The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-03 00:00:00

or some part thereof, liecame and payable."
stated by
The object of the Lord Chancellor, as
1,
himself, was to protect the artisan and • the agrir
tural labourer from the evils of that systa .°f long
credit which generally ended in consige, tog ye
debtor to the county prison and his unfortunate:l wife
and family to the parish workhouse. Credit, b.'''.
in great and' small commercial transactions, is a'.
matter too important and too dependent upoce
established habits and customs to be safely dealt.
with on mere grounds of favour or benevolence to.
a particular class. If the artisan and the agriculee
Oral labourer have a right to ask Parliament to
diminisit the statutory period of limitation from six
years to one year, surely the swell tradesman,
, whose interest is quite as great, has a right to be
heard on the other side, ateJ to show, if he can, that
the proposed enactment would in reality cottler "
benefit upon the labouring classes. whilst it ee."oe
drive those situated as himself to immediate habit"
ruptcy. But the argument may be put even higher..
The small tradesman is dependent upon the whole-
sale dealer, and the latter upon the importer, for
all articles, such as tea, sugar, and tobacco, whielle
though the produce of foreign countries, are'
reckoned necessaries of life among all classes of our
population. IF credit be disturbed at the basis ot
our social system, where the insignificance or
each transaction is more than compensated by
an enormous aggregate of dealings, the shock will
reach the very highest class of merchants, and an
injury will be inflicted upon the trade of this coun-
try the consequences of which would not fail to tell
upon the very persons for whose special behalf the
taw had been changed. But in considering a ques-
tion of this kind we prefer facts to mere argumente,
ado' we therefore proceed to show the probable beat"
ing of to section upon the London shopkeeper,
who needs lot necessarily be a small tradesman,
and whose customers need not belong to the labour-
ing clgsses. We ktiet; the case of a tradesman at
end who h„ every year on his
the West- hooks four
thousand accounts, each for a sum under £2O. ilia
rule is to send out his bile at tile end of the year,
and he states that if ne were compelled to collect
them within a twelvemonth he might as well shut
up shop and retire from business altogether, or wait
for an inevitable resort to her Majesty's Court of
Bankruptcy. In another case the manufacturer of
an article of general consumption, who supplies
several thousand retail shopkeepers, states that if
such a law was obligatory upon him he could not
continue to carry on his business; that he endea-
vours as far as possible to limit credit, but that the
constant litigation and oppression which would
ensue from the proposed limitation to one year
would deprive him of his customers. But the ques-
tion may be viewed in another aspect. Is it kind
or humane to require the working man at all times
and under all circumstances to pay that which is
reality amounts to ready money ? When wi rk is
plentiful and wages are high the labourer ought,
no doubt, to abstain from running into debt; but
when circumstances are changed, and employment
cannot be obtained, to deny him all means of credit
would be either to send him to the parish or to induce
him to take part in one of those strikes which often
end in scenes of outrage and violence. We therefore
say, on behalf of the working man, the small shop-
keeper, and the wholesale dealer, that the proposed
period of limitation is too short, a:though we have
every confidence that the Lord Chancellor, in re'
commending it, was solely actuated by a desire to
protect and benefit a large and deserving class Of
his fellow subjects. But if one year be too short, is
the old statue ory period of six years too long ? We
believe that all controversy in this respect will be'
settled by the noble and learned lord accepting two
years as the period during which a debt or 'none,
demand under £2O can be recovered. If this modi"
fication be adopted in conjunction with those pro-
visions which abolish imprisonment except for eel'
tain defined offences, fraud, reckless extravagance ie
living, &c., the law of debtor and creditor in respect
of small transactions will, no doubt, be placed on
much more just end satisfactory footing, and render
the measure worthy of the reputation of its die-
tinguished author. It is needless to discuss the
" tally-man" grievance, because we perceive that
Lord St. Leonerds has given notice of a clause
which will provide an efficient remedy. He pro-
poses that no debt of this kind should be recover;
able unless the order had received the sanction 01
toe husband or father. Those portions of the bill
which propose to confer a small equitable juriedice
lion upon the county courts are likely to produce
considerable benefit to the public, but the clauses
themselves are so general that little opinion can be,
formed of their will* until we see the code 0'
orders which is to presctibe the procedure. We in'
tend, however, to return to this subject of equitable
jurisdiction and to the short system of bankruptcy
in small debt cases which, we believe, constitutee
Iwo of the most vetuabie and important features 01
the Lord Chancellor's measure. The latter We
especially commend to the attention of the come
mittee Low sitting to investigate the operation of •
the Bankruptcy Act, 1861.

COUNTRY MARKETS.


BIRMINGHAM-THURSDAY.

