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Saturday . April 28. - , - " HOUSE OF CO...
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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.
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Dublin , Satonpay.—The ' Chisis.—The Acc...
_Snfie-rCTs _. orthe dean-sing of the town . Ii ia quite _ABtRany- to witness the scenes of misery , atthe present tune , in this neglected town .-I have the honour ke . Cbeagh , Colonel . —Galway , April , 23 rd . —TotheAIilitary . Secretary . " _" * ' __^ _« n . "this remonstrance has been unavailing . The chairman and the other commissioners agreed that "itwas < niite . impossible for them to doauytlungni the way of improving the condition ofthe town , when they had not one penny to expend •" ¦ and the secretary ofthe Galway board of commismonerswas _directed to make a representation of _flus utter helplessness iu reply to the communication from the Lord-Lieutenant _Zm .
Tuesday . —Agbicultubai , _Phospecis . —Some additional reports have been received by the secretary of the Royal-Agricultural Society from the practical instructors under Lord Clarendon ' s letter . They do not , _Tinfortniiately , tend to decrease the alarm that is felt at tho prospect ofa fourth deficient harvest , while it is jaaanifest that in parts of the south and west the infatuated peasantry are still resolved to chug to the culture of the potato , notwithstanding the fetal experience of three years of successive failure . Writing from the union of Kenmare , Air Potterton , . the inspector ofthe district , observes — " Throughout the whole union little work is in " progress but potato planting , and this is done extensively , and in a : most , slovenly and imperfect
manner . - we _ureaatn of ground sown under this crop is alarmingly grea t , even compared with the years of its most successful cultivation . As considered in the ratio of the householding population there is , from the best information I could obtain ' an undoubted acreabie _jUcrea 5 e 0 f fifteen per cent ' to the quantity of last current rear ; and this wili appear still more incr edible when it is stated that the people entertain only a vague probability of even aa average Crop . A sort of desperation—a reckless fatuity , _hasunpeUed them to this dangerous career—for not _xuifrequently their existence is at issue with , the successful result of this hazardous exj- * dient . -Potato planting has been in operation here since last Decemberand has continued with
_ , little interruption eyer since . After the potato , the general desire ttfor barley and oats , for which crops some individuals are now breaking lea or bawn . Some few instances are to be found in which an inclination to try a turnip crop prevails , but these are few indeed .- From east to west , that : is from miles beyond Kilgarvan to "Waterville ,-being in extent about forty-five miles , and excepting a small tract in the Eilgarvan direction , and some townparks at Kenmare , almost every acre it contains , requires reclamation in the strictest sense of the term . The country is in a most deplorable condition ; farmhouses are everywhere deserted , and the land
attached to them has become waste , and a regular commonage enjoyed by those fortunate individuals who have survived the dreadful ordeal of the last four years . The central and three auxiliary work-- honses are overstocked , and unable to admit the numerous and dail y applicants , in consequence of which extern relief is largely , though , I believe , rig idly--arid judiciously , adminstered , arid its wretched recipients have located themselves in the now doorless and roofless habitations to which I have alluded , ' and have become the nocturnal plunderers and terror ofthe country , disdaining to "work for ordinary wages , so long as they receive public charity and relief . " *
Air . Bole , the inspector for the West of Galway , writes : — " I proceeded towards Spiddal , and found the farmers along the coast making great efforts to plant the potato . - Iasked many of them what they would do if the potato crop should fail this season , and the universal cry was ' If the potatoes fail this year , we have nothing to do but to lie down and die . explained to them how they might have plenty of food , even in the absence of the potato , by cultivating peas , beans , parsnips , carrots , Swedish turnips , and cabbages , which would be fully as abundant and as good as their old favourite . They were quite ignorant of any of those crops , except turnips and cabbages , which they said -were very food ; and one of them described his turnips to ave grown as big as his fist and as thick as potatoes on the ridge last year . I explained to him how he
might have them as big as bis head instead of his fist , by sowing them in drills , instead of broadcast , on the ridge ; I also explained the cultivation of the other crops , aud the manner of making composts of seaweed , sand , bogstuff , < fec ., which they have in great abundance . They appeared thankful for my advice , and many of them eagerly asked if they would get the seeds for nothing , as they had no money to buy them ; but if they got them for nothing , they would not spare then : own labour , and would do as I directed . I told them I had no seeds at present at my disposal , but urged them to prepare their land aud manure aud that , in a short time , some charitable persons might send them seeds . I have transcribed the above remarks at full length from my journal as it isafairdescription of the general state of things in this baronv . "
A New _Coloxt from Irelaxd . —At this moment arrangements are in progress for a systematic emigration , on a vast scale , from districts and by a class apparently not much affected b y the prevailing embarrassments . In fact , it is in contemplation to establish an Irish colony in the United States , composed of substantial farmers and graziers from the counties of Carlow , Kildare , and Meath . Sevexal Soman Catholic clergymen , including parish priests , are to give up their parishes in those counties , in order to enter upon a new mission with the colonists in the "far west . " This project has been on foot for a month or two , and is to be conducted quite systematically . Returns are in preparation of the number disposed to join in the enterprise , ofthe amount of their resources and other necessary details . Some of the intending emigrants are extensive farmers and graziers on a large scale , who hare
recently been-losing their capital , in consequence of hig h rents arid local taxes , altogether disproportioned to the present prices of corn and cattle . Scarcely any emigration has up to this time taken ~ placetrom among those classes , -who have been in general in better circumstances even than the farmers of Ulster . Poor rates have been comparatively light in the three counties of Leinster I have named , and from their contiguity to Dublin , and facility of communication with Liverpool and the markets in the English manufacturing districts , the graziers had been hitherto enabled to Tealise fair profit for their invested capital . ' But the potato failure is at length producing its effects in those counties , the farmers and graziers are now working at a heavy
loss , and hence the readiness to join in the new colony . The Rev . James Alaher , parish priest of Graigue , Carlow , a man of remarkable energy and unbounded influence amongst the . Roman Catholic population , is one ofthe clergymen connected with Hie project , and aMter on the snbjeot addressed by him to the tenantry will appear in the Dublin Evening Post of this afternoon . It is intended to send put three or four persons of intelligence to make inquiries as to the most elig ible position for-the establishment of the colony , -with a view to the purchase of large tracts of land . They will be directed to proceed to Michigan , and other western states , and whilst those preuminaries are in progress , the necessary arrangements forthe colonisation will be
• rigorously pushed forward at this side . One effect , at least , - of this species of emigration will be to "withdraw from Leinster a large portion of the best , most solvent , and most enterprising of the tenant class in any part of Ireland , or , perhaps , in the United Kingdom . —Morning Chronicle , " Hay 1 . Wedxesdat , AIat 2 . —The Famine . —The Tbish Law ASBRo , _xjtrx _Covuts . —Never was there so dull a term as the present , nor one so unprofitable to both branches of the legal profession . Experienced practitioners assure me that £ 3 , 000 . wiU not circulate among the bar for the entire term . Infact , tbe
famine has reached the hall of the Four Courts , and the empty bags of the lawyers exhibit the uni-Tersal pressure ofthe destitution . TheKolls Court is full of business , produced , however , by the deplorable condition ofthe country . On Alonday , and again yesterday , the Master of the Kolls "was occupied with applications from tenants seeking reductions in their rents , on account of "the badness of the times , " or for liberty to surrender their farms . Thus , upon all sides , and by every section ofthe community , the effects of the protracted famine are most severely-felt , and in the legal professions there are now pretty manifest indications of a ¦
panic . . --,--.-- , _, Wholesale Emigration of Texaxt Farmers . — Wc extract the foUowing from a letter of the . Rev . James Alaher , parish priest of Graigue , Carlow , to the farmers oft _^ low and the surrounding counties , which appeared in ihe ~ Dublin Evening Post , in reference to . the establishment of an Irish Colony in the United States : — "A very large portion ofthe farming classes , even those who are considered most opulent , have finally made up-their minds , bnt not without a : struggle , to leave old Ireland . All- of the able-bodied labouring population ;* "who could reach the-shores of the American continent with twenty shillings in their pocket ought to emigrate —there is no hope for them at home . Reduced by -want and disease , they are no longer to be considered able-bodied . Their race is nearl y extinct , A , war of extermination , the most cruel and heartless , has
been waged against them for " years . Attached to my country , and anxious for its prosperity , I have long and painfully deliberated before I ventured to recommend emigration ; and even now I rive thai advice only because Icannot free my mind worn the "well-grounded apprehensions , that" the _rack-rented tenantry of Lcinster _^ will , ere long , have to witness and pass through those scenes of woe and horrors , of which every post from the west brings the heartrending- - details . ¦¦" The same burdens here— -the very same exorbitant charges upon land , with their accompanying long list of arrears- _^ -the same eviction of tuecottier classes , and recklessness of their safety , will , in the long run , produce the , same sad results _m ; our ' more . fayoui _^ pro * nnees . V _^ _: " - ¦ - -El-sctjon : of _.-A-Tjsmporai .: ' P . _es-eD-t Writs have issued fromittie Hanaper . officei forthe eleetionidf a _t _^ _jP _^ _M'ipfesrof Ireland , in the room ofthe late Earl ofwosfbrtL- *• ' -i- ' .
