyostedj ; ho c . v . im . > nab > 'ith . an rmportanco th at ought not to attach to . him . (/ 'f here was an execution-lately at : B . rccon , in Wales . AVIum the iud « e passed sentence upon . him . a voice , callei out nveourt , " Now ; Jem , miiul . you , die game r f and the man did diq " Same- - » unng tho ^ rnw XWt elanscd beforp his . oxecution he was niaintaimng . ms , resblutionto ? ' die game / 1 not liskening to th& chnplain ' not preparing for the tribunal before ^ weh he , was ' about to stand ' ; and his comrades , « o . doub . t , would glory itt'the 4 e 8 . « nc <> this . criminal hadsaoyrn to the law . ( Hear ,, heiir . ) , If suca . a man . woi'G sonr tenced to some . punishroont shgrt of death ,. would people «< md JQ wo : him ? . Jfo ; tho murderer

      Untitled Article

      ' . lW stilt be a murderer , but ho would not be « - herd . , ( Hear ;' hear . ) The hon . member then re-: ferrea to the recent cases of murdor at-Manohester , Stockpvirt ^ OTid leods , j n all which women full by the h ; in . ds of jnen who' were ; or accmed to be ; at-t taehed . to the » v *»< l also to several attempts at murder cummitSedi since , " and drcw .: tbc in 1 erence - tbrtfc the notpniity of the first oftfence , the trial and theexecutiou , mchw 5 e *« w : comniis 3 i 6 Bof two oft * fences . inthe othera , ' pIean ) : T . wo mert were con-. victeJ atDnrliam fdrfiRemxirdeivof tIip ; Boko of ¦ ' Cleveland's , ganiekeeraiv One was haneed and tho .

      other reprieved ; and fee' hod it on undoubted au- - thority , that not only thy maii ! - " who -was executed : but the TO « tn who was repjfiey ^ d ,. held that the sctee * tiori liad ialleh on the . wrong : rimii ^ and that thcane . who ^ was hanged was not % M m « a who tired tiieshot . He was bound to belJeve that . in this easethe right hon . baronet shraafc feom the idea 0 ? hanging two- men for one oftenoe- ; and Ms ( Alr . - Bri gho ) opiaion was , that both should have been Veprioved : He would say that iw > ' man was more interested than the right lion , baronet in having this ¦ punishment abolished . Jfomanconl'dlsaffer so much as he did in giving his final decisions- The judge doeidddaeeoi'dingto the law , aiulthojiujf } ' according to tW fact : but on him'the List and heaviest

      responsibility was thrown . Taking into consideration , then , the statistics upon this question , and looking at the almost unanimous judgment of the-numerous public meetings respecting it , he thought Shere was ainpk evitknee that ihe public sentihieiiC was ripe for the settlement which his hou ; friend , t'heinombe ' r for Dumfries , had proposed . I Mr . II . Drummond opposed tho motion . ' ; Sir E . 2 f . Buxtox , Mr . Brother ' tos , Sir George Siuiciuand , Gol . TuosirsoM , Lovd . 5 uGENT , and Sir II , Ykhsky , severally spoke in favour of the intro- . duction of the bill . . ; On a division the motion was rejected by a inajo- - rity of 24 , the numbers being 51 to 75 .

      [ Crown Prosecutions in Ireland . — Mr . Keoou then proceeded to call the attention of the House to the general management of Crown , prosecutions in Ireland at assizes and sessions , and to the expondi- Uiro incurred in those prosecutions . It was not his intention to make the smallest charge against the government , or to . allude to the political prosecutions . Tho vote for Crown prosecutions in 1847 ' was £ 71 , 000 ;• in . 1830 it was £ 37 , oW ; showing an ' . ' ihereaso of £ 83 , 500 in the intermediate period . In , 18461 . the ¦¦ expense of fees to counsel was only £ 12 , 000 ; in , 1847 it had risen to £ 19 , 000 . ' Whether tjip subject were considered with a view to promoting the efficient administration of tho Jaw or to diiuiniahmg the expense of m-osectttiohs . it was of

      the . utmost , importance to the government . Tlie existing system , wan ted the advantage of concentra- ; tidn . " 1 'herc was no public prosecutor ; there were no' resident proscdutors . . The system formerly , was ,. to have a Grown solicitor fov civch circuit , which sys- . torn continued till 1842 , when the law officers of tho , Crown for Ireland recommended and tho Treasury . resolved that the' Crown solicitors . should be ap- ' pointed for each county . The result has boon an increase in the , expenditure . 'thon recommended to bo ^ iade for Crown prosecutions . There was also-. ¦ a cla . ss of-officers , called sessional . solicitors . At . - least four-fifths , of the . . business of . . the country was transacted at sossions ; yet the salary paid to those s officorswaS ; very , contemptible , . while the- assize >

