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Northern Star (1837-1852), 30th July 1842, Edition 3 of 5, Page 6, Untitled Article

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      had increased their unpopularity ; and he wonld bring that branch of the subject before tbe House early in the next Session . Captain Bbbkelet approved of the BilL ¦ Colonel Sibthobp thought the Bill might be less objectionable if the Assistant-Commissloneri were abolished , and the discretion of tke Guardians enlarged . General Johksok was at a less to know the real tenour of the Bill , which was dismantled of a majority of its clauses in committee , and had not bean printed since . - ' . The House then divided—Foi the third reading 103 Against it 30 Majority for the Bill . -73 Sir T . Aclakd moved a clause authorising guardians \ o appoint local committees for receiving the applications of the poor in parishes at a distance from the meeting-place of the beard of gnardians . Sir C . Napier seconded the motion . Several other Members concurred in recommending Sir T . Acland " s clause to the House . The clause was then agreed to ; but , on the question " that the Sill do pass , " Mr . Fjelpen took another division in which be was unsuccessful . otion tor into uooisuiwh ui

      On the m going oupyiy , Mr . Gibson moved , as an amendment , that the House should go into Committee to consider the distress of the country . He endeavoured to justify himeelf in this repetition of impediment to the Supply by referring to j constitutional practice , and by professing his belief ! thai Ministers themselves were not yet sufficiently j aware of the extent of tbe distress . It had been said th % t the proportion of uninhabited houses had not \ increased ; bat the houses were inhabited by ptrsobe I who could not pay their rents . The late increase in the consumption of sugar , ¦ which had been cited as evidence of an improvement , showed only that the measure of the late Government respecting sugar was one 'which I would have benefitted the etuntry . He then read a i variety of reports from Manchester , which he regarded j as affording accurate samples of the general state of the j manufacturing districts . He went through the trades | * f the grocer , the butcher , the draper , and the corn and j flour dealer ; observing that their condition was a fiir j criterion of the condition of the working classes around j I them . The persons best competent to judge saw no j prospect of improvement . There might be variations ; tba lever might be intermittent ; but it eoi < fltituted a [ i permanent disease . It was one which had been long J j predicted , particularly by the Manchester Chamber of j ¦ ' Commerce , in a petition pressing for tbe removal of all j ;• import duties on ftx > d . That representation was mode j ) in 1 S 3 S , and had been repeated in every subsequent i ! year ; and the like opinions had been expressed by the \ Liverpool Brokers' Association , which was not , like the ' Manchester Chamber of Commerce a tody maintaining j I Radical politics . The only remedy was the free adniis- | 1 sion of food ; and whatever ills mi 5 Dt be feired by ! seme from that measure , they could hardly be worse | than the ills already endured . The restrictive laws i I prevented that demand which a free exchange would ' 1 have created for manufactures , and -which would have j i obviated any disadvantage supposed to result from j i machinery . Tbe increased consumption of cotton was j ; no evidence that employment and wag&s had increased ; i uor was the erection of a new mill or two a proof that 1 manufacturing industry was on the advance . He pro- ! i tested against the doctrine of those who thought it 1 I politic to repress manufactures , lest the towns should i j breed a population dangerous to our institutions . This , \ j in other words , "was to affirm that tbe manufacturers i | ought to be Starved down to a certain point . Yet such , j [ fee said , was the theory now promulgated even from \ j the pulpit ; and to that effect he quoted a sermon of ! j the Rev . Mr . Melville . He then contend that all these ] I were but attempts to keep the farmers in the dark : ' i that the repeal of the Corn laws was known by its ' i supporters to be not far distant ; and that tke honest ! i course would be to say so at once to tbe farmers , and : i bid them prepare fer competition . The present was the j I fittest possible time for t&e investigation of the exist- ! ing distress ?¦ the pressing business of legislation was 1 : all disposed of , and a series of preliminary discussions ' i had prepared the minds of the House for the subject , j ' The coming harvest did not promiss to reach an ] I average , and even an average harvest did not come up : to our wants . There could t e found no argument ' r against his proposed Committee , except personal con- ¦ ! venience or an insane disregard of an iuitant danger . j Dr . Bowrikg referred to the declarations of poli- j tical parties in America , as showing that the bostild i fetslings of that country against England were gene- ; rated by the laws which exclude American produce . ' i He seconded Mr . Gibson's motion . : 1 Sir J EASTHOPi expressed his sympathy for the i i Buffering population . He gwe credit to Ministers for ' believing that they had done all in their power ; but < 1 -unless so teething more were effected , the people would ' i cease t » rely upon the House of Commons . i Mr . Humb contended for Mr . Gibson ' s motion . The agriculturists themselves would support it if they under- ! ; stood their own real interest . The landlords were ¦ ) much mistaken if they tbonsht their estates were i their own ; the paupers had the fitBt claim , and the ' i elergy the next . He was desirous of an examination ; into the causes of distress , and he believed out extra- ' 1 vagant expenditure would be found to be one of them . . - The only practical relief would be by at once applying , ¦ the principles * f free trade to all articles of general ' consumption . 1 illihk 3 vi silence 01 uiuis ,

      . air , y ,, complained me me . - I terial party , which he imputed to their conscionsuess of ' \ the weakness of tbeir cause . AH thtir promises and . ^ professions had broken down , and been falsified . Public 1 i epinion was with them no longer ; the working classes ! were now awakened to a sense of the fraud which had ' been practised on the nation , and the rent-receivers had i lost their power . The Opposition might fee censured ; for their pertinacity in these debates ; but their justi-1 fleation was , that every fresh discussion produced some 1 ' , fresh advantage . His own objects were to see tbe people well fed and well educated , and then they might be safely trusted with political power ; but tte 1 first consideration was , that they should be physically 1 i well oS . i . Mr . MtNTZ felt it is duty to say a few -words , lest it ' ¦ should be inferred froffl his silfcnes tiiat bis own con-I stituents were in a state of comfort . Ike present , how-\ ever , wis not a fit season for inquiry ; tbe minds of men | en all sides were as yet too mnch inflamed for any calm L exam i nation . I Mr . Cobden addressed the House upon tbe main i question . He denounced the landlords as hypocrites in \ affecting that they maintained the present Corn Law ! for the sake of the rural labourers , when the rural ; Jabourerii . were actually in a condition little better than that of ths manufacturers themselves . When Sir Robert , I Peel was told that things were improving , he was de-! ceived by parasites . It was in the power of the Legis-I Iatnre even now to arrest the high tariff of America , by I •; a simple declaration that the ports of England were : f open to American corn . There had been a political 1 justice in the progress of this session . They btgan with a law to make the people eat dear bread , and they : 1 ended with a Poor Law , npon which their own friends i : were backsliders from them . If , as some said . Sir B . \ ' . Peel intended to carry out the principles Of free trade , I there could bs no fitter season than the present ; be l ' might set at defiance the bigotled section of bis own I followers ; but there was no time to be lost I Tee House then divided on Mr . Gibson ' s motion , j which was negatived by a majority of 92 ; tha numbers ! i being 156 to 64 . I I The House then resolved itself into a Committee of ' ! Snpply , but . it being now past two o ' clock , one vote ' ! only was taken , and the House resumed . —Adjourned . j Monday , July 25 . ! In reply to a question asked on Friday night by \ Lord Palmerston , it was intimated by Sir Robert Peel , ; that a supplementary grant of £ 10 , 000 is to be pro-*¦ posed , in addition to the usual education grant of i £ SO _ , ooo . , \ Sir Jambs G : rab am , in reply to Mr . Ewart , said ; i thit Government were not prepared to substitute ano- \ ther punishment for that of transportation . CHABTISTS AND MAGISTRATES OP STAFFORDSHIRE .

