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BOUSE OP XOBDS , Mosvsr , Mines 3 . Three bills introduced ey lord Campbeli . for the purpose of eSectins certain legal changes in actions , by cmi process , were reaa a secoud time , after which their lordships adjourned . Tcesday , Mabcs 4 . lord Jommnx presented a petition ft «*«*** tradesmen in "Westminster , complaining of the operation of lord Brougham ' s Bill of last session , for abolishing ^ SScS ^ nShe hill of las ^ an but s ^ d i . *« , * ni ; i on ^ earnnr to frame a measure to enable credi-% 3 & £ EZ& *•**¦ of aeMors wh 0 « w * noMsitnations as clerics , or otherwise .
lord Vesiiax presented apetittion from an individual , complaining that lie laa been for three years in prison owing to his entertaining a conscientious objection to lairing an oath . He further ' stated the same objection prevented his obtaining the county allowance , and he had , therefore , great difficulty in escaping famine . The Lora Cha » -cei ; i , oii said he would take the matter into ' consideration , in order to ascertain if such cases would not admit of a remedy . In reply to a question from Lord Campbell , The lord Chaxcellob said he had no intention of reintroducing the Ecclesiastical Courts' Bill during the present session . The Souse ihen adjourned . Thchsdat , . March 6 . The Constables ( Scotland . ) Bill and several other measures were advanced a stage , and their Lordships adjourned at an early hour .
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HOUSE OF COMMONS , Fbidat , Feb . 2 S . Captain * Pechell presented a petition complaining of the opening of Mr . Buncombe ' s letters , and praying fora Parliamentary inquiry . Mr . Milker Gibson presented a petition from a foreign gentleman resident in tliis country , but whose name , from the noise in the House and in the gallery , it was impossible to hear , praying the House to interfere with the powers of the Executive Government when exercised in co-operation with foreign Governments in their endeavours to control the actions of foreigners resident in this country . ' He stated that
if the proceedings of foreigners in this country were to be regulated % the rules adopted by the Austrian Government , it must put an end to all freedom of discussion on political topics , and ofthat liberty which was the peculiar boast of England , That it would further the ends of foreign espionage , and would render nugatory all the efforts to promote freedom in the world , and wonld convert that which was merely intended for legitimate efforisfor the improvement of a country into a colourable act of conspiracy and high treason . He , therefore , prayed the House to interfere , and in some way modify the use of the powers of the Executive Government in their control over foreigners , and collusion with foreign States .
POST-OFFICE ESPIONAGE . On the reading of the order of the day for going into a Committee of Ways and Means , Mr . Dcxcombe rose to move , " Thatcertain officers belonging to her Majesty ' s Post-office do attend this House at its next meeting , for the purpose of informing this House under wfiat authority they had been parties to the detaining , delaying , or opening any post letters of Thomas Slingsby Duncombe , Esquire , a Member of this House . " The Hon . Member said he Terymuch regretted that the little progress which had been made in public business on Tuesdav
evening last had prevented him from bringing ior ^ ard the motion of which he had given notice . In again calling , as he felt himself compelled to do , the attentiouof the House to the very grave subject which had already occupied too much of its time ; he thought that he should be able to prove that no blame on account of that occupation of time was attributable to himself . , 3 vot being able tb . hring the question forward the other evening , he had no alternative but to take the earliest opportunity of setting this . question ' again fairly before iiie public . Xow what occurred on a former occasion i He was told in the
first place that he had no evidence at all of his letters having been intercepted at the Post-omce ; and , secondly , that even if he did possess information eiiabling him to prove that interception of his letters had taken place thai . information could only have been ebtajuied by corrupting the officers of that establish ^ xnen £ The ifoble Lord the Member for Newark ( lord , J ., Manners ) , for whom lie entertained / a deep respect , said thai i £ what he had stated was true he was ' a degraded man ; while the Hon Member for the Universyrr of Oxford said that no ^ innocent man ¦ would complain of the opening of his letters , He need not state what was the inference to be drawn
from the latter statement , it the House would give'himthe opportunity—and even after the display of injustice which took place on theprevious evening , he still hoped ihey would noi refuse it-riewould prove that'he was innocent as regarded the imputation which hong orer him on account of the opening of his letters . Sow , he asked , what had occurred inrefewiieffio this subject ? He did / &C oilier evening , - and he did jnow , altogether disclaim any personal hostility to anv individual on the opposite benches , what he said then he would again state , that what ever responsibility attached to the fact of having opened his letters , must be shared by all . of her Majesty ' s Ministers , that , they must aft bear an equal share of responsibility with respect to it . —( Hear , hear . ) He was obliged to address himself to the
Bight Hon . Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home Department , because if any person issued a warrant for that opening of his letters , he must have been the person who issued it . Whatever offence his observations gave to that bench , the whole of the Ministry must share it among them . ( Hear , hear . ) ; Now , what had occurred in reference tcthis question ? When he presented to the . House the petition of M . Mazzmi , he i Certainly then inew nothing at all of his letters having been opened . As far as he was concerned the House should now know all the truth . When lie presented Mr . Maznnrs petition- he foiew nothing of the opening of his . letters , he did not even suspect that the Government would have perpetrated so mean and base an act as that of opening M 3 letters . That was on the 14 th of June . He said this in answer to
the Hon . Member for Porafret , because that Hon . Gentleman said that he ( Mr . Duncombe } must have known when he presented M . Mazzini ' s petition , ? hat his letters had been opened . He knew nothing sithatsort . On the 24 th of June he presented the petition of Ai . Stolzman , he knew nothing even then , md did not suspect that Ms letters had been stopped . Oil ; the 2 d of July he received some information from M . MazzM in the interim , with respect to ceriain parties connected with the Post-offiee . He understood there was a general rumour , a common subject of conversation in the establishment , which was simply this , —that the clerks and sorters , and sub-sorters , were in the ; habit of saying , "Whatis the use of Mr . Duncombe ' s making a bother about
the letters , of foreigners , he had much better look after the - villainy that is being perpetrated towards his own . " _ And he should be able to prove that if they would allow Mm the opportunity of a Committee . On hearing this he certainly pricked np his ears —( Laughter )—he asked M . Mazzmi if he could produce the persons who could prove these conversa tions . He said he eouid , but told him that in the meantime , he ( Mr . Duncombe ) had better make a motion in the House for a Committee of inquiry into the working of the inner or secret office of the Postoffice . He therefore gave notice of a motion of that sort , and said that if he could only get a Committee of Inquiry , that he would ascertain the names of parties which werenotorious iu the Post-office , and that he
would have the whole thing out . He gave notice of a motion of inquiry inio the working in this inner office , and into the duties of the persons employed in it , with a view of ascertarng by what authority they aetgcL WeD , how was that met ? He had said , in introeluciHg that motion , that the question was no " longer between M . Mazzini and the Govcrnnirnt—it was ho longer between him aud the Right Hon . 13 aroiiet . 'buVit was a question between the people of England and her Majesty ' s Ministers , and that the people JfisKed to know whether thesis letters were the prop ' erfr oTthe Secretary of State or not . The Right Hoik Baronet thin said that he agreed with him ( Mr . Duncombe ) that the question had gone so far that it could not stop there—that it was a question
between the Government and the people of England , and that it was quite right that the people of England should be satisfied on the point . How did he propose to satisfy them ?;• Instead of adapting the proposal made by him ( Mr . Duncombe ) , he moved an amendment that a Secret Committee should be appointed . The Bight Horn Gentleman named that Committee—he named M * 3 own jury—reserving to himself at the same time , the right of appeal from the decision of that tribunal , and of course he ( Mr . Duncombe reserved to himself equally the right of appeal ; and in exercise of that right he had called the attention of the House as early as he could during the present session ( the report being presented late in the last session ) , to what he considered the unsatisfactory and evasive character of that report . In doing so he had subjected himself to anumberof insinuations , andhe could get no satisfaction whatever on the ^ gubjcct . Amongstthose insinuations the Hon .
