The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-01 00:00:00

TrIE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, REDIVITART 1, .1P39.

" The proceedings in the case of ' The Queen against
Lawson,' in the Queen's Bench yesterday, must not pass
without remark. Sir John Conroy was, our readers have seen,
ill-advised enough to call for judgment upon Mr. Lawson, for
the publication in the Times of an article the truth or false-
hood of which lie (Sir John) did not dare to put in issue, at
the very time wh a he %las confessing that, if true, it reflected
iuvouly upon his character. Wny call for judgment, if
Sir John does not wish to deter others from making state-
ments the truth of which he will not allow to be proved ! As
fa; as his own contradiction of the Times could go in setting
up his character, he had succeeded when he obtained his first
object—when he got his criminal information ; all thatfollowed
was an idle parade of the operation of an odious law—if it was
not vindictive or minatory. We presume that Sir John or
his friends will not justify his later proceedings as vindictive
—for this were to say that he is neither a good citizen,
gentleman, nor Christian : it must then be minatory ;
but minatory as regards what ! The exposure of the
conduct of men placed in situations affecting the public in-
terests—to say nothing of the inconsistency of such a design
with the least respect for public liberty and the public good,
its folly is egregious. A greater man than Sir John Conroy
could not effect this while any spirit of liberty should linger
in the British nation. The menace, if not the most extrava-
gantly stupid in the world, must have an especial respect to
Sir John Conroy's own proceedings. It is a proclamation
noli me tanyere—l am of that constitution of character that
I cannot bear handling. The Times, in its allusion to the
case, hints a doubt that the article which was the subject of
the prosecution was a libel. We must differ on this point
from our respected Contemporary. Anything true
or false which displeases any individual named, or
even hinted at in it, may, in the present state of
the I.w, be successfully prosecuted as a libel. Ex.
cremes try principles,' as Lord Brougham says. It was a
libel punishable by law to call Greenacre a murderer the night
before he was hanged, and had any accident spared Greenacre's
life, he might have indulged that animosity to the officiousness
of the Press which he entertained in common with his class,
by successfully prosecuting every one of us for the publication
of his trial. So much for the honour that is won by success
in libel prosecutions—so much, too, for the degree of dis-
grace that can attach to a conviction for libel. Mr. Lawson's
punishment is light (this marks the Court's sense of the af-
fair); but were it aggravated twenty-fold—if he has anything
of our feelings—and we are sure that his feelings are those of
a gentleman and an honest man—he would not change places
with Sir John Conroy for those Welch estates, that, for all
that has been permitted to appear, have been bought with, fairy
money, or sums raised by the wand of an enchanter."— Times.

sum of 1:20/ paid into Court by the defendant in this cause, should not
be taken out, on the ground twat the cause had ceased in consequence of
the death of the plaintiff.
A Learned Counsel now appeared on behalf of the executor of the
deceased, and submitted that, acting upon its equitable jurisdiction, the
Court would allow the money to remain in Court, to abide the event of
another action intended to be commenced by the widow for its recovery.
Lord ABINGER—There is no action in Court. It ceased upon the
death of the plaintiff'.
Mr. Baron PARKE—We can do nothing. The money was paid into
Court to abide the event of an action then in Court. That action has
ceased, and the defendant claims his money as a matter of right, and we
cannot refuse him—Rule absolute.

ADMIRALTY CO URT.-Ji.v. 31.

TALE PANTHER-COLLISION.

This vessel, on a voyage from Gallipoli to St. Petersburgh, with oil
came in collision with a Russian ship, the Alie, from Revel to Oporto,
off Bcechy Head, on the 22d of September last. Both vessels received
considerable damage. The former was obliged to put into New.
haven, and the latter having gone to Cowes, was there arrested,
and there she still remains in custody for want of bail. 'The night
was dark. The tempestuous state of the weather is a point of dispute
between the parties.

The QUEEN'S A DVOCkT6 and Dr. JENNER, for the owners of the P an-
Mer , contended that there was no look-out on board the Alie, and that
the accident arose from the unseamanlike conduct of the crew of that ves-
sel. Their parties ought to be dismissed with costs.
Dr. llaggart and Dr. Robinson were on the other side. The crew of
the =Panther had seen the Alie for half a mile, and would not, even to
prevent a collision, deviate from their original course. The blame was
attributable to them.

The COURT, which was assisted by Trinity Masters,'having stated the
facts, put it to those nautical gentlemen to say which party was in fault.
The Trinity Masters expressed their opinion that the Alie acted
wrongly. She put her helm down, and the circumstances required that
she should have put it up.

The COURT—The Ellie being declared to be the wrong-doer, respon.
sibility for the damage sustained in the collision necessarily attaches to
her. As to her liability for consequential damage:4 the Panther having
been unable to continue her voyage, that question must be referred to
the Registrar and merchants.