      Mr . T . Duxcombe rose to renew the motion of which he had given notice ^ ome time ago , and which he hod ( postponed at the rtquest of tbe Hon . Member for ! Stafford and the Secretary of State for the Home Da-1 partanent The observations of the Bight Hon . Baronet I on that occasion had been read with much astonishment and surprise by the persons interested in the fate of the unhappy men who were now snffdring in Stafford i Goal . The trial took place on the 2 nd of the present ; month , and they were immediately sent to prison . A petition and memorial were immediately forwarded toj the Home Office on -the 13 th , and on the 16 th . & reply j was received which purported to be written by the ; direction of the Home Secretary ; and yet when qu

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      appeared on the trial against the prisoners . And what , after all , was the language to which the censubla deposed ? According to his account , Mason was telling the people , and telling them , as he ( Mr . Duncombe ) believed , truly that the laws of this country were made by the aristocracy—that the people had no voice in the election of their . representatives—that the laws which were to be obeyed by all should be made by all , and consented to by all ; that the individuals in this country who worked the hardest received the least ; and that thosa who worked the least received tbe most . The constable then interrupted the lecturer , saying that he could stand that no longer ; that be should do something for his pay ; that Mason was using seditions language ; and that it would be his duty to break up the meeting . Mason told the constable that he bad no business to interrupt him ; that his only business would be to go before the magistrate and lodge information against him , which might be tried on a future day . The constable persisted in putting an end to the meeting ; he took bold of tke bench on which Mason was standing , and tilted tip the lecturer—( a langb . ) The people interposed , but finally Beman carried off the bench . No breach of the peace was committed , except by the constable . Mr . Mason took out a warrant against the constable , upon which the constable took out another against Mason , and caused him to be apprehended . The magistrates committed Mason for trial , and dismissed the charge against the constable . Mr . Mason and seven others were committed for attending an unlawful meeting , and for assault The meeting was one which no lawyer would call unlawful or illegal . It was perfectly peaceable till interrupted by the constable . These poor working men were committed on a charge of unlawfully meeting , and on a charge of riot and assault . All tbd charges against them , except for unlawfully meeting , had subsequently vanished , and he ( Mr . Duncombe ) denied that for even thai part . of the charge there was any good ground . They had not come with arms , or with banners , or in anything like military array , nor was the meeting accompanied by any circumstance that could constitute it aa unlawful assembly . [ Here the proceedings were interrupted by the nomination of some Honourable Members to accompany Mr . Greene , as managers of a conference with the Lords , on the Wieklow Harbour Bill . On their return , Mr . Greene reported that they had delivered in tbeir resKoss for disagreeing to tbe amendments to the bill . Mr . T . DQuoombB tnen reBmned . ] He had been soing to say when he was interrupted , tbat Mason and the others had not been guilty of using Beditious language ; but tbat even if they had been guilty , the constable would not have been justified In interrupting them . Mason had been fouud guilty of attending an unlawful meeting ; the others bad been found guilty of a common assault . He ( Mr . Duncombe ) complained o £ the wrreat ; he comptaiu&d of tbe circumstances that had taken place at the trial ; and he complained ot the sentence that had been passed . The constable had evidently a dislike to Mason , and yet the Chairman in passing sentence gave one hi an two months ' imprisonment , another man four , and another six months' imprisonment , according to the dictum of the constable . If guilty , they were all equally guilty , and in awarding punishment to refer to a partial witness eould not be fair . These men were nov prisoners In Stafford goal , after having been sacrificed to the party spite of the magistrates , and in the present state of feeling in Staffordshire smch treatment , he contended , of the working classes was anything but prudent . ; When they coupled such occurrences with what bad lately occurred in Ireland , the people naturally askad , were they returning to the da J 8 of Castlereagh ? He ( Mr . Duncombe ) maintained that the people bad a right to meet and discuss what they deemed to be grievances , and this prosecution , instituted by the magistrates , wob disgraceful to the county of Stafford . He did not believe that any judge of assize would have found thesa unhappy men guilty , and it would therefore be better if the power of magistrates to try such offences at quarter sessions were taken away . It was too late in the session to ask for a committee of inquiry to investigate these charges , but toe would endeavour to obtain tbe best information within bis reach . The Hon . Member concluded , by moving for copies of the depositions npon which J . Mason , a Chartifit leeturer , Thomas Caswell , and six others were committed for trial at tbe late . Midsummer sessions for the county of Stafford ; together with copies of the indictment , or indictments , and the names and addresses of the magistrates and jury before whom they were tried . Mr . Hl'ME seconded tbe motion . UliAliAi ! suui lib

      | ¦ ¦ ¦ olrJ . owea some explanation rouro HoBGurabltt Gintleaaaji \ Mi . Duncombej and to the House for what had occurred on a former occasion , when this subject was introduced . He ( Sir J . Graham ) did not wish to avail himseif of any suhterfnge ; but , when itwas considered , that in the course of the year , about 4 , 000 cases connected with the criminal administration passed through his hands , added to which ; ftt this period of the year , he had to spend about ten hours of the day in that House , he thought there was some excuse for him if be was not always able to recollect the circmstances of each case when referred to . The case cams before him in the shape of a memorial ; but the memorial wasiudorsed , not " John Mason , "' buf'Thqmss Casweii ; " and thia circumstance hnd led t <> bi » mistake , l ^ ooking at al the circumstance of the case , he 'Sir James Graham ) thought the Honourable Gentleman 1 was taking a strange step , when he attempted to con-! stiiute that liousea court of appeal against the verdict ! of a jury . Hi ^ ( Sir James Graham ) would not attempt ! to enter on tte details of this subject upon an emparte j statement ; but -when the Honourable Gentleman Bai ( t ! ' that thfe constable had exceeded his duty , he ( Sir JatDCS | Graham ) must say he had still to leam , that aconstable shearing at a public meeting , language calcu-! lated to k : id to a breach of the peace , was not entitled j to arrest the person bo offending . Of course the con-! stable would do so on his own respousibility— ( hear , ' hf-ar , hear , from Mr . Hawes ) . At a . 'l events , the ' question had been submitted to a jury , aud the Hon . ; Gentleman would surely not tay that it was not com-¦ pttdnt for twelve ruen empanndled as a jury , to brirg 1 in a verdict on a . question of this kind . The cbairman ' who presided on the occasion , had held Wb office for ¦ twelve years , was a man of acknowledged skill and j experience , and waa a member of the legal profession . ! The Right Hon . Baroiitt then proceeded to read a ! statement from the gentleir . cn in question , who state ;! ' that for more than seven ye ? rs he hart attended nopbliU-• calmesting , or bad ever , in public , given expression to | any political opinion . Nor bad he ever beard any political ' discussion among the maj ? i 3 trates when they attended ' the quarter sessions . Ha ( Sir James Graham ) could j add that the chairman bore a high character for im-> partiality , and the language of Mason was undoubtedly ' , of a most exciting . kind . The prosecution was ordered I by the magistrates . There were four counts in the in-| dictment . Tbe first was for riot , the second for unlawj fully assembling , and the third and fourth for different degrees of asaault . The jury returned a verdict against i one of the defendants ou the second count , and against tbe other seven for an assault , and the chairman did I only what was right in iniposiBg the heaviest -puulsh' , nient upan Mason . The Hon . Gentleman usked whether | the time had arrived when it was not lawful for the : people to meet in a peaceful and lawful manner ? God : forbid ! but the question was , had these people met in i a lawful manner ? Had they met in a peaceful manner ? and in return be would ask had they arrived at the time when that House would review the verdict of a jury whose verdict could not be impugned ?—( htart ! hear . ) Tbe only semblance of doubt on on this p . biat [ had since been retracted by the Honourable Gentleman j himself . It had been implied tbat th « re were grounds | for suspecting the chairman of tampering with the | jury . The fact was this . The trial lasted from nine i o ' clock in the morning till four o'clock in the afternoon . The chairman , before summing up , begged leave to retire for two or three minutes , and the jury applied for a similar indulgence . The jury left the court under charge of a constable , but by mistake went into tbe same passage as the chairman , who simply put them right as to Where they should go . He ( Sir J . Graham ) contended it was in all respects a fair , honest , | and impartial trial , and deprecated the constituting of that House iuto a court of appeal . He should oppose

