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

drug ? 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 iitt.le is Mr. Bright acquainted with this subject,
so entirely
it-:!is 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 thee the very Parlia-
ment which he reviles has taken a measure
of unexampled boldness in order to Xer.'ilitate
the sale and transfer of land. Observing the e::
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
be done, and any landowner who chooses to submit
his title for investigation may henceforth convey
his land to a purchaser with the most perfect ease
and security. That more may be done in the same
direction cannot be doubted. The question is not
as to the propriety of simplifying title, but as to
the means of doing it. It is a business of close
thought and painstaking investigation, scientific
rather than political, to be settled, not by great
orators bawling on platforms, but by learned and
laborious men in quiet chambers. We have in this
whole transaction a very good illustration of the
way in which, notwithstanding much oratorical
ability and considerable public services, Mr. Bright
has contrived to dispose of what might have been a
great political reputation. He begins by reproach-
ing the laws of the country, without giving himself
the trouble to ascertain what those laws really are,
with the poverty of a portion of the population.
Challenged to specify the remedy to which he points,
he takes two months for consideration, and then
propounds one so ridiculously inadequate as to prove
that it is an after-thought invented to meet the case ;
and yet, with all this time to get it up, he cannot
avoid showing how very little knowledge he has of
the grounds on which he presumes to censure the
Legislature of which he is a member. If the affairs
of a nation could be put to rights by personal abuse
or vague declamation, Mr. Bright would long ago
have extirpated every evil under the sun. It is
because their remedy requires care, patience, and
application that these groundless invectives have
recoiled on their authors, and that while seeking to
discredit the institutions of their country they have
damaged nobody but themselves.
DAILY NEWS.—The ultimate fate of Townley is''
still undetermined. Sir George Grey has publicly
declared that the unfortunate man has been respited
by being removed to Bedlam, but that his sentence
has not been commuted. Under the Act of Parlia-
ment which has been called into operation, Sir G.
,:ey has power upon the certificate of two medical
men to remove Townley back to peso. In an
ordinary case this course would not be follow,2d, for
it seems to be a standing rule that after sentence of
death is once delayed it is never carried into exe-
eution. But the circumstances of Townley's case
are so peculiar that it is just possible Sir George
Grey might feel himself justified in making
it an exception to the ordinary rule. At the same
time the tenderness for human life is a feeling
so natural that it will surprise no one if Townley
escapes the doom which he certainly deserves.
But whatever be Townley's fate, it is of vital
importance to the public to ascertain upon whom
the blame rests for this miscarriage of justice. The
manifestation of feeling which took place on the
occasion of Wright's execution proves clearly enough
that the public are keenly alive to the manner in
which the law in such cases is administered. Cespital
punishment cannot continue to be inflicted, unless
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 be 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
ode; in strict conformity with the Act of
Parliament which he could not disobey. The
two certificates Wbiell were forwarded to him
were in accordance witii the provisions of the
statute, and in obeying it he merely' acted
ministerially. All this seems clear enough, and
the only conclusion would seem to be that the law
must be altered, for the law only has been in fault.
But, unfortunately, this is not the whole story.
Baron Martin had scarcely delivered his vigorous
charge to the jury who convicted Townley before
he sat down to write a letter to the Home Secre-
tary, requesting him to make inquiry as to whether
the prisoner was then sane. This, as it seems to
us, was either a mistake or an act 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 such 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 which be entertained a few hours later, he
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 displayed 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, ann ought
to suffer death. Under such circumstances whO
would any reasonable man do ? Believing, as 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 not 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 consequences of
putting their names to such a document ? It was
well known to many that strong opinions were en-
tertained in some quarters that Townley was lease©,
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 they have in
view. That Sir George Grey
believed in the necese
city of inquiring into the
history of such certificates
is plain, for in this very case he has ceded upon the
magistrates who signed it to explain their conduct.
The pity is that this step was not taken earlier. If
it had been it is possible that Sir George
Grey
might have felt some diffie 1
u !y• in acting upon it.
ft can 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 "es
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 awply justified in practically

disregarding it—more it—more especially if in
the opiniont. e
of
.himself and of the Lunacy Commissioners 4...
prisoner appeared perfectly sane. It is raSt utiula
fbortunate, therefore, that Sir George Grel.sbi°,oo
ave neglected so long to elicit those rep:leo der
w.shich he acted. If he had done so
the magistrate; who signed the certificate un.,.r
I,
hthat Townley would never errors repr,,,ce
been
us it seems that two grave at lea that
committed in this business. The first is tu%
the judge displayed weakness or inconsistenclott;
both;b the second is that Sir George Grey
was
ill
asty in acting upon the certificate. The s.e.t to
bad,and ought to be amended. But Plea ,1 inen
Parliament may, it requires to la eFulied by
e .
1 of firmness and discretion.
_.........,
the probabTei.

