The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-18 00:00:00

decision and exercised his summary jurisdic-
tion, depriving :even a person of bad character
of her liberty, and consigning her to a House of Cor-
rection for a week, without Giving her time to estab-
lish the truth of her story, and to produce the wit-
ness on her behalf, whom she stated to be cognizant
of the entire transaction, was, in our opinion, deserv-
ing of grave animadversion. The magistrate him-
self admitted the error into which he had fallen by
re►oking the judgment he had just pronounced, and
expressing his opinion in favour of the truth of the
defence put forward, and his gratification at the
escape he had bad of doing injustice to the unfortu-
, natejoung woman.

Police magistrates have functions of the most im-
portant character entrusted, to their hands. Every
case must be investigated before them, in the first
instance; they are to_a certain extent to discharge
the duties of a grand jury, and to see that there is
sufficient evidence to afford, at least, a reasonable
prospect of a conviction, before they expose the
persons brought before them to the inconvenience,
expense, and disgrace of a public trial. They are to
protect the public from frivolous and trifling charges,
and to see that the liberty of the subject shall not be
infringed upon without a. sufficient cause. If the
charge is:of such magnitude that it cannot be ade-
quately dealt with under the summary powers vested
in the magistrate, and if there is sufficient evidence
to satisfy a jury of the guilt of the person charged,
unless rebutted by further evidence to be adduced on
his behalf, it is the duty of the magistrate to send it
for further investigation, otherwise at once to dis-
charge the prisoner. A further discretion, however,
is vested in the magistrate; he is permitted in many
cases to decide at once upon the guilt or innocence of
the party, and to pronounce a sentence of fine or im-
prisonment. This extraordinary and unconstitutional
power should be exercised with the greatest discre-
tion. The just and humane principle of the British
law is, that every person must be supposed innocent
until found guilty by the verdict of a jury of his
peers; and, again, that
,it is better that ninety-nine
——iy- - - ^ --- - than that one innocent
man should be subject ~.....,„.,,„„_, junich.../c.
Hence a jury are in eve case told by the presiding
judge, that should they entertain any reasonable
doubt they are to give the benefit of it to
the prisoner. A magistrate, who acts both as judge
and jury, should be influenced by the same conside-
' rations ; he should not decide upon a balance of evi-
dence. : Unless perfectly satisfied that the charge is
well-founded, and that the case is free from doubt,
he should not brand the character of the person by
a conviction which may seriously affect his entire
prospects in life; he should give the fullest opportu-
nity of producing every witness whose testimony
could, by a possibility, throw a further light on the
case. It is in this respect we think that Mr. ARNOLD
acted injudiciously. We trust, however, that in his
future career he may be warned by what has occurred,
and not again fall into a similar mistake.

A curious electioneering trick has just taken place
in Galway, which, it is said, had considerable effect
in furthering the prospects of the repeal candidate.
A letter was received;by the mid-day mail, purporting
to come from the highly respectable news-agents, the
Messrs. Joutts.rom, of Eden-quay, Dublin, and en-
closing a printed slip, stated to be taken from an
Express Edition of The Sun, announcing the disso-
lution of the Ministry ; that Lord JOHN RUSSELL had
ceased to be Prime Minister of England, and that
Mr. MONAHAN would consequently return to his pri-
vate capacity, and no longer fill the situation of one
of the principal law officers of the Crown in Ireland.
The well-established character for accuracy and
early information of The Sun, as well as the ex-
traordinary rapidity with which all intelligence
of interest or importance is circulated through-
out the country, by means of its Expresses,
were so well known, that it gave a certain
verisimilitude to the story, and for a time no
question arose as to its accuracy. The friends of the
English connexion, those grateful for the mak:.
sures already announced for the amelioration
of their country, were naturally struck with
dismay ; while, we regret to say, the re-
peelers were so blinded by party feelings, and so
much excited by the pending contest, that they
hailed with joy tidings that, if well founded, should
have caused the deepest regret. The fate of a
Ministry who have done so much for Ireland, who re-
moved the disabilities under which she suffered for
ages, who desire to extend her privileges, to remove
every well-grounded cause of complaint, and to
equalise her in every respect with England, was only
regarded as a matter bearini an and influencing the
pending election. Strange that persons should be so
led away and blinded to their real interests by tem-
porary excitement. It is unncessary to say that the
nature of the hoax was soon fully explained, and we
are happy to say that the Solicitor-General, accord-
ing to the latest intelligence, still maintained the
position at the head of the poll from which the false-
hood had threatened to displace him.