MemberforPontefract bad told him ( Mr . Duuconibc ) that his name had been associated with persons who had been Tinder the sentence of the law . He asked the Hon . Member to name them , and he mentioned Mr . LoVctt /; Well , ; what was the case of Mr . Lovett ? BeXMr . * Dunrombe ) eejrtainlv bad taken ' xro bis cause , aiidthe consequence was , that during the incafceraliOn ' of Messrs . Lovett and Collins at Warwick ; tlieir treatment " was modified , and , instead of beiu ° - treated as felons , they were treated as political pr £ « - > n ' ers ought to be'treated . 'But would any one say * - *¦> - ¦ - * - * ; flo ? ifion of the Government opening " ** time he had'never heard o : - Then Hhe Hon . and stated thatrhe ( Mr . -fence with certain -rat the "town of * 'tleman de-~ iber was fc ^ ¦
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======= — their counsel , and he defended them with so much ability , that they got four years' incarceration in the House of Correction . ' ( Loud laughter . ) Was there any proof that he ( Mr . Luncombe ) was connected , with those individuals ? He had never heard their names , nor had he ever held the slightest cerrespondence with them . Was there in that , then , any ground for opening Ms-letters ? The first time he had ever been connected with the Chartist parties was in 1841 , just previous to tie general election , when he presented a petition for them , praying for an amnesty to all political prisoners , and signed by 1 , 700 , 000 individuals . These political prisoners had been imprisoned for political oftences committed during the period that bis Noble Friend was in office . Iu the year 1841 , in the month of June or July , he
# » r t ? « % t i ii . J . I a _ 1 ... ; . ( Mr . Duncombe ) moved an humble address to her Majesty , praying that her Majesty would be graciously pleased to order that the case of those prisoners should be taken into consideration with a view to their release . Well , what was the result ? The House was equally divided upon the motion , and upon the casting vote of the Speaker that address was rejected . Was that any reaon why his letters should have been opened ? ( Hear , and a laugh . ) Then , again , in the year 1842 , in the month of May , he presented a petition upon the national condition , signed by 3 , 300 , 000 members of the working classes . There were greatdifferehces of opinion as to the truth of the " allegations contained in that petition ; many said that the expressions contained in it were foolish and indiscreet , and that they could not be proved .
Perhaps so ; but the petitioners prayed to bc-called to thehar of this House , but that prayer was rejected . Next , in the vear 1842 an outbreak and strike took Aee in Staffordshire ; and the opinion expressed Hon that occasion by the Right Hon . Baronet , the Secretary for the Home Department , was , that he j thought the whole tiring had been very much exaggerated , and that there was nothing whatever polij tical in it . ( Hear , hear . ) Now , he ( Mr . Duncombe ) apprehended that his letters were opened upon political grounds , and in connexion with supposed political oflendcrs—he assumed that such was the case . Well , in 1842 the manufacturing districts were in a frightfully disturbed state ; but at that time the conduct' of the working classes was
extremely creditable'to them . For three days it had been stated that that town was in possession of what was called the mob ; but notwithstanding that , such was the respect and regard of the people for private property , that not even a pane of . glass was broken . ' Therefore there could- have been no reason for opening , his letters then ; yet he was in a position to prove ' that at that very time his letters had been opened at the General Post-office . He had now with him in the House some letters he had received at that time ; but there were no letters of a treasonable character amongst them , so that if any such were sent to him at that time . the Right Hon . Baronet must have kept them himself . ( Great laughter . ) Amoagst the letters of a " suspicious-looking
character' that he then received—^ a laugh ) , He now held cue in his hand , which certainly appeared as if , to use the technical phrase , it had been "operated upon "—( loud laughter ); aud if closely examined , he believed there could be no doubt that it had been " operated" upon . ( Laughter . ) This letter he would now read : it was from Mi . Feargus O'Connor —( a laugh ) , and it was written ' during the Nottingham election , when Mr . Sturge was a candidate for that borough . The Hon . Member then read the letter , which was as follows : — " My Dear Sir , —Mindful of your great services , I snatch a moment from excitement to enclose you a taste of what we are doing . I never ^ saw a greater scene of moral excitement ; and had the Whist compact been acted upon ,
Nottingham for evermore would have returned Tory members ; but now I hope to banish the' genus for ever ; I have discovered that the Tory leaders took a number of paid men to South Derbyshire to personate not dead , but living voters , with a view of being beforehand with the real Simon Pures . 1 have names and all for you , amount paid , and who voted . I have just returned from a village four miles distant with forty votes all right—am off to another at the other side to make it all right—and then back to the marketplace for half-past eight , to make that all right . Read the enclosed ; it is worth £ 10 , 000 . This letter , though short , should be prized , as I should write many on business , but have not time . Yours , very faith ' fully , Feargus O'Coxxok . —P . S . Tell Hobhouse that should we be beat by the contractor ' s neutrality , he need neyer again show his nose in Nottingham . , ( Laughter . ) That was the sort of correspondence which he had received during the whole ofthat time .
In the course of 1 S-S 9 he hadno communication whatever with Mr . Feargus O'Connor ; and , therefore , he should be glad to know upon what grounds his letters were opened . ( Hcai \) If he could prove that they had been opened by the servants of the Post-office , let them show their authority for opening his letters . ( Hear , heai ' . ) If they produced the authority , then , it would be for them to justify it . Either the Government had issued warrants for the opening of his letters , or they had been opened without warrants . ( Hear , hear . ) If they had * been opened without a warrant , then , no doubt , a breach of privilege had been committed . He did not now , nor did he on the former occasion niake this a question of privilege . That was a question which the House would decide when it heard the evidence . —After . other observations of similar import , the Hon . Member concluded by moving his amendment as above ; Mr . © 'Israeli seconded the amendment . His speech we give elsewhere .
