The Express.
London, England, 1847-11-06 00:00:00

the enemies of domestic legislation judge of the fluter of
this nation, and the capability of her sons, for self-rule.
The Irish members, if they be not willing to write them-
selves down as inferior to tte men of all other nations,
ought to be prepared not only to demand present relief, but
to slow how that relief can be best and most effectively
given. They ought to be prepared, too, to show
how the permanent improvement of the country can be
effected, and to demonstrate by the comprehensiveness and
perfection of their plans that they know the duties they
have undertaken, and are prepared to perform them.
We have no notion of joining issue with the Free-
man. In the first place, it would be offensive to the
Irish members; and secondly, we do not consider the
question of the repeal of the union involved in that
of the capacities of Irishmen for public business.
But it will gratify us extremely to see a considerable
section of the representatives of Ireland coming up
to the high standard here proposed for them.

As we lately commented in severe terms on the
conduct of Mr. liontstsoN, in a case which our readers
will no doubt remember, we feel bound to state that
the charge against him involved in the report of the
visiting justices has not been borne out on inves-
tigation.
That report included also an imputation of grievous
misconduct on MITCHELL, an officer of Nlarylebone
Police-office. The Home Secretary very properly
directed an investigation into the circumstances, both
as they affected ltonlNsos and MITCHELL. Mr.
BROUGHTON has inquired accordingly. Unluckily,
the woman WEIGHT, on whose statement the charge
rests, does not appear, nor a woman named FlaaroN,
who, according to the usher of the court, wee present
when he served the summons upon IWEIGHT. In the
absence of these witnesses, Mr. R 01101110,7 observed,
that the inquiry was at an end, as the magistrates
had really no evidence to go upon.
While we think it our duty to state these facts, and
to give Mr. ROBINSON the full benefit of them, we
must, at the same time, avow that this dropping of an
inquiry, in the absence of material witnesses, is by no
means the same thing as a full inquiry, followed by a
complete exoneration. We are too well aware of the
practices of petty police-officers and prisoners' attor-
neys to think that the balance of d priori probability
is against the truth of Mrs. WRIGHT'S statement.
Nor are the circumstances attending her absence at all

such u to satisfy us of the untruth of her first account,
mach hes of the innocence of the parties originally
charged by her.
The delivery of the summons on this woman is not
proved as it ought to have been. The character of
the Marylebone police-office was at stake in the
inquiry. Every officer of that court is interested in
keeping up its good name. A second usher may have
many motives for screening his superior officer.
JONES should have taken with him some person un-
connected with the court, as a witness to the service
of the summons on Mrs. WRIGHT. Again, even if
the summons were served, it does not follow that Mrs.
WRIGUT's absence is proof of the untruth of her first
story. It is quite conceivable that she may have
been tampered with and kept out of the way, either
by one or both of the persons whose characters are
impugned by her statements.
Even on Mr. ROBINSON'S own showing, we see
that Mrretiehn has acted as the agent between him
and prisoners in custody. We see also that Mr.
ROBINSON undertakes a defence which he knows
to be useless, and accepts four guineas and
some shillings for doing so. Mr. ROBINSON
does not explain how it happens that a poor
man, after going to the serious expense of a defence,
in opposition to the advice of his attorney, should
have pleaded " guilty." We confess we cannot re-
concile Mr. ROBINSON'S account of the transaction
with common sense or ordinary rules of action.
Mr. ROBINSON informed the court that he had been
confronted with the prisoner WRIGHT,in the presence
of some thirteen or fourteen visiting justices of the
Westminster House of Correction. He had before
then procured from the prisoner an admission of the
troth of his (Mr. RoniNsoN's) story, and a confession
that the more moving parts of his!wife's tale had been
trumped up, in the hope of procuring a mitigation of
punishment.
We cannot help thinking that in an investigation
of so serious a character, it would have been desirable
to confirm this statement of Mr. ROBINSON'S, by the
testimony of some of the justices present at the inter-
view between him and Wright.
Altogether, while we admit that on the face of
the facts the woman WRIGHT is unworthy of belief,
we cannot consider that all doubt and suspicion have
been shifted from either the gaoler or the lawyer.
Wo regret much that we cannot shake off our sus-
picions as readily as Mr. Baorcnros seems to have
done. We cannot think that the case should be
allowed to drop at the point it has reached just now.
Either Mrs. WRIGHT told the truth to the visiting
justices or she did not. If she told a true story her
absence on Thursday is the result of some collusive
arrangement. If she told a lie, it is one involving
such serious consequences to MITCHELL and ROBIN-
SON, that she ought to be indicted for libel, supposing
her original statement was reduced to writing by the
justices from her own month.
At all events, even if Mr. ROBINSON be fully
exonerated front the charge brought against him, we
do not the less maintain the desirableness of imposing
the check of taxation on the costs of criminal de-
fences. Nor do we the less believe that there are
many Jonathan Wilds, in a small way, lurking about
the lower walks of our criminal administration, even
if Mr. MITCHELL be not amongst them.
We shall be glad to find that the Home Secretary
does not agree with Mr. BRouorrroN in considering
that the ease is settled, because Mrs. WRIGHT is out
of the way.

