The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-24 00:00:00

Courts of Chancery and Exchequer (it is presumed
to compel attendance in England, because that Act
establishes the principle.
The merits of Belsen's case lie in a nutshell. The
Jersey Court has done him a great injustice, and they
wish to obstruct inquiry into it, to shelter themselves
from disgrace, and present him frem obtaining redress.
This is shocking, but still it is true. It is said by
way of excuse, that if this mode of revising their pro-
ceedings were tolerated the independence of the tribu-
nal would suffer; but I have yet to barn that the
Royal Court of Jersey is beyond the control of the
superior Courts of Westminster when a proper case
is made out for their interference. Even the charter
by which it was instituted expressly provides for the
jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery, in these
words, which are translated from the Latin,—" No
man shall be compelled to answer concerning the free
tenement which he has peaceably held for a year and
a day, without a writ obtained from the King's
Court of Chancery, expressly mentioning the tenant
and the tenement (Ace 9.h Art.); and no Order its
Council, custom, or usage, can tale it away. I hell
this to he incontestable. lam aware that the it rAey
Court has for a long period interdicted the ser-
vice of process; for I find that in 1766 Juie 21,
Philip Collas was sentenced to a flute, and stt Lick off
the roll of solicitors, for having served a summons
from the Court of Chancery on Deb. Dutetroesq.
They have also interdicted the service of proce s from
the Court of Admiralty. In the case of Hillary
Brocq, a Jersey pirate, who plundered four English
vessels, richly laden with merchandize' off the Welsh
coast, and brought his booty, to the value of ten
thousand pounds, to Jersey, a warrant was sent over
here for his apprehension and removal to England for
trial, where all his accomplices had been convicted
and executed; but, strange to say, he escaped punish-
ment, the Court having interdicted service of the war-
rant for his protection. The Lord High Admiral
" did greatly marvel, and thought it meet that the
bailiff and Jurats should be called thither to answer
their disobedience." (See his letter, dated. June 17,
1593.) In 1608, a warrant from the Admiralty was
sent to Guernsey, under cover of an Order in Council,
for the surrender of a vessel found on the coast of
Sark, which had been abandoned ; and even this the
Court of that island refused to obey ; but in another
case, 1660, the Lords of the Council issued an extra
order to compel them to execute all orders, warrants,
decrees, and judgments', which the Court of Admiralty
should from time to time make, give, and set forth in
that particular case, which concerned a frigate and
prize. It is not long since that a Guernsey merchant
committed an act of bankruptcy in England, and re-
fused to surrender to the fiat, upon the pretext that he
was a privileged person. His Guernsey creditors also
held that they were privileged to plunder his estate
by attachments. However, the bankrupt was out-
lawed, and threatened with an indictment before the
Central Criminal Court, which had the effect of bring-
ng him to his senses; and-an interlocutory decree of
the Privy Council stayed the plunder of his estate,
which, after some difficulty, was equitably distributed
among all his creditors. If an inhabitant of these
islands can be exempted from the laws of England for
acts that he may commit there, by merely escaping
back to his country, the sooner such a system is abo-
lished the better. It is injurious to the body politic,
and must be got rid of. Hoping that you will lend
your powerful pen to accomplish this object during
the forthcoming Parliamentary campaign, and to
obtain for us English laws and English judges,
I subscribe myself, Sir,
Your ever faithful friend in the good cause,
ABRAHAM JONES LE CHAS,
Author of a work entitled " The Laws,
Customs, and Privileges of the Island of
Jersey."
Aldenhury Lodge, Les Petit Vaux,
Isle of Jersey, Dec. 20, 1849.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PUN.
SlR,—Having seen your remarks a few days ago
upon my speech here at the cattle show dinner, I sent
you on Thursday a Birmingham Midland Herald,
which contained a much more correct report than any
previous one. I see that you object to raise revenue
upon the importation of corn, and so do I ; but as
long as you raise revenue upon the importation of
manufactures, there is no valid or reasonable objec-
tion why you should not do so on corn al.o. I cannot
admit your objection, " that it would be a small
amount for revenue compared with what would be
lost by the higher price of corn here." In the first
place, I do not believe that the price would be as much
higher as a low duty ; all the experience of former
times from 1700 to 1790 shows that it would not; and
nothing since 1790 can be received as evidence,
because so many extraordinary circumstances affected
all prices. Again, I have yet to learn that the nation
sustains a loss or obtains an advantage by any altera-
tion in prices of either agricultural or manufactured
produce by which either class obtains the produce of
the other cheaper. The one interest or the other may
be gainers or losers, but the nation as a whole can
only be affected by very low prices giving an advan-
tage to all the idle money interest over all the indus•
trious classes, as is now the case. I should prefer that
all import duties should be abolished, and the whole
revenue be collected by a tax on property. As to pro-
tection, which I am confident our heavily taxed
industry requires against the lightt'y taxed industry of
the rest of the world, that can only be justly obtained
by such an equitable altoration of our monetary
system as will protect our industrious classes against
our idle classes. I have always been of opinion that
manufacturers and agriculturists have an equal right
to live, and those of either class who think to live
long upon the other will find themselves egregiously
mistaken.—Yours respectfully,