      solicitors , who had not an . equal amount of busi- ness , received much hiirhcr remuneration .. ' , The Crpwn solicitor knew notfiing of the " cases in which : ho hai to . prosecute , and received his information ; iii court , being generally instructed by . a sergeant ; of ; police pr a . stipendiary . magistrate , when the pri- : '¦ soner was at the bar . Every one . knew in what a- : hurried , scattered , and indigested manner , thcb . usi- ness was done at assizes , not . to . the discredit of tlie gentlemen engaged in prosecutions , but owing to : the system . ,, being , such that it was impossible . the . business could be well done . Thccoiiscquence > yas ; that people speculated . on the . chances of acquittal . The hon . member concluded by moving for a select . committee ofjnquirv . . .-

      The ATTOR | \ Jiv-. GjBNEnAi ,. opposcd the motion , and assigned reasons why the matter should , he left in the hands in . which tlie . Constitution hiwl placed itrnamely , the Irish Attorney . General , by whom vari- ... ous reforms and regulations had been made , and . were still , making .. .. .... \ ......... ' After some remarks . by Mr , O . ' Flaherty , Mr .. / . ' He . vmy , Sir . William SoMEimr-LK , and Mr . Mox- * s £ LL . tho motion was . withdrawn . ' r . Mr . Keogh obtained , leave ... to bring in a bill to : facilitate the transfer of land to railway , companies for raihyay purposes in Ireland .. .. The Soucitor-Ge . nekal obtained leave to bring in a bill for granting relief agaiust defects in leases . made under powers of leasing in certain cases . The House adjourned at lime o ' clock . WEDNESDAY , May 2 . '

      HOUSE . OF COMMOSS . —Casada . —A conversation took place at tho instance of Mr . IIerkiks , in which Lord John Uusskll , Mr . Gladstonk , and Mr . Heslf . y took part , with reference to the Canada . Indemnity Bill , tlie noble lord stating that the moa- ' sure had not as yet been referred -to her Majesty ' s ' - goyernment for an ultimate decision ; that -bills of 1 this description , although passed , did not come un- ; dor the consideration ol the governor until the session was . somewhat advancod ; but when * -that' period sm'ived Lord El g in . would be prepared < md ' ready to exercise the discre : ioiiary powers ' with - which' he was invested ; the noble lord in questionpossessed the entire . confidence of the crown , and in . : v he exercise of his discretionary . powers as Cover-: ;

      noir-General of Canada would be deemed , to have •' acted in a manner so as to protect the interests and > prerogatives of tlie crown ,. as also to conciliate the r inteiieats of . the British empire / : Wlien the Indem- ' - ' ? nity Bill came before Lord Elgin lie would , doubt- ' less , address a public despatch to--the Secretary for » ; the ' Colonies on that particular subject . ¦ ¦ ' '• Cattle axd Siiuki * ( Irklanp ) Bin ,. —Mr . Bouiikk , - jn moving the second reading , of this bill , said 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 suoh " oftb ' pces reported by the . constabulary in Ireland . wa 8 ' C 53 ; in 18 i 6 the number had increased to 3 , 025 ; and in 1847 , no less than 10 , 014 cases were

      reported , while the-convictions were only 1 , 500 . Tlie hon . gentleman read extracts from charges tie- ' ¦ ¦ ' ¦ ¦ ' livered by s-v > -ral Irish judges at recent assizes , commenting Upon the extraordinary increase in this ¦¦ description of crime ; and he also read letters from several gentlmien in the counties of'Clare , Kilkenny , friilway , and Wicklow , stating that the offence was very prevalent in those districts , anil that it was . absolutely necessary that > ome > further protection ''' should be afforded to the possessors iif 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 1830 by Lord Morpeth nndMr . Pigott , . ¦ in order to suppress a simi ar description of outrages . ' : : The principle involved in the bill was simply to make persons , in whose posession sheep or cattle xuspected- . of beingstolen were found , show that they were ob

      taineu lawfully and honestly . This was not a new principle in legislation , for with respect to deer and venison an act of a similar kind had been passed in England ; anda < like act , with-rcspeut to timber , wa ? in force in Ireland , and had had a most beneficial effect . : He had the best authority for say ' ng ; that there was a general wish , on the part of the inhabitants of Ireland , for such a law , and especially . on the part of the small farmers , whose Hocks were so limite'l , that . their profits would not enable them to pay the expense of maintaining a regular watch ' for them .. He trusted tlmt the House would sanction ihe principle of this bill , and if in committee any amendments should be proposed , which , without materially affecting the principle of the bll , might appear t > the government or to the : House calculated to render the bill 1-ss stringent , lie should not feel jusi- " fied in opposing them . . •¦ •' . •• , ¦

