The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-05 00:00:00

Vtirll Zbittion

SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock.

CRIMINAL COURT-(THIS DAY.)

OLD COURT.
(Before the Recorder.)
HIGHWAY ROBBERY.—A young man named Thomas
Ivory, described as a cab driver, was indicted for rob-
bing Thomas Peters, who represented himself to be a
seafaring man, of a silver watch.
The prisoner and prosecutor were drinking on
boxing night with a number of women, at the Three
Colts, public-house, Commercial road, and the priso-
ner, who had previously been an utter stranger to
the !prosecutor, volunteered to see the prosecutor
home, as he was a little far gone in drink.
The prosecutor accepted the good offices of his new
acquaintance, and they left the public-house together, ac-
companied by one of the women, and walked arm and arm
towards Bethnal-green. Before they reached the green,
however, the woman left them, and the prisoner having
suddenly turned up a secluded lane, sail, Namesake, I
want your watch," to which the prosecutor replied that
be was quite sure his kind convivial friend did not in-
tend to rob him. The prisoner remarked that it
would be a misnomer to call it robbery, but
he must have the watch, as he bad set his
mind upon it, and the prosecutor had better go home and
fancy he had lent it to some one. The prosecutor was
not so drunk as to blind him to the design of the pri-
soner, who had all through the night made himself as
agreeable as possible, by singing songs and relating
anecdotes, and he made an effort to shuffle away from
the prisoner, whereupon the prisoner snatched the watch
from the prosecutor's pocket, and then knocked him
down; but not before the prosecutor had had time to say
"I shall know you again, Thomas, take care what you are
about." The blow and fall rendered the prosecutor insen-
sible for some time, but when he recovered he hastened to
a neighbouring police-station, and gave the alarm. The
prisoner was arrested on the following day, but when
taken into custody, and rip to the present moment, he
denied all knowledge of either the prosecutor or his watch.
Mr. BALLANTINE, who defended the prisoner, cross-
examined the prosecutor at some length, and elicited
from him a confession that he had seduced the wife of
one of his friends, who had once charged him with
stealing 501., and that at one period of his life he went
by the name of Norton. He admitted further that he
had only been at sea once, while on the night of the rob-
bery he was so drunk that he could not remember all
that occurred, or that at the station-house he repre-
sented himself to be the landlord of the Star and Garter
public-house, Commercial-road, and stated that, besides
the watch, which he said was a good one, he had been
robbed of 15 or 16 sovereigns.
The Learned GENTLEMAN then addressed the jury,
insisting that the prosecutor was unworthy of belief,
and, calling upon the Court not to convict the accused of
so serious a charge as highway robbery upon such
slender evidence.

Witnesses were called to prove an alibi.
Mr. PARRY, who prosecuted, having replied,
The RECORDER summed up, and the jury returned a
verdict of Guilty.
A previous conviction of having obtained money under
false pretences was exhibited against the prisoner, and
The RECORDER sentenced him to 18 months' imprison-
ment with hard labour.

The case occupied the attention of tho Court nearly
the whole day, and terminated the proceedings of the
present session.

EHAN CE.

The National again attacks the Government, on
the ground of the extraordinary powers vested in the
hands of General Changarnier. It says—
" The journals of the reactio❑ pretend to be asto-
nished at our protest against the unconstitutional posi-
tion made for General Changarnier by the Ministry.
It appears to them strange that the National, who
considered it quite natural that General Cavaignac
should be placed in ;line last at the head of all
the force, civil and military, destined to put down
the insurrection, should be so severe and distrustful at
preeent. These journals must have a very weak
memory of events. General Cavaignac was, it is true,
invested with a sort of dictatorship ; but by whom ?
By the National Assembly, head at the same time of
the legislative and executive power, a head full of confi-
dence in its delegate, but not renouncing its right of
surveillance over its delegate. From whom, on the
other hand, does General Changarnier hold his mis-
sion ? From the Ministry alone. Once that the danger
was over, the extraordinary powers of General Cavaig-
nac ceased. Why has the Ministry, without the order
of the Assembly, without the advice even of that su-
preme power, reconstituted them for the profit of
General Changarnier? There lies all the question. The
journals of the reaction may do what they please, but
they will not be able to change the terms. The Consti-
tution has been violated—violated by the ministry,
without a motive that can be avowed; it must be called
to order, blamed severely, as we shall not cease to call
to mind until satisfaction be given to the too legitimate
apprehensions of the country."
In answer to these charges, the Constitutional writes
in the following strain :
"Can it be doubtful on what side is the &auger? Is
it on the right, is it on the left? Let any one affirm
now that we, Moderates who previously supported the
Monarchy, desired the triumph of such a Pretender!
In presence of the frightful perils which menace the
whole edifice of society, we have fine leisure, truly, to
think of geting up a coronation to suit our taste! Will
it be said that society, in presence of the barbarous
enemy who is constantly watching it, is thinking of
soma dynasty ! It is too selfish for that; and it has a
right to be so. It thinks of itself. That selfishness is
legitimate; it is that which God has placed in the heart
of all organised beings—the instinct of self-preserva-
tion."

