The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-28 00:00:00

of himself and of the Lunacy
disregarding it—more especially if in the opinict
is most an'd'
prisoner appeared perfectly sane. It
Grey allulni
fortunate, therefore, that Sir George
have neglected so long to elicit those rep
under
'l'l3—
the magistrate' who signed the certificate und.er
which he aettd. If he had done so the probability
is that Townley would never have been reprieve_d:
Thus it seems that two grave errors at least have
been committed in this bi;
oth ; the second is that Sir'GeOrge
-Commissioners th
eiL:ess. The first is that
theh judge displayed weakness or inconsistency, 0..
Grey was etc)!
hastybad,
in acting upon the certificatt.• The
dstattnhtols
Parliament
ought to be amended. But ntnell, pi, son
Ifirmness
may, it requires to be 001103 J
of and discretion.
--...•

drug P Mr. Bright speaks of the intricacies of title
and the difficulties of conveyancing. He appears
to think that these things exist for the benefit of
the rich, on whose estates they are a heavy burden,
and that the landowners are in a conspiracy to keep
them up in order to prevent themselves from selling
their own land, should they feel inclined to do so.
So little is Mr. Bright acquainted with this subject,
so entirely has he confined his attention to that
part of it which may serve to breed discontent and
ill-will between the poor and the rich, that he
does not seem to be aware that the very Parlia-
ment which he reviles has taken a measure
of unexampled boldness in order to facilitate
the sale and transfer of land. Observing the ex-
treme simplicity of the title to funded stock, the pre-
sent Parliament has invented an elaborate ma-
chinery at great public expense for extending the
same facility of transfer to land, so far as the differ-
ence between land and money allows the thing to M
b© done, and any landowner who chooses to submit but spi
has been effected to-day in the yarn-market, . 0 .00,
his title for investigation may henceforth convey iANCHESTER, Jan. 2G.—No business of any .0,1
desire t
n+ 1
and do not evince any
his land to a purchaser with the most perfect ease are tolerably firm,
fr
all
markets, home and foreig._o4,.
and security. That more may be done in the same sales. The demand o
Where there has been 019 lisp
direction cannot be doubted. The question is not alike without animation. . _ been ai fano
rs 13'
as to the propriety of simplifying title, but as tomaim c,, awe- sor
the means of doing it. It is a business of close of buyers. In home trade yarnsffect '“i_
‘pa
sition to business the tendency of prices has
te.rieo,
thought and painstaking investigation, scientific shown less disposition than ever to e
rather than political, to be settled, not by great sera are quoting last week's prices,
.t
is
said m
OtPilleir
orators bawling on platforms, but by learned and the discouragement from buyers that ir
to if— the
laborious men iu quiet chambers. We have in this ners are returning home with the resolution
_we with is
whole transaction a very good illustration of the mills less time than they are now doing, and b" --sirs;
altogether. op d
way in which, notwithstanding much oratorical intention of stopping their machinery eas ,
ability and considerable public services, Mr. Bright of 10,000 extra applicants for relief
to boards of P...
peon'
9th irist.w
has contrived to dispose of what might have been a and local relief boards were reported on thea _
..,.011 was absia;
great political reputation. He begins by reproach- sequence of mills closing. A still larger dog' „
is everY rro 4
ing the laws of the country, without giving himself in the week ending on the 18th, and there
wn
out of woo.
but Psour--e-lesaVha-.
the trouble to ascertain what those laws really are, bility that by Monday next the hands th
3,
000 to 4°,'Oost
with the poverty of a portion of the population. in the shorts pace of one month will be
reached WI °lot
Challenged to specify the remedy to which he points, And yet the crisis does not appear to have
.ia_ace 90 t
he takes two months for consideration, and then Point. The cloth market to-day is quite as . lea are sr
propounds one so ridiculously inadequate as to prove for yarns, and more looms as well as more simf...deeealf,
that it is an after-thought invented to meet the case ; ken of as likely to be stopped as the result Of "„ the elor.
and yet, with all this time to get it up, he cannot rience of the market. Things are not worse in
voted F:
" 13ola
avoid showing how very little knowledge he has of market than they were last Tuesday; indeed, d
..
the grounds on which he presumes to censure the difficult to conceive them worse. From Calcutta'7l; el:
Legislature of which he is a member. If the affairs bay the last letters to hand read very discouraglpg__tii. ono
of a nation could be put to rights by personal abuse the monetary difficultiesincreasing and some failure_otok becorl