      | Mr . E . Bailer corroborated the statement that the jurymen who retired were in charge of the proper officer , and the chairman bad no communication with them further than had been stated ; and bore testimony to the accuracy of the written statement quoted by the Right Hon . Baronet . The chairman wa 3 a gentleman of much legal knowledge , clear perception , and sound judgment , and be ( Mr . E . Buller ) knew no one upon whose impartiality he would place a greater reliance . V Mr . Agliojtby knew nothing of the parties concerned , or of their political opinions , and was therefore not prepared to give any opinion on the facts of tbe case . His object in riaiug was to express his dissent from the uoetrine of the Right Hon . Baronet He ( Sir . Aglionby ) thought that in a canBlitutional point ot -riew that House ought to be the supreme Court of Appeal in cases in which the liberty of the Eubjeet was concerned . He did not say that motions should bu brought forward upon every light and frivolous occasion ; but in cases of grave doubt and suspicion the right ought to exercised . He did not understand the Kight Hon . Baronet to say that there had been any breach of tbe peace until after the interference of the constable . It appeared that certain language had been used which the constable choose to consider constituted an unlawful meeting . Ho ( Mr . Aglionby ) did not agree with the Right Hon . Gentleman ' s definition of an unlawful meeting . He ( Mr . Aglionby ) believed an unlawful assembly to be a meeting held for the purpose of carrying out that which , if carried oat , would not ; be lawful . He denied that tbe constable ought to be constituted a judge of what constituted an uml&wful meeting . - There mnst J > e " something calculated to imprees every one with , the belief that a breach of the peace was about to be committed . He should support the motion of tbe Hon . Member for Finsbury with the greatest pleasure , and whenever he observed a case of the kind that was not light and frivolaoa , he should assume the right of the House to be a court of appeal . Mr . Hawes hoped the law officers of the Crown would stand up in their places , and protest against the unconstitutional doctrine " of the Right Hon . Baxonet the Secretary of State for the Home Department He ( Mr . I Hawes ) knew nothing abont the case , but when it was said that a constable should be a judge whether a meeting was seditious or not—Sir James Geaham . —It may save the Honourable Member some trouble if I now observe that I did not i Bay the constable was justified , but that he did it at his

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      own risk . The constable observing tumult at a meeting which in his judgment would lead to a breach of the peace , was justified at his own peril in apprehending the parties . ¦ ¦" - . : ¦ ; ¦ •'¦'¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ . ; , -V ' .. : ' : ¦ ¦ .. ¦ ' -: : : \ - ¦ ¦;¦¦ :,: Mr . Hawes never dreamed of saying that the constable waa exempt from responsibility , but protested against the doctrina that the constable was to be the judge . He had underBtood the Right Honourable Baronet to Bay that the constable was now juatifled by the verdict of the jury . Since the days of the circular of Lord Sidmouth he had not heard of a more Invidious attempt to put down public discussion than the doctrine now held by the Home Secretary . Lord Sid mouth ' s circular had been scouted throughout the whole country , and He ( Mr . Hawes ) hoped the opinion of the Right Honourable Baronet would meet with a similar condemnation . There was a long debate on Lord Sidmonth ' s circular , in which Lord Holland and other Liberal authorities had held that , although it might be true that offenders Might escape by the constable not having sufficient power , yet it was better that should be the case than : that he should be armed be with a judicial authority . ' The ATTORNEY-GENERAi felt it necessary to say a few words after the sort of challenge by the Honourable Gentleman to the law officers ef the Crown . If the papers were called for with a view to any practical purpose , he should be glad to know what that purpose was . If they were not called for with a view to cast a slur upon the magistrates and jury , he could not understand why they were asked for at all ( bear . ) The only paper of any importance ^ or for which there could be a pretence for calling—although he should certainly have objected to its production— was the note ' s of the chairman , and that had been abandoned ; but as to the copies of the depositions , the persona committed for trial had a right t 6 such copies , and if there had been ' any thing in them containing matter ^ of complaint they could have been incorporated in a petition , and brought under the notice of the House , As for the copy of the indictment , it was nothing more than a transcript of a Crown law form containing a charge of attending an unlawful meeting ; and although the prisoners might not have an office copy , yet they had been furnished I with enough to ground any complaint to that House . The next thing called for was a list of the names of the magistrates and jurymen . The names Of the magistrates were appended to tbe commitment , and as to those of the jurymen they must have been notorious , and were called over , in court . That House was the last ' ¦' assembly in which the verdict of a jury ought to be uiade the subject of comment . Much had been saiit as to the power of the constable in such an assembly . Now , whenever a constabio saw any act done ( hear , hear , ) heard any counsel given , or any language used , the V immediate tendency of which was to lead to a breach of the peace , it was his business to watch , aiid- ... take care that no breach of th « peace should be commiited—( hear , hear )—or it might become his imperative duty at ouco to interfere and prevent it . Ha ( the Attorney-General ) should be sorry to see any proceeding , the tendency , of which was to put downi-public opinion , but when he saw that tke conduct of the constable , however rash , had been jastified by the verdict of a jury , he did not think the House wai'ranted in interfering . Under " all circumstances he trusted the House would decide that the case was not one in whieh its inquisitorial Power should be

      called into operation . ' Mr . O'Cos ' NEhit would recommend the Honourable Member for Finsbury to withdraw tbat part of the motion which called for the nanteB'bf the magistrates and jurymen . That part of the motion which called for the production of the depositions ought , in bis opinion , to be acceded td . It struck him that the parties in question had been charged with , one ciffWnce , and : convicted of another . The offence with which they were charged was , that they had been guilty of using seditious language . Their conviction went solely upon the ground that they had attended an unlawful meeting . He ( Mr . O'Cohiieli ) repudiated the doctrine that an inferior officer , such as . a constable , shouidbejnafje the judge of whether language was seditious or not . The fact of the saditious character of the language employed in this instance appeared to ber exceedingly questionable ; and in order that the House might be enabled to judge of it , it was requisite that the depositions should ' bo produced . He hoped , therefore , that the Honouri able Member for Finsbury would insist upon that part

