The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY 14,

and the absolute exclusion of another, are appa-
rent on the face of this arrangement ; as our

MONEY MA RKE

LAW INTEL.

THIS DAY.)

AND
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

QUEEN'S BENCH.

contemporary observes, if all the young Peers and
others were the free unbiassed choice of the electors,

LUMLEY V. GYE.

there would be nothing to complain of. This,
however, no one will pretend to be the case ; and
those who object to mechanical devices are fairly
bound to show us something better. It is almost

CITY, TWO O'CLOCK.

This was an action brought to recover compensation
for the loss which the plaintiff had sustained by reason
of the defendant having, as he alleged, induced Mdlle.
Johanna Wagner, the eminent German singer, to break
her engagement with him. Some short time ago a com-
mission was issued at the instance of the defendant to
examine Miss Wagner and her father, in Berlin, upon
the points in dispute between the parties, but the com-
mission being at variance with the rules of the Prussian
law, it ultimately proved abortive. The defendant
then applied to the Court to issue a second commission,
directed to the Royal Court of Berlin, and having
granted a rule 'nisi, for such a commission, Sir F.
Thesiger, with whom were Mr. Hoggins, Q.C., and
Mr. Huddieston, now appeared to show cause against
it. The learned counsel contended that, inasmuch as
the examination of the witness would have to be entirely
conducted at the discfetion, and through the in-
strumentality of a Prussian judge, it would debar

The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were
estimated at 6,000 bales, of which 1,500 were
taken for export and specula,timl. The market
closed steadily. Railway shares were firmer.
The bearing of the quarterly official payments is.
shown in the Bank of England return for the week
to the 7th inst. The bullion increased but to a
limited amount, nor was the circulation of notes
much extended, because the withdrawal of Go-
vernment moneys was counterbalanced by the
increased private deposits and the re-payment of
loans. Compared with the previous week, the
principal changes are these

amusing to look at the classified lists, and to
notice all the counties, with scarcely an exception,
in the hands of " country gentlemen" or the

" relations of peers"—a term restricted, restricted, too, to

;heir "sons and brothers."

We observed, a little while ago, that, even if
the representantives from the boroughs to be dis-
franchised were given largely to the counties (a
course we, certainly, do not wish to see pursued),
it would make but little alteration in the propor-

tions of parties, classed as town and country
parties. These tables bear out our view com-
pletely. Not less than 110 country gentlemen
sit for boroughs, 90 of them for English boroughs ;
and not fewer than 61 relations of Peers or Irish
Peers, 48 of these for English boroughs. Nearly
half, therefore, of the country gentlemen and the
aristocracy sit for boroughs ! Now, we will
frankly confess, that we do not, in one sense,
wish this to be altered. We think the country
gentlemen and aristocracy either are, or may be
made, very suitable persons, generally, for
representatives. They have education, they
have leisure, they have property. What
spoils them is, that they are not elected
by the people. Those who are so elected are never
complained of by them, and they do the people's
work well. In these very tables, Mr. MILNER
GIBSON, Mr. TnomAs DuNcomm, Lord DUDLEY
CouTTs STUART, and Sir BENJAMIN HALL, for in-
stance, rank as country gentlemen. We have
never concealed our opinion, that were the con-
stituencies augmented to 10,000 each, and the
votes taken by ballot, still a class with little else
to do, and such opportunities for early education
and later acquisitions, must be our chosen repre-
sentatives. The difference would be, that their
leisure and talents must be employed in the
people's service, or they would soon be left in the
lurch. Popular election would improve our natural
aristocracy, not dispense with them. They would
still want employment consistent with their station,
and congenial with a high-born Englishman's as-
pirations, and we should still want agents whose
time was not their livelihood. They and the people
are thus made for each other, and together they
must come ; but we should have more MILNER
GrßsoNs and DUNCOMBES, and fewer . . .
(Our readers will excuse names).
The total blank of " working-men's interest"
representatives will make any reader thoughtful.
The Spectator agrees with us, that had a reason-
able number of their representatives been in Par-
liament, we should have heard nothing of strikes.
Workmen would have seen their case stated and
argued, where all other classes of Englishmen can
get a hearing, and a committee, too, to probe their
allegations thoroughly. The impoverishing reign
of the COWELLS .and NEWTONS would be at an end,
were these gentlemen themselves in a committee
of the House of Commons responsible to public
opinion, instead of lording it in their own irre-
sponsible conclaves of the ignorant and disaffected.
But how is the difficulty of choosing working class
representatives to be met ? Universal suffrage is
tabooed by too many yet. The common idea is,
that a five-pound rating franchise would attain
the end. The municipal franchise, with certain
modifications of the ratebook, would, we think,
be decidedly better than this. The Westminster
suggests the selection of certain towns for this
express purpose ; but are the agricultural labour-
ers to get no hearing ?—one of the largest classes
in the kingdom too, and one of the most needy.
It is not certain, moreover, that universal suffrage
would return the working-man's candidate in any
locality. Better far, therefore, in some very large
populations, divide the voters into all above and
all under a 101. occupancy, and give half the
members to each division. In this way, the
workmen and the masters would each have
their own representatives in the same locality.
We do not remember to have heard of the inter-
vention of the Members of Parliament in the dis-
trict of strikes during the long quarrel. Pro-
bably a natural delicacy withheld the elect of the
middle and upper classes from an apparently one-
sided interference. Had the householders below
10/. chosen their own members separately, what
could have been more natural than that these
counsel for each party should have been the chief
debaters on the question. We incline to the
opinion that even electors of this humblest class
would not long choose representatives from their
own order. We offer the above suggestion, how-
ever, for those who are afraid of any general large
extension of the suffrage, and who yet feel the
need in our actual social condition of a bona fide
representation of the working classes.