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Saturday . April 28. - , - " House Of Co...
Saturday . April 28 . - , - " HOUSE OF COMMONS : _^ The- ; S MA » B took the chair shortly after twelve o ' clock . . i ' r _^ . Poor Law ( Ireland ) Rate m Ain Bill . — This bill , as amended , was further consideredand the report was brought up and agreed to , and the bill was ordered to be read a thud time on Monday . ; . - Supply . —Mr . Bsrsal brought up the report of the committee of supply on grant of £ 62 , 123 to her Majesty , for the purpose of being refunded tothe next of km of the late Mr . Turner , adjudged to be daeto them b y the Court of Chancery .
. _Exchequer Rills Bill . —On the motion of the Cbak . ceu . or of the Exchequer , the _^ Exchequer Bills ( £ 17 , 786 , 700 ) Bill went through committee . The Chancellor of the Exchequer / in moving the adjournment of the House , gave notice , of his intention , _onFriday next , to move for a committee of the whole House , to consider of the ' advances to le made to Ireland . v . ;; ? .. The House then adjourned . '¦ : _* P
Monday , April 30 . : : i ' : ; HOUSE OF LORDS . —LordBboughahagain called the attention of the House - ' to" the fact : that the Financial Minister of the Revolutionary Government at Rume had left that city with the avowed intention of raising money by the sale of the inestimable works of art in the Vatican . He hoped , after what had been said on the subject , that this scheme would meet with' no encouragement in . England . No love ofthe fine arts was a sufficient justification for men laying out their money in acquiring works of art the produce of public robbery ; for they must know that by so doing they became nothing else than purchasers of stolen goods .
Lord Whabsclippi - then moved for "copies or extracts of any further correspondence that mi ght have taken place between her Majesty ' s government and the government of Ireland , or between her Majesty ' s Treasury and the Poor Law Commissioners in Ireland _^ relative to the steps taken , or to be taken , forthe relief of destitution in certain parts of the country , since the last papers were presented to Parliament on this subject , at the commencement of the present session ; " * ' After some discussion , the motion was put and carried . Some other business was then disposed 0 f f and their lordships adjourned .
HOUSE OF CQMMONS . -Poor . Law ( Ireland ) Rate in . Aid Bill . —On the order of the day for the third reading of the said bill , Captain Jours moved that it be read a third time that day six months , resting h : s main objection _to-the " bill upon the ground that it would interfere ' with the working of thep 6 or Law ... . ; . . ; : ; . ; . .. ' _u ., _" ; - ; : ° ' Sir J . Waishrepeated his objections to the _5 bill , which he believed to be as pernicious in its- tendency as it would prove inefficient in " ite . ' _prdvlwons .- He even doubted the urgent necessity for this measurethe chief argument put forth _iu ' _j ' ifs favour ; _+ with much distress in Ireland there existed much < fraud and imposition , against which the present system of out-door relief provided no check . 0 Lord Castlereagh , premising that ' there was ho
disinclination on the part of Irish members to submit to such ah alteration of the system of taxation as might be required by the circumstances of the country , applied himself to proving from Parliamen tary documents that , relatively with England , Ireland was overtaxed . In addition to her ns <* al burdens , Ireland , which of all parts of the United ' Kingdom was most likely to suffer from the change in the com law , had , _in-ficr , endured vitalinjury from : that change ; and a new tax was now cast upon a . brokendown and an impoverished _claf-s , in thevery teeth of testimony against the measure borne by the ablest practical officers of the government . He implored that government to pause and reflect upon the critical state of Europe , and the condition of our colonies , before they imposed this tax upon an over * burdened and wretched country .- ; , ; - :
. Lord J . Russell rose , not to discuss this bill but to state that , iri consequence ofthe distressing accounts received from Ireland , and ofthe whole ofthe £ 50 , 000 advanced-being sow expended , it would be absolutely _necessary to make a larger advance from' the civil _contingencies than he had before stated , in order to relieve the exigency of distress during the interval between the second reading of the bill and its receiving the Royal assent . - . 'Wi th the recent accounts from the Poor Law Commissioners * before them , he did not think the government : would be justified iu limiting their advance to £ 6 , 000 . The conclusion of Lord Castlereagh ' s speech , he observed , had inspired him with no alarm , having late ' y
read a most excellent letter from the Marquis of Londonderry , who declared that , whatever objections might be entertained to the Rate in Aid , he was quite sure the loyalty of the people would suffer no change . Mr . Basses was not surprised at Lord John ' s announcement . The aggregate sum proposed to be advanced was totally inadequate ; but he wanted to see a security for the repayment of the money , and he found none even for this small sum , and a much larger would be required . He looked not only to the principle of this bill , but to its provisions , with great alarm , by one of which a moiety of the Rate in Aid levied upon comparatively prosperous districts , would be a-plied to other districts in priority to their own claim- * .