Sir J . Graium entered into a lengthened defence of his conduct in the opening of letters , and called upon the House to resist the amendment which had been proposed . He reiterated his former statements that every facility had Ibecii afforded to the Secret Committee to arrive at a correct conclusion . Nothing was kept back , that could in the least degree prevent it from arriving at a proper knowledge , of all that the Government Lad done in respect te the opening of letters . The report of the committee had exonerated him from all blame ; and he did not see any reason why that decision should he disturbed . He entertained no ill teeling towards the Hon . Member for Finsbury , and he could solemnly declare that inthe exercise of the objectionable power , he had been actuated only by a deep sense of duty and responsibility ; and that he must say that he entertained the highest respect for the Hon . Member for Finsbury . He could assure Mm and the House that
he ( Sir J . Graliam ) had never any reason to doubt that the Hon . Member was not a " loyal and dutiful subject" of her Majesty . Lord Howick was of opinion that nothing which had been stated by the Right Hon . Baronet who had just sat down , was applicable to the case of the Hon . Member for Finsbury . Nevertheless , he regretted the subject had been again brought forward . He would much rather have seen a bfll introduced . to do away with this obnoxious power ; and tlien the ' matter would have been set at rest . The decision of the Secret Committee was far from being satisfactory , and the Right Hon . Baronet was wrong in supposing that he was released from giving any further account . It would be much more to the credit of the Right Hon . Gentleman if , instead of resisting the motion , he would openly and fairly tell the House and the country whether or not he . had issued warrants to open the letters of Mr . Duncombe .
Lord Saxdox , as a member of the Secret Committee , briefly defended its report . Mi \ Warburtox said a few words on the same subject . Lord Jonx Russell defended the vote he had given on a former occasion . In reference to what had been said about the report of the Secret Committee , he stated that that committee was appointed to inquire as to whether the power given to the Government had been fairly and duly exercised ; not as to its validity . The Right Hon . Baronet the Secretary for the Home Department having declared that nothing had been elicited to impugn the loyalty or lower the character of the Hon . Member for Finsbury , he ( Lord John Russell ) could not consequently vote for the present amendment . ¦¦ - • ' Mr . M . Mim . es shortly- addressed the House in favour of the amendment . ; ¦ .
Mr . W : Watsox informed the House that since the hist debate on the subject , he had looked more carefully into the law of the question ; yet instead of his former position being shaken it was very considerably strengthened . It was still his decided opinion that the power exercised by the Government , was an illegal and unconstitutional assumption . He ' maintained that the opening the letters of a subject called for a more calm and dispassionate discussion . As yet there had been nodenial of the charge of tlic non . Member for Finsbury , respecting the opening of his
letters by the Home Secretary ; and unless some more distinct and satisfactory answer was given to the House , the Government would be disgraced in the eves of the world . Mr . Aglioxbt supported the amendment . The opening of the letters of a Member of this House was not only a breach of privilege but palpably illegal . It was his hope therefore that the Hon . Gentleman would persevere in his amendment . Some impatience being manifested ' at this state of of the debate , and there being several calls for a division ; to if
Mr . Hume threatened move an adjournment the debate was not allowed quietly to proceed . Mr . Jervis thought the speech of the Home Secretary would be ; far from giving -satisfaction to the country . He believed that-all-the -gentlemen practising in Westminster Hall with the exception of . the Solicitor-General , admitted the opening of Members letters to be illegal . He . deeply regretted the Right Hon . BSrt . had not given a fuU and " satisfactory exr planation . The Earl of Lpfcow thought the Home . Secretary had been foully' and . unfairly aspersed . ' Mr . Duncombe ' s character had been fairly cleared of any imputation ; and it would be highly injudicious to call persons to the bar of the House .- - > - ¦ ' ¦ ¦' - " AlKiBERjfAtthought allwould : have been settled amicably if the ; warrants had been produced on which the-lettera of ilr . Duncombe had been opened . j Me . Wakibs was of opinion that his Hon . colleague had . been unfairly treated ; and he trusted it would operate as an example not to put much trust in committee reports , and especially in Secret Committees .
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The public would never rest satisfied until the whole subject was fully settled . The House was bound to grant the inquiry , unless it suffered itself to lie under the imputation of tyranny as well aa dishonesty . SirR . Peel considered the power of opening letters ought to be maintained . If the Government were to acquiese in the request to call witnesses to the bar of the House , every person who presented a petition would make out a prima facie case , and claim a similar privilege . Every member of the Gevernment was as responsible as his Hon . colleague ( Sir J .
Graham ) , in as far as the present charge was concerned . It was not from want of courage , ' or from a feeling of dignity , but from a sense of duty , that the Government both last year , and now , declined to answer the question about the opening of these letters .. If the practice of examining evidence on the : question was conceded , it could not be restricted : to the case of the Hon . Member for Finsbury , a dangerous preced ent would thus be laid down . After some further observations of a similar character ' , the Right Hon . Baronet , concluded , and the House divided , when there appeared—r . For the Amendment of Mr . Duncombe ' 113
Against it -188 Majority against"the : Amendment .. " . ' . ' . ^ ... 75 On the motion that the House . do go into . a Committee of Supply , Mr . Hogg proposed an amendment to the effect of abolishing the discriminating duties on East Indian sugar , not refined ; in order to assimilate them to those of the West Indies ; or in other words , to put an end to the distinction made between clayed ana Muscovado sugars . ' ; . - ; " After Sir Robert Peel , Mr . Hawes , arid the Chancellor of the Exchequer had addressed the House ; the motion was by consent withdrawn . The House then went into Committee , and immediately after adjourned . ¦ •¦ ' •• • - ¦ HOUSE OF COMMONS , Monday , March 3 .
j OPENING OP LETTERS IN THE POST-OFFICE . Mr . T . Duncombe gave notice that , immediately after Easter , he would move for leave to bring in a . bill to secure the inviolability of letters passing through the Postoffice . ( Cheers . ) ' ¦ ' ¦ " ' Mr . Sheii . gave notice that he would , on Tuesday ; the 11 th of March , move a resolution expressing : there- ' gret of the House that letters addressed to foreigners residing in this country had been opened in the Post-office ¦ without their knowledge ' or sanction , and that certain information with regard to the disturbances in the Papal States , obtained by such means , should have been communicated to a foreign power . ( Hear . ) : ; i The House having resolved itself into a committee of ways and means ,
The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved a resolution upon which to ground the introduction of a hill for imposing the sugar duties for the ensuing year in . accordance with the plan , of SirR ' . Peei . He had fixed upon the 14 th of March for the commencement of the . new duties ^ in orde r to give the merchants . one month's time to get rid of tlicir stocks on hnnd . ' . ' . Mv . AViuiams thought the time should be extended ; one month was not sufficient to enable merchants in a large w ay of businesstogetridoftheirstocksbnhand . The Chancellor of the Exchequer said a long post , ponement af the new duties would derange tliecourse of business by checking the importation of sugar . . ' After some discussion it . was agreed that the resolution should be postponed until ! '• Friday , and that meanwhile the Government should decide whether or hot they would adopt the principle of classification . ' ;' The Stamp Duties Assimilation Bill passed through committee , and the House adjourned , ' "'
Tuesday , Mahcii 1 . . ... . Lord Ghanviixe Somerset brought under consideration the report of the committee appointed to ascertain the best method of constituting committees on railway bills . The report recommended the adoption of twenty-two resolutions , the first four of which were agreed to without observation . The fifth , however , providing that every member selected should sign a declaration that neither himself nor his constituents were possessed of any local or personal interest in the line or lines upon which he was called to adjudicate , led to considerable discussion , but was eventually agreed to . ' « On the resolution rendering it compulsory on Hon . Members to attend on the committee for which they had been selected ,
Mr . Beenal objected that this would , be havd on the forensic and mercantile members , who could not spare the requisite time to attend to those committees . Such an attendance on private bills formed no part of the constitutional business which Hon . Members undertook to perform when they became representatives of the people . Sir U . Pbel said the business had come upon them , and it would degrade them in the eyes of the nation ii they did not make an exertion to meet it . If they were to remit these railway bills to a tribunal out of doors , the result would be that tlieir own weight and influence would be lessened in the public mind , and eventually they would find that they had raised a rival authority by abandoning tlieir duty , and would sink themselves . to the level of a debating club . On the other hand , by making a proper exertion to meet the difficulty of the case , they would raise themselves iu the estimation of Hie whole country .
