Current:

Northern Star (1837-1852), 31st May 1851, Edition 1 of 2, Page 7, Untitled Article

Page 7
Page 7
7 of 8

On this page

  • Departments (1)
    • ferial pSfifenu.
  • Text (7)
  • 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

      i ^ riSSRgsE ^ orTHE ^ jim FEttO tf-5 iiS ,-In reviewing the werkings of 6 m Tr adels Societies and examining the present state of the trade , we feel constrained to make an appeal to jnru common-sense , believing that steps should 2 , 3 " immediately taken to stay the increase of surplus lafcourand preserve our trade from ruin . We assnre yon we are not taking this Btcp with the view of personal aggrandisement , but truly in the spirit of unity and fraternity , believing it impossible to maintain oar present position unless we legaUy combine for our mutual benefit and welfare It is universally acknowledged that theremuneration . of labour , like the articles it produces depends upon supply and demand , and unless we * can devise . some means to regulate the nnmhm . nf »„

      prentices , a redaction m wages ig inevitable The Bilk bosmess was perhaps never more flourishing than now , and yet there are numbers out of wort receiving the support of the Tramp Society and unless the demand for dresswa inere ^ S ^ S Beyond precedent , there will verv soon » , » ^ w rally . more as they are befbSSt ssBa ^ atrsfivi

      Surely Von wm r *^? «** . ** ia £ i ifffiSjX nT ^ that surnlns la hour fontenf w 1 ? h - if i the re ? edial eyUs we nave t 0 tKS rf ^ - ' Places the workn * A ^ tirely at SlthS h em - aStCT ; Cora P els him to submit to 2 nv 2 L ?*{'" I ? 038 ; liable to b ^ discharged at SE i , t ° a ld ie Tentore t 0 murmur , . ns the SS'Tfe ™ there are othe " ontof work , and ready to fiU his place . ' ' , nrfirVts W *? iu ? r 9 ttr vrospect is deplorable , and if , this . . state _ of things contiaae-if araricious men aw allowed to produce labour by ' wholesale ' careless of the consequences to themselves , their apprentices and the trade at large , so that they seenre the 'filthy lucre , * or , in other words , a few shillings per - week advantage over their fellow workmen—we repeat , if this state of things

      continue , we anaii all soon bentterly rained . Ifjall were to act as those men , where would be the advantage ? Would it not very soon be , as in some places it is already , that they would have to work for as much less per pound in proportion to the privilege ? We contend that it would , and that the consnqueal ess would not end here , for the surplus labour thus produced , being brought into competition with the o&er , youldhave the effect of reducin" the wages still farther , which ha ? been the case in ' manv trades . * . J

      We do not assert that all men who have taken apprentices trereactuated by . motivea of Selfishness rorcircumstances . ander oar present isolated condition hate induced men to do contrary to their wishes ; bnt we hope and trust that you all see the necessity of orgahi ation ,. fdr the time is now come when we must unite ,, and devise or adopt some means to stay the progress of the present evils , or ve shall soon be involved in greater difficulties . Suppose there are 300 dressers in the trade , and every one take an apprentice for five years-and if Jf ^ . * 3 usUceall have-at the end of tbat time there would be a surplus of 300 in our labour market ; but we wOl not venture to Vay wnctherthe apprentices , or we who take them as apprentices .- - - ' " - - * ? JST d 0 nsWerthewo ? Kag 9 of tte t « de tor ihe las . few years , ; we are astonished to see the grert change that has taken , place . nmountW . W WWta

      23 & fr - Jt is c »^ e « d 7 ! raue shore all others most injurious to health ; arid formerly tc conld earn a ? ood liv u <» bv mnderita r ^ otrr ^ ^ - « -SS 2 30 , to the present prices ; consequently we have able subsistence ; and , as a natural consequence , ' 4 SBeu an unwholesome atmosphere , many of us aro superannuated or to «** * » ¦ common pte " mashed np" at five and thirty . e - ffho we ask , are the parties receiving thR h ™ tins

      aw cnange ? The manufactureFs in ^ rt neither are their workpeople . We maintain S redaction in wages is no benefit to any one , or any pm of society Suppose for instance that ose S ^ T ^ r ^^ ™ J are not the others com-JS 2 . A t % ?' W Order to »«** ™ otner in the market ? -. The consequence is that the goods Become reduced in price , in the same proportion as Fa es were without any benefit to the manufactory , and the inference is , that as most of silken sool * are exported , the rich foreigner receives the benefit nt the -espen ?* of the poor English artizan The interest ? therefore , of / asters ! nd workmen ran working . for-nothing they would gain no advantage as competition in the market would reduce die article thus produced in proportion . Competition with masters : is also encouraged by . snrDlus

      aoonr , tor petty capitalists , who do nothine at other times , are read y to take advantage of brisk trade , knowmg . that they can command plenty of Wat any time , and thereb y glut the market raising reaction and depression . Again , silken goods are appreciated for their casti-nessmore than utility , and worn as articles of ornament , and this is another reason to support the prices . Seeing then that it is no permanent benefit » any party to reduce wages , what a gratification lamest be to the generous master when he can ^ f , j p n , good wa " and see Ws workpeople well-led well-dothed , and happy . . Surely . he mnst feel the satisfaction of a father who delights in the prosperity of hu » children .

      Work-fellows , we again refer to surplus labour ; 5 ad ask , how can these inen , who produce it , justify tseir conduct ? It is contrary to justice , philantaropy , humanity , and Christianity : they care not for the welfare of their apprentices , for they are pare that it is adding surplus labour to surplus lafour , which is the mean 3 of reducing , wa ^ es , and by the time they are loose , will / probably only be able to earn a mere , pittance , and perhaps in getting work supplant others , or , which is more likely , not get work at all . All engaged in the trade suffer by tbis competition . It ' is inhuman to induce apprentires to spend the most valuable part of their Iifetime merely to gratify the selfish desires of those Ken , snd compelled to spend the remainder of their

      « iys in poverty and wretchedness . How can you , ve asi , reconcile these actions with the great doctriue of clir " Htir . nity , " As ye would that men should do unto yon , do ' ye also nnto them ? " Consider these consequences : imagine yourselTC 3 in the con-( iitioii of your work-fellows , who are sufficiently hlastrious to do their ; ovrn work , then ask yburselves if yon wonld liko them ttf do by you a 3 you are covr doing by jtbem ? Tour conduct proves that jou would not , because you are not satisfied wiih equal privileges . Alas ! Christianity with such men J 3 become , another name for avarice ! J 7 e have bad meetings in ^ consideration " of the Tramp and Einigraiion Societies , acd we jire ^ of opinion that they

      fncoarage the cause of our present evils ,-because tliey assist in removing the surplns labour from tUosevrho produce it into other localities , and by tbis means make room for other apprentices , and at our oxjtenso , observe ! We contend that paying so suv-li to men out of work is equivalent to a Teiliic tioii in wages . These Societies will most assuredly H CSnic to nothing , unless something be done to regcbte the supply of labour , which wonld obviate fe ciuseof all our diffienltics . We therefore make hli to call your « rious attention to thisfaut , that h combining together vee may yet save ourselves ; ts the contrary , if we do not , we are sure 13 fall , as the tendeucy of wages is ever dovrai-- ¥ Er (!> .