Active circulation..,,
Increase

£21,348,200
270,340
15,831,072

Bullion

21,827
3,247,894
Increase
Public Deposits 8,291,993
Decrease. 3,117,940
Other Deposits
Increase 1,703,535
Seven-Day and other Bills
Increase 42,375
Government Securities 14,833,299
Decrease 211,031
Other Securities 16,736,409
Decrease 839,714
Notes unemployed 7,800,600
Decrease 301,620
The Foreign Exchanges were steady yesterday
afternoon. Paris, 90 days', 25 25 to 30 ; Amster-
dam, 11 16 to 16i ; Hamburg, 13 42. to 5 ; and
Trieste, 12 12 to 20.

Decrease

Rest

the plaintiff of his right of cross-examination, and
set aside the rules of evidence recognised in an Eng-

ish court of justice.

There were other objections of a

Bar silver is at ss. 10. per oz. standard, all that
received by the Magdalena steamer having been
disposed of.
The gold ex Ambrosine has been melted, and
nearly the whole quantity taken for exportation.
By a statement of Messrs. Haggard and Pixley,
respecting the export of bullion from London dur-
ing the year 1853, it appears the total was
21,196,0001., viz., 15,450,800/. gold, and 5,745,8001.
silver. Australia took 3,942,8001. of the gold,
Hamburg, Belgium, and Rotterdam 7,160,2001.,
the Peninsular and Mediterranean 1,056,4001., and
France 1,730,0001. India and China absorbed over
5,000,0001. of the silver, and Hamburg and France
most of the remainder.

BANKRUPTCY COURT.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Pane.)

IN RE SHIELDS.

When the meeting of Peruvian Bondholders,
held on Thursday, is calmly considered, the parties
interested must feel most strongly the importance
of the objects sought to be attained, and the
jeopardy in which the rights of the English credi-
tors have been placed through the inaction of the
body which has generally to watch over the Spanish-
American debts. Fortunately the result has proved
all that could be desired, the immense decline in
the value of the security having caused the holders
to attend numerously, and to act vigorously, with-
out respect to persons. The detailed account of
the proceedings which appears in another part of
The Sun will expose to those who are at a distance
the double-dealing that has been practised upon
them by the Peruvian Government ; and we trust,
also, that it may have the salutary effect of en-
lightening the Peruvian people upon the manner
in which they are made to suffer for the ad-
vantage of a few who have friends at head-
quarters, and can get enormous compensation
claims acknowledged, then converted into
home bonds, and, after being bought up
at a comparatively low figure, transformed by an
arrangement with railway and other contractors,
into sterling bonds, which it was sought to intro-
duce upon the London and Paris markets. Under
their former upright and patriotic president, such
jobbery could never have been perpetrated. A
home debt magnified far beyond its legitimate pro •
portions, after making every allowance for fair
_ _

claims, and a splendid and increasing revenue an-
nually absorbed without an effort worthy of the
name to liquidate the capital of the debt, will be a
sorry legacy hereafter for the population at large,
. .

who, sharing neither in the commissions nor the
profits of financial scheming, would naturally desire
to see their country freed from debt as fast as pos-
sible. The Peruvian authorities, from the proceeds
of the guano sold in England alone, have- the