      \ of his . motion . Sir lipnERr Inglis contended that no ground whatever-bad feton BhOWn tO .. Warrant tba interference of . the I House in a matter already adjudicated upon . The riej positions for which the Honourable Member called had nothing whatever to do with the trial . Mr . T . DUiNCOMBE said he should not press for tho names of the magistrates or jurymen . The SoiiiciTpB-General suid , there couid be no other object to be attained by this motion than to cast a censure on the magibtrates and jurymen . The Hon . and Learned Member for Cockermoutb said tuat tbat House ought to be-a court of appeal . If . there were any real gtievauce that House was the place where itought to b « made known V but he protested against the doctrine of that House beingmade a court of appeal on the I tieQision of a judge or jury in any matter , civil : or criminal— ( near , hear );—tliat House was wholly incompetent to such an object , and it was because this was intended as an appeal against this decision of the magistrates and the jury that he now objipted to this motion—( hear , | hear ) . Upon what . ; groun « l : was . it made ? Take the petition , which , as he understood , was presented to the House by tbe Hod . Member for Fiusbiiry . The H « n . Gentleman , tha Member for Piasbury disclaimed any ! : intention of bringing charges against the magistrates , the chairman , or the jury ; he declared that he did not imean to ask for the names of the jury , or tbe , magistrates , or the chairman , bufe yet what did the petition say ? It proceeded in theso words : — " That your petitioners are fully convinced , from the proceedings connected . with the trial , that the prosecutors , and the magistracy , and the jury who were sworn to return a : verdict in accordance with the evidence , were ir . nu 9 nced more by factious motives than a | strict ; - regard tb equity . " No . * ., he would ask with ; what view was the House of Commons called upon to agree to this motion ? 11 was saiil that there existed no intention of pronouncing censure upnn either the magistrateB , the chairman , or the jury ; then with what view wusthe question raised ? In order , it was said , that an inquiry might , be instituted ; but he professed himself at a loss to discover how a case even for inquiry had been made out . The Right Hon . Gentleman the Member for Cork county bad told the House that he was not in possession of any information on the subject ; and so had almost every Member who j addressed the House ; ha would , therefore , just briefly state , that the first count in the indictment charged the prisoners with having created a riot ; the second , with holding an unlawful assembly ¦ the thirdy withassaulting a c ' . instabie in the execution of his duty ; the fourth , I with a common assault . Upon the question of law to I which this trialgave rise the chairman pronoanced a J judicial opinion , and jsurely it would not now be main-I tainedthat the-Hon .- ' Member for Finsbury wished the j House of Commons to pronounce a censure upon that , i for , if such were his wish , why should he disclatm j it ? He said he did riot complain of the chairman or j any one concerned , yet be presented a petition pre-I ferring charges against all concerned , he got that petij tion printed with the votes , and he founded a motion j upon it . Each of the charges in the petition were I gono through and denied , and after giving up every one of the papers which he demanded in the iBrsfc instance , he then asked for the depo « itions . What could the production of the depositions effect ? No practical result csuld be obtained from any papers I except the chairman's notes ; for those , however , the I Honourable Member did not ask . If the House Went j into an inqniry , the depositions would be wholly iuimaj terial . It was suggested , that if the depositions were produced they would show the grounds of the committal ; but of what importance would the grounds cf the committal be after the question had « one before agraudjary ? After they had investigated the question , after they had found a true Bill , after the prisoners had been tried , nay , after they had been convicted , of what , possible use could tha depositions be . ? ( Hear , hear . ) No censure , no suspicion ever coul * l rest upon the chairman , upon the magistrates , or upon the jury . What advantage could result from agreeing to the motion of the Honourable Member for Finsbury ? ( Hear , hear . ) ¦'¦ ••¦ ' ' :. - ' /<''¦ ' : ' ' ¦'¦ : ' ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦¦ '' ' . ''¦"¦

      Mr . SHEit aaW that Wb Hon . Friend the Member for Finsbury did not mean to cast any imputation upon the chairman , the magistrates , or the jury ; neither had the motion which he brought forward ; been founded upon the petition , as stated by the Hon . and learned Solicitor-General . The petition was not once mentioned in this notice of motion . What , then , would be the advantage of producing those papers ? The Right Hon . Baronet the Home Secretary admitted that a . constable ! in the perfbrmance of his duty had exercised some disi cfetion ; that he had received an impression from overt I actSi or from words , that a certain meeting was an unlawful assembly , and he interfered to disperse that asj sembly without the authority of a magistrate . It was true the Ri ^ ht Hon . Baronet did not say that the constable was justified in taking such a course ; but he would ask , were the circumstances of such a nature as to call for the approbation of the Government ? On the oontrary , the Attorney-General admitted that it was inexpedient for constables thus to interfere . Was it not , then , pushing the power of the executive Government to a great length , under these circumstances , to refuse the production ot the papers 7 ( Hear , hear . ) Stmrnum jus . summa injuria . If the doctrine now insisted upon were , to prevail no public meeW ing ¦ ¦ ' -. could' be held withfiut such ¦" ¦ ¦ meeting being liable to dispersion at the will of a constable . Suppose i 0 > 060 persona were assemblea ' upon' any ; OCCaslOu i Bnppose a constable- —ion IgDorant man , but one anxious to do hirduty--heard or witnessed that which he conceived to be illegal , and thereupon he dispersed the meeting m mero motu ; the queittoia caine ; to be tried not before any one of the judges of the landV but before an inferior tribunal ; and suoh being the facts of the case , it would surely b « Inferred by the country that the refusal to grant papers was a retrospective ratification of the coarse of proceeding adopted ^ by the constable . An assembly might \» unlawful , but it would be mest unadvisable to give to the constables the power of judging with regard to that ralawfolneM , and he trusted that the House would agree with him , that to grant the depositions in such a case as the present would not be understood to imply any censure upon the judge or the jury . If the papers were granted it would [ be received as an expression of the opinion of the

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      House of Commons t hat public meetings ought not te be dispersed by the authority of constables ; but , il they were refused , an opposite inference must be drawn . : : ' : ¦ - .- '¦ ¦ .. - " ^ ' - ¦' . ; ¦'• • ' ... - ' . ^ - [ : ' :- ' -: - ''' . '¦ : ¦ ' -:- ¦ ; :: •' . Sir R- Peel said that the Rigbt Hon . Gentlemat who last addressed the House had not attended to th < manner in which the motion had originated . It wai originally founded upon the petition , and the Hon Member moved that the petition be printed , in order as Wa original notice stated , that he should call th < attention of the House to the prayer of that petition , and induce the House to consent to a motion for th < production of these ; papers , on the ground that th « judge , the jury , and the magistrates were influenced bj factious motives rather than a strict regard for equity Let any Hon . Member compare the original notice witt the present motion , and be weuld find that it had dwindled almost to nothing ; but yet , if the Houst agreed to the motion , it would amount to saying that the verdict had been given against evidence . Thai allegation , in fact , constituted the first charge . The second , as already stated , accused the jury , the judge , and the magistrates with being infiaenced by factiouj motives j the third paragraph of the petition asserted the innocence of the accused ; and the fourth was as follows —" That previous to the Chairman oi the Sessions summing up the evidence , he and two of the jurymen left the court by the same door ; and , afterbeing absent for Bome time , the chairman and one of the jurymen returned together * the other immediately following , which circumstances ought not to bo allowed to trasp're in any court of justice , it being palpably indicative of unfairness , 11 nbjb iBJustlce , tewarda the accused . " That Statement was moat positively denied . Though the departures from court were simultaneous , it was a circumstance purely accidental . Every one of the charges had been abandoned excepting one , and that was not contained in the petition . As to the chairman of the quarter sessions , he ( Sir R . Feel ) had not the honour of his acquaintance , and had never even seen him ; but had always heard his name mentioned with the highest esteem , and believed that his services in theadnjinistratipn of justice ( as had been hands » mely acknowledged by the Hon . Member for North Staffordshire ) ; were highly appreciated in the county —( hear , hear . ) That the House of Commons bad no jurisdiction in &uy case to Inquire into the administration of justice , he could not lay down , neither could he undertake to define that jurisdiction , though assuredly , if there were reason to suppose that a chairman had been tampering with the jury , there might be ground for intervention ; but nothing could be more danaerous than , on light grounds , -to interfure with the administration of justice and set up the House as a court of appeal from juries . As ^ o calling for the names of the jurymen , the Hon . Mlember for Finbury ' s own good eensa induced him to withdraw bo very moDetrous a proposition—( hear . ) The most observable thing waa that the Hon . Member had called for the names of all the parties concerned in the' matter except the very person who had just the greatest concern in it , namely , the . constable . : ( Mr . Duucombe here cried out , ^ We've got it" )— - ( a laugh . ) But now as to the charge against the constable ; what was there to sustain it ? With regard to what hia Right Hon . friend the Minister for the Home Department had said , he had not understood him to lay down any doctrine abstractediy-Hhear , hear , from the / Liberals .. ) . - Surely , his -Right-Hon . Friend had done nothing more than refer to the circumstances of this particular case- ^ i" No , no , " from Mr . Hume ami others . ) His Right Hon . Friend would not , of . course , lay down ; in that House , ; without any deliberation , what were absolutely the duties cf the constabulary in a most diffioult class of cases . In the present case ( which was all that his Right Hon . Friend bad meant to advert to ) , the constable- bad performed , a very doubtful— : ( hear , hear , from the Liberals )—as ail cases ef the sort must be doubtful , till set at rest as this had bean by the verdict of a Court of Justice —( hear , hear , hear , hear . ) The Jury bad found that the mefiting was an illegal one , and thus had justified the man's conduct —( hear , hear ) . There bad been ; too , more than one appeal to law the party complaining had brought his action for the assault ( of which nothing bad been said ) , and that action had been dismissed —( hear , hear ) . Why should not then the decisions of r court of law be deemed sufficient ? - — ( hear ; hear ) . It would never do , certainly , for the House ; to interfere till all legal means had been ex ^ haustedr- ( hear , hear ); and if once the House adopted tbe principle of interfering , in < sases so alight , with the judgments of courts of law , depend upon it there j would not be one night without Borne case ' -of the sort being brought forward , for to tha etid of the world losing parties would be dissatisfied with the verdicts —( hear , hear ) . On these grounds , then , he hoped , that to inaintain intact the great principles of law , the House would negative decidedly-a proposition so fraught with danger to the administration of justice in this country —( cheers ) . ¦