      Believinc we are making this appeal to a body of Can who see the urgent necessity of combining * to-I lather for our mutu . il-welfare , we be * leave toicall ycur attention to the ' National ' Association of United Trades "as a St society for-the furtherance sf oar \ iovrs ; it is founded upon > the 6 th George IV ., cip . 120 , which expressly stntes , " that it is lawful I for an ; body of men to combine together to keep ihi ' . r w . -i « es up , provided they do uot use threats or I inuaiidatioii to othera to ' inffuce ^ iftiem . to do so ; ' ? T . 5 . Dnnconibe , Esq ., is cUairman of theaftjrejaid I 5 oeiety , a gentleinau of known honour atld inte ^ - tity . * The expense of joining , contribution , &c , Is I so trifling . as to come within the means of the poor-« of us ; the allowance to be received in case of teed , we believe will be found quite satisfactory ;

      & secretary , 3 Ir . "Wm . Peel , 2 » 9 , Tottenham ; 'rart-road , London , will feel pleasure in forwarding ^} 'information you may require , upon application . Wlow-men , w ' e arc ' liviiig in an age of progres- - , fconl , social , and political ; men of all grades havs fiiclr protective societies , over some of wh ' ich , we tedi \ t , peers of the realm preside , generally for I protection of capital . Is not our labour our - » p 'tal ? Then why should we remain unprotected ? ^ l as unite , then , and keep pice with the times , I Millie treating parTnasters witn all due respect as oar public , benefactors , believing our intereaU . as * «; let us prove to each other and the world at ^' se . that , white doing <> uc duty to our masters * e 4 soeietv , we are determined to be treated as such W . - '

      X « jw , as" actions speak louder than words , ' to ^ Ev ] , ice you that we are in earnest , we , the silk Tsssers of Leeds . bave joined the above association ^ riy to a man , and we hope the whole of yon will ^ tue necessity of joining heart and hand w tl ! l cause . We have tlioujlit seriously upon the fi ct , and could see nothing so likely as tins ^ fci atioa ; but if any of you can devise or suggest STAai Sbetter , we shonld be . bappy to afopt ^ it . % /^ rconvinced , that afwr reading the rules , you *» iUiink withusT that nothing mere suitable to I ** vje ^ can be devised ; it will now prove , by ; 3 'lopting or rejecting it , wheiher you respect S tr .: de , yourselves , and yonr families , or not . ?* Saowr there are men in the trade who are liv-* Si > ? the labour of others , and have ma > le money J ^ eb y , ff Uose practices our present condition ei - ^ e 3-who do not care fer * cbanse-tat we

      Untitled Article

      must not look to thes ^« 'Wiiat we want is a W « tern forthe regulation ot ^ e supply 5 S& ? ITd SSSS h th ?\" ' ? t ? r dififerentshops , " enVol fflhplw the > auonal Association of Trades , nrnrS | Us , C (^ ? nnicate wit h each shop ; get a Rv o > h ^ L - ? ding b X .. ^ s of a delegate meet . mfthodSr ? ^ ^ " ^ We grounds , as to the SadSnf re n £ tine the supplyVlabour , a , other emancipate ourselves . "We remain , Youra in Unity , and Fraternity , Thk Silk Dbessees of Lbeds , In connejdon with the National Association , of United Trades .

      Untitled Article

      STRIKE OF THE GLASGOW PACKERS . TO THE CLOTH LAPPERS OP GLASGOW 2 TOW ON STRIKE . . Bbkthbbs Asi » Feixow Tiudesmes , —I have been informed in Manchester that you are contending with a ' number of yonr employers , for an abbreviation of your hours of labour . - ;• ¦ ¦ . I need not ' remind you of the injury strikes do both to employer and employed , and that such things should only be resorted to when all other means fail . The bitter experience of your brethren the cotton spinners , as well as too many instances of other trades throughout the country , will have taught you instruction enough , and at a price too dear to pay for except by compulsion . I say this , because many employers ' would make the world believe that . workmen are unreasoning beings , and would commence strike * on every trivial occasion , neither knowing nor caring what injury they might commit upon themselves , or any one else . ' What

      might have been the character of working ineii twenty years ago , I will not say ; for I dare . ' aver that both masters and men have riot been perfect . But for the workmen throughout our kingdom now I will say , they , as much as the » employers / are repngnant to strikes . ' " ¦ '" ¦ : But when masters—as they are called-r-will not listen to the modest proposals of their . workpeople , but meet them' ' with contempt , and treat them , as brute beasts , there i 9 no other resource but to cease labouring _ . for them , until such time as circumstances and difficulties bring them to their senses . " As a Manchester calenderer arid maker-up , I feel myself interested in your struggle , arid alhough distant from you , I long for the successful accomplishment of your desires . I think . my brethren here have Shown you that they are riot men of words only , but that they are willing to set apart a portion of their eamingsto support your families , so long as you

      require it . My opinion is , that when one trade is thrown into such unfortusate circumstances as you are , , J » U the rest of the trades in the empire " should " fly to its succour we should then have an end " to strikes , and masters would condescend to reason with us . Hoping you will keep up . yoW hearts , and not forget your brethren In prison , and that you will organise yourselves as we have done , that yon may bid a bold and stern defiance to every blustering tyrant in the future ,. . I remain , Tour Brother in Heart and Pocket , - . _ , .-. "¦ ' Thomas Dickisson . oO , Wood-street , Dolefield , Manchester .

      Untitled Article

      PRISON DISCIPLINE . The following Petition of ' Mr .. Ernest Jones ,, presented to the House of Commons by Lord Dudley Stuart , has been printed with the votes . " . . ' ¦ . ' , , ' . The humble , petition of Ernest Charles Joaos . of the Middle Temple , barrister-at-law , showetb , — ^ That yourpetitionerforaspeech delivered by him in Juno , 1848 , was sentenced , at the- July sessions of the same year , by the then Chief Justice , to be imprisoned for two years and one week , no " other punishment beingi embraced in the sehfenee ^ bufc receiving while in the dock , in reply to a question asked , repeated assurences of considerate and lenient treatment . * -s ' . ¦ : -

      v . ? £ ! £ tl 011 er . was : 8 HDSequently conveyed to Tothill-fields Prison , Westminster , and there durmgthe entire period to which he was sentenced kept m separate confinement on the silent system ' which was enforced with such rigour that he was severely ; repremandedforeven reading the Bible to himself , though in a scarcely audible voice . ¦ ' Your petitioner was further compelled to pick oakum which he did on his arrival and which laboured ? remitted only in consideration of a weekly paynierit of money .. He was made to : wear the ' ¦ same drtss and parti-coloured capas culprits guilty of heinous offences , and marched about the prison in the ' same files with common felons , snbjected to convict dis-^^^^^ " ^ " RwIim ^ nnaB

      . " ^ . . turning the head to the Tight or left , or foldius the arms a punishable offence ; supplied with' indigestible and unwholesome food , to the' serious ihfufy of his health ; not allowed a fork , being obliged to use his fingers instead ; and not furnished with suP ficient underclothing for health and cleanliness During the greater part of themonths- of Xovember and December , 1848 ( which were remarkably severe ) , your petitioner was "kept without fire , and with the same-clothing as in the height of summer , in a day cell , two windows of which were nnglazed , having merely shutters , and its doors ( which closed imperfectl y ) opening directly on the prisotf ^ ard . In neither winter during his detention was any addition even in' the