Mr . P . Scrope wished to give his reasons for opposing this bill in the last stage . He had opposed it as inconsistent with the poor law which it professed to support . It was unjust in its working to those wh <> wished to pay the rate . He thought the advancing of £ 100 , 000 to save life in Ireland was absolutely necessary , but he disputed that the security for repayment ofthe money was the best security , or any good security at all . He had formerly said advance the meney on the security of the rates of the union , take alien on the fee-simple of the land , in repayment of these rates , and expend the money on the productive employment of able-bodied paupers . In five unions of the county of Mayo the number - of paupers who
were expected to be on the rates during the next four months was 130 , 000 ; of that number 40 , 000 were able-bodied paupers . In four other unions 90 , 000 out of 120 , 000 wereable-bodied paupers . By advancing the money for the employment of thepeopleyou would relieve the union frbhv two-thirds of the expenditure . There were 800 , 000 acres of land in Ireland not cultivated ; 47 , 000 were declared to be reclaimable . Mr . Brett said that there were 50 , 000 acres ol cultivated land thrown out of cultivation at this moment . "What difficulty was there in employing the men in cultivating this land , and supporting themselves on it , and also upon unfinished roads ? There was a union in Kilkenny which , during the . last three months , had employed the poor in finishing ¦
roads . ' _; - : _* - ' - " Mr . ; ' S . Crawford referred to the appalling accounts ofthe misery in Mayo , and contended that raising money by the rate in aid would not furnish employment , —on the contrary , i * . would drive a greater number of substantial people out of the country . * Mr . _Grattaj * _- — who added his testimony to the existing distress in the west i > f Ireland _. _^ which was extending to the north arid south — renewed his attack upon absrotee landlords , and upon the general rolicy pursued by successive . , governments towards Ireland . He supported this bill , ' , however , as a means of affording relief to a famishing people . :
Mr . J . O'Connell likewise expatiated- . upbn ; the vices of Enghsh administration in Ireland , the _miserics of the people , the tyranny of eviction , arid the cruelty of the quarter-acre clause , accusing : the British public of shamefully erudging ' money to ' Ireland which they were ready enough to spend upon their own streets and public buildings . '' ColonelDujJNE denounced the measure _asdelusiva . Half of the unions of . Ireland would want . relief , whi' -h most crime from the other half . There would be no help for Ireland until the poor law , into the _gu'f of which this money would be absorbed , was fundamentally altered . ' ' - '" ; ! v ' The House having divided , the third reading was carried by 129 ayes against 55 noes . The bill then pasted . _/ ..- i "
. Colonel _Rawdow demurred to the title , of the ; bill , the word " K _« neral _' . beirg , in his opinion , at variance with the contents . He protested against the _> _y / hole measure as an invasion of the act of union , and as calculated to jeopardise the working of the _poorjlaw . He moTed the insertion of the ' words " other more ¦ . _^ _tifleV : : * which' _;* w 6 iild then run . " A _bilUomake a temporary ' _proyisiori for a " general rate in aid of certain : other more , distressed unions arid electoral divisions in Ireland _^ "' *' . _" . "' '' " . 1 = Lord J . Russbll objected to the alteration , ; which wainegatived . ; . " ,, ¦ - _„ ¦ - ¦ '¦' , * _,- _« - r j ..-Naval EsfiMAifEsr—The . House then wentjinto committee on the navy estimates ; ' the Totes diicuss _^ being the _sa ' aries of , _ofneofs . of _" the . Tri ' aval establishment at home j the vote for _defraying wages of artisans : arid , ' labourers , _i-mj " th ' e . _' riaval _eslablishirients athonie ; the expenses of naval . stores _^ the giant > . f ' £ 391 , 934 fo ' r ' naval _estabu _^ m ' ents , " rippn _J
whibh Sir W . Moleswoeth mpyed aiameridhient , iri reference to the works at " Keyham , io / educe the vote by the sum , of , £ 12 O _, OO 0 . . In this < and _previoii'i votes Mr . Cobdendetailed his . views'df the reckWBSness , of the ; _mvar ' eipenditure _, as _, regarded ships , docky , and stores , arid ultimately the committee ' dm-, dea , when the original grant vrss affirmed by a majority of 74 , the numbers 27 to I 0 i ;; Oh _theivote tp- _tefray fte experise ' of half-pay , Mn M . _Ginsos _oefendeda fo rmer opinion expressed" by him , ¦ as to the ; comparative number of officers in the ' navies of England , France and America , contending ' that steps ought to be taken in order to brine the munber _m _thisxountry , within proper limits . ;¦ .. . : C . . _^ _S _^^^^^ sna _^ r . Hume had given a notice Pf . _?^ 9 _° % Wl _^ subject , but was too unwell " to attend the House ; he should be ~ glifd ; However , on a futu » e > cecasion to enter- upon the discussion of the point _inqnestion . _-. ; C-n i h ?> ° te to _^ y } _be chargi -if , _^ V packet service bemg put , a debate , _m which Mr / FwysB ,
Saturday . April 28. - , - " House Of Co...
Mr . . CowPjsB ,-Mr . ' GoBi ) BN ; Sir . F . Babiko , Mr . Hknlet , Mr . Bbioht , and the Chakckixob of the Exchequer , took part , ensued : at the termination of which the vote was agreed to , and the Chairman reported progress . The House then resumed and adjourned . - ; _TobsdAy , May 1 . HOUSE _OFs LORDS . — Railwat Fbauds _.-t Lord BnouoHAM rose to bring under the notice of the House a subject which was second to none in importance—he meant the railway business of the country , a prodigious mass of commerce , vast investment of capital , and , great entanglement of credit . The modern system of locomotion was , no doubt , of great advaritage to the public ; but the present condition of railways was deserving the serious attention
ofthe government * and parliament , because whatever might be its ultimate benefit , yet when he regarded its present state ,, and-its vast . and complicated details , he was filled with apprehension and dismay . Their lordships suffered the bills to become laws and to erect these _nuisarices , the gambling companiesconferring on them the most trariscendant powi is in dealing with property , arid the most extraordhiry rights . Not only had they the power of acquiring lands by purchaga and exchange—not only : did they allow these speculators to obtain land , not ono acre of which ' could the law of the land have touched *—but they allowed all p ' _rivaterights to be set at nought —usurping the rights of the harrow and tbe ploughand enabling these persons to go through everybody ' s
lands with their engines and trains , and they allowed them to obtain capital ; t 6 . an "; en 6 rmous amount by subscription . He admitted . the advantages which had arisen from railways—but they enabled parties whose object was not to give increased . facilities to locomotion—they enabled engineers ,. surveyors , and the makers of _attorneyTs bills , who only wanted to get up these railways to make large sums of money —they enabled them to effect their purposes without any regardto the making of the railways . They also enabled the traffickers and gamblers in railway stock to obtain shares , which : they disposed of in the market , to get from ; their dupes tbe money whieh they gathered into their own coffers , _; . and' upon the ruin of many smaller incomes made princely fortunes
of their own . ' What had been the : causes of ihis reckless legislation ? ( Hear . ) In 1846 no less than 519 railway bills were in -parliament . Their lordship ' s . were perhaps not aware of the nature ' of many of the clauses in these bills .- The Great Western Railway bad powerto ' make any extracts from their books evidence without proving that they were correct —they were made evidence of the payment of money . If they wanted , for instance , to prove a payment of £ 25 , 000 , that entry was at once , made evidence . He mentioned this to show the great : zeal which parliament felt in hurrjing forward these measures and the corresponding ; carelessness with , which they permitted all sorts of clauses to be inserted in those bills . In England and Scotland alone , without including
