§ MR. M'COANasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whe- 1721 ther his attention has been called to the case of Mary Palmer, who, for having exposed and slightly wounded her infant child, was last week sentenced at the Old Bailey, by Mr. Justice Lindley, to seven years' penal servitude, and whether, in view of all the pitiable circumstances of the case, and of the jury's strong recommendation to mercy, which was disregarded by the Judge, he will reconsider the sentence thus passed; and, whether his attention has been called to the sentence of eighteen months' imprisonment, with hard labour, which was passed at the same Sessions by the same Judge, upon Charles Strutten for killing his wife?
§ SIR WILLIAM HARCOURTSir, so far as the Question points to a mitigation of the sentence, I have asked for the opinion of the learned Judge who tried the case, and I cannot say anything until I receive his opinion. As to the second part of the Question, which points to an aggravation of sentence, I have already several times intimated that I have no authority to interfere in such matters.