or vague declamation, Mr. Bright would long ago of small concerns) in the bazaar. With such acogivrio ego*
have extirpated every evil under the sun. It is them shippers to those markets are making few ?ores 000
because their remedy requires care, patience, and and those they have made have mostly been at pri
rer money
application that these geoundless invectives have to meet with consideration. The prospect of dea
~iiesrioe
recoiled on their authors, ace that while seeking to at home and the fears arising out of political coltiices.
discredit the institutions of their eGuntry they have on the continent have also a tendency to restrict i, O
damaged nobody but themselves. LEEDS, 26th.—For a Tuesday's market, there Sprintsto-daY iso
amount of business done in the cloth-halls
sold
..,,
..,
DAILY NEWL—The ultimate fate of Town:fv is
goods, both plain and fancy, were in moderate re 7; joo
still undetermined. Sir George Grey has publicly' fabric' B°l
declared that the unfortunate man has been respited the aggregate bulk of those and ordinary t
.a ~c, gene
by being removed to Bedlam, but that his sentence eaten that there is a slight improvemen 1
oorand pi:o
has not been commuted. Under the Act of Parlia- woollen tn..
le of the town. Prices of both sy ,„as of Ye,„
went which has been called into operation, Sir G. are firm. The flax trade is steady, and latepri are asee
Grey has power upon the certificate of two medical and threads, as well as of the raw material,
sar
men to remove Townley back to prison. In an tained. GO
from , er
ordinary case this course would not be followed, for NOTTINGHAM, 26th.—Tho warlike news
_b to P
it seems to be a standing rule that after sentence of had a very depressing effect upon busineseeeal;ingly 6:er
death is once delayed it is never carried into exe- change hall to-day. Lace yarns ;net an e
"to ke riaere
cution. But the circumstances of Town ley's case sale, and in some cases holders were willing to
_ Crates!
to
are so peculiar that it is just possible Sir George less money—in most instances, however, la
the
little daltlis
Grey might feel himself justified in making made. In hosiery yarns there was also yell_ 401.4
it an exception to the ordinary rule. At the same and prices were unchanged. No alteration 111,, wss§dw
time the tenderness for human life is a feeling demand being quiet. For brown nets the Boman ,
fen
so natural that it will surprise no one if Townley and, if anything, prices were less firm. ot been pia
escapes the doom which he certainly deserves. ROCHDALE, 25th,—The flannel market hao a f bee Pos
But whatever be Townley's fate, it is of vital active to-day. Purchasers bought sparing erg ill trh
importance to the public to ascertain upon whom and fancy goods, being in some measure oh oiaote/eio
the blame rests for this miscarriage of justice. The operations by the prices demanded by the Ina of the liode
manifestation of feeling which took place on the who are seeking some advance in consequellee re in ra 06
occasion of Wright's execution proves clearly enough price of the raw material. Yorkshire goods /ve,et but vi
that the public are keenly alive to the manner in rate request: The wool trade was rather rittlit; s viae'
which the law in such cases is administered. Capital dealers were very firm in their demands, at Nil
punishment cannot continue to be inflicted, unless prices,
it be inflicted with strict impartiality. The poorer
classes are deeply impressed by the contrast exhi-
bited between the fate of Wright and the fate of
Townley. If there are people who believe Townley
insane, there are quite as many, perhaps more, who
believe that Wright was only guilty of man-
slaughter. Nor would it he easy to persuade most
men that if Wright had had the assistance of influ-
ential friends and an astute attorney, he might not
have produced an effect upon the Secretary of State.
These considerations ought to make that Minister
especially cautious; and even although under ordi-
nary circumstances Townley ought not to be con-
signed to the hands of the executioner, the conduct
of Sir George Grey in the case of Wright may com-
pel him to adopt a different course. As in all serious
cases, it is, of course, by no means easy to ascertain
who is really responsible for the respite of Town-
ley. At the trial, Mr. Baron Martin, the presiding
Judge, delivered himself to the jury in a manner
which was evidently intended to ensure a convic-
tion, and the conviction was obtained. When he
delivered his charge he seemed to entertain no
doubt whatever of the guilt of the prisoner, and of
his responsibility both at the time he committed the
crime and at the time of the trial. So far, there-
fore, it would seem that the Judge was free from
blame, and did his duty without flinching. Sir
George Grey declares that he entertained no doubt
of the sanity of the prisoner. He did undoubtedly
reprieve him, but in so doing he insists that he