OPENING OF THE CANADIAN
PARLIAMENT.
(From the Buffalo Express.)
We are indebted to Mr. Kissick, the gentlemanly
operator here, of this line, for the following speech of
the Governor-General of Canada .
MONTREAL, JAN. 18, 1849.—This day, at 3 o'clock,
P.m., his Excellency, the Governor-General, proceeded in
state to the chamber of the Legislative Council, in the Par-
liament building. The members of the Legislative
Council being assembled, his Excellency was pleased to
command the attendance of the Legislative Assembly,
and that House being present, his Excellency opened
the second session of the third Parliament of the province
of Canada, with the following speech from the throne •
Hon. Gntlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gen-
tlemen of the Legislative Assembly,— I have much satis-
faction in informing 3 ou that uninterrupted tranquillity
has prevailed in the province during the recess. The
proofs which the people of Canada have furnished during
this period of general excitement and disquietude of
their love of order, and of the attachment they bear to
their institutions, will tend, I trust, to establish the
credit of the province on a firmer basis, and promote its
prosperity.
I am authorised to state, for your information, that it
is her Majesty's purpose to exercise the prerogative of
mercy in favour of all persons who are still liable to
penal conseqdences for political offences arising out of
the unfortunate occurrences of 1837 and '3B, and I have
the Queen's commands to invite you to concur with me
in passing an Act to give full effect to her Majesty's
most gracious intentions.
It affords me much pleasure to state that in compli-
ance with the desire of the local Legislature, expressed
in a joint address of the two Houses of the Provincial
Parliament, the Imperial Parliament has passed an Act
repealing the clause in the Union Act, which imposed
restrictions on the use of the French language.
I have been in communication, during the recess,
with her Majesty's Provisional Secretary of State for
the Colonies, and with the LieutenantGovernor ofr
Nova Scotia and New Brunswickoa the subject of
the provincial post office, and I am enabled to inform
you that on the meeting of the Imperial Parliament,
steps will be taken for conferring on the
provincial
au-
thorities the entire control and
management of this de-
partment. I trust that when the necessary arrangements
for effecting this object shall have been completed, it may
be found practicable to establish a low and uniform' rat;
of postage for the British North American provinces.
I am disposed to believe that an increase in the repre-
sentation would be attended with considerable advantage
to the public interest. And I recommend this subject,
which is one of no ordinary importance, to your best
consideration.
It
gives me much gratifica ion to . state that the op-
position manifested at one time certain parts of
Lower Canada to the School Act has in a great me asure
subsided. I am of opinion, nevertheless, ess,thatthis Act
may with advantage be amended in somreodfilly ootsdoe:
de-
tails; and I feel confident that you will ea
sent to make such a;terations as shall rend.etrhoiutt, as
little
as possible onerous to the rate payers, without,
how-
ever, compromising the important principle it has con;
seemed in securing for all the youth of this section of
the province the blessing of education.
Among the subjects which will probably engage your
attention, are the system of judicature in both sections of
the province, the laws for the regulation of municipalities
and the constitution of the University of King's College.
The officers employed in exploring the country be-
tween Quebec and Halifax, with the view of discovering
the best line for a :railway to connect these two points,
have prevented a report which contains much valuable
information, and sets forth in a strong light the
advantages of the proposed undertaking. I shall
lay it before you, together with a dispatch from the
Secretary of Slate for the Colonies, expressive of the
interest taken by her Majesty's Government in the ex-
ecution of this great work.
Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly:—
I shall direct the public accounts for the estimates for
the year to be laid before you.
I rely on your readiness to grant the supplies which
are necessary for the public service.
Gentlemen of the Council and Assembly:--
I have observed with much concern that Canada has
participated :largely in the commercial depression, by
which the last year has been su unfavourably charac-
terised.
I have nor failed to impress on her Majesty's Minis-
ters toe urgent necessity which exists for the re-
moval of such provisions from the Imperial Statute-
book, as they may tend to restrict the commerce of
the Province, by checking thrergehsto,ratns
of
havefr e muchgn ship-
pingto its porststalttlusgeatrhor,htotntpresentation on this
' freight,
toction
l' • h 4
t4dihas been coruittity responded to by the Queen's
-----;TOoyernment.
- Among the measur' s which. seem to merit the attto-
--•
U AL, .ertl e Pariament, at this time, being
4 - esictsted to rail th•orocht of the Province, to extend
.
al tide awl to contribute to the developraentef its

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