28] 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



of innovation, would lend his aid 

 in carrying the requisite improve- 

 ments into effect. Sir S. then 

 dwelt upon the particular circum- 

 stances of hardship and cruelty in 

 the case of the petitioner, whose 

 only crime had been the applica- 

 tion of a coarse expression to ano- 

 ther woman in the same low class 

 of life. 



Sir John NichoU defended the 

 conduct of the ecclesiastical court 

 in which the casein question arose, 

 and also the ecclesiastical juris- 

 dictions in general, at the same 

 time acknowledging that the mode 

 of excommunication was objection- 

 able, and that a remedy for its in- 

 conveniences was desirable. 



Mr. W. Smith spoke in favour 

 of the motion, and referred to a 

 case of a seven years imprisonment 

 of two females at Nottingham for a 

 contempt in an ecclesiastical court. 

 As to the objection that the pro- 

 posed inquiry would cast a slur on 



the courts in question, he said, was 

 there not a standing order of the 

 House that a grand committee of 

 inquiry intocourts of justice should 

 sit every Saturday ? He concluded 

 with expressing his opinion that 

 all other modes of rectifying these 

 abuses would fail, and therefore he 

 would vote for the motion. 



The Attorney General said, that 

 a challenge had been given to his 

 right honourable friend to bring in 

 a bill on this subject, which he did 

 not doubt would be accepted. 



Lord Folkstone begged to be in- 

 formed by Sir W. Scott if such was 

 his intention. Sir \A illiam replied, 

 amidst cheers from all sides, that 

 if it was the sense of the House that 

 such a measure was expedient, he 

 should certainly comply. 



Lord F. said, that with this un- 

 derstanding he should with pleasure 

 withdraw his motion, which, after 

 leave obtained from the House, was 

 accordingly done. 



CHAPTER 