      Lord Palmerston Baid , he concurred in the general principles laid down by the Right Hon . Baronet ; but cases might , it was admitted , arise in whieh it would be just ; tointerfero . I { hnd been laid down by high , legal authority in Ireland that in such cases the complainiBg party could not properly avail himself of the agsney of the press , butmust either appeal to the Executive or to Parliament . Now , in this case there had been an appeal to the Executive , and the Right Hon . Baronet ( Sir J .. Graham i had considered the subject ' . with more or leSBof care—( a laugh ) , —the / TeBUlt of h / is delibfcration having been unfavourable . There was a perfect disclaimer of any intention to throw c ^ nBure on judge / or jury ; but the separation of the objectionable parts of the motion made it more expedient to agree to the re-[ mainder . What was meant by the constaWib ' s intefferiug " on his own responsibility ? ' » That &eemed is ; dangerous a doctrine as that which was involved in the conduct of one who , Buspecting fraud at cards , pinned hia opponent ' s hand to the table with a fork , saying , "If it is not a cheat , I beg your , pardon ! " —( iaught > . ri . — ¦ The fact was , however , that neither of the Crowa ' s I law officers had decidedly maintained the legality of the doctrine , that a constable might in any case act on hia own idea of the lawfulness Of a Hlfceting—( heat-. ) He should concur in the motion , as establishing ; what be theught would be a salutary precedent—( hoar , hear ) . : Mr . VlLtiERs admitted the evil of suffering illiterate men to be expounders of law ; but , in this case , a chairman of sessions ai * d a jury had justified the ; constable whose conduct waa in question—( hear , hear . ) But that , in hfs opinion , made the case of his Honourable Friend still : stronger for his application to have the depositions produced —( hear , hear)—for , as he had now framed bis motion , there was no question of the mode in which the law had been administered , or any appeal to this House from a verdict of the court , bnt simply a rtqnest to have the depositions on which the prisoner was committed produced , which was information that was peculiarly interesting for them at this time to possess-Hbear , hear )—for the Attorney-General eays that there are many laws which ; he should be sorry tosee construed strictly , and his Hon . Friend says that if the prisoner was convicted properly , the law is in a singular state—( hear . ) For their information / therefore , as a legislative body , it was important that they should know under what circumstances this person had been J indicted and subsequvuyly convicted , and how far meetings to discuss political questions might be held , or inijjht be interrupted ( hear , hear ); for if the law , as it had been construed at these sessions , was known , it might prevent violations of it in future : and . if it was bad or improper to continue it , this House might desire to know that , with a view to alter it . Raising , therefore , as it did , the question of the law , as it might be then enforced , fee sheuld vote for the depositions being produced , as the best evidence they could get ol the matter ( hear , hear . ) Mr . Ew art Bpoke amid cries of . " oh , " and " divide . " He thought a constable was not a proper party to decide as to the unlawfulness ol a meeting . In the Manchester case the people had Implements calculated to excite terror in the people , and Mr . Justice Bat ley had laid it down at Tptk that there must be something to terrify the peopie before a meeting could be said to be unlawful ; but at the meetiig alluded to on the present occasion there were no implements calculated to excite terror . . Mr . M . Philips denied that there were arms at the Manchester meeting . It might appear in evidence that there were , but such was not the case ; there were no arms ; nothing but flags . With respect to the present motion , he must say that he did not think a constable a titperaon to judge of the legality of a meeting . The House iben divided-T . F » r the motion ........................... 32 Against it ...................,,.,., ^ i .... 116 Majority ........................... 84

      On the question that the SPEAKER do now ! eav < the chair , with the vjew of going into Committee oi Supply , '¦ ' . ' .. ¦ : ' \ ' ¦¦ : ' ¦ : ¦ " <;¦ ¦' ¦ ¦ ¦' . - ' - " , ' ¦ ¦/ - . : ¦>• ' ' :. ; . - Mr . SHAEMAN Crawford called the attention ol the House t © tho present distressed condition of th ( poor of Ireland . ; He was convinced that the Corr Laws had been productive of much injury to Ireland , and , as an Irish proprietor , was quite willing to beai hia share in any Imposed burden tot the relief of tht distress , which was so severe , that inany of the pooi : might perish of starvation during the recess , if nol by some means rescued before Parliament ; waB pro . rogued . .. : - / : ' - ¦ ¦ : ' ;¦ : ¦ . ¦' . / : ' ¦ : ¦ ; ¦ ' ¦; ; - - ¦ ¦' /; . ' ; " " ¦ ¦ '¦ ,:. . ¦ ¦¦ ¦ Mr . FiELDEN seconded the motion . / Lord Et i ot admitted the unquestioned sincerity pi Mr . Shannon Crawford * who , as an Irish proprietor , had done much for the welfare of his humbler fellow countrymen . Bat there waa nothing in tbe genera ! condition oMxeUtxd to Inspire despondency—rathei the reverse . The present distress was of that usual and unfortunately annual nature , arising from the con dition of a merely potato-conaumlng popuUtion , and to remedy which the Government had taken measures of relief . Otherwise the country was steadily progress ing in improvement , and the people were actuated by i spirit of enterprise hitherto unknown . After a few observations from Major Bryan and Mr FieBch , ; V ¦ ¦ ' ¦ . ¦ ¦ ¦ '¦¦ . : ¦¦ ; . ; -.- ' . . - . / .. ^ - -- . •¦/ . ¦¦ : - ; . - ¦ ; , . .. . ¦ Mr . O'CONNELt , while thanking Mr . Crawford to ] hia motion , and Mr . Fielden for seconding it , though that it might be better withdrawn , aa at this lat < period of the Session no practical result could coni from it . He was used to ^^ these glowing propheciei about the improved and improving condition of Ireland and the present distress was as severe as he had eve : known , not bo muoh in absolute famine , as in a genera ' ¦

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      > want of employment , and therefore Wages . Head * r mitted , however ; that the Irish Government and indi-) viduala were taking steps to alleviate the distress , tkough he contended that the present condition of tha i country indicated something essentially wrong . » : Mr . Crawford yielded to Mr . O'Coonelli anggestioh , > and withdrew his piotion . v ; ; \> 'h ~ - ;; k . Mr . HUME th » n , before the Speaker left the cbair , , mentioned the condition of hi * OTTO CODStiUisnt * , ha j having been called on to do so by them at a public , meeting , with their chief magistrate presiding . When j he had concluded , V / ¦ » T ^ e House resolved ; itself into a Oomniittee of Sup ^ r ply , commencing ' . witt the remaining Irii& Estimates . . The business of Supply occupied theT xert of the i evening , and several sums were voted . V » -- »» --w

