The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-09 00:00:00

debito justitice, as a matter of unquestionable
right, by any person whatsoever, by aliens as well
as by naturalised subjects, and natives was
treated with unmitigated contempt, not in a
Russian vessel or under the flag of the AUTO-
CRAT, but on board a British man-of-war !—and
in one of the Royal Dockyards ! ! Nay, more—
that contempt was sanctioned by British officers,
who -hesitated as to whether they themselves
should render obedience to the writ, and who,
while they were hesitating and demanding instruc-
tions from the Admiralty as to the return that
should be made to the writ of habeas corpus,
afforded facilities to the Russians Jo escape, car-
rying with them the unhappy victims who had
sought a sanctuary on English ground, and been
captured by English officials.
We can scarcely credit the statements that have
been put forward positively and unequivocally.
We cannot condemn those said to be implicated
in the discreditable transaction until they have
been heard in their own defence. But inquiry,
strict and searching inquiry, is indispensable, and if
there be a shadow of foundation for the assertions
that have been made, the offended majesty of
the British Law must be fully and completely
vindicated, and exemplary punishment visited on
every person by whom it has been wilfully vio-
lated, whether Russian or English. We have
already incurred sufficient disgrace by our
truckling to the Great Northern Despot. We
must not suffer his myrmidons to treat us with
contumely—to act as if they were in a conquered
country, where no warrant was required beyond
their own mere will and pleasure. We must not
submit to the grossest insult that can be offered
to an independent nation.
The Russian organ has attempted to show that
the matter was a mere trifle, unworthy of serious
notice—that we were bound to surrender the men
—and that the Russian Captain was justified in
refusing to receive the writ on board a Russian
vessel. It is, however, already shown that many
of the arguments so elaborately put forward are
erroneous in their premises. The Times assumes 11
that it was on board the Russian frigate Aurora that
the writ was tendered to the Russian officers. It
now appears, on the testimony of a highly respect-
able solicitor, Mr. CHARLES RONALD, of Guildford-
street, Russell-square, that it was not on board the
Aurora that the writ was served, but on board the
English ship, the Victorious, that Mr. RONALD him-
self tendered the writ to the Russian Captain, and
" (through the medium of an interpreter) fully
acquainted him with its nature." "It was also,"
says that Gentleman—" from the port-hole of the
English, and not of the Russian ship, that a
document to which the law attaches so much im-
portance, not by accident, but from the hand of
the Russian Lieutenant, who threw it contemptu-
ously from the vessel." Mr. RONALD adds that,
" these facts can be established by the most irre-
fragable testimony !" If so, and the deliberate
statement of such a person establishes a prima
facie case, the matter assumes a very serious
aspect, more especially if, through the culpable
connivance or active assistance of English officials,
the offenders have been enabled to evade the pro-
cess they had previously contemptuously disre-
garded. If, as we have said, these things can be
established, a fast-sailing vessel ought to have
been at once despatched to bring back perforce
those who had inflicted so much dishonour on the
British nation, who had made such a return for
the hospitable assistance rendered to them, and
very improperly rendered in a national dockyard of
Great Britain.

