dence received, believed guilty; but the petty jury would
not agree in their verdict, and the prisoners were discharged. This
matter was investigated in parliament; but the result merely showed in
what a daring manner juries were packed, and the name of justice was
abused in Ireland.

MOTIONS TO REFORM THE CRIMINAL LAW.

On the 21st of May Sir James Mackintosh renewed his efforts to reform
our criminal code. He moved a series of resolutions on the subject; and
though these were rejected, four bills were afterwards brought in to the
same effect by Mr. Peel. By these bills government was enabled to
employ convicts in hard labour, and the judges were relieved from the
obligation of passing sentence of death on certain malefactors, except
in case of murder. Subsequently Mr. Lennard obtained leave to bring in a
bill to abolish the old and barbarous law which sentenced the corpse of
one guilty of _felo de se_ to be buried at two cross-roads with a stake
driven through it; leaving the burial to be performed in private,
without the ceremonies of the church.

MOTION TO REFORM THE SCOTCH REPRESENTATION.

On the 2nd of June, Lord Archibald Hamilton proposed five resolutions on
the state of the Scotch representation, the last of which went to pledge
the house to take the subject into its serious consideration during
the next session, with a view to effect some extension of the number of
votes, and to establish some connexion between the elective franchise
and the landed property of the country. His lordship invited the
attention of Mr. Canning to this subject, as one with which he had
not grappled, and as perfectly different from the question of English
reform; but he failed in securing his approbation, and the motion was
negatived by one hundred and fifty-two against one hundred and seventeen
voices.

NEW LONDON BRIDGE BILL.

Mr. Brogden brought up the report of a bill on the 6th of June, by
which the sum of L150,000 was to be advanced by government toward
the construction of New London Bridge. Mr. Hume objected against this
advance in the shape of a gift, and Mr. Ricardo agreed with him. Mr.
Alderman Wood, however, argued that the work was one of great national
utility, and not intended exclusively for the benefit of the city of
London; that the money was to be paid by instalments, extending over
a time of seven years; and that the corporation were ready to give up
nearly L200,000 that was in their hands,