Several Hon . Members entu-ely approved of the view of the matter taken by Sir H . Peel , and the resolution , as it stood , was agreed to , as were . also the remaining resolutions , aftev a very protracted and desultory discussion . . . : . FIELD GARDEKS . Mr . Cowpeb rose , pursuant to notice , for the purpose of moving , for leave to bring in a bill to promote the letting of field gardens to the labouring poor . The object which he had in view was to extend the benefits of the allotment system as widely as possible . There mi g ht be those who despaired of effecting- by means Of legislation anything like direct relief ; but he did hope that those disposed to such an opinion would not too hastily express it , for the subject was one of a very grave and serious nature . Every one must know that the condition of the poor in this country was one of the utmost privation and
suffering—that a fearful state of things now existed . They must know also that many of the iabouring classes looked to the House of Commons for relief , as they knew no other quarter from which they could hope to receive it ; and he should greatly regvet if it became necessary to tell the poorthatthe House of Commons could not redress their grievances . One of the points at which he should aim in the preparation of his intended measure . would be to cement the connexion between the working classes and the land . The connexion of the labourer with the land proved at all times an important ingredient in the social system of this country . Formerly all cottagers possessed small allotments of land ; all the peasantry above the rank of serfs enjoyed rights of commonage , though he would not take on himself to say that he could point to the precise time" Ere England ' s griefs began ,
When every rood of ground maintained its man . " But itwas quite certain that before the sixteenth century there was a very large proportion of the land of this country in the hands of the labouring poor . Since that time , however , various causes were at . work to alter that state of things ; there was , first , the French Revolutionary war then a discontinuance of the practice of granting leases for lives , and until small allotments had been of late years made the connexion between the labourer and the land might be said to have been quite severed . In the course of the experience which had been already . obtained with respect to ' the practical working of the allotment system , it was found that half an acre was tlie maximum in general of land that could be advantageously cultivated in that way , and it was not unreasonable to say
that a quarter of an acre was the quantity of land winch might be allotted under any extensive adaptation of the system , as being most likely to prove beneficial to the labourer , whilst its limited extent would prevent such an allotment from provingprejudicial to the large proprietors or cultivators . But the principal value which the allotment system possessed , in his estimation , and in that of its supporters , -was the moral effect produced by it upon the labourers themselves . ( Hear , hear . ) And first he would look at it-under the head of amusement and recreation in leisure or unemployed hours . The labourers of the present day were under great disadvantages compared with their predecessors of past ages . They no longer had the old recreations to fall back upon , or to relax their minds and limbs after the fatigues of the day
were over . The old forest sports and pastimes of England no longer were at their command . Those means of enjoyment might be read of in the poets , but they no longer existed for the poor labourer . The village maypole had no votaries for the dance at the present day ; indeed , it would require a different race of men to the peasantry of England , in order that such boisterous exercises as-those should be properly enjoyed and entered into . Books required more intellectual cultivation than \ vas usual amongst the labouring classes . There was , however , one species of amusement which he was not inclined to speak lightly of , knowing how eloquently and how sincerely it had been advocated by the Noble Lord the Member for Newark ( Lord J . Manners ); but he believed his ISoble Friend would agree with him that cricket required
too much skill as well as too great a degree of agility to he within the reach of any but an extremely limited number of the working classes . But all these difficulties and objections vanished in the application of a system such as that which he proposed . For if voluntary occupation in cultivating a piece ofgroundwerefoundtobendtonly productive of amusement , but also enabled a labourer to derive some portion of his sustenance from thus employing his recreative hours , andif it was considered thattheland , but for such an allotment , would lie dormant and useless in a great measure , whilsta drunken and lawless character might be reformed and rendered a sober and industrious and honest man , he ( Mr . Cowper ) did really consider that the universal adoption of this system would at once offer
an amusement ; combined with a rational , a Harmless , nnd a profitable employment . The great importance-which was attached to the possession of a garden might be'idisi covered in the extreme desire manifested by the labouring classes to obtain a plot of ground 'for' / cultivfttion . There was not a greater anxiety ; existing ' amongst tn ; 6 higher classes to become landedprop'r ietovs on a laVg ' e ' scale than was ; to " be witnessed , amongst'the humbler '; labourer * for the posssession bf an allotment . ' Not onl y did this feeling exist amongst the agricultural villages ; btrtit was' ^ ve ' r ' y widely spreadin towns and cities , and'particulari y'in the manufacturing districts ; ^ The system' of allotinents'had long been practically known amongst the' agricultural villages . But it was only beginning to be known and appredated in the manufacturing towns , and districts . The
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town of Leeds afforded , he was happy to say , a gratifying example , of its good effects ,, and of the eagerness with which the operative classes availed themselves of it » benefits ; and the manner in which some of the millowners in that town had stepped forward to promote the system was highly creditable to them , more § articularly to Mr . Marshall and Mr . Gott , who had been the : foremost in procuring allotments there for their operatives . The example set in the town of Leeds had proved beneficial , as , shewine-that the system of allotments was practicable even in large towns , and amongst other than the agricultural classes , . i The . weavers , repaired to their grounds during the hours of their meals , or after ¦ they had finished their laboursyuhd they enjoyed agreatgratification in their cultivation whilst they had an ropportunity for breathing the
, fresh and-invigorating ail-, which , if . they had not ; been tempted by their allotments / they , would . not'have . done - He remembered an instance in which a friend of his was walking on a fine moonlight night , and he perceived a man working in his garden , it being then about half-past ten o ' clock . His friend asked the man why he was at work so late ? ; to which the other replied , that he was a weaver , and that his whole day was passed at the loom , so that he couidtonly .. work by the light of the moon . The man , moreovev ; said he was planting .-his potatoes by moonlight , and he hoped tobe able to gather them-in the same manner . . In tlie . large manufacturing towns there were very considerable numbers of thepopulation most desirous of obtaining : allotments , but great difficulties existed in the way of providing a sufficiency of land at such a
convenient- distance as would render it available for that purpose . There certainly were numbers-of- benevolent persons who weremost desirous of aiding in this scheme , and who had taken the trouble of establishing allotments on tlieir own grounds . He-believed a great many persons who felt interested in the well-being of the peasant classes had adopted' aud introduced the system more or less . ( Hear , bear . ) i BuC on looking round it would be seen thilt only a small proportion of the great mass of landed proprietors had as yet followed this example . There were labourers' gardens in the immediate vicinity of their own residences established by the large landed proprietors , but the outlying parts of their estates , being less . under their observatioiij were left unprovided in this respect with allotments for the cottiers . The non-resident landlords