The Times says that we were bound to give
up these men. But that forms no justi-
fication whatsoever for the refusal to obey the legal
process signed by a Judge of the Court of Queen's
Bench. If the capture of these men had been
legal, they would, on inquiry, have been restored
to their former custody. No mischief would then
have been effected. The treaty or convention
would have been recognised, and it would have
been decided on adequate authority whether such
a convention could override the law of the land—
whether the Excellent ABERDEEN, or any other
Minister for the time being, could barter away the
liberties of the British People, or of those seeking
refuge on British ground. We believe that Mr.
Justice WIGHTMAN would not have issued the writ
on trivial or insufficient grounds, or unless an im-
portant and even doubtful question remained to
be decided. We confess, too, that we are dis-
posed to place greater reliance on the opinion and
judgment of that eminent and Learned Judge
than on that even of the Times itself, and, there-
fore, we cannot assent to the matter being " pooh-
poohed," or disposed of by a side wind. If the
local authorities were bound to render assistance
in effecting the recapture, the prisoners should
have been brought before a British Judge, before
being finally surrendered. Here, without any
warrant or authority, they were seized and
given up. No inquiry was instituted as to
whether they were legally bound as seamen
in the Russian vessel, or whether they were jus-
tified in making their escape. The veriest
slave could not have rendered more implicit
obedience to the command of his master. We
have trampled the British law under foot at
the command of a _Russian officer, who will, doubt-
less, obtain honour from his master for the gross
indignity inflicted on the British name. He has
escaped, too, with impunity. " Every effort being
made to get the ship to sea," whilst the English
officers " declined to give obedience to the writ."
We are told that "she" (the Aurora) "was towed
out of harbour to Spithead in the afternoon ; and
her powder and shells following, she took them
on board." On Wednesday " she fired a parting
salute, and was speedily out of sight,"—her offi-
cers chuckling at the disgrace they inflicted on the
British name. But can the matter thus termi-
nate ? Certainly not ! Shame, deep, burning,
indelible shame to those who have thus disre-
garded the national honour ; and shame to our
Parliament, and to all having power to ventilate
the question, if ample satisfaction be not exacted
from all responsible for the act, or in any degree
implicated in the outrage.

FALL IN THE PRICE OF BREAD.—Yesterday the
bakers in the metropolis and suburbs reduced the price
of the 41b. loaf a penny. Bread (second quality)
which for some weeks has been selling at 9d. and 10d.
per 41b. loaf, can now be had at Bd. and 9d. respec-
tively, and inferior bread may be purchased from bid.
to 71d. unweighed. Full-price bakers have reduced
their price in a similar proportion. Bread which sold
at 111 d. can now be had at 10d. to 100. The League
Bakery bread is 9d. per 41b. loaf.
SEE OF SYDNEY. —The metropolitan see of Sydney
will be offered to the Bishop of New Zealand on his re-
turn to England. The Venerable Ocbavius Hadfield,
Archdeacon of Waimate, will probably succeed Bishop
Selwyn in the see of New Zealand.
PASSES OF THE BALKAN.— On Monday, the 12th, at
the meetings of the Royal Geographical Society, the
second portion of the paper will be read, Journey into
the Balkan, or Mount limmus ; with a description of
the defiles through this celebrated mountain range, and
a comparison of the routes pursued by Darius Hystas-
pes, Alexander the Great, and Marshal Diebitsch ; by
Lieutenant-General A. Jochmus. Communicated by
Sir Roderick I. Murchison. .
CHRISTMAS-DAY.—With regard to the question of a
general holyday on the 26th inst., in consequence of
Christmas-day falling on a Sunday, it appears that the
Lord Mayor took occasion on Wednesday at the Man-
sion-house to state his opinion that it will be observed
as far as possible, not only in London, but also in the
provincial towns. There is no power short of an act of
Parliament that could legalise it is a holiday, but the
general feeling in the city concurs with that of the
Lord Mayor, and it seems intended, therefore, to avoid
as far as possible all business transactions, except such
as are connected with obligations falling due, which
will, of course, necessitate a partial attendance at
banking houses, as well as at many private offices.
As regards the Stock-Exchange, in .1842, the last in-
stance when Christmas-day happened on a Sunday, it
was opened on the Monday, and the committee merely
met at 12 o'clock and ordered it to be shut two hours
before the usual time. On the present occasion, how-
ever, the understanding is, that unless any extraor-
dinary events should render it inexpedient, the estab-
lishment will most likely be closed entirely.
ESTABLISHMENT OF A LIBRARY AT PRESCOT.—Yes•
terday the Earl of Derby, Lord Stanley, the Rev. R. L.
Samson, vicar of Prescot, and a number of gentlemen
from the neighbourhood, attended at the inauguration
of a working-man's library at Prescot, near Liverpool.
The institution has been set on foot mainly by the
Derby family, the Earl of Derby and Lord Stanley hav-
ing each given ,100/. These sums, with 501. from Sir
Thomas Birch, and subscriptions from parties residing in
and near Prescot, have raised a fund large enough to
purchase 2,000 volumes, which are to be lent to sub-
scribers of ss. per annum. Such an institution as this
has long been wanted in Prescot.