      , most rigorous weather , made to the clothing he wore in summer . : Your petitioner was further forced , during the chief period of his imprisonment , to sleep in a small night cell , about six feet wide by eight feet long , in a thorough draught , between the window and the door ; the former-fitting ' so badly as to admit thei rain , and tha latter , as did also two large gratings of abont one foot square each in that cell where he was principally confined during both winters , opening directly on the outer air . Such was the damp and fog in these '" cells during winter that your petitioner has of morhintrs

      brushed the dew off his blanket , and suffered" frbni the humidity of Ms clothing . Your petitioner thence became afflicted with tic-douleureu ' x'and rheumatism , so severe as almost to deprive him of the use of his Iimb 3 : notwithstanding this , his cell was not changed while suffering thus ^ till shortly before his leaving the prison , and , though afflicted during five winter months with the most aggravated attack of neuralgia , he was compelled to r ise ata quarter past six iu the morning , and even in snow or rain tO' walk-through two yards , and wash and dress in the open air ; under a rece 3 s in the wall . ¦ ¦

      Your petitioner wasby this treatment reduced to a state of health so precarious that helost 16 lb . in weight in seven weeks , as the infirmary-books will prove , and was unable to walk across his cell ; the surgeon was compelled to order him into' the infirmary , where he remained nineteen weeks , at two intervals . On leavin g the infirmary the first time , no alteration being made in his treatment , the consequence was the surgeon was obliged to sond him back , after the lapse of a' fortnight , " in a more dangerous state than before . During part of this time ,- as he then asserted on his path , and as he still believes , his life was in imminent danger ; liia wife therefore petitioned for leave that lilr . Cbolmondeley , of 3 , Nottingham-plaeO j Regent ' s-

      park , who has attended petitioner and his family for twelve years , might be allowed to see him , but was refused . Mr . \ Vakley , a member of your hon . house , applied as such , and in his medical capacity , to see petitioner , but was also refused permission , by both the visiting justices and Sir George Grey . Your petitioner , after leaving the infirmary a second time , was ( with the exception of obtaining , after a whilej a larger night-cell ) once more snbjeetedi . to the same treatment as . before , the effect of which was the ruin of Ms health , - and the infliction of nervous and rheumatic - complaints , from which he-is still suffering-severe ' y , laiM from 'which he believes he can never wholly " recover . Your petitioner further begs to state tbat ( with

      two exceptions ) he was not allowed to see any friend orjrelatise more t&an lour times in the year , and then only in the presence of a turnkey ^ and for twenty minutes each time ; that after the " first three months he was not allowed to write a letter , even to his wife , more than once a quarter , the permission of writing oftener , after the period named , having been withdrawn without petitioner ' s having given any cause , or broken a single" rule " of the prison , but , on the contrary , having been repeatedly commended for bis conduct ; that riot even during the tearful visitation of the cholera , t . hnmrh

      petitioner made a special request to be allowed to hear from home , was that . request acceded to - that he was during-the-first nineteen months' - of his imprisonment not-allowed the use of pen , ink , or paper ( except for a few moments once aquarter for the " aforcfaid quarterly letter ); that though petitioner ' s wife was so ill ' as to be long " in danger of her life , permission was refused her to inform her husband , or to . communicate with him , and that whenever petitioner wasTiimself dangerously ill ; he was notable to acquaint his . wife with his condition until the time for wiling his quarterly letter had cjme round . ;

      Such was'the treatment to which your petitioner was subjected during two years and one week , the entire period for which he was sentenced ; and petitioner begs to remind your hon . house that the senVnce of the judge , ns delivered in court , was simply this : — " The sentence of the court is , that yoa uo imprisoned during two years * on tho first count , and one-weeK-on the second , *' coupled with the assurances previously stated ; and petitioner be » s further to observe that the same treatment would nnturally ' je tar more injurious to the health of amnn in his " station of life tnari t&tbat of ft man Ion" inured to hardships and privations '; whereas petitioner can prove that prisoitfreeonvicted oatn . finitely more serious charges : tub * treated , in a . far mire leaie i tmanner .

      Untitled Article

      Your , petitioner now-soliciis ihe ^ tte . Btioii of your hon . house to the treatment he ' e * ocj enc eii w " ' i n endeavouring to obtainsome alleviation ' ^ J » C s < & S ! l \ - y ^ M MarcClS ! petition finding his health upableto bear the treatment & nnHnf ' nn ^/ t ^ . ^ Tffloed such treatment was S tha S ' v ; court ' »? ked permission to write othe judge who sentenced him / for the purposeof mquirng whether his treatment was in accordance 2 fi . j 8 ?? . ^ ceP . as 8 ed i > ut the permission was refused . Petitioner was then threatened with ¦ additional severities of an aggravated character , if he did . not cease complaining of his sufferings ; he was even told . he would be set to scrub tbe floors of the convicts cel | s . Petitioner then applied for leave to see the prison rules , but even this ' was denied him . Petitioner then desired to " see his solicitor , or to write ' to bim . but was refused . Petitioner

      then asked leave to petition your hon . house , which was prohibited by the visiting justices , although he stated , as , one reason among many adduced for so doing , that he had several serious charges to make against . them ( the visiting justices ) themselves . Petitioner then " applied to the board > to know under what clause , of what actj he was prevented writing , for the . purpose named ,, to the judge who sentenced him , and from petitioning parliament : The board refused even to answer bis questions . . Petitioner was further told that he should not be admitted to see the visiting justices at their weekly board-day , though the act and the prison rules alike specify auch to be the right- of prisoners . Petitioner had never abused that right , and had previously to such refusal ( during aperiod often months ) applied oiily four , times to see the magistrates . The governor . thus arroented the

      right to . himself of admitting a prisoner to see the magwtrate&or not , at displeasure .. Petitioner waa further toldlf in his quarterly interviews withhis wife he alluded . at , all to his treatment in prison ; he S , i ^ 'f be forced from her presence , though . , the act gives no such power . Petitioner was desirous of acquainting some-memberabf your hon . house with the treatment he experienced Snd accordingly , in his : quarteriy letter ,- ducted his wife P O'f ^ nn ' ^> Mr G ' 1 Thompson , and MrJ = ; h ? f' " 1 Ues . ttng them to come and see him at the quarterly period of seeing visitors ; The Drisoner ^ as warned to desist , since it would , he was told , be highly injurious to him to see those gentlemen ; everj obstacle was thrown in the way of the « i « fl Wt an P etitionef Persisted , thegovernor SertS . Jr' ^ edaparagraph to petitioner ' men unToV n " ^ r lf - 4 ° writ 6 to those gentle ^ E hmhX , ° " 5 he"elf forbidden to see S ? . ??? »* - . Periods prescribed bv law . P « .