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      Front the London Gazettet of FtidaVi Jtify 22 - ' . ¦ .... •• " ' ; . / ' ; . : BANKRUPTS . " / ' ¦/ : -: " , - ,. - " - ' ; " : /¦ !' ¦¦ John Mills , London-wall , canal-carrier , to surrender 1 Angust l , ^ September 2 , at eleven o ' clock , at the : Bankrupt ' s ' . Court : solicitors , Messrs . Waterman , Wright , and Kingsford , Essex-street , Strand ! and Mr . j Wood , Wood-bridge , Suffolk : ; cfficial assignee . Mr . ! Graham , Basinghall-street , . : : " Henry and Robert Fawcus , Stockton-upon-Tees , Durham , timber nierchants , Ang . 4 , Sept . 2 , at one o'clock , at the Black Lion Hotel , Stocktonrnpon-TeeB ; solicitors , Messrs . Swain , Stevens , and Co , Frederick ' splace , Old Jewry ; and . Mr .. Scaife , Wewcastie-upori * Tyne ..-v ; . ¦/;¦ ;; ' . ' . ¦ , -v-- \ ; : - . - • .: ¦;¦; ' . '¦ y- ; . ;¦ ' . / - " , ¦ ' George iSkipp , Hanltfy Castle , Worcestershire , cider-naercbant , August 1 , S ^ pWriiber 2 , at eleven o ' clock , at the office of Mr . Elgie , Worcester : soli- citdrs , Messrs . Clarke and Metcalfe , Lincoln's-inn-Ficlds ; Mr . Reece , LeSbury ; and Mr . Elgie , Worcester . " ¦ '¦ ¦ ' ¦ ¦ ¦ '¦ V ' .. ' ¦ J : - ; ' ¦ ' ¦• ''¦ ¦ ¦' ' ¦ ' ;•• ¦ . ;¦¦ ¦ ¦ . ¦ ¦ ¦'¦ . ¦ : ¦ : ¦'¦"• Charles Timmis , S tone , Staffordshire , flint-grinder , August 13 > September 2 > at twelve o ' clock , at Trenthain Inn , Trenthain ; solicitors , Mr . Smith , Southhamptoa Buildings ; and Mr , Harding , Biirslem . Wiliiam Seddon and Francis Jordan , St . Helen ' s Lancashire , millers , August 3 , September 2 , at twelve o ' clock , 3 t the Clarendon rooms , Liverpool : solid'tors ' , yMessr ' s , Battye , Fisher ; and : Sudlow , Chancerylane ; and Messrs . Crump and Hasaell , Liverpool . Lawrence Yablonsky , Birmingham , jeweller , Aug . 1 , Sipt ; 2 , at eleven o ' clock , at the Waterloo-rooms , Birmingham : solicitors , Mr . Stafford , Buckingham-st ., Strand ; and Mr . Harding , Birtninghajn . ¦ , Samuel Rushton , Nottingham , ironmonger , July 29 , September 2 , at two o ' clock :, at the George IV . Inn , Nottingham : solicitors , Mr ; Yalldp , Furnival ' s-inn ; and Messrs . Parsons , Nottingham . .. , John Walsh and Elijah Halford , Nottingham , tailors , July ; 29 , September 2 , at twelve o'clock , at the George IV . Inn , Nottingham : 8 olicitois , Mr . Taylor , Featherstone-buUdings , Holbom ; and Mr . Lees , Nottingham . ' ¦; . ¦ ¦ ¦' . '" . /¦ ¦ ¦ ' . ' - ¦ ¦' ' - ¦ '• : '¦ .-. ¦ ¦'¦ ''' ;¦• ¦ ¦¦'" ''" -. '' . PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED . Heaion Mersey Bleaching Company , Heaton Mersey : ; . and Manchester . —Plaxton and Robinson , Beverley , York 8 hire , iinendraper 8 , —Pilling and Curry , Liverpool , commission merchants . S . Greg and Co ., Quarry-bank , antl Bdllington , ^ Cheshire and Lancaster , Caton and Bury , Lancashirev splaners . S . and W . Jenes , and J . W .. Jones , Liverpool , boat-builders . J . Hobson and ' M . 'fWalker , carriers between York and Leeds . Messrs . , Denison , Brothers , Guiseely , Yorkshire ; scribbling , and fulling millers . Greenwood and Johnson , Halifax , Ydrkshirej cotton spinners . Fawcet , Preston , and Co ., , Liverpool , . iron-founders ; aa for as regards W . R « ; ¦ -Preston . ¦ ,- .. . ¦ ¦; . ¦ ' ¦ . ¦ ¦/¦;¦ ; ¦ ' :: ' / ' y-r ' ¦ " . " ¦ - ' . - .. "''¦ , ' •' . ' - . . - .: ' .. - ; . ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ - . - ¦ ¦ .. - - - - - - - . . - ¦

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      fcL .--- - ... . ^ ^ ^ ^ ir ^*^ ir - ^ - ^ ^^ ^ . _ . . . ; OPaoROGATioN op PAEUAMBwr . r--The ^ day named ; for the prorogation of . parliament is the 10 th or 11 th i of August . The laboura of the Bession will coase-, quently terminate in i fortnight , i There was another " affair of honour" on Wedl nesday week : Mr . Alexander Pollington and Mr . i , Augustus James Tankerfleld , who had a dispute ! about some electioneering matter ^' "net ^ on Putney i ' . Heath , at five o ' clock in the moving , and shot aft ' : each other . Mr . Pollington was severely wounded in the groin ; Mr . Tankeraeld slightly in the left 1 arm . -. ¦;; - . : ¦ ¦ ¦ - ' : ' ¦ ¦ . ' . ; ; . : ; ¦ ¦ - , - ¦ . ¦ : ' /; -. . \ Attempted Murder . —On Saturday night one / of r two servant girls who slept in the house of Thomas M'Namara , f armer , at Hallycahane , rose out of bed , ' and , seizing a knife , without previoas threat or jfliimidation , out the throat of her bed-fellow , whose , cries alarmed the family , and constable Slattsiry ; who was on patrole convenient to the place , sent off for Dr . Kobert Fitzgerald , who sewed up ^ the incision , and hopes are entertained of the poor girl ' 3 recovery . Jealousy is said to have instigated the horrid deed . The windpipe was severed by the wound . The oflPender , Peggy Griffin , is in custody . The name of theBuffereif is Catherine Fitzgerald ;—Ztmer «; ifc Chron ^ Frightful Accident . —A sad accident happened to a fine youth Ou our tiy&t last week , who anfortuhately got the rope of a steani-tug coiled roand his legs , the effects of which were dreadful . The left leg was nearly torn off , the . muscles , great blood vessels , and nerves being crushed , and one . of the bones broken to pieces ; there was also ah extensive laceration . - ' of the other leg , completely dividing the tchdo Achillis . The amputation of the left leg , was i recommended ; but as the friends refused their eon-. sent , the arteries were tied , and the beat done which the case would admit . As the surgeons expected , ; symptoms of mortification appeared ou the following day , which increased so rapidly as to convince the > ;¦ friends of the youth tbat the-only hope of saving the poor fellow ' s life was by the removal of the limb—; an . extremely hazardous experiment under such circumstances . The Case is , however , going on I favourably , and but little doubt is entertained of the J ni ' tffliifo TPO . nvarv — -Jlnvset . fiiixptta VL 4 « r ¦ jn 9 ¦