India , British Guiana , Demerora , Jamaica , and other places bevond the seas , ; there had beeri invested in these speculations , or rather actually paid up , _^ £ 180 . 000 . 000 . No great ' wonder if the money market and the Chancellor of tliaExchequer should feelthe effect of this . - But how much remained yet to be paidiip ? _jEISO _. OOO OOO more had to be added to the £ 180 , 000 , 000 , for that was the sum remaining to be paid ; and it might be all called f _.-r at once , or not for a-few months , or years . : The capital of the shareholders was therefore locked up . —they _jvere in a state of constant anxiety—there was a cloud hanging over therii' which { might burst iri ii storm
that would bring inevitable destruction upon them , and they could '' not see the cheerful light of day . ' Might tney not look forward to another panic when they found tbat £ 180 ; 000 , 000 had not been enough to satisfy the maw of _ithis travelling pest ; but that £ 150 , 000 , 000- more . was ' to be demanded ? From such a system of gambling , the monster evil of the present day , the worst results were to be apprehended : Small as it might have been at the beginning , the spirit of _pmbling would , ii not checked , beenme overwhelming at last , and lay its fell hands upon the soil . - - ' _¦> _¦'' - _' ¦ - _- _- ¦¦ Parva metu primo ; . mox _sese attollit in auras , . Ingrediturque solo , et caput inter nubila condit . :
Arid oil that soil it would pour out its evil' effects as sure as . effect would fellow cause . He feared , in a moral point of _vieWj ' that these gaiiiblmg propensities couldnot be ' iridulged with safety to thecharacter of any people , arid lhii-ht induce persons to become reckless gariiblers instead of honest and industrious traders . But worse remained to be told ; it was not merely the common gambling in shares of which he complained , but contriyarices ofa worse kind were resorted to . There _aiose a practice of _cairying on those speculations , in one - particular ' way , the object being , not to make railways , but to profit by shares ; and . the first point was to get a great number , of shares ; but the person who obtained them did not hold them too fast . He did hot think Brag wag a
good dog and Holdfast a better . 'He wanted to ' dispose of his shares at a great profit , and it was therefore necessary to make it appear that the shares were of great value ; , . upon which he said , I will guarantee seven or eight , or , ten per ' cent , upon the shnreg of this line , although iri reality they were only -aaaking three and a-half percent , at that time . V * - He knew many instances of ruin which had been the result of this fraud . . The shares rose—the dividend was de _« clart-d—and tbey mounted tip "to ten . fifteen , ' or twenty per cent . . What did Mr . Holdfastdo , then ? Why , he took the shares into the market , and sold them to the poor persons who were anxious to invest their little property where they _coujd get so high a rate of interest . - The next year , however , the holders
were called upon most unexpectedly to pay up twentyfive per cent , on £ 100 shares , upon which J 640 only had . been paid before . This was . the case with a surgeon whom he knew , and who had been ruined in this ; way . Down ; came the shares ; which were at twenty per cent , premium , to twenty per cent . 'discount _,, and thousands were ruined . lie did not allude to any individuals in particular who had . practised these , frauds , but he knew one man who had guaranteed ten . . per ' . ' cent . - for some years ; and , in fact , all these people wanted was a temporary rise , in order that they . might sell their shares ; and , to make their promise good for a time , tbey paid the dividends .-out of the . capital . . ( Hear , hear . ) He knew , a-party , who ' had ; cried down North Western
shares ; he said . nothing ofthe _Midland-T- ( Vhear . " arid a- laugh ) -until ¦ he could buy them for £ 100 , and he . subsequently , sold them at £ 134 . But this was not the only shift , to which tbey resorted . A worthy friend of bis , ah official assignee in bankruptcy ( Mr . Hutton ) happened to succeed , as legatee to a wealthy shareholder -is railways , to several shares , - and . he wished to look , at the books of the company . ( They , said they had a balance at their bankers of £ 32 , 000 . The railway was the South Devon line . — -He went to Plymouth to see tbe books , but he was told that hemust not make any extracts from them . His memory , however , was accustomed to . figures , and retained the amount of . the balance , which was le ! B than £ 2 , 500 , lhe rest , being made up
of over-due bills , ; not one of which was worth a scrap ; £ 11 , 000 ofthe deficit was owing by a solicitor of a respectable house , which _. he had long known ; and he had . given thesebills ' as his calls . ' This led to further' inquiry , '' and it turned out that Mr . Saunders , who enjoyed an income of £ 3 , 000 a-ye ar _^ as Secretary to the Great Western Railway , had been allowed to run in arrear to the amount of £ 16 , 000 for his calls . Could anything be more dishonest on the part of these directors than to allow their _^ secretary to : _j-uri ; . in . arrear for calls to such ; an amount when . they , . woiild . have pounced down upon poor widows ' arid ' orphans ? " ( Cheers . ) ' Arid the _solicitor he had referred to owed the coriipariy £ 90 , 000 , which he had obtained to _purchase , land ; arid they had
allowed him to have first £ 20 , 000 , then £ 30 . 000 , then £ 40 , 000 , to make these purchases , without requiring him io produce a single voucher , ' if these facts had been known , would the ' shares ' have sold at such ipremiums ? ( Hear , hear . ) . ; ' It might be said , why did they _npt . sue him ? Because he " > as not worth a penny . " Why , however , should . there be _thisconcealhiept 'r' But . "heni 3 eforth ; an _ceftse _^ the _/ _njption which , he was ' about to ; ra 6 ve ' should put .. an . end to itl" There was , however , riho _^ ther inode : -of ' trickery . ' ' . A railway , _wasistartedi the bills of engineers and sulicitors amounted to' large sums , the plant was mo 3 t . _expengivet and the miilibti at first granted was- found to be insufficient , _ripott which the company applied to _Parliament fir power to grant mere shares , which were called _preference
_sharts , by way of inducing people to take them , jand : these preference ' shares were guaranteed a _laree ; dividend , the holders being . secured the amount guaranteed , even if it had to be paid out of the capital ; ( Hear , hear . ) The secretary ,,, and solicitor , ofithe Great Western Railway , aB long as they thought these preference shares worth having , kept them . ; , butj the Moment the ' shares ' fell to ' a . discount , and . tbey fere . catted upon to pay ii ' pi they turned lound arid said they were alUn ' e ' gal . _> The solicitor did this , andhe believed ' the secrefaiydid so as ' well . 1 If there were to be aridther House of _Parliairiehti-which was _| not very ; lifel y _^ they should institute an . _inquiry | nto the expense of ' prosecuting railway . bills .. He ; . wpnld suggest that the parliament of Canada _shoii d de _| so ; ( Alaugh . ) And , it . ' wss _. said during , this railway mania , if the orders which their lordships had adopted worked well in England , , whv should they not in
Canada ? ' ( Alauj _; h . ) H -He , had communicated , with some ofthe membersof the-Canadian legislature---r ( alaugh _)* -7 a . nd erideayoured . to inducethem to . adopt the same standing orders ,: but mthbut . effect ' ; f hey . preferred to job ' for their friends , in pa _' _ssirig a bul . ; l he orders were at last adopted ; , he might say . they were , adopted in anpther . placc . known as ; the British House of .. _Commonsr- ( a laugh)—after some . s . ix ; o r seven yeare ' _i consideration . ' The ; salutary ,. effect which they had had in the mode . of Conductirig _bnitness in their _1-rdshipsl'house . _iWas , wel ) known . ' . ; lf | the question of passing these railway-bills , and ! the ex penses - attending . thein , iwere ; _thoroughlyj , sifted elsewhere—in the Canadian _Ilou-ej of Commons—( alaug h ) _--i . t * would .. no doubt throw great light on the mode of _carrying- bilbitbfough the Canadian HousVof Conimons } and upon the members of that house . ( Alaugh . ) ¦ A friend had told him that he
Saturday . April 28. - , - " House Of Co...