      sarsfflasfsassi f £ '! i , x . ' "i"s " Kiitl » n to wSrtS 'S o E 5 Jffi £ ! Ssr ! SS 2 Krrt : asfex ^ kl > tteat " ^ The weekly payment of moneys being seven days m arrear- petitioner was ordered forthwith to re . him unequal to the labour ; and his eyesight was y ^ W ^ S t » e g >« e of the whitfwasS cell Petitioner then said that , since , on'his oath he believed h / s treatment to be eontory to his Si tence ; since he waa prohibited from writing to his judge to ask if suoh was the case ; since he > aa prevented from petitionis e Parliament , Jmn ,, nin *; n

      his 8 olicitor ,: friendS , or relatives , appea ng to ' , e magistrates ; ror even alluding to W treatmen t in his usual etters ; and since his'health was rapidly tSl f * 5 ! f ' Cti 0 ^ ' Ott h « part > Xsed to perform . farced labour , but at the same time eX Hfr"i - - . , ^ ' t 0 piQk oakum forthwith ; upon his being allowedto write to his judceor to petition ^ our honourable . hoiise . ¦ Petitioner here begs to observe , that in no one instance " during the enure period of his imprisonment did hVKnbwingly alluded to , ; be believed his treatment to be contrary to his sentence , hut ' even then resisted it only hi cause the common rlght " of- every prisoner was denied him . and both the laws of the country and rules of the pnsbn were set aside by the authorities . Petitioner was'hereuponj on the 3 rd ' day of May , 1849 , - ordered by the governor to bo looted Win «

      refractory cell on bread and water , without books . On inquiring "for how long a " time ? " the governor replied ,, " As long asl choose . I put you in at ' my pleasure , and 1 take , you but at my pleasure . " Petihoner - was then-seized by' the ' neck' and ankles , and forced , towards the " door : of the . ward , wherehe was kept 'during three'davs in a refractory cell ^ by the ^ ovefnoFs order , though tbe act ; expressl y ^ provides . that no prisoner shall be locked m a refractory cell , on bread arid water , fiSiE ^ . ?^ ^ ^ ° ^ : ? re of h ' er- Majesty ' s WC 63 , of the ; peace . iTetitibrier was in" the surgeons hands for several weeks after ih-it ; and on somewhat recovering' ( the infirmary books will show by the nature of the medicines administered , that petitioner ' s illness must have been severe ) he was ; again ' sent 1 for six days to a solitary cell on bread and water , w ' ithout books , having even his Bible taken away . Petitioner was s ' eribuslv ill nf a

      bowel complaint at ' tfietime ; th e cholera' wastKon raging at its height , the infirmary being then so full that patients were lying in' the common cells , and one died near the refractory cell in which petitioner ' was locked . Two political fellow prisoners , Shnr p > and Williams , received the same sentence from tlie board tor the same cause , at the same time as petitioner ; they were in good health whed thus sentenced , but both died immediately after the completion of that sentence , and the inquest commented bri' the seventy 6 f ; the treatment . : i . ; - ' ;;; j •' ¦ At the expiration of the sis days petitioner was sentenced to be sent back £ o the . reffactory cell under the same treatment but the p ' aymeht of money and' the dangerous state of his 'health

      Brevented the ' senteace from being carried into effect From that period , as the inBrmary books will testify , petitioner never recovered his health , and he feels convinced that , had his imprisonment lasted a short time longer than the period of his sentence hrwould never have- quitted the prison with life . - Your petitioner therefore prays your hon . house to grant some investigation of the treatmen t to which he was' subjected , by which the authority of thejudge was superseded , by whjch . the rules of the prison , were violated , the laws oHhe ' country broken ' and by which the health of tlie prisoner was ruined ' and his life imperilled—ah investigation that may prevent similar injuries from being inflicted bri other prisoners in future ; '• - ' ¦ ' : And your petitioner ^ as in duty bound ; will ever pray , &c . \ '" - ' Ersesi Char ' lbs Joses .

      Untitled Article

      Wbalthy Paupers . —Two paupers , Ann and Jane Grieve , mother and daughter , the one above eighty and the other about'fifty years of age , have resided ( says our "VVooler correspondent ) for some time in one of the Duke of Sovthumberiand ' s cottages in Chatton , from which parish they had received relief upwards of . thirty years .. Their house had got into a rather dilapidated state , in consequence of which mother and daughter were removed to . Glendale Union Workhouse on ' the 25 th uilt . ; and ,, as is customary , they , were put into the ' probationary . ward until washed and " changed . " " While the process was going forward the old woman ' s pocket dropped on the floor , and the matron , thinking that it . fell unusually heavy , brought itiuto the house ^ vJhere

      the overseer and master of the workhouse were . It was examined , and found to contain £ 4 Qs . 7 d < The overseer said he believed they had still more" money , and suspected they had some in , an old herring kit which thcy . Jiad brought in ; the cart that conveyed them from Chatton to ,. Wobler . This , therefore , was also overhauled , and . fonnd to contain , ; along with some old wearing apparel , £ 14 9 a , Id . Fur " ther search was " prosecuted , and in an ol * i chest , which they had also brought with them , there were found , hidden in all sorts of rags , copper , silver , gold , and ' . notes , to the amount of £ 94 9 s . OlA . Another chest bad been leftat Chatton , which was brought to TVooler on the following ; day , and found to contain small parcels similar to-those already

      mentioned , which , when opened , turned out the goodly sura of £ 12 8 s . 10 d ., making in ¦ all £ 125 17 s . 0 £ d ., of which £ 23 was in notes , and £ 42 in gold ,, and the rest in silver and copper . The clothes the women ' had" on when they reached Ropier were of a most ; wretched character , and filthy in the extreme , especially the caps ,: which they fought hard to keep possession-of , and sajd they had np ' others ; yet , on searching the chests already alluded to , they , were found to-possess no less a quantity than 362 caps ( nearly one for every day . in the year ) , thirty ^ nine ; handkerchiefs , tliirtytwo pockets , thirty-seven aprons , twentptwo shifts , twelve bedgowns , thirteen gowns , ' six petticoats , five shawls , &c . It may be noticed that the great majority of the articles of clothing were almost nseleasj by being so long " shut . up , and in a damp house . The inost wonderful ' part of all tlie affair is , the women seemed quite uuconscipus of what

      they really possessed , for heither . of . them has ever , since their entrance , named money to any one , exr cept the . daugh ' ter , who asked the master if he had not seen two shillingsjn an old teapot bDlonging to them . He told her he had , and would be responsible for it , which , seemed to relieve ; her from further anxiety . They , had loth been accustomed-to farm work , and when they had received their wage ' s for the summer and harvest work , they had sewed up the money along with the paper containing , the account . of work . do ' ne , and had never more looked at if again : for several of the sixpences , shillings / half-erown 3 , &c , were literally black . The worsen are now " changed , " and have their victuals : in a regular manner , and sqem quitehappy in theS ^ new home , and cohteiit in their situation , nevet having in att their lives , or at least for . many yeats ,. tasted the . pleasures they now enjoy—cleap iines&andicam ! - fwt . —Oateslieixd Ubmve ' r .