There was an increased supply of English wheat to-dall
but the demand was slow, and last week's prices advanced
6d to is per qnarter. Barley nominally unaltered in prise.
Beans and oats were rather over late quotations. Peas firm'
—English wheat was sold at 40s to 44a for white, and 365
to'42s per 36 stone for red. parley, new malting, 30s t°
38s per qr ; grinding, 18s to 2,4 s Oats, old, 22s to 308
per 30 stone ,• Irish, 18s to 24e. Beans, 34s to 40s per
Peas, 32s to 38s per 36 stone.

BURTON- ON-TRENT—THURSDAY.
Old white wheat ..41s to 45s I old red wheat, 4os to 42.!
New do. ~ 39s to 44s I New do. 37s to 4"
Malting barley....32s to 35s I Oats. 20s to 30s
Grinding d0.....26s to 29s I Beans 34s to 425

MANCHESTER—THURSDAY.
„id
A very limited attendance at our market to-day,
but very little business doing. Wheat and flour both mei,
for previous quotations. Oats id to ld per bushel dear.ean
Oatmeal at late prices. Beans 6d to is advance.
corn was 3d to 6d per qr higher.

BRISTOL—THURSDAY.
A small supply of English wheat, which met a relif nii
sale, at an advance of is per qr. Foreign more dealt
at prices unobtainable last week. Barley ruled slow+, 60
brought late rates. Beans, peas, and Indian corn
dear, but dull.

EDINBURGH GRAIN—JUNE 1.
To. day there was a better supply of grain, which Bold
at is above last week's prices, with an active demand'
Wheat on the top Os 6d up.... average 2s 3d OP
Barley on the top Os 6d up
Oats on the top 2s Od up . average
ee Oies IrdoPo'
Beans on the top is Od up average 2s 8d 11P.
Avet age Prices.
I
Wheat.. 39s id Oats
Barley 34s 6d Beans 383 -

Total Supply and Sales.
Wheat .. 906 qrs Sold 450 qrs
8ar1ey........ 150 qrs Sold 113 qrs
Oats
Beans 73 qrs Sold 73 qrs
Flour sells as follows :—Whites, 37s Od_; extras, 35513'1 '
superfine, 33s Od ; fine, 30s Od.

NEW JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES.—A Parliaulen°
tary return, moved for by Lora Overatone, shows that b°:
tvir-er. the beginning of last year and the 18th of 141aY id
this year, 1,170' new joint-stock companies with
stered, and fhe total number of limited
liability were reg: „,
sharesto
created reached the enormous number of 13,348,401' TO
re
is, however, some gum:Teation of this statement in a ri°f
appended to the return, the effect that the registrar hoe
joint-stock companies is unable to state how °f
shares have been really subao.ribed for. The persons 9
9
t egistered these companies hart Only subscribed for 672'3
shares.

Births. hem
ABBOTT.—On the Ist inst., at Grove nouse, Tette:-
the wile of Arthur 8.. Abott, of a son. elf'
ANLEY.—On the, lst inst., at 7, i
Hoe-park-terrace ory
mouth, the wile of Captain F. A. Anley, Royal Artl
of a son.
o!
jr.
BLADES.—On the 2d inst., at Penge, the wife
Blades, of a son.
organ-
STACEY.—On the Ist inst. at Whitchuroh,
shire, the wife of the Rev, Cyril Stacey, of a di"'

Marriages. .11106
EviNg.-MUMFORD.—On the Ist inst., at Little C.0°.,-;,011-
Anthony Evans,
Esq., cf 3, Tavisiock•placA,
•,•-•
square, to Lucy Louisa, second daughter of Goo.
ford, Esq., of Little Cornard. AbOilt
TAYLOR-1 INDALE.—On the Ist inst., at Alm°l2-,oarep
John Hirst Taylor, Esq., of Grove House, Winue-jollll
to Annie Elizabeth, the ,aldest daughter of late
Tindale, Esq., of Rose Villa, Almondbury.

Deaths. .„,,,kweil•
BEARD.—On the 31st ult., at 4, Clarence-place, 0 S6'
Charles Beard, Esq., formerly of the Hon:"'"- . .
aged 78. of Dole
CANNING.--Onthe lat inst., Allen Canning, EA"
don Colne, near St. Albans, aged 56.
William Colell' °I
COLEBY.—On the 31st ult., suddenly,
Stratford, Essex, aged 78. ..f.. iVf
CORNELL.—inst.,On the Ist ,' 0116
N CHE r
EY.—On the Ist inst., at Castlegate, Grall'm
Cheney, aged 88.
.13.••

sr. o°l4

HENSON.—On the 31st ult., at Brighton,
!Jenson, of the Strand, aged 48. .
r.
MARTINDALE —On the Ist hie, at 20, Brunsartc.-115.
dens, Kensington, Benjamin Martindale, Esq., ,eboo,
. WOOD.—On the 30th ult ,at Grafton-square, °all aged
Mr. Arthur Wood, of 16, Cletnent's-lane, city, a"

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ItUddlenex —Friday, June 3,1861.