had £ 5 , 000 offered to him if he would lend his name asa directorto . a railway concern—arid two other _friendsofhis had been offered similar slims . Well , but if there were 658 _meriitiefs of the—oh , he begged pardon , ho was _speak-ng of the Canadian parliament -Ha laugh ) ---f there _wejre , 150 members in the Ca _naaian House of Commons , they would find that it was a most interesting inquiry to ascertain how all the money had been spent . Arid he felt the more anxious on this point because this Canadian House of Commons . had lately thrown out a measure for preventing' bribery at elections ; ( Much laughter . ) He shouldnevcr rest in his bed until there was a committee sitting at Quebec to inquire into these
practices' with reference to railway bills , and the manner in which the money was disposed of . ( Much laughter . ) He was sorry to see this damning mania of _nckless speculation still existing , arid he almost despaired of the people of this country being cured of it . Nevertheless , that was no reason why . they should not do all they could to prevent it , by giving unsparing and absolute publicity to all the affairs of these companies . Parliament had a right to adopt such a course and it was absolutely riecessary that they should do so . The noble and learned lord concluded b y expressing his hopes that as little time as possible - should be lost in checking this disgraceful _sysicm , which he felt it his duty to submit to their lo dships ' consideration . ¦
: lhe Marquis of Lansdowne _, on behalf of her Majesty ' s government , observed that they we ' re fully , m P ressed withthe grave importance of the _subject , and felt that ; the time had . arrived when steps must be taken to prevent a feeurreriee of the system Iso graphicall y described by the noble and learned lord . ' After referring to the fact that many railways Were conducted in the most satisfactory manner , and carried out with the most laudable objects , the noble marquis proceeded to say that no man ought to be condemned without a careful examination of his conduct ; but irithe railways to which reference had been made , rio one could entertain the least doubt that their affairs were most scandalously carried . on . In
his opinion the best mode of correcting _effectuidly the existing abuses would be the , establishment of a power t o be vested in parliament . j to . _erariiirie and audit railway companies' accounts , bo that it might be ascertained that thecoriditiqus on which they had obtained their acts of parliariierit had : been' faithfully , arid' _properlyfulfilled . ; . With such a measure the governmentwould be prepared by the end of year , when in possession of all the necessary details bearing on the question : but , admitting the necessity for an immediate remedy , he trusted Lord Mohteagle would produce _^ his measure , ' , when the government would afford him every as- istancc—the matter could not be in abler hands .
_LoroMonteaglb . thanked thie goverriirieut for their proffered support , but should ; infinitely prefer that the subject / should be taken up by them . He hoped , however , the measure he intended to introduce would meet the zealous and well-advised support of the railway proprietary themselves , as many objectionable , provisions of the bill he introduced last year would be omitted , but it would be more stringent iri some particulars . . Lord Brougham should te sorry if . it was understood that he had attacked all railway companies
indiscriminately ; he had not done so , he had not the least intention of confounding the innocent with the guilty . Earl Granville , after referring to the necessity of abetter system of . audit ,, said the _government would lose no time in the introduction ot a measure if Lord Montergle declined to proceed . Lord Brougham thought the bill ' s , passing might be rendered more secure by its introduction as a government measure . The noble and learned lord then placed a paper in the hands of the Lord Chancellor ; but whether it was a motion or not did not appear , us
question was put . . > ¦ :. _.- . . Their lordships then adjourned . HOUSE : OF COMMONS . —The Reporters . —The preliminary ' prooeeclinp were somewhat relieved by an enlivening episode , for which the House was indebted to Mr . John O'Connell , whose complaint on this occasion had less , to do with " Poor Ireland '' than with himself in the first place , and with the Mother . Irish members" in tbe next . The honourable and learned gentleman was . dissatisfied with the manner in which his speech ofthe previous evening had been reported in the Times ., Not ; only had what he said been ; omitted ,: but : that which was attributed to hinvwas so different froiri that of which he had really been _delivei-ed , that it was with difficul yhe could recognise his own child . Is was not
simply Of his oratorical immolation on the occasion in question that he complained , but also of tlie practice which too generally obtained amongst the newspapprs , of _curtaiiirie not only his speeches , but likewise those ofthe Irish members generally . No matter how trivial might be the English question before the House , it was reported minutely and in detail , but the most important matters _relating to Ireland were very differently dealt with . He understood his right , and would stand upon it . If other hon . _meriibers were to be reported in extenso , he should . take care that he was not selected for mutilation . ' If the partialities of which he coriiplained were persevered in , he' would enforce his privilege as a member of the Horise , arid exclude strangers from the gallery . In concluding , he moved , that Mr . T _. t-: TL _^^—W T _nmnnn ( -Via' _vtMnt-nm r \ P _ihn * _PiwiCQ ¦ _VtO _#
__ UUI 1 II OUSL'pil _JUOWBUU , MiC | Jli . ULCA \ JX _vutc _j . c _»™» _« v . called to the bar . ; Afterapause , which indicated his reluctance to mix himself up in the matter , Mr . Scully seconded the motion . Mr . O'Connor hoped the hon . gentleman would spare the time of the House by not . proceeding with his motion . If any Hon . ' gentleman ; in the House or out ' of it , had a right to complain of misreports he ( Mr . O ' Connor ) had , and he should begin to doubt his Owri identity wheriever newspapers began to report hirii or speak of him well . ( Laughter . ) The hon . gentleman wished to stand well _with-his constituents , but , if the Times did not report what he said , other newspapers reported what ho did not say , arid he might set one against the other . ( Laughter . ) Sir 6 . GnKT would not undertake to Yoiich for
the accuracy of the reports as given in extenso , as he riiust confess that he was not in the habit of reading them . His parliamentary reading was confined to the summaries , which ,, as a mere abstract ofthe debates , were usually to be found occupying a portion ofthe space devoted to the leading articles . This feature in each of the papers , ho considered most useful : The practice of giving a sumriiary of the proceedings was a _compai-atively : modern one , and the pith ' and substance of the debates were usually given in it with great ability and _ also with fairness and impartiality . As to the motion before the House , it could scarcely be tho intention of tho honourable and learned gentleman to persist in it . : Mr . BnomKBTON expressed a hope that the hon . and learned gentleman would not press his
motion . He was not the only one in the House who had a grievance of . this kind of which to complain . He ( Mr . Brotherton ) had been made to say by the Dotty News that his last election had cost him £ 4 , 000 . ( Laughter . ) ne' certainly had never said any such thing , and his constituents were not a little astonished at finding such a report in a daily paper . ( Laughter ;) ' ' Mr ; J ; _O'CoKNELi ! said that , in deference to tho obvious feeling of the Housej he would withdraw his motion / _whicn-pieee of forbearance he accompanied with ah iritim ' atibn that ; should the offence of which he complained he repeated , he would again submit ' thejraattqr to the consideration of the House . ; S _^ Mr . " _-CkENVitLE Bbrkelev- advised the hon . ; and learned gentleman , as the best mode of getting