      Untitled Article

      • Hnn

      tuiar ifi 8 tates Manafeempnt "f ,.,, * " ^ - J "" ' . "U v » pi D « ^^ A ? ^ ° second time « fi h herie 3 . ( Scotland ) Bill was read a Theiv ^ ordsWno ° ) , m 0 tI 5 ? the Duke of Aro ^ h . ^ VJcuSft" ?^! .: J ™« •* ^ garter to BOUSE OP COMMONS -Mr More O'Fennll look his seat as the member fofthe colt ^? o | f SnginSmmS n C ffJ ^? u --Thecon 8 id « ration P Mr wfe tblS blU havin S been resumed , nmiao '; nvTnFf u ? oved as an amendment the omiss on of-two words in the first clause , by which SSSS ^ aw ^ a -After some discussion tbo house divided , and the amendment was negatived by a majority of wo to ' voirt ^ of fh ' 6 vcd . insertion - aftei > fcll ° word " , void- of thp' words " n England " fhor 0 i , » ^

      . ,- Ihe amendment was opposed b y Lord J . Russell . - . On a division Ihe vote passed in'the negative , there appearing , for the amendment' 39 , against 84 r A further amendment was then proposed by Mr Kkooii , by which it would be declared that nothing contained in the clause should prevent tho free action of the Catholic ' prelates in Ireland , as regarded their spiritual functions . . , The amendment was opposed by ' the Aitoknet-General , who' contended that no interference would be exercised by the present bill with any spiritual functions of the Catholic bishops , unless exercised under the prohibited titles ) ' ' ' ' . A long diseussion ensued , alter which a division was called ; and the' amendment thrown out bv a majority of 344 to SO . ' ' ' '

      ihe next amendment was propospd by Mr . Sad-LmBjto ' the effect that no legal proceeding should take place under the act for anything done " in pursuance" of . thepractice in use anterior to the yea , r 1 Q "ft ¦ ' " ' i * . ' ¦ . ' ¦ ¦ — , n »* v . jvhI

      : Being discussed and carried to a division , this was also negatived , hy 2 , 78 to ' 47 , . Some further discussion was . 'foilowed by a motion of Mr . Reynolds , that tho chairman report' uro- ' gi'fiss , to which " ¦ .. ••¦' •' ¦ Lord J . Resell acceded , with the observation that the deba'te . hh'd been . lingered out to a late hour ( nearly one o'dlock ) with a repetition of amendments all turning on the same point . ' . The house then resumed , and shortly afterwards adjourned . ¦ , ¦¦ .. . » ' . . " ' ! ' ' TUESDAY , May 27 . : ; ' HOUSE . OF LORDS .-Pcbuc-h ' ouses ( Scotland ) Bill . —Lord . KiNNATBDmovod . the second reading of this bill , which was the same measure that passed through their lordships' house last session , and was after wards withdrawn in the ' other house ^ f parliament on account of tho lateness of the session

      ' The Earl of Minto supported the second reading of the bill , but wished it to be referred to a select committee .. ; . : ¦ , ; . : - ¦; ¦ . . ... , . ... . . .. . Lord Kisnaihd would accede to that suggestion , hadjnot the bill been . well , considered last-session . Tfiero was , therefore , no :-reason to refer it to a select committee ; now .: ,. -, . ., ., '" 'The Duke . of Arotlland the ^ Eavl of Egunioto als' 6 supported the second . reading of the bill . •; . The Earlof Minio observed , that it was not the intention of government to offer any obstructions to the bill at this stage j but there were some details . which would require alteration in committee . - After some ohservations from the Duke of Rich-MOSD-and . thc Puke . of Buccleucu , the bill was read a seoond time , and ordered to be committed on Friday . , ; ^ ¦ .: . . ¦ „ .: ¦¦ :,. „¦ .., ¦ ¦ , 'j The house then adjourned to Friday

      . ' ¦ HOUSl ? - . OF COMMONS . ~ -Ebbest JosES .-Lord Dudley Stuabt presented a . petition from Ernest Jones barrister-at-law , ' praying for an inquiry into the treatment he was subjected to while imprisoned for a misdemeanour in Tothill-fields Priaon ^ and . was ordered to be printed : with the votes . ' - ; > : CEW . pN : ! lsq « iHT . ~ Mr . ! H . Baillie then rose tor aovethe following resolutions : — . : ..::.-, "That ; this house ,- having : takcn into its consideration the evidence adduced before the select committee appointed to inquire into the affairs of ? Ceylon , is of opinion that . 'the-punishments inflicted during the late disturbances in that island were excessive and uncalled , for . > . f . ... i ...

      : ; . "That this . house is of opinion that the execution of'eightecn persons , and the jmprisonment . transportationj and corporal punishment of 140 other persons on < this occasion ,-are at variance with the merciful administration of the British penal laws , and not qaleu ) ated ; to secure the future affection and fidelity of her Majesty ' s colonial subjects . ¦¦ > . "That this house is : of . opinion that these seventies are the more , sincerely to be deprecated as they were exercised after , tlie , suppression of the disturbances , during ; which none of her-Majesty ' s troops dr . public servants were killed , an , d O 11 'y ° D 6 soldier slightly wounded . •¦ , ^ ,. :.

      !; " Thatthis house is of opinion that the conduct of ! the' late ^ Governor of Ceylon , in keeping in force martial law : for two . months after his chief legal adviser had recommended , itB discontinuanoo , and during- which period the civil courts : were sitting without danger or int . erruption , -and also his refusal to allow a short delay , in the execution of a priest , at t lie request of the Queen ' s Advocate ; who wished further investigation into the case ,-was in the highest degree arbitrary , and oppressive . "That this house is therefore of opinion that the conduct of Earl Grey , iu signifying her Majesty ' s approbation of the . conduct of Lord Torrington during mid subsequent to the disturbances , was precipitate and injudicious , tending to ; establish

      precedeuts of rigour and severity in tho government of her Majesty ' s foreign possessions , and injurious : to the character of this country for justice and humanity ; " . . - , ¦ . - ¦ :- : ; - .-:- ; - .-, ¦ ..:: ' He observed that this was-no longer a question in which the interests of the ; colony . . were alone con > e ' erned ' , it involved the interests of all our colonies ; the honour and character of : the country , tand : ; the conduct of a committee of that house ; and these were tlie grounds upon which he had felt it to be his duty , as chairman ; of the Ceylom . Committee , to living the question befove the house . He began by giving ' a detailed , history ,-of the proceedings of . the committee , and ot \ the circumstances under , which certain documentary evidence canio ^ before them .