were Jikewise neglectful of this matter ; in many villages there were no squires and no great landed proprietors to encourage the system , either by example or precept ; and lastly , there were vast numbers of landowners who had no ' t , taken tiie trouble to make any efforts , or to inquire into the system . He thought , however , if the ' public attention , were once called to the beneficial results which had attended the system of allotments wherever it had been fairly tri ed , that notwi ; hstading the difficulties of procuring land , tlie present generation would not' pass away before it was universally adopted . There .. were mawy reasons why allotments had not been generally established . Amongst them was . to be reckoned the competition that existed for land , which was so great as to preclude the poorer classes from every chance of success . It was very well known , that notwithstanding all the complaints of agricultural distress , if a . farm fell in from any cause , there were always dozens of applicants for its
tenancy , notwithstanding all the farmers cried out - .. that they could not-cultivate the land at a profit . Another difficulty ' wi th respect ' to allotments existed ia ; the . alterations and fresh dispositions- of , the land , which was rendered ; necessary by the establishment of such a system on an estate . ¦ Besides , landlords were compelled to consult , and often to give way to the prejudices of . those . with , ivhom they were connected as their tenants ' or ' their neighbours- —the farming classes . At the same time he . had . heard of instances where farmers had themselves voluntarily givenup portions of their land for the purpose of allotments . The landlord also feared the additional risk and trouble which would result from his having to receive his rents from a great number of tenants instead of from one or two only . But , ' whatever the reasons might be , the fact was nevertheless that the laudlords , though kindly disposed towards ,: ' the labouring classes , were averse in the majority of cases to let out their lands in allotments . There existed a mode of
establishing them by the institution of voluntary associations , but the legal as'well as the practical difficulties attendant on this plan had hitherto prevented its generaladoption . The great want in such associations was found to be a person to act as security between the tenants and the landlord , and in the majority of cases they had failed from not having a sort of middle-man . The bill which he held in his hand was calculated to remedy these wants , and to cure the defects which had been found to operate against the establishment of allotments . Its provisions and objects were altogether of an auxiliary . character . ¦ If any benevolent person' desired to aid an association such as he had referred to in carrying out an allotment system , the bill which he proposed to bring in with the permission of the House , would afford Btliem the means
of so doing with safety to .. themselves and to the satisfaction of the landlord ; .: and the ' main provision of it rested . entirely upon . a parochial organisation . The . first proceeding under " the bill which ho proposed would be , to consider , at a meeting in vestry , of the propriety of establishing allotments in the parish , and that being assented to , the next sttp > VQ « ld be to elect officers who would have the power of carrying , out the system amongst the cottagers . There would also be a provision : respecting enclosure , Acts , and . one for the security : of the rents to be- paid for the allotments ; another provision of the bill would give the pojvcr of making tlie poor-rate responsible for the rent of the allotments . The system of allotments was a perfectly secure one , but the tenant who was unwilling to pay the rent of ,
his plot of ground should not be left m possession of it , and a provision to that effect should be made in the bill It was not necessary to say anything to recommend a measure to the House which had for its object the render , ing of the labouring population more independent than they were . The bill which he held in his hand was calculated to effect that object , and he must say of tlie subject that no one who had tried the system of allotments could sayithnd failed , There might be , aud there ivere indeed , certain theoretical objections to allotments , such as that which related to their interfering with the division of labour , and the impossibility of a man serving two masters , but these were what he must call . mere theoretical objections ; . for the real effect of the allotment svstuin would-be to raise the labourer ' s wages . So one
could say that a labourer ' s wages were sufficient for his support . He must , therefore , else them out by cultivating his allotment . It had been urjjed , that the labourer who luid an allotment would do less woi-kfov his en \ ployev during the day , that lie might reserve his strength to work for himself afterwards . Experience contradicted this . The allotment labourers had been generally found to be the most moral and industrious men on the farms . This was , no doubt , the consequence of the change in their position . Another objection to thesystem was , that it tended to diminish the circulation of labour throughout the country . But this argument would apply equally to all attempts to elevate the condition of the- labourer—( hear ); and its legitimate consequence must be that the landlord xraght to "" endeavour so to fix the
pressure' of poverty and suffering , on the labourer as to drive him from his parish . ( Hear . ) No doubt , where there existed a surplus population in any particular district , it would be doing the labourer a service to induce him to seek employment elsewhere ; but that was a very different ease from endeavouring to create such circumstances around him as would force him to dp so . Kor was it surprising that the labourer should cling to . his parish . There . were many circumstances which rendered migration undesirable to him . Not the least was the law of settlement , and the , chance that , if driven back to his own parish , a careless board of guardians might leave him without relief till too late . The man of capital could emigrate in ' search of better occupation and could afford to wajt ; but to tlie labouring man every day ' s work was his day ' s subsistence . Starvation might come on him before he gained his object . For all these reasons he could not suppose the allotment system would be opposed , because the refusal of an allotment
might make the labourer move ready to migrate . ( Hear , ) He contended that , by analogy , the legislature were bound to . interfere to help the labourer to the attainment of land . The legislature had facilitated the establishment of loan societies , where the poor man could borrow money , and they had established savings' bank . ; , where he could lay it up . Upon the same principle he contended that they ought to afford the labourer every facility and suciu'ity in a cQuii'ing small portions of land . On the other band , he . would be very sorry that the , legislature should interfere at all with the , obligation winch lay on individual proprietors . The direct . relation between , the landlord and the poor tenant , was . the most beneficial s to both , and ought by no means to be put an end to , This bill would not interfere therewith . It was only to come into operation in places where . it would be absolutely necessary , and then he really believed . it would confer a great and effectual benefit on the working man . The lion . Member concluded with his motion . Mr . MitES seconded the motion .
Mr . IIoaiB verj-mucii . leared that tins measure would bold out expectations that could not be realised . He doubted much whether the allotment system would succeed ; he feared it would only tend to the vast increase of population and of poverty , until it produced the effects here which the same system had already brought about in Ireland . He also dreaded giving the parish authorities the power of levying money on the community to carry out tins system .. Mr . U . Escott was glad to hear from the Hon . ; Member for Hertford ( hat there was to be nothing compulsory in the measure , though he could not well see how its provisions could be carried out without some such power . As it was , every landowner had the full power to make
allotments , ' if he thought fit . wherever the allotment system had been adopted it appeared to have succeeded ; but he believed this to have arisen from its having been voluntary ; . ' and he feared that the intervention of the Legislature woiilt ^ do away with this giteat source of good . The most beneficial operation of tlie system had been where gardens Mere given with the-cottages , ' but ' hot called allotments . ( Hear , hear . ) He " could not' help fearing , if ' allotments were increased , as allotments "it would only be opening : the door to those evils which existed'to so great an ' extent in Ireland . The great ob ' jeet of the Legislature should be to increase and extend the demand for labour , and also to soeducate the poor ' to ] enable them to make- a bettur use" of the wages thev go t . 0 ( Hear ;) - !' - - ¦ ••;¦ . .- ¦ : . -. ¦) , , ¦ ,,.-.- . , ; , . -.. , - -. ; : , - .