handling of a sum that, in a very few years,
would extinguish the whole foreign debt, but
which, on the contrary, they are actually increas-
ing. Perhaps we may be told that at least 300,000/.
to 400,000/. of the home bonds clandestinely con-
verted into foreign was for the construction of a public
work ; but has Peru, with its ample resources, need
to degrade its credit by private arrangements of a
character so onerous as this ? It would have been
perfectly easy to have obtained in a fair and open
manner the amount required for a railway, or any
other legitimate purpose, the security of the unap-
propriated guano being made available ; but now
the republic stands in the unenviable position of
having lowered its reputation in Europe to such an
extent, that within a few months its stock has be-
come almost unsaleable, even at a depreciation of
25 per cent., and has disgusted numerous holders,
who sold at a loss, with a firm resolve not again t o
touch Peruvian securities. The best thing that
could possibly have happened is the meeting of
Thursday. It has shown that the interests of the
foreign creditors are identical with those of the
Peruvian republic, and that it is not yet too late
to arrest a lax and wasteful administration of the
finances. The dissatisfaction felt could not have
been more strongly demonstrated than in the reso-
lution mooted as to the London agency, and that
resolution, had the new committee of bondholders
not interposed with praiseworthy moderation,
would, amidst the storm of indignation that pre-
vailed, undoubtedly have been carried. It is. to
be hoped Congress will look a little closer into the
whole affair.
The amount of gold exported from London
direct, during the week to Thursday last, was 2,500
ounces. No silver was shipped.
The English Funds opened rather heavily this
morning, but have improved since. Consols have
been 92i, and since 93k to ; the New Three-and-
a-Quarter per Cents. have been 94 to 941 ; and the
Three per Cents. 93k to I. Bank Stock has been
steady at 21.7. Exchequer Bills have realised Bs.
to lls. premium, and India Bonds 4s. premium.
The Foreign Securities have been very quiet.
Russian Four-and-a-Half per Cents. have been
done at 91 to 911 ; Austrian Five per Cents., with
the exchange at 10 guilders, at 75 ; and Dutch
Four per Cents. 94q ; Spanish Three per Cents.
have been steady at 42k, and the Deferred at 20i
to
The Railway Share market has been under the
influence of the settlement, and prices generally
are firm. There is, however, not much doing.
Generally, shares are easily obtainable, and a small
rate of interest is charged for carrying them over.
The French lines are nominal. Zealand have im-
proved.
The Gold Mine Shares are supported, the Aus-
tralian banks are at very full rates, and the Land
Companies are well maintained.

LONDONDERRY, SEAHAM, AND SUNDER-

LAND RAILWA E

We are authorised to state, that in consequence
of the very inclement weather, and other unto-
walrd circumstances, the opening of the London-
derry, Seaham, and Sunderland Railway, which
was to have taken place on the 17th January, is
postponed until J nne, when, it is hoped this mag-
nificent work will be accomplished, and its opening
celebrated with suitable splendour and rejoicings.

technical character, to the issuing of the commission,
in the form and manner applied for, but this was the
principal objection, ancrupon that the plaintiff prayed
the Court to !dismiss the rule, more especially as if the
new commission was granted, it might let in evidence
which would be wholly inadmissable according to our

The Attorney-General on the other side, with whom
were Mr. Creasey and Mr. Willes, met the objection by
stating, that if the evidence returned in answer to the
commission should prove to be at variance with the law
England, it would be rejected on the trial of the case at
Nisi Prius, and, therefore, since the evidence of Mdlle.
Wagner and her father, it was absolutsly necessary for
the defence, that the commission ought to be granted.
The Court ultimately granted the new commission,
upon the defendant undertaking to pay the costs of the
former one.
Rule absolute accordingly.

This bankrupt was described as of the City, merchant,
and to-day was appointed for his last examination.
From the preliminary statement prepared by Messrs.
Robinson and Knowles, it appears that the debts amount
to about 2,5001., and the assets estimated at about the
same amount.

Mr. Robinson, in answer to questions by the learned
commissioner, said it was impossible at present to state
the positive amount of assets, as they would depend on
the result of consignments to South America and the
Brazils, but he thought at least 1,0001. might be calcu-
lated on as speedily to be realised, but he wished for an
adjournment for six weeks, to complete the accounts.
His Honour granted the adjournment.

CITY SHERIFFS' COURT.
(Before Mr. Fortescue.)
PHILLIPS V. PUNCHEON.
This was an action to recover one quarter's rent of
premises in Bread-street-hill.
Mr. lorry appeared as counsel for the plaintiff ; and
Mr. W. R. Buchanan for defendant.
The evidence was of a very conflictory nature as re-
spected the delivery up of the key, as an agreement had
been entered into between the parties that the defendant
should pay half-a-quarter's rent, in lieu of notice ; or, in
the event of the premises not being let, to pay the other
half-quarter's rent.
Mr. Buchanan pressed for the production of the docu-
ment, but the learned counsel for some time objected,
but at length it was put in evidence.
Mr. Buchanan called evidence for the defence, to
prove that the key had been delivered up to a person
named Fry, by the express order of the plaintiff, although
Fry, from some cause or other, rejected the agency, and
took down a tin plate announcing that the place was to
be let, and left it at a public-house which plaintiff used,
and said that he (Fry) would no longer be agent to

plaintiff.
Mr. Buchanan contended that the acceptance of the
key by Fry, exonerated the defendant from further
claim, for Fry, as agent of plaintiff, had done all the
mischief to prevent the letting by taking down the
notice.

His Honour said that the evidence was very contra-
dictory, and anxious as he always was to reconcile the
testimony if it could be conceived that a mistake had
occurred he could not find grounds for doubt in this
case. In the first instance the agreement bad been
withheld up to the last moment, and when he (his hon-
our) had recalled one of the plaintiff's witnesses it was
elicited that the witness Fry had been called in not only
as a friend for the express purpose of witnessing the
signature to the agreement. The evidence was so un-
satisfactory that ho (his honour) must give a verdict for
defendant with full. costs.
Mr. Horry begged it to be understood by the Court
that he had no knowledge of any agreement until the
moment it was calked for and produced.
His Honour said he did not impute anything to the
learned counsel perkonally, but the case had not been put
fairly before the Court.