      and then addressed , himself to the othev branch of the subject—the . result of the committee ' s inquiry . He should avoid , he ; said , matters of opinion , including the origin of the outbreak ,-and the expediency of declaring mavtiaWaw . ; : but he should call upon the house ; to decide ,. whether . the manner , in which martial law ; had been . eanied into effect could be justiSeJ , especially after ; the disturbances had ceaseti , and when . the country , was in a state of tranquillity . Afterexamining the nature of martial law , and the circumstanceswhich , call for the substitution of courts martial for the . ordinary tribunals , he described the modes by which the courts at Matele '¦ were constituted , and their proceedings were conducted , laying great stress upon the opinion

      expressedby , the Chief Justice of Ceylon , Sir A . Oli-Jh ' ant . " ^ That the country was tr anquil when ' the . courts martial sat was proved by . a-proclamation of tho Governor himself . -After . taxing Lord Torrineton withroisrepresentation .-Xlr . Baijlie charged tile Colonial-ofiSce with ; falsif ying documents laid before the house , and then adduced evidence of other acts committed , he ; saiu , " by , the Governor , of Ceylon under the supposed . omnipotent power conferred upon bun by martial law ,.--proelamations ordering the confiscation of lands and property , and carried into ! effect inthe most oppressive manner , par ticuliirly in the oases of DulawoDewi Nileme aud Golahelbi . lie . sjiould , then , - lie said , proceed to show how human-life bad been disposed of , and

      with this ; view he . stated the case of the Buddhist priest , whose execution Lord . Tovrington had refused to stay at . the request of . the chief law officer of tbe colony , who had - . suggested ; that tliere wa 3 reason to believe he ,, was . innocent . Lastly ,-Mr Baillie referred to the despatches of Earl , Grey , con veying a general approbation of the conduct of Lord Torrington in relation to tho disturbance ' s , which " , in the language of his resolution , ; he considered « precipitate and injudicious , " and . ' - 'injurious to the character ot this country : for justice and humanity . " - .-.. . ¦ ¦' .. . ¦ ¦ . Mr . Sergeant Murphy , avowing that he spoke as the advocate of Lord Torrington , entered upon a defence of his conduct ., He complained that one

      p articular part of iLord Tomngton ' s administralion had been invidiousl y , selected for animadversibn , depriving him thereby ; of the benefit" of those parts admitted to deserve commendation . He then , entered with forensic minuteness into ' the history , of . the insurrection , its'formidable character , the necessity of . mauvalliw—of which lie' gave a . definition' vory uifiMeht . from . Mr .. Baillie ' s— ' and the salutary effects o ( that measure , ' which , according to the competent testimony of Colonel Dr . ought and other witnesses , ; lpil to the prompt captuve of . the -Pretender ; without which trauquillity could not ; have been restored ; Up defended tlio prbeeedings lot tbe' CourtSrmartiai ; at Matele—with which , \ iowevety Lord Torririgtoff had' rib conhexioh—and couitastcd tlie number sentenced by those tri-

      Untitled Article

      bunals with that of the . rebdU Convicted capitally by the Supreme- Court , who were spared by the clemency of Lord Torrington . In the matter of the priest shot at Kandy , upon which , he observed , a charge of worse than judicial munier had beon founded ^ Mr , Murphy gave a very full exposition of facts , which , he insisted established the guilt ofthe prisoBer / and the regularity and fairness of the trial ; and he donied tbat the governor was bound to stay theexeoutioa upon theidlc testimony ot

      a pvoctor . The conduct of Sir A . Oliphant was inconshtent with tho culpability of Lord Torrington , who , as tho whole evidence proved , had exercised a wise discretion , and would , had ho acted otherwise in . the peculiar emergency , have been guilty of a dereliction of duty . As to the eoijhaoations , except the two cases of Sileme and UOlahella , there had been no instance of actual confiscation of property ., II * Murphy then diverged into a collateral . history , in which . Mr . Elliott , the editor of the Colombo Observer , Mr JohnSelby , the brother of the Queen ' s advocate .

      ana tlio notorious Tickery Banik , were the chief awnto , which , he alleged , was connected with a cabal against the Governor . If-Lord Torrington , ™ 'S *? e best of his ability and with the DroS ; v T ' r ? tho islandin a ' statc <> SSK ' . w . . r u 'vUited with censure , the Uouse would establish a fearful precedent , and fite ' rT' * gaV ° UP 0 W Colon ' ^ " Mr . ; Ker Sevmeu repudiated all party feeling ffftSST * 1011 1 . WhJCh in J ^ opinVnTinvoWea tho prosperity , perhaps the . very existence , of our coIon al empire ,. which required good government , and this , ma colony like Ceylon , meant a good governor . : n « impression from tho evidence was , if ^ irt r ' 'T I ii . WM n i't originally considered of importance , but that it hadbeen afterwards oxaggerated .. It was alleged by Lord Torrinotnn thnt .

      p " l i T if * , a humn " e m 8 a »»™ i w ^ ea Colone , Braybrooke and the Queen ' s Advocate stated that the people had been driven by it from their homes , and were afraid to como back . This question , Mr . Seymer remarked , affected tbe Colonial office more than Lord Tovrington , and he pointed out instances in which the conduct of that office , with reference to this inquiry , was in hisopinion censurable . The proceeding of Lord Grey he thought was the most important part of the question . Wlien other colonies found that conduct such as Lot-d Torrington ' s bad been entirely approved oythe Colonial Secretary , the effect would be serious . . . . .. . . . Earl Ouosvekor shortly defended Lord

      Torring-Mr . Roebuck , notwithstanding the circumstances connected with the appointment of Lord Torrington , fclc it to be his duty , after going through the evidence , to vote against the motion .- Ceylon was termed a . colony , but it . was not se j it was an outlying possession , densely , peopled with various l > a ° differing from us < an languago and religion , which had been gained b y the sword and was maintamed by force . Different tests were to be applied to such a possession and to a colony . He should test a government like that of Ceylon , not by rules applicable to constitutional ! governments , but by the result ; and tlie question , therefore , was whethersecurity had been obtained there -at the least expense of pain and suffering to the communitv

      Aitnough the obligations of the King of Kandy who maintained the priesthood , had devolved upon us , our policy had weakened their power and destroyod that of the chiefs and head men , and all these classes had-been exasperated against US Mr Roebuck then described the difficulties which beset Lord Torrington . when he . assumed the government of thA island , which he represented as a hotbed , of insubordination , discontent , and intrigue , and he then examined . the grounds upon which Mr . . Bauhe rested . his -resolutions ; The evidence negatived the allegation-that martial law had been unnecessarily proclaimed ; the tribunals had been

      adnnni 8 tejfed . it were evident and safe ; and their proceedings , deserved . no ; censure , nor was there any evidence that while martial-law continued the punishments were unnecessarily , cruel ; A priest had been shot , it was true , in-his sacerdotal robe ; this robe was a vest of yellow calico ; and had it been removed he would have been left naked .. But , if a priest engaged in rebellion and was convicted , ho should be executed as a priest ; by way of example . 1 hen , did Lord Torrington continue martial law too long ? There was no proof of this ; in short , there was nothing in the . three blue books , except afterthoughts , which impugned tho conduct of that noble lord . - ¦ ¦¦ i . >¦