justice done to hirii by tho press , to send his speeches in future to the papers , instead of delivering them iii tho house ; ( Great laughter . ) •;/ ; The motion was then withdrawn . ; - _rAnouTioN of ' CArmi _/ _PuNisriMENis . — Mr ; _Ewaut iri moving for leave to bring in a bill to abolish capital punishments said , he would show that the number of crimes at onetime punished capitally hadcontiriued todiinihish ever since a mitigation of the penal code with respect to them had taken _placaand that this dimiriutiori'JwaB attributable r to ! the abolition pf punishriienthy death . If the cases-had been ' different _^ if / . ' there had been an iricrease in the . numljer of these _^ _^ particular ; crimes since capital punishmonts' wero ;' abolished , _' then Sir George Grey wOuM rip-doubt have attributed that increase to the _mitigation which _^ had been effected in the penal ' code . ; ' On the _samo ground he felt himself justified in _^^ arguing that the - diminution which had occurred was ' thc . effect ' of the ' change which , had- been made
i ii' the law . . ' And in discussing this subject he' woiild carefully , avoid * the theological part of it , _asheihad now come to thecbnclusibnthat the House of Corii- ' mohs was not a ' place _^ iri which'the Bible should " be desecrated by . quotation _from'it , oh the _orieside ' or the other .. ' He would . rathe ' r takejit ; ori : the g _^ eat ; pvincipl 6 s , 6 f , expediency / 5 : \ oo \ Lmg _} to , _iheiewJCts which it ' was ; likely to . produce'bri so cietyi as safeguards toa just conclusion _brithisiubject ' .: Beccarin _/ . the . fSrst _^ great writer , pn bapital . ' piinishriients , said nothing ; could justify them but _riecessity . _' iThose . who agreea _witHlthatimmoMi _^ an _' proved by facts that tner _^'' _esR | ed' rio _. _necessity for their beiiig ' continued iri ' thc . penal % bie , ' ; but ' , those ' who opposed . these views , disMnshig . with all . / acts frorii past or _. preserit ' / J arid , ' ail'the views ; and opinions ' of ¦ high authorities , appealed to tho fears of-their , opponents _withj-egard to futurity . ' * Hi ' s right' hon " . friend } in- , lui
uveu , _nau _goiiu . _mciviuiu . _naa aavancGd certain statistical a 1 ita , 'ivitK ariume _^ which _^ affer having ' care iMy _^^^ _prbnouriced ' to be not . based _lupdii _^ fact ' s ! : , ' His friend had jsjtated . .: that in ' attempts tb ; ' murder ' there had beeri _. ari iricrease duriri g : the"fivo ' year 3 ending 184 G , as compared with _fip years ' ending in 1831 ' ; _jh _jthe latter period there were' _^ l _leases , andUri _^ thc . former ,. endiiig iriiSiG ; -1 , 099 . ' fHe stated likewise that there had beeri ,, ari _inSroase in cases of rape _^ arslon , and forgery .. sirice , the abolition of' death . as ' the punishment attending the commission " of theni '; ? nd he _. _arguM ' tharthis _^ , iricre _^ t , bat _eharige . ' _; The right _honourable ' gentleman was bourid'ih _' corisis ' tericy ' with'his-own arguhien ' ttofrestore capital pimighmonts -then ; . but was he iro-
Saturday . April 28. - , - " House Of Co...
pared to do so ? Now there were twenty different crimes with respect \ to ; which capital punishments had been abolished ,, and oiit of that number the right hon . gentleman had selected four . to . show an increase ; but he had looked over tlie whole twenty , and was prepared .. to show that there had been a diminution of cases rather than an increase . In attempts to murder , he admitted there had been a large increase . In some crimes , however , where there had been an apparent increase of cases , the increase was attributable to the change of the law , which , after the abolition of capital punishments , called those acts attempts to murder for instance , which' before had not been included under that head . He admitted , likewise , * an increase had taken place in thc number of cases of rape ; but while ,
on tho one hand , when capital punishments existed , persons refused to prosecute , it was a fact , on the other , that since the change in the law the number of convictions had increased in the ratio of two to one , the best sign of an improvement in the law . Again , in the case of arson there had been a diminution of crime during the first six years that followed the abolition , as appeared by the return laid on the table by the right hon . gentleman himself . In regard to forgery , in which case the abolition of capital punishment was due to the noble lord the Chief Justice of the Queen ' s Bench , it had been stated that , during the five years previous to the change in the law , the committals were 350 , and during the five years subsequent to that event , thoy rose to 5 G 4 , but in the five years ending 1846 the
number was 731 . Such were some ofthe figures produced by the opposite side . But he discovered that at one tinio it had been customary , as the Homeoffice acknowledged , to omit from the register all crimes sucli asforgery , not visited capitally , and at the present time every crime whatever went into the reg ister . To this . was ' atiributablc , in niany instances , the apparent increase in crime , and the false statistics which had been quoted on the opposite side . There was now on the table of the House , however , a return , [ moved for by him at the suggestion of a friend out of doors , which exhibited the success with which the penal code had been mitigated , for it showed there had been a diminution of crime concurrent with the diminution in capital punishments . In fact , from the time that the change was effected , 1
there had been a diminution in eighteenout of the twenty crimes affected by the change during the next five ' years . For five years previous to the abolition there were 250 executions , and for the first five years alterwards only 99 ; while thenumber of offences in the former period was 12 , 000 , and in the latter 11 , 322 . The hon . gentleman then proceeded to argue , that so far from capital punishments being indispensable , the returns on the table showed that the experiment of _^ abolition had __ been most successful in accomplishing a diriiinution of crime . By that paper it appeared that in 1818 the executions for murder were 122 , and the crimes committed Ml ; in 1624 , the executions were 91 , and the . crimes 417 ; in 1830 the executions 75 , and the crimes 411 ; in 1836 the executions were 74 ,
and the crimes 413 ; and in 1842 the executions were 50 , and the crimes 385 . The same returns showed that of late years many persons con _^ demned had not suffered the extreme penalty ofthe law ; and that proportion which did suffer death was reducedfrom one hundred to sixty-three per cent . He argued thence , that uncertainty , one of the greatest defects which could . attend on any description of punishment , was clearly incident to capital punishments , and most materially detvacted from their efficiency to deter from crime . The inequality , also , of this kind of punishment , as meted out to different criminals with different degrees of guiltiness , had been evinced in the case of the unfortunate woman recently executed at Bristol , and in the case of the infamous criminal executed at
Norwich . On these two grounds he opposed the infliction of capital punishments , but hc opposed them further as causing a reaction in the public mind from disgust at the crime to pity of the criminal , and in the mind of the criminal himself , from penitence for his crimes , to dwell on the sufferings which he must undergo on the public scaffold . He objected to capital punishment , because it was the only punishment which imitated the crime it professed to punish ; and because , when once inflicted _, it could not be recalled . On former occasions he had shown that it had beeri abolished in foreign countries , and even in our own dominions in India , with success ., He had also shown that in the best days of Rome it had been abolished , and that with its revival Home bciran to decline .