' | Lord J . , Mansi » s , agreed with his 'Hon : Friend that it w ^ s better for tliii poor man to get his cottag ' e ' and garden frbnVtnelresideot landlord , But this bill was intended toapplyto cases where there " were no resident ' landlords He would instance particularly the case of the ' framework ' - knitters , who could not at present get land under any circumstances . To their case this bill particularly ap-
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plied , and if Parliament passedthis bill it would confer a great benefit on them . He thought that the feelings and opinions of the' people , themselves on such-a -questionought to be respected ; and there was no question , ho believed , on which the sympathies and feelings of the people were so much excited as on this . He believed they were unanimous , and they asked for a measure to facilitate as much as possible their getting land in the manner proposed by his Hon . Friend . And whether lie succeeded , as some perhaps' over-sanguine expected he would , of whether he failed , still his Hon . Friend opposite wonld feel that he had doiie ]» e duty in bringing the subject forward ; and the over-worked and underpaid artisans and mechanics would , he might' depend ' on it , never cease to be grateful for the proposal of such a measure .
Mr . S . Ckawfokb denied that the poverty of Ireland was to be attributed to small holdings . It was small holdings at exorbitant rents , as in the case of the conacre tenants , that produced the distress of the people . Where the holdings we ' re direct from the head landlord , and at'a fair rent , tlie . system worked well , and the people were in comfort ; He could mention particularly . the estates of the Marquis of Londonderry ( hear ) -as an instance of the good effect of small holdings under those circumstances . There the-land was let at a reasonable rent , and every attention was paid to the ' eomfoi't of the tenant . ' ( Hear . ) So administered , ' small holdings tended tb ; the prosperity of the community . The half-acre system , however , would only work well when the labourer had other employment . He was glad to see the subject before Parliament . The labouring man at present had no prospect of ever being able to improve his condition—of raising himself in the social scale . This system would afford him the opportunityj and he had himself witnessed its good effects on the peasantry of his own country .
Sir W , James sapported the bill , but objected to some of the details . Mr . Roebdck said this was a bill which proposed to change sol completely the whole condition of the labourer in this country , that he thought it demanded the serious attention of the Government . Tlie Eight Hon . Baronet the Home Secretary would bear in ' mind that this bill was to make use of the machinery employed in collection of the poor rates . ( Hear , hear . ) He hoped the bill would not be allowed to . go into committee without a declaration from the Government whether they approved or disapproved of it , and'iioWthey would make it square with their other legislation for the poor .
Sir J . Geaham reminded the House that in the course of last session he had supported the second reading of a similar , bill . On' that- occasion he had at some length stated his opinion upon it , and had particularly referred to th ' at provision which made'the ' poor-rate a security for ! the payment of the rents of these allotments . To that provision-he still- entertained a-decided-objection . - « He understood the Hon . Member for Hertford , to state that his measure was only permissive , ofauxiliary , as he said , in jorder . that facilities might be given for hiring land . He ( Sir J . Graham ) quite agreed with what had fallen from the Hon . Member for Newark ( Lord J . Manners ) , fliat when landlords voluntarily gave garden-ground with cottages , that system was infinitely preferable ; but he was not prepared to say that small allotments in the vicinity of the labouring classes might notbe attended with advantage . He could not possibly object to the introduction of the bill , which , as far as he understood , was " an improvement on the measure of last year , which proposed
allotments of one acre , while tlie present bill did not profess to go beyond half-an-aere . The Hon . Gentleman , to his infinite honour , had bestowed"SO much attention on the subject that lie thought it would be highly indecorous in the House to hesitate to give him permission to introduce the bill . ' On a former occasion he had expressed what he felt , that , from a consideration of what was due to the condition of the * labouring classes , any measure proposed by an Hon . Jlembev who had attended to the subject was worthy the attention of the House . " The distress and poverty of the agricultural peasantry constituted aqwstion which could notbe safely overlooked by the House , and he was sure that any measure which held out a reasonable expectation of any addition to their comfort , welfare , and enjoyment must be regarded by the House with respect and attention , and with a wish for its success . He was disposed to give a Caveful consideration to the bill of the Hon . Member , and to view it with favour , aud a hope that some successful issue might result from his labours . ( Hear , hear . ) ¦
Mr . Mangles said , he observed that the statement of the Hon . Member for Winchester ( Mr . Escott ) — who ipoke in a deprecating tone of the effect of-the allotment system on the comfort and well-being of the labouring class , and who contended that asufficieney of labour was the great object desirable for their good—was cheered by gentlemen who differed widely from that Hon . Member with respeet to agricultural matters generally . The Hon . Member , however , threw no light on the mode in which that sufficiency of labouv was to be obtained . He ( Mr . Mangles ) lived in a purely agricultural district , and he knew that during the ¦ whiter , and except at the height oi the corn and hay harvests , a considerable . number of labourers were without , employment for many weeks , nnd others could only obtain it occasionally . During the
recess he had made inquiries as to the effects of allotments in reference > to . the well-being o ? the labouring classes . He had consulted many gentlemen , and many ladies too ; among others Mrs . Davies Gilbert ; and on no subject of equal magnitude had he ever found the testimony so unanimous in its favour . Mrs . Davis Gilbevt informed him that . the allotment system had not failed in a single instanceunder her management , and she wrote to him , if he recollected right , stating that at one time she . had 400 allotment tenants , and for eleven years not one had failed in paying- , his rent . That was important testimony . He knew that the intelligent labourer ¦ was in favour of the system . After a county meeting on this subject in West Surrey , a group of gentlemen remained discussing the subject in a banking-house . While they were so engaged , a man came into change a note , ' and , hearing opinions expressed against the allotment
system , lie restrained himself for sometime in the presence of his superiors . At last lie could bear it no longer , and he broke out with , " Gentlemen , you may say what you like , but I know it ' s a good plan , for it has made a man of me . " . He ( Mr . Mangles ) being struck with what the man said , visited his place , and found he was raising three pigs in his stjy and had a field with a crop of potatoes . ThereTvas at his door a chaise-cart with two men in Us who were bargaining with him for some potatoes , and tins man , who only four or five years before was' a common day labourer on 10 s . a week , was then in a condition to be able to refuse tlie price offered for his potatoes as insufficient , The same man showed him ( Mr . Mangles ) another field , which he was venting , though he had not got it direct from the landowner , at the rate of £ 3 per acre , and ' said he was mating a large profit from it .