      Mr . ' Hume declined to regard Ceylon , -with Mr . Roebuck , aB a possession to be ruled without constitutional government ; '' and differed from his theory ;; that . if the-island '^ was kept quiet this result wus sufficient . < -When Ceylon was conquered , we pledged ourselves to goyarn it according to certain , rules , and the question was whether Lord Torrington ; had violated- those rules , and disrecarded the .. dictates oMmmanity as well as the interests of the colony . Applying himself to the evidence , Mr ; ' Hume complained that much of it favourable to Lord Torrington had been concocted between him and SirE .. Tennont . Ho contended that there had been : no rebellion ; disturbances there-had been , but they were causedby taxes imposed- by Lord Torringnton- , as . shown by Sir E Tennent , who admitted that the people when they assembled-were unarmed , and that " no disaffection existed in . the country . " . The taxes enforced upon the

      pnosts were , peculiarly unjust in conjunction with the lnjudiciouspolicy adopted by Lord Torrington : towards . that body by ^ direcCion of Earl Grey . ; The proclamation of martial law , whichjvas not . wavranted by any evidence of itsneosssity , was , he contended , an abuse of . power ; the disturbances mig ht , have been disporsed .-b y the civil arm . ¦ Tho responsibility-of issuing this proclamation-rested with Lord Torrington . and General-Smelt . To the employment of Colonel Drought in-the disturbed districts—an inexperienced officer—instead of Colonel Braybroqke <; Mr . Hump attributed the irregularities of the' courts martial at Matelo , which , he said would ' : djsgraee . any country ; and he expressed his astonishment that Earl Grey should have approved of the . executions—murders , as he called them—confiscations and outrages which had taken place under martial law . In conclusion he maintained that the house had sufficient proof before it to affirm all the resolutions .- . -- . '

      Sir J . Hoqq moved tho adjournment of the debate .: < . . . Mr . IIawes rose , and requested the attention of the house to a personal matter . Upon tlio general question he would be prepared to speak on a-future evening . ¦ A charge had been made against him by the hon . member ( Mr . Baillie ) to the effect that he had . been , guilty of the falsification of documents which he . had laid , or had beeritbo means of laying before the committee , or on . the table of the house The . hon . gentleman ( Mr ; Baillie ) had said , "I charge the hon . gentleman the Under-Sebretary for the Colonies " . ¦; : ; . ¦;• ¦ -i ....

      ^ Mr . Baillie ( interrupting Mr . Hawes ) -IcliavL'ed the Colonial-office with having sent out a Paper which was falsified . ( Oh , oh ; and hear , hear ) . ¦ - Mr . Hawks . —Tho lion , gentleman said now that he charged tho Colonial department , or some person in that department . He ( Mr . IIawes ] i represonted that department , -, and he would refute the charge . ( Loud Cheers . ) .. Tho lion , gentleman , in order to sustain the charge , had referred to the Bluo Book containing the document connected with the inquiry before tlio Ceylon-Committee , where ; he fnund it stated that Air . Stewart , ' the Deputy Queen ' s Advocate , had attended fourteen courts op martial mutters , whereas' lie had only appeared before four . He ( Mr ! Hawes ); iduiitted that Mr

      Stewart had . only appeared befove four courts-martial ' . Since the hon . gentleman - ( Mr . Baillie )' had made the charge , he ( Mi-. IIawes ) had obtained , the original document . ' That document had not been put in by . him ( Mr . IIawes ) ; it had not como rrom the Colonial-office ; ' but 'it had beeh placed before the Committed by the Colonial Secretary for Gey-Ion . . ( Hear , hear . ) ' Moreover , it hadiicvev passed through the Colonial-office . ¦ ( Cheers , and " Hear , hear . " ) That , however was not all . The ori ginal document was perfectly eorroct . It showed that MiyStewarfc had . appeared before four of the courts * martial only , arid the repetition of the word , " ditto —ditto , " , in the paper , was the error of the printer of the House of Commons .- ( " Oh , oh ; " and ' Hear , hear . " ) ' Why , what '• further explanations

      could ; ho ( Mr . Hawos ) give ? ( Cheers , and uproar ) The hon . gentleman ( Mr . Baillie ) having been chairman of the Committee , was just as responsible in the matter as he ( Mr . Ilawe ' a ) . The . error was iu the paper printed in the Bliic Book , and it must be the error of tho printer and tho pvintov-onl y . ' ( Cheers . ) The lion , gentleman ( Mr . ' Baillie ) ought not to have preferred the charge' so lightly as he had done , lie ^ Mr . Baillie ) was bound to have inquired , into the matter before he broughtiit forward , and bound to give him ( Mr . IIawes ) lnfonnatibn of his iatention torhakff such / a charge . ' lMie had had the couvtftsy to have informed him ( Mr . Hawos ) of his intention , he ' rnighfc-have been' saved the necessity of that public refutation . ( Cheers , and "hear . " ) ' ' '• - -

      Mr . Dishaeli rose for the purpose of asking the noble lord ( Lord J . Russell ) on what day . he intendedto have tho debate resumed ? 116 might also , however , remark that it was so far -satisfactory to the . house that the Colonial-office should bo vindicated , but at the same time , without entering into a discussion on the question , it was quite evident that his hon . frieod ( Mr ; Baillie ) was perfectl y justified in his statement , as far as the merits ' of the case ' were concerned : His lion , friend ( Mr ; Baillie ) Was , he really thought , perfectly justified inmakiiie the statement , and a very important statement it was . , ( Cheer ' s , and "Hear , hear . ) Lord J ; RussBLLsaid he would take the adiournnd debate on Thursday next . ' '

      Mr . Baiiub said that the explanation of the hon member ( Mr . Hawes ) might ' be very satis , factory as . far as he was concerned , but the house mus tr « member . that the document had been JS

      Untitled Article

      rawfhv ° V ° J " i - v two montlis ' U Inust hilve hwn andvnM \ U Vl 0 offioers ot «> ocolonial department , the verv fiVr- S entltma « » a « just told the ,.,, for (" Oh oh'i nM Of tlie e «^ . rdinary mistake , he tl , \ Jt ? d 'h « w . hoar . " ) - The statement of Bi ! ieysShSA& r »' falsification of a return either Sns ? S ° ° ! * ' ? department , or the head * & ? ££$£ 2 ™* against some clerk conneoted with it ml m , ! ' ? had added , « What a departmen t t& * ££% £ allow the falsification of the returns by an officer " Hear , hear . ) Uw , the hon . gentleman ' s attention had beenlong : directed to this error , as it appeared to be in the printed paper , nnd not in the ori ginal document . The hon . member had not taken , the trouble to make an inquiry which might have

      satished him on the subject , but had reserved tho matter to make an impression on the house . ( "Oh oh . " ) Ue ( SirG . Grey ) blushed for the House of Commons that it contained a gentleman who would , after the explanation that . had been givon —( loud cries of " order , order , " and " oh , oh , " in thomidsfc of which Sir G . Gray sat down . ) Mr . . Baillie wished to know from the Speaker if , he thought tho right hon . gentleman " ( Sir G . Grey ) in order ; because he ( Mr . Baillie ) did not , and if ho were m order in that house- ( " Order , order , " "Oh , oh , " and great uproar . ) Ihe Speaker said that the right hon . baronet ( Sir r ule ? o 4 e hUei' ^ """^ *»«««*«»¦ *> Siv G . Guby had not used any observation which the hon . gentleman ( Mr . Baillio ^ nni . lH . nt " . iiZ . _

      gentleman , after the complete explanation IS ™ hih hnA ° f . "" "" po uted that department , which had been deliberatel y charged as faUifyinc i return , could say that ' he was fully vindicated ii making that charge by the statement of his hon . friend ( Mr IIawes ) . He ( Mr . Baillie ) might him self have had vecourse to the original -document , and have ascertained that it did not pass through the Colonial-office at all . ( Hear , hear . ) He ( Sir Q . . Grey ) regretted that he did not make that inwiry ,, and regretted also that the hon . member should say he was full y vindicated in ' makirie tha chavge . ( Cheers , and "hear , hear . " ) Mr . Bailue . —The right hon . gentleman ti . sd said that he ( Mr . Builhe ) could have had recourse to tho original document , but the o ri ginal document was in tho Colonial-office .