STATE OF TRADE,

---40--- oraot
MANCHESTER, Jan. 26.—N0 business of all °loon;
has been effected to day in the yarn-raarket, bat eml) - Toe
are tolerably firm, and do not evince any desire - f°
i 0
sales. The demand for all markets, home and foreigilite,
alike without animation. Where there has been all d 'rto
sition to business the tendency of prices has been ill farvp
of buyers. In borne trade yarns manufacturers fe
shown less disposition than ever to effect purchaes. spiYeo
ntheers are quoting last week's prices, but so great hae_lo,
discouragement from buyers that it is said maaciho
ners are returning home with the resolution to s".„,r•thtbe
imillse less time than they are now doing, and 5003°1-041
ofn don of stopping their machinery altogether. TJP.Aaot
and 10,000 extra applicants for relief to boards a 811.1;ir
local relief boards were reported on the 9th /Oat' 14cle
sequencein.
nof mills closing. A still larger addition viaer'op,
iw the week ending on the 18th, and there is averlf Wort
biAnu
td.hyetahhaotrbtyapMaeoendoafyonneextmtohnethhanwidus
btehrowo out
°,,,,
nag'
35,000 t° Vit;osi
oi yet the crisis does not appear to have reached ita °sops
yornt. The cloth market to-day is quite as 400°0 go,
and more looms as well as more spiaal,es.,,„or
kenyoafrn ass,likely to be stopped as the result of to-cav ' ciott
riencemark of the market. Things are not Worse in iliceol be
isenet than they were last Tuesday; indeed, it °ADO'
db lt to conceive them worse. From Calcutta an" 11
ay the last letters to hand read Ter discourogitt sid/
the monetary difficulties increasing anyd some Dalin ;fore
them
concertnhosa)vtheinomatehadmeebaharzkaaveataerm.arWoestrailth such sen°4); ofeall
andtomn itehes those si epp theyer few awtoo- 0
with consideration. The proyakispbe:ect!loaft dPrieffer.csalti°l3oo6l
at home and the fears arising out of olitical corall_s.
on the continent have also a tendency to restrict blit fsit
LEEDS, 26th.—For a Tuesday's market, there
,°(4s fir/
amount of business done in the cloth-halls to-dar mit:so.
goods, both plain and fancy, were in moderate rein oil'
theeat aggregate bulk of those and ordinary fabeas gold
ed that there is a slight improvement in the e!
arewoollenfi trade of the town. Prices of both vir°°l,:liflielr,,
adTa,heasflawxeturadaesisosftetandeyr,aawndmlaatteariP.4""; °IP:
and threads,
tained.
NoTTINGHAM, 26th.—The warlike news freni
had a very depressing effect upon bosillesli a
jtifiefe:giy
017:0,0
Change hall to-day. Lace yarns met an We'isio Ow-
sale, 6:ld in some cases holders were willing t° „tee Ilefi,„6
less money7in most instances, however, littlelate- ciewth°'
made. In hasiery yarns there was also 01• go al
andde prices were uncLinged. No alteration ill,400"
anmd,ainfdanbyeitnhginqgu,ipert.ieeFaowr
ebrreoit7anfietrros t. he dolillillu
....t 9141
ROCHDALE, 25th.—The flannel Market hoe 1/107Pll'ill
active to-day. Purchasers bought eporiDgil °veil ill $: 0 1
and fancy goods, being in some measure llee%fittaf;
operations by the prices demanded by the 031/117 Ole Pill
who are seeking some advance in consequence: ill nitv;
rprice of the raw material. Yorkshire WO° were
billail
dealers wore
The wool trade was rather 1114.0 fi
prieerss were very firm in their demands, at falli