      * m * w ^* < * W * J * ^ r ^ ^* T w " ** ^ " V ^ ^^ - ^ W W WW . - .- ; Fatal Railway AoctDEirr . —Oa Wednesday week a fearful accident happened on the line of the Lifer * ' : ' ; pool and Manchester ^ ilway , which proved imme-- > diately fatal to a fine young man named Scott , about ¦ ¦ ¦¦ '¦ 19 or 20 veatB of age He was getting out of the way i i of the Freston ; train , near JParfeaide ( not far from the epoi where the lamented Mr ; Huskisson , waa killed ) , and which was being hooked on to a traia going to . Manchester , and did not observe a train to . ! Liverpool , which was coming on at a rapid rate in [ i the opposite direction . He was immediately knocked v dowa by the latter , aud cut across the body from the I head diagonally to the loinsl by the whole of the f train of carriages passing over ^ him , and the body , ' ' ! ' which- lay in an oblique direction , ; was only feebly : f attaoncd together by the clothes . As soon as the | train could be stopped , several of the passengers , amongst whom was a medical man , got out , but the j unrortunate individual was of course past medical j aid , and the body exhibited a shocking spectacle . ; The body was immediately removed , and the utmost secrecy was observed , the guards not even stating it 1 openly as they ^^ passed the different stations , but mentioning it m a whisper . To obviate accidents I ljke these » ias the engine of each train is provided : ! with : a shrill whistle , which ia blown on the approach j to the different stations , it would also be very desira-¦ , bio that it should be put on as sooa as another train I 1 appears in sight . This showB the necessity of doing '• i away with the privacy in which numerous railway | accidents are ; kept on the lines of this part of the ' country , as if the accident or the inquest on the body | had been made public , it would have led ^ to the sag- - ' gestion of this or other mode of prevention of the I oceurrence of this or similar accidenta . A great secrecy is invariably observed with respect to all such accidents , though it is but fair to state that with all its immense traffic this is the second , if not j the first , fatal case which has occurred since the i lamented dtath of Mr . riuskisson on the first ppeh-! ing of the railway . So quiet was the oecUrrenca kept that no notice of it was taken in any of the loeal prints .

      3tm$M'Al ^Arkam^M.

      3 tm $ m ' al ^ arKam ^ m .

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      V HQ ^ SEl Ot ' jJMDS-Ffidw , July 22 . Lord Bbocsham laid upon tiie "table two Bills , teving for their objeet to improre the Bvwof Bankwrptey and to l&cQitite arrangementa between debtor sad creditor . Tlie Bills were read a first time , arM Xord Lyndhtiref s measure upon the same subject , a % ¦• en as the Csmrty Court' s Bill , having been passed Uirough Committee , their Lordships adjourned . Monday , July 25 . Lord Wbabscliffe intimated is reply to the Bishop of Lendon , that it "was the intention of Government to establish normal schools , withont any speciEc religious education , for those who were to " become themselves the teachers of schools . In tbe distribution of tha grant , the Government * vrould follow the phut laid down by their predecessors . On the motion for the re-committal of the Mines and Collieries Bill , Lord Brougham inculcated great caution in the application of the principle of Interfering with the rights of labour . He admitted that the Legislature might interfere with the employment of children in occupations injarieus to their constitutions , but was jealous of interference 'With , the occupation of adults , as the principle adopted in tbe present bill might be extended to other occupations , such as that of pin and neodle-making , &c The Marquis of Lokdosdebry hailed the support of Xiord . Bronsham in opposition to tbe Bill , as other-Wise he had stood alone , having been thrown overboard by . Lord Hatberton . He moTcd that the Bill be referred to ft select committee . - . After a short discussion , the recommittal of tie Bill V&B carried by 49 to 3 . Tha Bill was then recommittfid , and Lord 5 K . ELMERSDALE » ov&d that -women above forty years of age at present working in collieries should still be permitted to do so . After considerable discussion , " thisTrasrejectedby 29 to 15-The Esrl of Mouxicashel proposed to raise the limitation age of children from ten to twelve years . This was negatived without a division . Tbe Bill , a ter some farther discussion , -went through eommittie , and . the Houss a ^ joumad-

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      ' HOUSE OF COMMONS , Friday ,. July 22 . Tb ^ Csjsto ms A ct- Amendment Bill tss read a third time and passed ; as" was also the Exchequer Bills Preparation Bill . Sir J . Gbahaii moved that the Poor Larw Amendment Bail be uow read a third fcme . Mr . FlKlDKX gave notice , that on the question that tbe Bill Co pass , be should move as as amendment that it be printed , in order that Hon . Members might know what it contained . He believed that not five Members fcnew ¦ vrhut iis provisions were . i Mr . S . C-AWroBD said this Bill was utterly barren i of any provisions for tke relief of the poor from the : opprcisiTe ¦ working of tlie present lafr ; its only effect I ¦ would bs to continue the Commission for five years j longer The ^ aesticn -was then , "would tbe House c * n- j sent to a Bill with such an object , in the face of all tbe ; objections brought against the arbitrary character and proceedings of the Commissioners ? He ¦ would jemind the House , that to those objections no satisfactory answer had ever been given . The Commissioners , it ¦ was proved , had been guilty of the unnecessary and unreasonable forcing of the in-door test in cases vbere It vrai clearly absurd to attempt this— -where there tns insufficient accommodation tor the poor , and they conld sot bs relieved in the House . The ntxt charge against them ~ n as for obstinately directing the use of unwholesome or inadequate diet for the paupers , and commanding it to be continued , although they knew that it produced disease . The facts brought forward to sapport these charges had never been disproved , and the charges accordingly remained in full force . The next charge against the Commissioners was , that they permitted extraordinary and excessive punishments—that was not deaied . Another charge WS 3 that the rules of tte Commissioners affecting aged persons trere inhuman and crael ; the aged and . infirm were put under the aitne roof ¦ with the able-bodied , and kept in such a condition that life conld . not be sustained . He challenged any Hon . Member who suppisrted the Bill to show that those charge-were false ; the only anrs-f r to them was , that such things had been done in other places and at a former time , but that ^ U DO justiE .: slii > n of ttie present conduct of toe Commissioners . Another strong objection to the Bui was , that it gare no power of appeal to the poor man against the acts of the Guardians or . Commissioners- Again , tke distance of the poor from the "workhouse "was generally So great , that it ¦ waa impossible for them to make their frant 3 known . The House "was now asked to renew tbe CcmmiEsion for five years , under a promise from Government that they would introduce a remedial Bill next Session . That was a pledge on vrhieh no reliance conld be placed , as its fulfilment entirely depended on circumstances . After the condnct of Ministers , in dividing tbe Bill , and taking only the clauses afTacting txie CorcmUsioii , in the face of their declaration th&B it mnai be posisd entire , bow conld Qie House rely oa the pledge now given to bring in a new Bill in the next Session , when the intentions ol GoTermnent might be defeated ? If this Bill passed representation -would be a humbug . They heard mucb in recent debates of the distress prevailing in tbe country , and It -was fit tfcas the Honse should properly investigate that subject . Tae greatest relief , however , TPhich could be administered , at least to those "Whc most required , it , -would , he "sros eonvinced , be afforded through a humane and chanuble Poor Law ; bat be ¦ was sorry to find tSat those who talked most -lond ] y ol the pis-railing distress were supporters of the present Bill . He implored . Members to break their silence , and tell the country -what th « y meant to do to relieve . the agoxrz ' -ag distress which in some parts existed . in 1 reia-d . He did not speak on this subject "with any Htjos like party feeling ; he did not expect that a large number would support tte motion he "was about to make ; bnt he -was nol ashamed to appear in a small minority on tins question . At all events , he -would rather glory in "being in a small mlnerity supporting the rights of the poor , than in the largest majority against taem . ( Hear . ) He begged now to move , that the Bill be read a third time that day three months . M ^ . Field ex seconded the motien . The Hon . Member then read the letter , -which "was to the folloTring effeet . —Tie-writer stated , —