acted in strict conformity with the Act of
Parliament which he could not disobey. The
two certificates which were forwarded to him
were in accordance with the provisions of the
statute, and in obeying it he merely acted
ministerially. All this seems clear enough, and
the only conclusion world seem to be that the law
must be altered, for the lac only has been in fault.
But, unfortunately, this is no: the whole story.
Baron Martin had scarcely delivered his vigorous
charge to the jury who convicted Toeenley before
he sat down to write a letter to the Home Secre-
tary, requesting him to make inquiry as to wikether
the prisoner was then sane. This, as it seems to
us, was either a mistake or an set of weakness. It
was a mistake if Baron Martin believed that the
prisoner who stood before him was insane, because
he had power himself to inquire into the state of
the prisoner's mind. And even although the jury
might have believed him to be sane at the time of
the murder,the judge ought not to have pronounced
sentence if he believed him insane at the time of his
trial. To pronounce the solemn sentence of death,
with ouch a conviction in the judge's mind, would
have been an outrageous mockery. It was an act
of weakness if the judge, having doubts as to the
sanity of the prisoner before him, but thinking that
no such doubts existed in the minds of the jury,
withdrew this question from the legitimate tribunal,
and threw the responsibility of the execution upon
the Home Secretary or his medical advisers. If the
judge at the time of the trial entertained the same
doubts whiett he entertained a few hours later, ho
ought to have stated them boldly to the jury, and
not reserved them for a. letter to the Secretary of
State. It is impossible for the Home Secretary to
ignore the suggestion of a judge who tries a pri-
soner. If Mr. Justice Blackburn had dsplayed less
firmness than he did display in the case of Wright,
that criminal might have escaped the penalty of
death, If Baron Martin had displayed more firm-
ness or more openness of conduct he would have
maintained better the dignity of the Bench.
It was certainly quite right that Sir George
Grey should direct an inquiry into the sanity of
Townley; and if the result of that inquiry had
been that in the opinion of those appointed to
make it Townley was insane, Sir George Grey
would have been justified in acting upon their
certificate. But a very different course was
pursued. At the very moment when the Lunacy
Commissioners were conducting their inquiry at the
instigation of the Home-office, other persons were
conducting a similar inquiry on their own account.
At the very moment when Sir George Grey was
told by these self-appointed inquirers that Townley
was insane, he was told by his own nominees that
Townley was responsible for his actions, and ought
to suffer death. Under such circumstances what
would any reasonable man do ? Believing, at: he
did himself, that the insanity of Townley was a fic-
tion—believing, as he must, that the opinion of the
Lunacy Commissioners deserved great weight, and
that even if the Derbyshire certificate were acted
upon it might be overruled by the Commissioners,
what was his duty ? Ought not Sir George Grey
to have paused ? Ought he net to have made in-
quiry ? Ought he not at least to have ascertained
that the magistrates and medical men who signed
the certificate were acting bona fide, or acting at all
events with full knowledge of the consequencesof
putting their names to such a document 0 It was
well known to many that strong opinions• were en-
tertained in some quarters that Townley was insane,
and surely Sir George Grey has had experience
enough in the Home Office to know that those who
desire the abolition .
of capital punishment use every
case as a lever to promote the object 5'
they have in
view. That Sir George Grey
neces-
sity of inquiring into the h believed in the
istory of such certificates
is plain, for in this
very case he has ea led upon the
magistrates who signed i
The pity • it to explain their conduct.
is that this step was not taken earlier. If
it had been it is possible Sir Grey
that George
might have felt somedifi
It can ,. 1 culty in acting upon it.
scarcely be literally true that under the
statute any certificate, provided it be signed by
any two magistrates and any two physicians or
Surgeons, must be obeyed by the Home Secre-
tary. Those who sign it must surely understand
what they are about. But Mr. W. Hugh Scott,
one of the magistrates who did sign, distinctly says
that although he thought Townley insane, "he
was unaware of the effect" of the certificate "as
regarded" the Home Secretary. At all events, it
seems tolerably clear that if, upon inquiry, the
Home Secretary believes that those who signed the
certificate are either closely connected with the
prisoner, or have expressed a strong opinion in his
favour, he would be amply justified in FT Esotioally