COUNTRY
,e 0
MONMOUTH--TvEsDAY. 0
end 1°,10;00
Rather mild weather has again. set 'n'atioas 7;0 ,Es
are able to proceed with agricultural opalerowitell
terruption. The attendance at the d tiP" ~,
moderate, with an average business, and ~zatsPnio
dency in prices.
30.Vdte
Wheat, white 5s Od to 5s Od I 8ar109.• '' ''
Ditto red .0s Od toOs Od Oats •"'

The followingKELTwOeNre AtlhOellrcurßßreAncYje--8
:T__llll;:Ter
IleOf
10/131q6 o%*
43s Od to 45s C1c1; new red, 408 Od to 430 peA
beans 36s to 38s, for old ; new rts 33s to 3'19- 't ff•P'
to 3°l. P
barley,r 34s:to 36sdfor malting, and 28s
f,ol2ting; new oats, lbs„ to 22s Od per 24 st°ll
A le,

of Olg 18 dance •
At this day's malirklietLthi7TehirA.l.. all 17
4151;p
rattler short, and in some instances is P"..lTther..:;,iri'd•
last week's rates was given. Foreign. oltins
Barney for grinding in fair demand, 1)1.±.t.:d difOow- ,4000 a
tions quite neglected, Oats were firm 61.' °atop 004
Beans sold bettor, i.e., peas very dull.
... 428 otitBo
Wheat Old white.... per ....... •400 04 to do ",1
Old red...... f .......... 410 oa 10 50 'l4
New white .. ...... 570 t° 00 A
New red .• . • // ...... 218 oa 0 0
Barley English malting ............ 240 to 310
Grinding .................. 320 , 5
_OO4
Saal and Oderbruck ........ Ocri!;
t 1
Holstein and Danish ........ QBO a
Oats GErnignlidsinh".old. ............................ ...... ..02,:pt‘411:0100451
Archangel and Riga, per a'• 031" tog.p
is
Friesland and Dutch ........ oolk to „
Swedish and Danish ........ 400 0, to o°,
Beans English, old, per qr ......... 49,0 oaa 45 Oil
New pigeon ................ 400
NOd
ew tick. .................. 308 ate
Egyptian ........... 320 '6's `PO 5
Peas .. Foreign boilers ........... 320 od to #
Grinding ................ ,sa to
Tares .... Spiing ....................... 330 to or,
Indian Corn ...................... 62.9 0 t o• 5 0
Linseed, feeding ....................... 40s
to P 9 0 0
crushing ............. ... 00 to OO 0
Linseed cakes (Hull) ............ t ,14
Rape cakes ....°, 6 1(1
............ ........................ 66 10: vfl ,
Bones

Ill`4
t 1( ,r°
LYNN—TuEsDAY• iv of arbee'el;'
Sotof
At to-day's market there was a fair of jot
0"sii010
met an inactive sale, and the prices
~'"boutPr 030
unchanged. Oats and other articles 3t " .340 0
rencies. ...*" 30s i° ;10
White
Itcd..
39s to 41a 1 Cirit'diTh'..•''''A
Beans .33s to 35s 1 Oats.. •• : 0., "
New 35a to 37s I Fos ''...

