The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-28 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL CRISIS.

The present is not be considered as merely a Ministe-
rial crisis, as the customary changing from Tory to Whig,
or from Whig back to Tory—though the existence of
the Whig Government may be involved in it—but as a
national epoch ; as the first authoritative acknowledg-
ment, by the Sovereign and her Ministers, of the great
principle that there is no longer to be protection of any
one class at the price of injustice to all the other classes.
This, at least, is the light in which we would fain view
the measures proposed by the Ministers ; narrow, and
perhaps imperfect, in their actual being, but pointing to
mighty results.
It is peculiarly satisfactory to Radical Reformers to be
able to say, once in seven years, that their old friends and
allies the Whigs, have really done something to redeem
their character,—that they have "deserved well of their
country." They have shown, at the eleventh hour, that
which, though a tardy, looks like a genuine conversion,
since it is displayed in an amendment of conduct. The
precise date of any political conversion is generally of tri-
vial importance in itself, and the motives of public men,
placed in embarrassing circumstances, will hardly ever
bear to be too nicely scrutinised. Let their deeds speak
for them. The Ministers have not advanced far ; that
was perhaps impracticable, if they wished to carry any
imposing force along with them ; but they
have moved in the right direction, under the now fairly
unfurled banner of Free Trade, and in the strength of a
good cause. They have offered the country a fair oppor-
tunity of getting rid of some of the most galling and per-
nicious imposts that ever indirectly crippled the energies,
and directly robbed a people. They have made a formal
assault upon the most oppressive and severely felt of those
monopolies which plunder the wealthy and starve the
poor—namely, the Bread-tax and the Sugar-tax. The
first duty of the people is energetically to seize and im-
prove the occasion offered—to be up and to be doing !
Ta it's Magazine.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.
(LLOYD'S.)

NOTICE TO MARINERS AND OTHERS.
The following has been received at Lloyd's, dated
Office of Committee of Privy Council for
Trade, Whitehall, May 26, 1841.
Sir,—l am directed by the Lords of the Committee of Privy
Council for Trade to acquaint you, for the information of the
merchants trading. to Buenos Ayres, that the Government of
Buenos Ayres has issued a decree, in consequence of the war
which has been declared against the Argentine Republic by the
State of Uruguay, against all vessels not licensed by the Go-
vernment of the Argentine Confederation.
I am, Sir your obedient servant,
(Signed) DENIS LE MARCHANT,
Secretary at Lloyd's.

LAW INTELLIGENCE;

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, May 27.

WOOD V. mozotwoon.
Mr. HILL ( in continuation from our Paper of yesterday) said—
He had been so completely taken by surprise at the trial that he
had made no struggle against the case as it appeared, although
he had expressly reserved to himself the right of appealing to
their Lordships hereafter, because he felt convinced that
there must be evidence in existence which would enable
kim to dispute the validity of the deed, which
on the trial had so completely taken them by unwise,
and of the existence of which he had been unaware. Under
these circumstances, seeing the defendant had been so com-
pletely taken by surprise, he trusted that on payment of costs
the Court would grant a new trial. 'With regard to the refer-
ence at the first meeting, the plaintiff had been made distinctly
aware of the intention of the defendant to make the present
application to the Court, and no time had been lost in so doing.
Their Lordships having consulted together,
Lord Chief Justice TYNDAL said the only question for the
Court to determine was whether the defendant had really been
taken by surprise at the trial by the production of the
deed in question. In cases where a party was really taken by.
surprise, where like the present a large amount of property was
involved, and where nice points of conveyancing might arise,
the Court felt itself bound to interpose its authority to enable
parties to submit their case fairly to a Jury, and to remove
the case afterwards into a Court of Error, if such a proceeding
should be thought expedient. Now it did appear to him from what
passed at the trial that the whole conduct of the case was a surprise
upon the defendant, and that he had no reason to expect that
any deed would be produced, and that therefore the defendant
was entitled to have an opportunity of laying his case before a
Jury in relation to a document so important to the rights
of property. He was therefore of opinion that, the rule for
a new trial must be made absolute on payment of costs.
At the same time he thought no blame attached to the plaintiff
for withholding the deed from the knowledge of the defendant,
as he had a perfect right to do so.
Mr. HILL said that he thought the last few words which had
fallen from his Lordship vt ould afford the plaintiff more pleasure
than the decision of the Court would cause him pain, for he
felt most acutely the imputations attempted to be cast
on him in the affidavits on the other side for withholding
the deed. As a new trial had been granted, he hoped
their Lordships would impose terms on the defendant to
make him admit the long proofs which were tendered
at the trial as to the identity of the land in question.
The SOLICITOR.GENERAL said he had no wish to raise any
doubt where none existed, but if he recollected rightly he was
not quite satisfied at the trial as to the accuracy of the proof.
Mr. HILL again urged that the admission should be made
part of the terms on Which a new trial should be granted.
The SoLiciToit-GENERAL said that from the anxiety dis-
played by the other side, there was evidently something to be
made by the admission. However, he was in the hands of the
COW. He had no objection to the admission of all documents,