      . ' . ' iVIr . JjnicnT said : he bill went on the supposition that iiojrishman could have , honestly , any mutton in his possession . ( Laughter . ) -That unfortuuate ' y might be . the csse with m « ny Irishmen at present , but jt was not fair to assume it to . be the case with respect to all . He thought the bill was one which the Hou"C should not approve of , and he could not understand . hu ' w ; the right hon . Secretary for the : Home Department . could give his consent to its •' beings o . ceeded with . after- the observations which '<

      lie had made . 1 he bill would expose the . population , to informers ; to . a . uVgreeitlwt ; wcw » u produce an ;' ^ amount of irri tation , and probably ; vinrfictive ret ilia- ' !• ¦ - tibn which would be . worse , than the evil int . ndedto be . rectified . As toniodifyingthe . bill to ineei ; . the ob- j-ctipns . of . the . righthoiUibaronettSir . G .. Grey ) , it .: ¦ . wojuU he Letter ; tO ; . withdraw ' .. is : at : once , for jieob- , jected to everyclause . " (" . Nol ' no-l" ) ThebiU . was . ! of . a piece . witlvfhat introduced . some time -siuce by ' .- ' - ' iiri ^ hon . boronet .. ( Sir 11 . W . * . Barron ) . respecting ¦ ¦ aifiWricM . - ¦ ¦ .....: ¦¦• . '' :....- •• . . - '¦ ; : "' -. ¦•• '¦¦ .: .-. ¦ ¦!• ' . ' '

      " Sir , l . li ^ . Darrom . waaiaare the hon . ' memhar ( Mr . ; Bright ) laboured unite * the misfortune oi ' a want , of knpwledgepf the subject —( a laugh ) ;—he was too ¦¦; - .- honest ara ; in to wish to protect thieves . ( Laughter . ) All liis ( Sir H . \ v * . Barrouls ) , farmers in tbe county ; . ' , of Wate . rfyrd , ha ^ . to . W hiai ,., within : the . ; last twelve- ..:. months ) that they had bfi « jv ; ob'iieU to gi »« up kee ^ W / . ' ing sheep ; an « J .. they ha . < i brought him bath tups . which - he . hud lent them . with a view tojntr / dueiiig an . im--proypHl breed . ;; , \ Vhatwjui-y could be = inflicted upPu an lvonest . inan : by . oiiijsing him to teJl where : he act liisliiij , of muttou ? The ; pvoper . ty . of the rich was-. protected ; the . HowseSyaS'nowiasied ... tb .-. uroteet tho

      uroperty of th ' e jj ^ a . r ; ) br ,. this / njasessentially , a . poor i man ' s bill , anil to reject it woulil be to . tcll . tlje poorer , class of holders , in Ireland : tha& they .. were lio . louger . I to have any suoep on their ., l ~ nd ; jio linger to clothe the-r fumilies ! wiilithe . ,. pr . ' esd \ icc . O ! f tlieir farm , and by : their owa" industry . At jvresent . in pavts , of . Galwuy . ' and B , oscommoii , ; he . practice . was ,. whcn . a . inaii lose ' . a . s ? ieep ,, that he . went . with < a party of . hisirieighbours . to eyery suspected house , and -when they found a •¦' piece , ot niutt . on , or . a . sheep 3 ltin . thatthey . supposed to < ' •' be stolen , they brought out ' the . inhabitant gayehlm " - V a right good heatirig , and theu pulleddoffh his house ..

      Jwrial $A^Wmw^ J.»,«^.-I ^ ^.,.^ A - .

      JWrial $ a ^ wmw ^ J . » , «^ .-i ^ ^ .,. ^ A - .

      Untitled Article

      ' ' ijr the May 5 * % & V ^^ oMM ¦ - 7- ' * ' . ' """ IT "' - —"' -- " ¦ ¦ ' ¦¦ - ^ - ' . _ - _ ,,., ^ --- * - ' - ' - " - r - ' - ^ ^ ias " ,, , ., , . „ ,

  • 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/vm2-ncseproduct1521/page/7/