------ ,ir , get.
COAL Al..A.ftls-' t ale rti: tl,
Prices of'Coal per Ten at tne 0100_,°°As P' '
1r ''..- .15 0
s. d.•
Buddle'sWest Hartley 15 0 tt 11.. ''" " .'ilg9 9
Byass's Bebside West Heu,sl3 x''. '' .•
..
'
Hartley .'''•
.."19 0
.•. . 15 0 '
slioeulltobe.lZ'lo.e..::, ... : : :11-.! 9
LlLambert's West Hart-'
14 9 Hartlepeo 0..
.. 9 I
Walker Primrose
Cowpen Hartley 14 3 Riddell. '11,7,1'001•'',,.1,, 9
15 0 East liar' ifetten'' ~11,
Hastings Hartley l5 0 BrolaY11•°TilorIllei., ..ob °0
Holywell 19 0 Trinrden; . .....
~.,,,,, ti
Wylam 17 6 Tunstal" . ~..".,..'-9 v
West Wylam.
Eden Main ,.•
o. "0 0
West Hartley • ''
•• 18 6 fletton ..•.'...,..
~,,,,
15 0 Caradoc .wa..,..,,,,ru
Tanfield Moor 15 6 South geL ...., ~
Caseq" v•tiellt/Q1"••
Walls End. Northfig
Byron
ship .8
at
market,
0211'
16,
sold. /
A fil ef/
------ ellt ell' Otor
~ oiiitoding,v
[ADVERTISEMENT.)--HOHOWDY •i. eaten o (0,
Instant Rescres which are claw tea 10.00 Di is
which are hourly deepening, maY be arrelsta i'etiPliliirt'°
turing progress, and induced to take he.% 0030 '''°l3o'
[ plying this healing Ointment and takionitraets 000"
Pills. It soothes all dieteinpers of, and elle lees tiolliolv
humours from, the skin. Old ulcers of
3103_0 of pi oi(0
and cr I'tired esoe 10
tions caused by varicose veins
'd shortly oes .p. Act
limbs, can sensibly be eased an ~, ropres atiol on,
way's never failing Ointment, Whin' roll° - tr 00''..
and stimulates sluggish vascular and ne fig also tOO or
constitutions breaking down under Pil,ettieas °, ioi
similarly painful maladies, a few aPPll';.,istene /
ing Ointment will give comfort, and a Pe'
will effect a cure.
_—______----------- ..----V
A
..e' 0
Births.oolice
Detroit, 0 0
G01LD01.7.-00. the 23d inst. at 10. 0
Guernsey, the wife of Lieutenant-Co e
a daughter. the Cott 04'
obi 601'
LALAING.—On the 24i.J2 inst., at Brusoels' - ''
e cro tio,
Lalaing, of a daughter. wife 01, tti c,
LOCKWOOD.—On the 27th just., the od I, 01
wood, E:q., of 16, HighlAtry -lace, 'II
„, Pt
hall-court, of a daughter.
YOUNG.—On the 26th inst., at DnlWiclrere'r°
Young, of a son.

Cr
Marriages. At, ito'
ipot f 5:30, j':,
BATTISCOMBE—BRANFILL —On toe '2(411 f too l'i'
ve,.a , °,,,, 1P)
niinster, Walter E. S. Ba.ttiscouibe, ,-- -i tx clif
gin:lent, to Agnes J. Branfill, datlghter o , 04,1,
Brantill `
c ' Esq., of Uptninster flail. I. at P4rl°.4 i‘if.
11ILTON-loDn.--On. the 26tb int. a. - Q,, pa/I op '
Oundle, Northamptoshire, eor,o'lloacviltor
r , 0 otit.,
ton, of London, solicitor, to Isaboll ,
Richard Todd, of Oundle. #1
(I,
Deaths. to
g viobor pp°
EVANSO the gaged nst., at 314, IVar, ,
15tet,
Richard Evans, 9l. ,:,4 of t1i,,e,,, J''
GOSNELL. tho 26th inst., Anil, re"—volv-f pot'
Gosnell, Esq., of 12, Thre.e Bing-court, ~fivi,:•if
aged Si. rr
, -, 013 cel°
KINDEItsLEY.--On the 27th inst., a. 0 0313 ,to
dens, Mary Anne, the wife of the Vier r,,tffi'ic;
Richard 'l'. Eindersley, aged 67. 4, noofell% CC
MEREDYTI-1.---011 the 25th inst., 0.,_, viNioroclit ' p
Gro,venor-square, the DOWittOr PWI That. 40'
of the late Sir Joshua Collis Meredytl39 '0 e4O 0,
SEABROOK.—On the 25th ins t., at Drigla ' _. f9tl
Seabrook, Erg., aged 6'2. j, pCiPalb•
VBR. k vhi illiSTl,l4, OgV,,,
tOn, J —OnJames v ioart, .....sq , Commanilor ,-.".
___::. os ',,i
'1)1.,,,));1
---------- _—_---:,---., A e I'l'
Louden : PrlnZed and ruNislied by 1)P,,,,r4 00Ce0110
of No. 112, Strand, Prillter, at TO:, 1006
Strand, in the rreCilite Jof die 3itir let3l,
liiitidleEex --Thursday, autory a,