FROM the Gazette, of last night, we see that the
Bank is steadily pursuing its course in affording re-
lief to the mercantile interests. The increase of
" other securities" which may be assumed to repre-
sent discounts is 942,7691. within the week. The
partial restoration of confidence is indicated by the
fact, that on the credit thus created, the chief part has
been drawn in notes, while the sum drawn in coin,
17,8621., is not worth mentioning. On the other
hand, an increase in "other deposits," or of credits
cash accounts of 370,5301., shows that the aboli-
tion of the restrictions has set men's minds at rest as
to the fears that the excitement of the pressure caused
by the operation of the Bank Charter Act would
bring about a run for gold.
On the subject of such a run, the Bank direction
could only feel annoyed ; they had nothing to be'
alarmed at. Practically, they are under the ngis of
• law which makes the government debt a security
equivalent to gold; so that all responsibility is
shifted from Threadneedle-street to the Treasury, if a
run should take place. This consideration, which
it is useless to attempt to reason away, will
probably form the foundation of the responsibility
with which the ministry will charge themselves, and,
consequently, the basis of legislation in future. It
may be a question of legal nicety, whether the late
government communication forms a breach of the
contract of 1844 or not ; but the terms of the renewal
of that contract are of course open to approval on
both sides. There is a will in the City as well as at
the west end.
The complaints raised against the suspension of the
Charter Act, unaccompanied by all guarantee of non-
renewal of its obnoxious provisions, are loud and
numerous. We cannot consider these complaints un-
founded, although it is evident that a radical change
in so weighty a matter ought to be well considered.
Unfortunately, while legislation is halting, our rail-
roads and factories are standing still, and operatives'
and carries' appetites are likely to grow impatient
before Sir C. Wool> finds the key to his own conun-
drum. It is urged, not without plausibility, that the
measure of relief will allow tottering houses to pro-
long existence, and some to get right; but it is much
doubted whether it will induce manufacturers to
lengthen the hours or increase the number of the
days of their workmen's employment. Wages form
the greatest outlay in all branches of manufacturing.
They demand a healthy state of the currency, and
such an advance is not likely to be borrowed any-
where at Bor 9 per cent
These remarks, which every one daily hears in
commercial circles, receive fall confirmation from the
weekly returns of the Bank. The holders of the
augmented deposits are evidently . at their ease, and
the improved tone of mind thus indicated will pro-
bably be communicated to those who depend upon
them. Private bankers will, no doubt, act with com-
parative liberality to their customers, and the money
market will become, according to the technical ,
phrase, " easy." Bat all this is no index or
reviving trade. We have no token of an
increased circulation beyond the issues we have
noted, and which are notoriously in sums
too large to be appropriated in payment of