The principle was gaining . a . fast hold upontho people of this country . A larger number of the clergy than had ever before acceded to the proposition now came forward in its support , and he reminded thc House that last year hc had quoted the opinions of three recorders of boroughs , of three English judges , and of two Irish Judges , in favour of its abolition . With such a feeling among the clergy , and among the people , the day was not far distant when capital punishment must be abolished . The people who had achieved the triumph of abolishing the slave-trade , and slavery , were favourable to its repeal , and they would call upon the House shortly , if they did not call upon it now , to sweep from the statute book such an unchristian spirit ofthe lawwhich authorised . it . The hon .
gentleman concluded by moving for leave to bring m a -Bill-to Repeal the runishment of _vDeath . , Sir George Grev opposed the motion , feeling tlie strongest conviction that . ' the time was far distant when the infliction of . the extreme penalty of the law in cases of extreme guilt could be dispensed with . Many of Mr . Ewart ' s arguments , he remarked , applied . to a period antecedent to 1941 , since which time no criminal had suffered the punishment of death , but for wilful and deliberate murder . He maintained the necessity , although it mig ht not be capable of actual demonstration , for the protection of human life , of throwing around it that terror which was entertained of tlio punishment of death , and which being entertained had a deterring effect . He denied that the the crime of
murder had increased , as Mr . Ewart had assumed ; on the contrary , taking a series of years , murder was the only crime whioh had not materially increased . Sir George then . examined thc statistical arguments of Mr . Ewart , drawing very ; different . conclusions from the official returns , to which , however , he did not attach much value , preferring to take a coriunon sense view of the question , and he asked thc House whether it could . be affirmed that the time had arrived when capital punishment could be abolished for murder and for high treason , no substitute being suggested which would afford an equal protection , to society . He admitted the evils _arising from public executions , which furnished a strong objection to capital punishment ; but whilst it was retained public executions were unavoidable ,
Mr . _Brioht had listened attentively to what had fallen fromthe right hon . baronet , and did not fail to observe that he was himself looking forward to a time when the prffposition before the House _micht become law . ( Hear , hear . ) The right honourable gentleman relied upon statistics ; but surely he could not deny this general statistical tact , that in those countries where rio capital punishments were inflicted the lives of people were just as safe as they were in England . ¦ ' ( Hear , hear . ) It was a wellknown fact that they were never able to put down crime by this extreme punishment . If they , could not put down even comparatively small offences by hanging up' as many as a dozen men at a time , he should like to know how by the same means they could ever hope to put a stop to the crime of
riiiirder ? ( Hear , hear ;) . Take , " the case of the criminal recently executed at' Norwich . Did : any one suppose that any punishment either in ' this world or the next could have diverted that man from theVcrimc he coriimitted ? it was long contemp lated ; it ' was ' the crime of' an educated man , and a man of remarkable ability in some points of view ; and , from all they knew of him , no fear of punishment would have diverted him from his purpose ; Then take the case at Bristol ; the murder was riot premeditated , it arose from great aggravation , and under sadden impulse ; and there could be no doubt that wheri committed the punishment to follow was entirely shut out from the contemplation of the _criminals ( Hear , hear . ) Iri . neither of these case ' s was the ' fear : of death sufficient to deter from the
cririie of murder . ' / The right ' hori . baronet admitted thatthc effect ofpublic executions was injurious , but were not' executions inflicted just that the people mig ht see and be warned ofthe consequences of crime ? Hcmairitairied that such exhibitions tended to . excite the worst , feelings . The shout of execratiori with which ilush was received oh the scaffold at . Norwich sprang from the same source that iri hint had dictated the mui * der ; a ; cruel and vindictive feeling . ( Hear , hoar . ) : He had no dpiibtjthat , ; among | the 20 , 000 people present atitKat execution , ' , there : were many , who returned home more : ready to commit _ftiutder than they were before . ' ( Hear , hear . ) . Like the gladiatorial exhibitions in . . - the _Roniaii circus , such scenes could only' increase the ferocity of the people , and incline , therii " _. _"tbi'thc . comriiission . of crime . The late case at Bristol was of a truly horrible charact ' eiyand ' he could not conceive that the _riirhfe lioii . gentleman wished , to : continue a " systcm
that led to such . scenes . ; Half _, av dozen men draggihg . a woman eighteen"or twenty years of age , untrained , most ignorant _^ almost imbecile , to the place of execution , and a clergyman coaxing her to . walk quietly _tothcscaffold , was not sich a spectacle as the right hdh . ge ' ntlehia ' a . " would wish to see , often ' repeated . ( Hear , . hear . ) . , ' He . objected' to capital punishhieiit . because it Iri vested the ' criininal with an importance that ought notto attach to . him .. There was an execution lately ' at , Brecon , "in Wales" . _Tylieri the judge ' passed sentence upon , ; him a , " voice called _out"incowt ,.. _** Now ,, Jem , mind you die game ' _** ' hhd the man did ' 'die ., ' . ' game . " ' . During . the _< time . that elapsed b ' efo re _'his execution . _heiwas maintairiiri ginis resolution to , "'die _^ game , " riot listehing , to the enriplalri _. ' _. jnbt preparirig . for the tribunalb efore which he was aboiit . to stand . ; " and his . comrades ,- noi "doubt , would glor y iri the _| _lefiance ; _this ' _crimirial' had _shd wn to the law . . (( Hear Mar ;) - , If such a ma ' n _weresehtenced'to ' sbme punishment short of . death ; w ' 0 ul « l people crowd to we _hini ? No " j " the murderer
Saturday . April 28. - , - " House Of Co...
would still be a murderer , but hc . _woul-l * v > r be a hero .. ( Hear ,, hear . ) Thc _' hon . meiiib ' . i- _Mmi " referred to the recent cases of murder _at- _' iMaiicliesier , Stockport , and Leeds , in all wliich women foil by the bands of men who were , or seemed to bo , attached to thorn , and also to several _artewpi-j at murder committed since , and drew tlio _inleience that the notoriety ofthe first oft ' euce , tho triai . and the execution , induced the _commis-iion ol " two offences in tbe others . ( Hear . ) Two -non wove convicted at Durham , for the murder of the * J > uko of Cleveland ' s gamekeeper . One was b _' _-imod and the other reprieved ; and he had it on itiidoiibted authority , that not only the man who waa cxeouted _, but the tiian who was reprieved , held that the selection had f allen on the wrong man , and that ' ihe one who was hanged was not the man who fired the
shot . He was bound to believe that in this ease the right lion , baronet shrank from tiie idea of hanging two men for ono offence ; and his ( Mr . Blig ht ' s ) opinion was , that both should havo been reprieved . Hc would say that no man Has more interested than the rig ht hon . baronet in having this punishment abolished . No man could suffer so nuch as he did in giving his final decision- - . Tiie judge decided according to the law , and the jury _aecoi-diug to the fact ; but on him the last and hen vicst responsibility was thrown . Taking into _consider-it-ion , then , the statistics upon this question , and looking * at the almost unanimous judgment of ihe numerous public meetings respecting it , he thought there was ample evidence that tho public sentiment w _.- > _s ripe for the settlement which his hon , friend , tin ; member for Dumfries , had proposed . Mr . H . _-DuuMMoxn opposed tho motion .