      " I have just read , -with astonishment , Sir James Graham's statement relative to the beneficial effect of the >~ Poor la-w in rural districts . The fact is , that the Corn Law snd the Poor La-w together have reduced tens of thousands of field labourers in the rural districts to a state of abject slavery , starvation , and nakedness . It is really heartrending in this once flourishing , bnt no-w suffaring country , to hear its rulers , -who profess to be the guardians of our peace , comforts , and prosperity , talk like Sir James Graham , in the faca of so many facts , which declare that the field labourers at this moment are starving fcr want of ¦ work . " Wben the Poor Lavr "was introduced there was a clause in it enacting Mat oni-dcor relief should be refused to ablebodied men after the 31 st of July , izss -, but this clause -sras ¦ sithdravra . Now , lie asked , why did not the Government do * what they got the Commissioners . to do ? This -was a cowardly course ef proceeding . He did not expect his opposition to the Bill to be successful . Xearly all the Liberal and Conservative Members -would vote for the third reading . Still he would discharge his dnty . The condnct of tbat Honse was oppressive to the poor . They passed laws to make food dearer , and then they passed other lawB to reduce the rate of ¦ wages If they thought the labourers of the conntry would bear this , they were mistaken . He had been 'warning them for ten years of tbe approach of distress ; and now that distress had come . He would sow endeavour to impress on the minds of the Government What must be the consequence of contiraring the commission for five or six years . The labouring men of Eng .-and taped when a Conservative Government came into power it would act on Conservative principles , and that their condition wonld be bettered . Taey had been disappointed , and a feeling of revenge was springing up in their bosoms , and "would ba manifested in a way which all wonld have to deplore . > lr . MrjfTZ could cot coneeive how a Bill such as this cume to be supported by so many of the Liberal

      Mr . Rashleigh condemned the Bill for the hardship -with which it pressed upon men with" large fasulies-Mr . Escott wonld not oppose the third reading ., A great point had been gained in the declaration of the Home Secretary , that the explanatory letter of the Commissioners was cot to be taken as a binding order . - iir . AGLI 05 BT would vote against the third reading , by reason of the clause which continued the Commissiun for fire years . He begged to be understood as not concurring in the strong language used by Mr . Fielden-Csptain Pechell said that he triumphed in the rsspue of the Gilbert Unions . In answer to a question from Mr . B- Yorke . Sir J . Gkamam repeated his conviction of the necessity for » central sathority . Parochial administration without appeal was recommended bj no one ; and , even with appeal , it had been productive of so many evils " , as to compel the interposition of the Legislature . It was complained that there lay no appeal from the Board of Guardians ; bnt a representation made to the CemmifiSionera of any matter in which the Guardians had miseamed would hardly &Q to induce some remedy . Having himself stated in round numbers , that where 200 , 00 * people had been relieved in tbe workhouses , more than x , ooo , 000 liad been TeUevBd at home , he hVl Btnca been asked to specify the proportion of the ablebodidd persona . The number of those relived during thfc quarter ending Lady-day , 1840 , in the ¦ workhouses , ¦ was under 50 , 000 ; attheir own homes , 205 , 000 . During the correspondisg quarter Gf 1841 , the number relieved in the workhouses -was 65 , 596 ; at their homes , 280 , 150 ; The system , then , which had been condemned as a cruel and iron system was , in truth , a plastic and humane one ; and he earnestly recommended to the House to sanction it by such a majority as should mark their con-Tiction of its usefulness , Mr . O'C 055 Ei , i , s man objection was against the contjuaance of tie Commission to 1 S 47 . In Ireland there were Commissioners having * political bias , which

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      ' ( ^^ , > ¦ -..... ^ z —¦ ¦ . ... . ., ¦ ¦ ¦ . ¦ . ¦ - .. .- ¦ ¦ ¦ . - ¦•• : . . •¦ ¦ From the Gazette of Tuesday , July 26 . 1 ; : r ¦¦ '¦ ' '¦ BANKRUPTS . ' ; : ; . > - ; ¦¦ ; . ¦ - ' : S .. _ Gaprge Chapman , cowkeeper , Islington , to surrender . Aug . 2 , at one , and Sept 6 , at eleven , at the Court of \ ¦ Bankruptcy , Belcher , official assignee ; Williams ^ ' Alfred-piace , Bedford-square . .- ; ' John Lang , Samuel Armltage , Ewhard Redfearn / and John Sykes , blanket manufacturers , Liversedge , York , Aug . 6 , and Sept . 6 / at . the \ Oeqrgs ' H 9 tel ' ; ' Htt ( lr ' - ' ' ' deiaftelS . Jacques , Battye and-, Edwards ; Ely-place , London j Watts , Dewsbury . v / " ^ ^ ^ ^ ::. ¦ : Daniel Hpdgson , Vbanker , Sandwich , Kent ; Aug . 16 ,, > at seven , and . Sept . 6 , at eleven , at the Bell Inn , Sand'¦ wich . Rowland and Yonngi ^ hite Lion Court , Cornhill , London . ! ' ; , ' ' . ¦¦ ''¦ :- .. ; . - ; . '' :-: ^ :- - ¦ : - ' }' ; - ^ ' r ' r '¦ \ / . . ; . " . ' Thomaa Henry Munday , boofesUeri Fore-sfareet , Cripi plegate , Aug . 6 , at one , and Sept 6 , at two , at the Court i of Bankruptcy . Edward ' s , official assignee , Frederick ' 8 t place , Old Jewry ; Nicholson and Parker , Throgmorton-; street ; ' ¦ , •¦ ' : ¦ :: : - ¦ - ' . ' . . < "¦¦ ¦ : . ' ^/ ¦ ¦' : : . ¦ ¦ : ' ] ' ¦ ' :-: ¦ ¦ ¦ ' ' / ¦ ¦ / . . '¦' . . > John Cotton , hosier , Nottingham , Aug . 3 , at twelve , f and Sept 6 , at two , at the George IV . Inn , Nottmgi ham , Yaliop , Furnival ' s-inn , London { Parsons , Nottingh&ai . \ ' : '"'¦¦¦ ¦¦ - ¦' : ' . ' ¦ '¦'¦¦ ¦"¦¦ ¦ ' ' ¦ . ¦ - '¦' . " - ' ¦ - '¦ ¦ . Edward WilkJns , linen draper , Swansea , Ang . Si , '' and Sept . 6 , at eleven , at the Bush Inn , Swansea . Wu * E liama &j&David , Swansea . ;; 'A '' - - - - - ;" ' : . " - '' w ' . Elizabeth Fairolaugh Richardson , publican , Manch ^ - - ter , Aug . 8 , aad Sept . < s , at ten , at the Comailsstquera * ^ 1 : » onw , Manchester . Jaquea , Battye , andEdwardii ®/ : ' f Place , London ; Heath , ManchestCR ' ' ¦ ¦¦¦ - ' . <' - , V John Scott , gun maker , Birmingham , Aug . 1 * . at ten , and S « pL 9 , at three , at the Commissioners ' t Rooms , Manchester . Johnson , Son , and Weatherall , i Temple , London . Hlgson and Son , Manchester . . John Dickins , Upholsterer , Northampton , Aug . 5 aoa ¦ i > Sept . 6 , at ten , at the Angel Hotel , Northampton . ; Wing and Twbilng , Gray ' s-inn-square , London ; Pjrvrell » Northampton . r > ; ¦; - \ ~ — ;'"' " }¦ ¦ ¦; . ; - - ;> . / - / ¦/ ¦ ¦'¦ •'¦ ' : " :. " ¦ . : " Andre * Leighton , merchant , Liverpool , •;¦ Augi I 13 , and Sept , 6 , at two at the Clarendon-rooms , Livert pool . Vincent and Sherwood ; Temple , LondoiorliitWe-J dale and BardsweU , LiverpooL ) James Metcalfe and Xhomaa Metcalfe , upholsterers , i Cambridge , Aug . 8 , at eleven , and Sept 6 , at half-past j one , at the Court of Bankruptcy . Graham , official r assignee , Basinghall-street ; Gidley , J 3 arl-Btreet ,: Blacfct' : tris * j . / , ; ¦ - ¦ " . ¦ ¦ . " " •¦ , " . -v . ¦ .. - ¦ . . . . : ' .. - ¦• ' ¦ - ;¦

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      6 ' ¦ - . THE NORTHERN STAR , , ; . /¦ ¦ .. :,: ¦ , ¦¦ ¦ - . . '¦ . : ;¦ ¦¦ - . . ' y :: ,. ; :, v . . .. .-i , - - ; . ; . . ) //^;^ ^ K : > Hr ^ - ^

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), July 30, 1842, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct609/page/6/