- -
STATE OF TRADE.

D 36 pt

COUNTRY MAREETS.

MONMOUTH—TuEs. d the 9'l-ti•
iv.
Rather mild weather has again set in, bp oho
are able to proceed with agricultural operation!etsbos
terruption. The attendance at the local ico ar%pfar4
moderate, with an average business, and all 30
deney in prices. ~3a 2.4
Wheat, white 5s Od to 5s 9d Barley.. ...... plOat4
Ditto red .0s Od to Os Od I Oats ..... • •

MELTON MOWBRAY—TITSSI3II3i teViolletif
The following were the currencies • —New , 36 ‘6,4 t.;
43s Od to 45s Od ; new red, 40s Od .to 43s 13— net °fa
beans, 36s to Xs for old ; new sorts, 33s to 368!spr tir'
barley, 34s> 36sifor malting, an 285 to 30s per 1r
fori!2lBdins. g; new oats, lbs, to 22s Od per 24 atonei

HIILL—TvEcDAY. villeilbopo'
At this day's market the show of Eng,is dove°,
rather short, and in some instances ls per qrhaer lietdte4
last week's rates was given. Foreign a rat ping -to o/
Barley for grinding in fair demand, but in „molt A
tions quite neglected, Oats were firm and chi. 440
Beans sold better but peas very dull. 0a t° °1
Wheat.... Old white per qr ......... a-48 to 50
Old red . 40 dto 4 00
....... 418 0 400Od
New white
New red
Barley.... English malting: ........... to Os 0
240
Grinding .................. n2s 00 310 0
Saal and Oderbruck ........ o„, oto
Holstein and Dani5h........ 3up od to '',45
Grinding 29 to AOa
Oats English, old
229 dto _„tit
osl2l 031°P
Archangel and Riga, per st• • nsisa to,o 051,4
Friesland and Dutch .......• '6,120 I'ol
Swedish and Danish
Beans ....English, old, per qr ........ • 42s Oa ,t° 411 6J
New pigeon
New tick od to ,
Egyptian
Peas ..Foreign boilers .......... '3`2s Od ,/0
Grinding .................. od to 349
Tares Spring ..................... od
,t°o 660 5
Indian Corn .... '528 Oa 'to Os 0
Linseed, feeding ...................... 400 °a i 0 ° 0
crushing
e ...... 0 9
Linseed cakes (Hull) ,£9 oto 0° 0
Rape cakes Foreign: ............05 1 oto 610
5 5
Bones

____
AO
LYNN---,TITENDIT' bes 4 00
At to-day's market there was a fair shonf: yids Or
met an inactive sale, and the prices o:,otitprell'
unchanged. Oats aLd other articles at am so 031:
rencics. ..**'sos 0 2¢s
White ..43s to 45s i Barley ..• • *:,, •'iso 0
...4
Rcd.. 39s to 41s 1 Grindisig"',..•'',.-0
Beans .33s to 355••••,•,..
New 35s to 37s 1 Peas....**

MARKET' e 00Pc.
al
ClOSe n,d, e.
the Wg,llB i 10 a 9
0
.19 9
Heugh 119. .• '
K olio. •• • '''' • l9 0
South .18 9
Hartlepool .. •
.0... 0
Riddell ..... 9
East Hartlepotutoo.....!l
Braddylroji,kerpley
•• 0
Tiintdca •L''''° "I
Tunstall •• • .20 0
Hassvell.• • • • ' . 0
Hetton ....... ‘,OO
Caradoc ..... • •
South Hetton.....e.,
.0:16 i
Cassop! ... . 001...''
North tiartleP
320; sold. 211.

COAL
Prloos of_Coal per Ton al

s. d.
Buddle'sWest Hartley 15 0
Byass's Bebside West
Hartley ...15 0
Lambert's West Hart-:

ley 14 9
Walker Primrose 14 3
Cowpen Hartley 15 0
Hastings Hartley l5 0
Holywell 19 0
Wylam 17 6
West Wylam.. l6 9
Eden Main ..18 6
West Hartley .. 15 0
Tantield Moor 15 6