Messrs. JOHNSTON have, we find, offered a reward
the author of the im-
as
cinoluy of a character
ld w
justify or palliate.
tpohufacitleOnnOet Lefolferocgrteitorhynee,
edwriishncgiocvhteacryceticrotsfa

A letter from Venice says--" The Brazilian Vice-
Consul at Trieste, M. SOLIVAN VIANNA, has proceeded
to Vienna, to propose to the Austrian Gol ernment to
send several thousand poor families from Reisengeberg
and Erzebcrg to Brazil, at the expense of the Brazilian
Government. State lands Would be there placed at their
disposal in such parts of the country as possess but a
thin population."

Madrid papers of the 10th inst. have been received.
The Count of CASTELLANE, the brother of the bride
of Don EraticauE, has been released from arrest. On
the morning of the 10th the marriage of the daughter
of Don FRANCISCO DE PAULA with the eldest son of
Count ALTAMIRA was celebrated at the palace. The
answer to the address drawn up by the Committee for
the Chambers contains a paragraph formally approving
of the marriages. It was proposed by Senor Hos DE
°Lax° and Senor BENAVIDES to introduce a paragraph
relating to the Flores' expedition, but the proposition
was not acceded to. The debate on the Address would
commence immediately in the Chamber of Deputies.
It was reported that Queen CHRISTINA was about to
visit Paris.
MADRID BoLSA, PE 10.—The Three per cents. were
done at 32 for cash; the Four per Cents., at 201 ; the
Five per Cents., at 20k; Passives, 6j; and the Coupons
at 19.

We have received the Paris mars of Tuesday.
The Ministerial journals have at lanai broken silence
respecting the affair between the Marquis of NORMANRY
and M. GUIZOT, and the last dispatches of Lord
PALMERSTON and the Marquis. The Journal des Dibats,
after defending M. GUIZOT from the attacks of the
Opposition papers, endeavours to prove that the dis-
patches of Lord NORMANBY and Lord PALMERSTON are
not of the importance attached to them by the journals
of the Opposition. The Epoque and the Presse follow
on the same side, while the Coast; tutionnel and the
Siecle renew their attacks upon. M. GIIIZOT. The latter
journal says:—
" The testimony of Lord Normanby and Lord Palmerston
is not, unfortunately, the only one which is wanting to M.
Guizot. As to this testimony, formerly so precious, we think
that but little regard is paid to it at present. What matters
to M. Guizot, in the midst of his intoxication, the double
contradiction that his words have just received? Can it be
true that timid Conservatives andcourtiers appear:alarmed at
the rudeness of this official &menu, delivered to publicity,
blow after blow, by the journals and by the tribune? Can it
be true that it has been declared that the words pronounced
by M. Guizot were not a formal denial of the language held
by that Minister in his conversation with Lord Normanby ?
that they signified only- that the Ambassador of England was
wrong in looking on that lan
guage as serious ? Is it to be
supposed, iu fine, that M. Guizot himself had desired to im-
ply a disavowal on his part without this disavowal being
precisely stated? In that case, Lord Normanby would be
exceedingly culpable not to have entered on the path of so
easy an arrangement. It appears that this Ambassador is a
flagranti delicto of
prejudiced man. Ile has not learned in the Conservative
say
yot
school to appreciate the value of an adroit equivocation; he
thhaavtethtoe
is not aware what encouragements bold lies merit, when
wuthtoermeditincotshtes tribunenotbiog ofto nationabogroeaautgii in the interest of a
system. lie disdains the glory of these superior minds to
time has arrived for it. AlaY
political dishonesty, before all Europe, provided they get out
1)y all the inde-
pendent a present difficulty, and are assured of impunity. Im-
punity! Why it appeared acquired for six. years to M.
uruizot and his accomplice; but one
Francew-ouladt nieoa7t
suffer from the conseences of a policy, at the same time
cowardly and dishonourable,
pendent voices • in Parliament and in the pr's, she has never
ceased to protest!" against whith,
M. GUIZOT has, in addition to 1115 other troubles,
managed to lay the foundation for a qua:rel iwith Brazil.
We read the following in the Constitutionsel :-.-,
"The
captains of the Brazilian vessels seized 611 tb,-. roast
of Africa by French cruisers, acting in ex • te
convention concluded with England to replace.execution ot or
search, addressed to us a first letter, which
the right •
These seamen demanded what it was' impossibleich wepublisheia.,
them, that is, to bs judged, and judged
to refuel
promptly. They have, II •