Sir E . _N . Buxtox , Mr . _Brothebto . x . . Sir George SiRicitLAxn , Col . Thompson , Lord _Xcoi-. _* - , and Sir H . Vernet , severall y spoke in favour of tho introduction of the bill . On a division the motion was rejected by a majority of 24 , the numbers being 51 to 70 . CnowN Prosecutions in Ireland . — - Mr . _Kkoou then proceeded to call the attention of the House to the general management of Crown prosecutions in Ireland at assizes and sessions , and to ihe expenditure incurred in those prosecutions . It was not his intention to make thc smallest charge against the government , or to allude to tho political prosecutions . The vote for Crown _prosecutiojis in 1817 was £ 71 , 000 ; in 1830 it was £ 37 , 500 : showing an
increase of £ 33 , o 00 m the intermediate period .- In 1846 the expense of fees to counsel was only £ 12 , 000 ; in 1817 it had risen to £ 19 , 000 . Whether the subject were considered with a view to promoting _^ th e efficient administration of tlio law or to diminishing the expense of prosecutions , it was of the utmost importance to the government . The existing system waritcd . the advantage of concentration .- There was no public prosecutor ; there were no resident prosecutors .. Thc system formerly was , to have a Crown solicitor for each circuit , whieh system continued till 1842 , when the law officers of tho Crown for Ireland recommended and the Treasury resolved that the-Crown solicitors should be appointed for each county . The result has been an increase in the expenditure then _rocommeuded to be made for Crown prosecutions . There was also a class of officers called sessional solicitors . At
least four-fifths ofthe business of the country was transacted at sessions ; yet the salary paid to those officers was very . contemptible , while tho assize solicitors , who had not an equal amount of business , received much higher remuneration . The Crown solicitor knew nothing of the eases in which he had to prosecute , and received his information in court , being generally instructed by " a sergeant of police or a stipendiary magistrate , when tiie prisoner was at the bar . Every one knew in what a hurried , scattered , and indigested maimer the business was done at assizes , not to the discredit , of the gentlemen engaged in prosecutions , but owing to the system being such that it was impossible the business could be well done . The consequence was that people speculated on the chances of acquittal . The Ron . member concluded by moving for » select committee of inquiry .
The _Attorxev-Gexeral opposed tho motion , and assigned reasons why the matter should be left in the hands in which the Constitution had placed itnamely , the Irish Attorney . General , by whom various reforms and regulations had been made , and were still making . After some remarks by Mr . 0 'PL . iiiKnir ; Mr . Henley , Sir Wilham _Someuville , and Mr .- Monsell . the motion was withdrawn . Mr . _Keoohobtained leave to bring in a ' bill to facilitate the transfer of land to railway companies for railway purposes in Ireland . The Solicitor-General obtained leave to bring in a bill for granting relief against defects in leasesmade under powers of leasing in certain cases . The House adjourned at nine o ' clock .
WEDNESDAY , Mat 2 . HOUSE OF _COMMONS . —Casada . —A conversation took place at the instance of Mr . Herriks , in which Lord John Russell , Mr . GlaustqxK ) and Mr . _Heklbt took part , with reference to the Canada Indemuity Bill , the noble lord stating that the ' measure had not as yet been referred to her Majesty ' s government for an ultimate decision ; that bills of this description , although passed , did not come under the consideration of the governor . until the session was somewhat advaneed ; but wheri that period arrived Lord Elgin would be prepared and ready to exercise the discretionary powers ' with which he was invested ; the noble Ion f iri question possessed the entire confidence of tho crown , aiid in
the exercise of his discretionary powers as Governor-General of Canada would bo deemed to have acted in a manner so as to protect the interests and prerogatives of tho crown , as also to conciliate the interests of the British empire . When the Indemnity Bill came before Lord El g in ho would , doubtless , address a public despatch to the Secretary for the Colonies on that particular subject . Cattle _avb Sue ***? ( _Ireland ) Bill . —Mr . Bovrke , in moving the second reading of this bill , said that its object was to check the crime of cattle and sheep stealing , which had lately increased in Ireland to an alarming extent . In 1845 the munber of such offences reported by tho constabulary in Iveland
was C 53 ; in 1846 the number had increased to 3 , 025 ; and in -1847 , no less than 10 , 044 cases were reported , while the convictions were only 1 , 500 . Tlie hon . gentleman read extracts from charges delivered by _saveral Irish judges at recent assizes , commenting upon the extraordinary increase in tin ' s description of crime ; and he also read letters from several gentlemen in the counties of Clare , Kilkenny , Galway , and Wicklow , stating that the offence was very prevalent in those districts , and that it was absolutely necessary that some further protection should be afforded to the possessors of all descriptions of live stock . Most ofthe writers expressed their approval of this bill , which the honourable gentleman stated was almost a verbatim copy of a bill
introduced in 1839 by Lord Morpeth and Mr . Figott , in order to . _suppress a simi ' ar description of outrages . The principle involved in the bill was simply to muke persons , in whose _posession sheep or cattle suspected ofbeingstolen were found , show that they were ob tained lawfully and : honestly . This was ! not a new principle in legislation , for with respect to deer and venison an act of a similar kind had been passed in England ; and a like act , with respect to timber , was in force in Ireland , and had had a most beneficial effect . He had the best authority for saying , that there was a general wish , on the part of the inhabitants of Ireland , for such' a law , and especially on the part ofthe small farmers , whose Hocks were so limited , that their , profits would-not enable them to
pay the expense of maintaining a regular watch for them . He trusted "that the House would sanction the principle of this bill , and if in committee auy amendments should be proposed , which , without materially affecting the principle ofthe bill , might appear to the government or to the House calculated to render the bill less stringent , he should not feel jus'ified in opposing them . ¦ Mr . Bright said the bill went on the supposition _, that no Irishman could have , honestly . ' any mutton inhis possession . ( Laughter . ) That unfortunately might be the ' esse with many Irishmen at present r but it was not fair to assume it to be the case with respect to all , He thought the bill was ono which the House should not approve of , andhe could not
understand how - _; the right hon . Secretary forthe Home Department could give his consent to its being proceeded with after the observations which he had made .: -The . bill would expose the population to informers to a degree that would produce an amount of irritation , and probably vindictive retaliation which would be worse thantheevilint-ndedtobe rectified . - . ' . ' As , to modifying the bill to meet the objections > fthe right hon . baronet . ( Sir G . Grey ) , it would'be better , to withdraw is at once , for he objected to every clanae . ( "No ! no ! '' ) The bill was of a pieceiwith that introduced sometime since by an hon . - boronet ( Sir . H . W . Barron ) respecting offences . ; ' "' - ' v - ¦¦ " "' : .- ¦ ' - ¦
Sirll . w ., Barron , was -sure the hon . member ( Mr . ' . ' Bright ) laboured under the misfortune , ofawant ot knowledge of _the-subject —( a laugh );—he was _toohonest a man to wish to protect thieves . ( Laughter . ) All his ( Sir H ., W . Barron ' s ) 'farmers in the county _orWaterford had told him ; - ' _withinsthe last- twelve * months / that they had been obliged to give up keep * _irigsheep - ; and they ; had brought him back _tupg which _, he . -had lent them with a view to introducing an improved . breed . What . irijury . eould _beinflicted upon an honest man by obliging him to tell where , he ° ot liis le ? . of mutton ? , ; The .. _propettfof the rich waa
protected ; the . Housewas now asked to protect the property of the ' poor' for this was essentially a poor Irian ' s bill ; and to reject it woiild be to tell the poorer cflasa of holders in Ire ! and that they were no longer to have any' sheep- on their _lirid , ' no longer to clothe their families with the ' produce of their farm , and bytheir ( own 'irid . ust ry . 'At present , ' in _iparts of Galway arid . Roscoriiriion , - the practice was , wlien ' a ' man lost a _sheepV that he ' went with a narty ' of his neighbours t _^ every _/ _susp ' eeted ' Korise ' ;' 'jtoa ' . when they found a pieceof ' mutton bra sheepskin that they , supposed to be ' _. s ' _tulenithe ' y _-brought ' out the inhabitant , gave'hun , aright gaud-beat & g ,-and _thenpuUeddowa his _ho _* aae
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), May 5, 1849, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns3_05051849/page/7/
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