Mr . BoRTHWicK had heard with satisfaction the statement of the Right Hon . Baronet the Home Secretary , and expressed his concurrence in it . Leave was then given'to bring in the bill . Wednesday , March 5 . . .. ' On the motion for going into committee on the incomu tax * .. * . .. ' * . ' . .. ' . ' . ' -. ' ' : Captain BernaV Osborne said , he . was so decidedly opposed to the assessment of precarious income at tho same rate as permanent property , that he should move as an amendmehti that the House should " go into committee that day three months . Mr . Mcntz contended tbat tiie portion of the tan relating to income was obnoxious , vexatious , and inquisitorial . " A discussion followed , in which Mv . F . Baring , th « Chancellor of the Exchequer , Mr . Ewart , Mr . D . Barclay , and Mr . Hawes took part . ' ¦ ' ¦ ' -
The House then divided , and the amendment was negatived by a majority of 96 to 23 . The House having resolved itscKinto committee , Mr . CURTEI 6 proposed that the operation of the tax should be limited to two instead of to three years , as proposed by Sir It . Peel . The way . he said , in which the tax had been received by the City of London , as contrasted with its opinion of an income tax in 1815 , was a great encouragement to Sir It . Peel , not only to continue , but to double the tax if necessary . On a division the amendment was negatived by a majority of 69 to 17 . ; MivWakley said he felt so confident , of-the ' benefit the plan of Sir . R . Peel would confer on the country , that he would " not oppose die tax if he thought it would ' terminate in . three year * .
; Sir It . Peel said he could give no pledge that the tax would terminate at the close of three years , for , to judge by the present feeling of the public , the country appeared to be so enamoured of the tax , that it might refuse to allowitt 6 . be taken off . i . . ' ¦ Lord J . Rusbell observed that he < wcs ' not-very " sanguine that the tax would be repealed at the end of three years , and would therefore have wished that Sir B . Peel had made an . attempt to remove the " inequalities of its operation .- . .. Dr . Booting was iiivourable to direct taxation on property , and would regret to see the tax wholly removed at the end of three years . Lord Sanbow was also Iiivourable to direct taxation . Sir E . Fell said , he-adhered to the intention of continuing the tax as it now stood ; but three years hence , il the tax were to be continued , its principle might be subiccted to revision .
The clauses were eventually all agreed to ; the House resumed : and the report was ordered to be received on Friday next . The Stamp Duties Assimilation Bill was read a third time , and passed . The House then adjourned .
• iHunsDAT , March 6 . The Speaker took the chair at twelve o'clock , and inimediately afterwards the House went into Committee on the Railway Clauses Cansolidation Bill . The discussion of the various clauses occupied the House till a quarter past tbur o'clock , when the members adjourned . At live o ' clock the House re-assembled , when -.- ¦ . •' ¦ Mr . Blewitt gave . notice that on . an earl y . aav after Easter , he should move for leave to bring in a bill to repcil the several Acts of Parliament . which , prohibited thu growth and curing of tobacco iu Great Britain . and Inland . . . - ¦ ¦ . " . ; . -... . , ' :
. . , THE " CONDmON . OF . ENOLASD ^ UJSSTIOM . 'i-Mr . BoRTSWiCE ,. seeing the , Kpbia Lord ,: the ' - 'MembW for London , in : his place , would , beg . leaye to ^ ask-hima question .. In the last ; session iOf Parliament , the ' Noble l ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ tloii . of / ijje . House . to / ffift-Biitressed condition , of , the labouring- population . ' Since . then- he ( Mr . Borthwick ) had . had many communications from most districts upon the subject ; and , therefore , he would wish to know whether , t was the intention of the Noble Lord to bring the subject before the House this , ession !
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Lord J . Russell begged to say , in answer to the Ho * aud Learned Member , that it was his intention to bring the subject forward , with a view to proposing some legisla * tive measure upon it , shortly after Easter . Mv . Ewart moved for leave to bring in a bill to enable Town Councils to establish museums of art in corporate towns . Mr . Wise seconded the motion . Sir Robekt Peel admitted to the fullest extent the advantage of encouraging a taste for the arts amongst every class of . society . Stillhe thought they ought to proceed with great . caution when they made a proposition to give Town Councils the power to raise taxes for tlie purpose of establishing museums . Nevertheless be could not avoid that opportunity of recommending Town Councils to employ tlieir best exertions to raise funds upon a voluntary principle for . such institutions . Such establishments as museums , if well carried out , never failed * liotonlyto instruct and improve , but to make the . work ' ing . elasses of every district of the country content with their condition of life .
Lord John Manners said , h& should be happy to ses the proposition of the Hon . Member carried into effect , After a few brief observations from one oi > two otW members concerning the motion , Mr . Labobchere expressed himself pleased to notice so much unanimity . in the House upon a subject of such importance . He agreed in the opinion alread y so fully expressed , that institutions of this kind were well calculated to elevate the mind , and otherwise to improve the condition in life of the industrious classes . Mr . Sh £ jl was in favour of the . opening of ail public museums and ^ exhibitions on Sunday . He did j ^ think that such a proceeding would in the least degree tend to the desecration of the Sabbath ; while it would do much to improve the tastes and habits of the people . Leave was then given to bring in the bill .
Sir . Ewart then proceeded to move for a Select Committee , to inquire if it . was not advisable for the en ds of justice that the defendant's counsel in civil , andthepn " soner's council in criminal , cases , should bejermitted to address the jury on , the close of the evidence for the defendant ^ r prisoner .. Mr . E . . briefly addressed tks House on the advantages which lie alleged would result from this course . The motion was resisted by the Axtoiix £ v-3 £ mebal on the ground that , if adopted , it would lead to serious in . convenience . The practice existed on Parliamentary Committees , and they were fully aware of the complaints which were made of the endless speech-making indulged in by Learned Gentlemen on such occasions . He would suggest that the motion should be withdrawn , and the matter referred to the Commissioners appointed to inquir * into the present state of our various law and criminal courts of justice ., ;
Mr . Ewabt agreed to dp so and the motion , by Jeacs of the House , was withdrawn . The Bastardy Bill was read a second time vmhont dissension , and ordered to be . committed to-morrow . Several unimportant motions for returns were agreed to , when the orders of , the day were disposed of , and the House adjourned . ; . ^
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Oxe Law tor the Rich and akothkr for the Poor . —Case of Miss Osborne . —Our readers -wiD remember the flagrant case of Mrs . -Tyrwhitt , a fashionable lady , who a short time ago was charged with having stolen a microscope ; a charge which was fully arid unmistakeably proved by the evidence on the trial , but on which charge she was nevertheless acquitted by the base middle-class jury before whom she was tried . It will be remembered that on that occasion the Clerkemyell Sessions Court was crowded with a gang of fashionable drones ami plunderers , who hailed the acquittal of their worthy comrogue with loud , applause . That "lady" stole a microscope , but as the base jury were convinced that she did not steal it with a " felonious intention " she was