      Mr . Hawes . —No , no . Mr . Bailue said , that the right hon baronet had misundevstood l » h ( Mr . Baillie ' s ) statement . He ( Mr . Baillie ) had said that tho honourable gentleman ( Mr . Uawes ) had made no explanation which had vindicated , his own character , and the character of the house- But he ( Mr . Baillie ) had also said that he was justified in making the statement he had done , . seeing tlmt the document had been two months printed . ( Hear , Hear . )

      Mr . Hawes had understood the honourable member to say that this document having been printed for a great length of time , must havo come under tho notice . of tho Colonial-office ; . and therefore that the error might have been corrected . Tha document , - however , had never been in the Colonial i i' ' i fc had comefr . ° m Ceylon and passed into the hands of : the committee , nnd from the committee to the House of Commons . From the archives of the House of Commons he ( Mr . Hawes ( had taken it v

      Mr . W . Milks , . amidst a scene of great uproar maintained that the Colonial-office was responsible in all colonial matters , and was therefore implicated in this transaction . . ; , "• ¦

      ViscountTAi MEnsTON conceived the Coloniai-of . fico , from the explanations which had been given , was entirely-blameless in this matter . It ' appeared , that there had been a difference between' a written , paper given into the committee nnd the printed copy of that paper as inserted in the bills . If that paper had been given in by the Colonial-offico ifc would riot have been to blame because the paper had been perfectly correct But the paper had not been given in by them , so that if it had been wrong the Colonial-office would not havo been chargeable with , any wrong .-, It hadbeen in the printed copy , whera the words "ditto , ditto "had been inserted , thafe the mistake had occurred . The House of

      Commons printed tho document and not the Colof mal-offico , and . if blame attached to any one ( andT he was not saying thatblamo did attach to anyone ) it was surely to the chairman of tho committee—» ( "hear ,, hear' , ' and laughter ) — under whose auspices the report containing the erroneous docu > ment had been made .. Hear , hear . ) As the chairman of the committee , 'he ( Mr . Baillie ) ought to bave known that the document did not at all come from the Colonial-office , but from another quarter ^ Lord G . . Hamilton asked the house to mark the contrast between . the tone of the remarks which , had just been made , and that of thoso which had fallen from the right honourable gentleman ( Sir i

      U .. brey , )( Uproar ) .- He thought the honourable gentleman , tho Under secretary for tho Colonies had made use of terms which he ought not to have used , and had deviated from that honourable course which ho ought to pursue . ] f it took ithe honourarable gentleman , the Under Secretary for the Colonies three hours , notwithstanding his official knowledge , to ascertain how this mistake had arisen , how was his honourable friend to knov it ? The noble lord said , as his honourable ) mend was chairman of the committee he must have recollected it , butthoueh he was chairman of ' tha committeo , he was constantly outvoted , and it was not to be expected that he should watch over ever * document . ... -- . *

      The Attorney-General said the noble lord who had just sat down had complained of undue warmth on that side of the house . How had the warmth arisen ? A charge was deliberatel y made by the hon . member for Inverness against his hon . friend the representative of the Colonial-office of having wilfully and deliberately falsified documents , ( Hear . ) That was no light charge ; it affected the character of those who were implicated in it as gentlemen and as men of honour as well as of public mon , and in support of that chargo tho hon . gentleman referred to a certain document in the printed evidence . The hon . gentleman whose character was affected , had received no notice on the part of the hon .

      gentleman of his intention to bring it before . the house Now , he ( the Attorney-General contended that com ^ mon fairness between man and man , and between , gentleman and gentleman , required that when a man was about to be thus grievously assailed , some intimation should ' he given to him . Now mark the position in which his hon . friend was placed . By singular good fortune and dili gence ho had been . able to produce the document before the huuse . If he could not have done so , it would have pone forth to the country that there had been a falsification of documents ; and that was a state of things that wa » calculated to excito warmth in any man . It turned out that there had been a mistake made on the part

      of tho printer by putting the word "ditto " where " ditto" ought not to have been . It did not come from the Colonial-office at all , but from the Colonial beoretary in Ceylon . He should have thought the hon . member for Inverness would have hastened to rise and express his profound regret- that he had been the means of making a chargo against tbe personal honour of his hon friend . But the liQtisa had seen the singular want of candour of the' boni gentleman . Mr . IIkrdirs expected that tho hon . and'learned gentleman who had just sat down would have used

      persuaBivo epithets , but , instead of that , he had made a most violent attack . He ( Mr . Hevries ) did not think it was incumbent on his hon . friend to give notice that , in tho course of his observations he might speak of this document . Ho lamented that his hon . friend was mistaken , as undoubtedl y he-was . ' !; Certainly there was no blame in the Colonial-office ; the blame , if any , was with the corrector of the press . ] f was impossible , however , tostate that the right hon . gentleman ( tbe Secretary of State for the Home Department ) had exhibited his usual courtesy .

      Sir G . GRKVsaid tho right hon .-gentleman badexpressed an opinion that the charge was altogether ¦ without foundation—( "No " )—that thero was no charge that cowld be substantiated against the Colonial-offico in the matter , and that the hon . gentleman wastrhibtahen . He ( Sir G . Grey ) had now no hesitation - in expressing his regret that he should have made use of any expression that could bo personally offensive . ( Hear , hear . ) i The debate was then ad 3 ournt ; d till Thursday . Mr . J . Stuaiit moved an address , praying that her Majesty would add to the Commissioners appointed to inquire into . tho Court of Chancery two or more persons not of the profession of the ' lawand cause-instructions to be given to the Commio * sions to direct thehr immediate ; atteutlo a to the busmeaB before tho Masters ¦ ' . . . vue

      Sir J ; TnoLLOPR seconded the motion ' ° ., | tt : s % * » * *• = iue other business having been disDnsed of ¦«« , house adjourned at a quarteV to two o ' clock ' mW ^ s ^ unnn 5 - f Xm *^> " ° snowed the expediency ZL K- l ? - * W 11 as i " -Practice of paying c ^ by .. 8 ! ilary imteadofbyfees . V M ^ ,, Mr . inzRoV explained the obie ' ction 3 'fo > , whfph- ' the whole system of coroners' inquisition * - ' ? . - liable , which in , hisopinion . requiredlRTiE t ^ nHew- tion , and moved , by way of amcndpieil ;; that-a . select committee be appointed to consjdejrvthe state , of the law and practice and whether Bft W W « alterations should be raadein any oltHe . wauws . conneotedtherew . Hlk £ j ffi . :: ' { y > v ¦' , ' I %% .-, ' . ' '¦ > ¦ ' i Vi ? Vf 4 .

      Ferial Psfifenu.

      ferial pSfifenu .

      Untitled Article

      MvT 31 ; 1851 v ; : ; ' n , f ,. , ., „ , ,, ; , , . ^

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), May 31, 1851, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1628/page/7/