G. F. TIUNTZ.
Ley Hall, near Birmingham, Dec. 22d, 1849.

A SONG FOR CHRISTMAS EVE.
(From Eliza Cook's Journal.)
I cannot let my harp be still
While holy chimes and bells are ringing.
Come round me, neighbours, if ye will,
And help me in my carol singing.
Chaunt, loud and long, 'tis " Christmas Eve,"
We've got a merry time before us.
And now, old friends, by your good leave,
I'll troll the song and ye the chorus;
And this; shall be the theme for glee,
A theme no cynic dare condemn,
May kindly word and loving heart
Be household " stars of Bethlehem."
We all have had our yearly share
Of pains and griefs and;sad vexations,
For grim old Care comes everywhere,
And claims us as his near. relations.
Our heads huie ached, our hands have toiled.
But blackest bread may hold some leaven,
And all earth's trials never spoiled
A spirit that had faith in heaven.
Crashed bloom a perfume still imparts,
Though hard the blow that smote the stem,
And hearts that feel for others.' hearts
Are human " stars of Bethlehem."
But surely some bright hours have come
Of Hope and Joy, of Pace and Beauty;
Some welcome ray has cheered our way,
And lighted up the path of Duty.
Some blessings have been scattered round,
Some drops of mercy have been showered;
Some heavy chains have been unbound,
Some clouds have passed that darkly lowered.
So let us raise the notes of praise,
For gratitude is Nature's gem,
And breasts that wear it shed a beam
Like holy " stars of Bethlehem."
Let friend and foe, let age and youth,
Let weak and strong draw nigh together,
And spread the wing of social truth
Without one rough or broken feather.
'Tia fit that such a time as this
Should link us closer to each other,'
To spread the circle of our bliss
Until it reach our poorest brother.
Oh, " help the needy," for 'tis said,
The hands that raise and succour them
Will find a friend in Him who made
His sign " the star of Bethlehem."
God give us might, God give us will
To render thanks for Plenty's measure,
And may our bounty ever spill
A goodly portion of the treasure.
May blessings fall on each and all
Who rightly use the gifts entrusted;
But shame to Wealth that keeps in stealth
Its " talent" cold, and dim, and rusted.
The pearl of Charity is yet
The Christian's purest, fairest gem,
And every bosom where 'tis set
Serves well the " star of Bethlehem.'
Hark! there are merry bells without,
And let us ring our chimes within,
Let mirth and music breathe about,
For simple pleasure killeth sin.
Chaunt loud and long, 'tis " Christmas Eve,"
Come help me, neighbours, in my singing,
Ye give true notes, and by your leave,
I'll string the echoes ye are flinging.
And thus the glad refrain is heard,
A theme no cynic dare condemn,
May loving heart, and kindly word,
Be household " stars of Bethlehem."

ELIZA COOK.

STRIKE OF PORTERS kik D DRAYMEN ON TAB
MIDLAND RAILWAY.-011 Thursday morning notices
were posted at Leeds, offering ()mph)) Mein to able-
bodied men as porters at the goods station o' the Mid-
land Railway, in Hunslet-lane, at wages of 16s. per
week. The demand for these men has arisen in con-
sequence of the porters at present employed having
refused to accept reduced wages. Their wages have
bean 17s. per week, and the directors have determined
to reduce them to 16s. The draymen, aho have blen
in the receipt of 18s. per week, have also been offered is
reduction of Is.; and they, like the porters, laL,ve deter-
mined not to accept it. The consequence is that ablut
forty men employed at the Leeds goods station will
leave their employment at the end of the present week;
and the directors were sitting yesterday (Friday) at the
station to engage new hands to supply the place of these
who had turned out.