acquitted ! Diis premium for aristocratic tiueveryiuu ! not been unproductive of its natural results . Another "lady" has been charged with a like offence , itealino a pot of " potted meat . " This " lady" is a daughter of a Sir John Osborne , Bart ., who , we believe , enjoys tlie privilege bF : legally ' plundering tlie nation through the medium of an office in the Customs . True to her caste instincts , and no doubt fired with the ambition to imitate the lady-thief Tynvhitt , Miss Osborne walks off with the grocer's " potted meat . " The "lady" is arrested and locked up for a day or two , and then forthwith we have the most sentimental of howlings given publicity to in the papers at the shocking hardship of a " lady" being confined in a nvienn . \ fice OeVinimrt ti'nc wnvf ln-f y » tif / m K . iIJ « «\» uvui \\ iiAi \ Milk ? ii uuv vii
|>* j ^ iamij sa * jr jii . au ^ wnii j a yll * - vilege which , though nominaliyopen to all classes , is as practically and completely denied to the poor , owing to their poverty , as if . by statute the privilege to ? confined to the rich . On the ] 5 th of February the " lady ' - ' was re-examined , and the magistrate committed her for trial on the charge . On that occasion Mr . Clarkscn acted as counsel for the accused , and , quite irrelevantly to the case , entered into a long rigniarolc shewing the excellent way in which the " lady " had been brought up—the religious and moral train * ing she had had . In the eyes of alljtist men , this only makes the matter ten thousand times worse . Tlie poor wretch , who , 'bom in the purlieus of St . Giles '? , ¦ who , through life , has been the victim of the most
horrible circumstances—ft famishing , shivering , homeless , untaught creature , ¦ 'suiToundetl ' ¦ ¦ b y- - the worst examples , and driven , as by a resistless fate , ' to ftw commission of crime ; for such a being—and there are thousands—such- a counsellor might well plead that the circumstances , such as we have spoken of , were , ifnot . a justification ,. at least a palliation of the criminality of the aceused . But in the case of Miss Osborne , her " excellent trait ing" can only be regarded as an aggravation of her offence . This lawyer , Clarkson , had the daring impudence io characterise such offences as that laid to the aeeoimt Of MisS Osbovilft , as being , in her case , " little eccentricities . " The hungry man who takes a loaf of bread is ran down as a " thief : "
MissOsborne , who wants for nothing , but because she wants for nothing ,. takes a fancy to . ' other people ' s " potted meat , " she , forsooth , is to be regarded as only chargeable with "little eccentricities" ! Well , ' "lady " Osborne Mas committed for trial to the Middlesex Sessions , « . nd on Tuesday , last the trtol should tare come on , but in the course of the day the prosecutor informed the Assistant Judge , that he could not carry the bill before the Grand Jury , as the principal witness for . the prosecution was missinq ; and lie rlM not know where he could be found . The Judge said the witness must be found , upon which says the reporter : — " Tlie prosecutor then left the court for ; he purpose of . collecting the witnesses ; but , sosoonas he had left , hispoliceman , who is also a witness , went
in search oi the prosecutor , arid so on throughout the entire day—one going in search of another , until at last there was not one witness to be found , with the exception of the policeman . " At eight o ' clock the grand jury entered the court with the last bill found , f he Judge said that it was most extraordinary that the witnesses in Miss Osbome ' s case were not : orthoomin £ . ^ . officer of the court said there had been one in court a short time since , but lie was half drunk . ... He went away again , and said he was going to look , for some other witnesses . —The Judge : It is an extraordinary proceeding . Let the whole of their recognisances be estreated , with the exception of the policeman ; and the prosecutor can , if he likes , press the indictment at the next scssion . " - los ; the prosecutor can , if he likes , press the indictment at the next , session ; but we would wager a
trmlehe never does . How will he press the indictment without his principal witness ? The whole thing is a down-ri ght fraud . The prosecutor goes to loot for the . witnesses , they go looking for the prosecutor . One ot the witnesses appears in court drunk , and the principal one is smuggled out of the wnv , bribedundoubtedly bribed—not to appear . And this is British justice ! This is the way the " majesty of the offended Jaw" is " avenged ! " Where lias there been an instance where the like fraud has been permitted to Rave a poor offender ? Is there not one-law for the rich and . anotho-for the poor f What will the Weekly Chrontcteman say to this case ? How will Mr George GnwMflO ' Ward , JU . P ., get over this additional proof of " tke natural andinmtalhwaroft ) ^ rich and the pom- " ? There is that war . Not we , but the rich , the law ,, the law ' s executors , the system , and ( Jic system ' s supporters , are the war-makers , and the wavnpliolders . . ; .
_ "Laws grind the poor , and rich men rule the Jaws . " But a day of right and retribution is coming , wheB justice shall no longer be trafficked with in the shambles of class-niaue law . . East Kent Election .-Uaxteubury , Monwy .-lhe election ior a member for the eastern division oi " Kent , m the room of . Sir E . Knatchbull , took place to-day on Barnaul Down , at eleven o'clock . During the whole proceedings the rain and snow fell in unwelcome abundance . The-High Sheriff , Sir Moaes Mo-tehore , having opened the court , SirEDeering said he had great pleasure in nominating Win . Deedes , Esq ., of Sandling Park , as a fit and proper person to represent them in Parliament . Sir brook Brid ges seconded the nomination . The lligfc Sheriff having called upon any elector to " nominate another candidate , no other candidate beir . f proposed , the High Sheriff declared W .. Deedes , Esq .. duly relectcd . . ... ¦ ..-. .. . Another AVokder ! -CunE Extbaohdisaby w Moiaoway s Pills . —Mrs . Maguire , a respectable person , - . residing near Sunday ? s-well , Cork , was giveu over in a case of dropsy , and . was perfectly cured , wlien . pronounced tobe at . the point of death , bv these wonderful pills .. ... Persons . , either , youn" or ola " , who become corpulent , pottle-bellied ,-bloated ,-or dropsical , may not only . avoid ; apoplexy and other dangcrou * diseases attending thereon , but also regain the highest state . ot health . strength , and energy , and-their figures becomeas tight . as light , aiid as good as in the days of youth ' , ' by . undergoing a- shove course of these invaluable 1 ills , which ought to . bo . kcpt in every-familv .
Imperial Prltamenfc
Imperial prltamenfc
Uiuueinixne Atreet Printed B Y Dougal-Tf'eow'ai^Of 17 ≫ Givat Wiiidms-≫'• Street; .Llaymarket , In The City Of Wwtnunster, »Ttbe
uiuueinixne atreet Printed b y DOUGAL-tf'eOW'AI ^ of 17 > GiVat WiiidmS-> ' Street ; . llaymarket , in the City of Wwtnunster , » ttbe
same andPAislf , for tlie wu-• prietor , PEAReUSO'CONNO Ri ]!; sq . andpuhlisked by rf - WiLMAM'HEwixTpof Noi 18 , ChsSiM-street , Brandon-J street , AYalworth , in the Parish of St Mary , Newnj-, : ' ^¦ m . theCiun ^ 'bf ' SvuTey , at the Office , ' No . 34 « Strand , in the P * risE '" oi ' St . Mary-le-Sti-and «> * * CityofWestmioBUr Saturday , Marci 8 , 184 S
Untitled Article
^ - — ¦— - r ¦ - — ., - ¦ - ¦ - : - - " . ¦ -- T ' H'E' Nfc ^ -H ^ -ff : ^^^ — ^^ ~ - ¦ - ; March 8 ; 1845 ,
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), March 8, 1845, page 8, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1305/page/8/
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