The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-14 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, MAY 14, 1846.

-
Previoni, to the resumption of the adjourned debate on
Thursday evening a mutual explanation occurred between
Mr. HumvanD and Lord LiNcor.x in reference to certain im-
putatione of bribery and corruptiog at the last electi94 f9r

South Nottinghamshire. We rejoice that the matter has
now been fully investigated before the House of Commons,
more particularly because all further misapprehension upon
the subject is rendered henceforth impossible. The Earl of
LINCOLN stands before Parliament and before the People
with all his own assertions reiterated and enforced, and
his perfect freedom from the charge of bribery fully vindi-
cated. Mr. HILDYARD, on the contrary, has openly refracted
his accusatory expressions; but having, at the same mo-
ment, acknowledged his fault in uttering those expressions
in the impetuosity of an excitement, consequent upon bis
youth and the bustle of his first electioneering campaign, he
claims a certain proportion of our applause for thus publicly
confessing his error. It was, nevertheless, a preposterous and
unworthy subterfuge for the Hon. Member for South Notts to
asseverate that he never imputed corruption to his noble an-
tagonist, the Secretary for Ireland ; it is preposterous, because
it is a mere quibble; it is unworthy, because it looks like
shuffling out of a dilemma. Mr. HILDYARD plainly "owns
the soft impeachment " that he did accuse the Free-trade
Committee of Nottingham with bribery, but he indignantly
repudiates the notion that be imputed any similar acts to
Lord LINCOLN, in corroboration (?) of which the
Member for South Notts reads to the House, with
the most elaborate distinctness, a provincial report of a
conversation which transpired upon the hustings at the ter-
mination of the contest, and from which conversation, ac-
cording to the construction placed upon it by Mr. HILDTAIID,
it would appear—so he assumes—that he there exonerated
himself from the charge of having questioned the in-
tegrity of the Noble Earl's electioneering conduct.
Now, it distinctly appears in the very report which
was read by the Honourable Member, that he was there
asked, among other questions, whether he imputed
the charge of bribery to the gentlemen who supported Lord
LINCOLN, to which inquiry he as distinctly answered "No !"
Two minutes before he accuses the Free-trade Committee of
Nottingham of corruption, nay, last night he acknowledges
having uttered that accusation, and yet upon the hustings at
Newark he declares that he does not impute anysueh conduct
to the gentlemen supporting his antagonist. Now if the
Free-trade Committee were not acting as supporters to
the Earl of LINCOLN, wherefore should he, Mr. HIM-
YARD, when addressing the electors at Sutton,
adduce the illegal proceedings of that Committee as an argu-
ment in favour of his being received by the constituency in
preference to his opponent? If the Free-trade Committee of
Nottingham were not supporters of Lord LEICOLN, what pos •
sible bearing could their conduct have uPen the merits of
the contest between himself and that nobleman? But
the fact was notorious, not only at Nottingham, but
in the metropolis and throughout the kingdom, that
the Committee were among the principal persons interested
in the return of the Right Hon. the Secretary for Ireland.
And in the imputation of bribery levelled at the members
of that Committee, the character of the candidate for whose
interest they were thus said to be violating the law, was as
a matter of course necessarily implicated. The quibbling
upon this point to which Mr. HILDYAMD has resorted, is
nothing more than a distinction without a difference;
for, as the Noble Lord the Member for Falkirk very justly
put it overnight, "I do not see any very great
dissimilarity between charging bribery upon an individual,
and charging it upon a party by whom he is supported."
The imputation upon Lord LINCOLN was therefore not a
direct one undoubtedly, but it was most assuredly a broad
inferential charge; and in the withdrawal by the Honourable
Member for South Notts of the accusation upon the Free-trade
Committee, the inferential accusation upon Lord LINCOLN
is ipso facto retracted. The words of the Noble Represent ativeof
Falkirk are proved good in all essential particulars—the
words of the Hon. Representative of South Nottingham-
shire are eaten. Nevertheless, the affair ends honourably for
both parties, the acknowledgment of error in Mr. HILD-
YARD enduing the very awkwardness of his position with an
appearance such as to ensure his being regarded in a favour-
able light by every person of discrimination. We feel assured,
moreover, that on a reconsideration of the matter, the Hon
gentleman will perceive that the remarks recently uttered
by the Secretary for Ireland in relation to himself, both in
the provinces and in Parliament, arose not from any personal
pique or cherished rancour, but that those remarks were
elicited first by his, Mr. HILDYARD'S, silence, when taxed
with the utterance of those charges by the Hon. Member for
Nottingham (Mr. GICBORNE), and, secondly, by the unwar-
rantable personalities of the Noble Member for Lynn. We
trust, now that the matter is so satisfactorily settled, that
everything like ill-blood will subside, and that this, like so
many equally foolish squabbles among our legislators, may
be covered by a deserved oblivion.

On Saturday we alluded to the extraordinary powers,
executive, legislative, and judicial, vested in, or assumed by,
the Royal Court of Guernsey. These powers great and un-
constitutional
as they undoubtedly are, are enormously in-
creased by the practice of the Court and the manner in which
they are carried into execution. The greatest protection to the
rights of the suitor of any Court is to be found in the inde-
pendence of the practitioners of that Court, the power
of selecting his advocate from a number of able, learned, and
fearless gentlemen, who will be ready to denounce any
injustice to their client without the possibility
of any evil consequences resulting to themselves from the
zeal and energy of their advocacy. It is to the knowledge
of this fact that many of the privileges of the bar in this
country are owing. It is not for the sake of the barrister
himself that he is permitted perfect freedom of speech in any
case in which he is professionally employed, the power of
commenting upon and exposing the conduct of the opponent,
of his witnesses—nay, of the Court itself, if he should think
it necessary to do so in the discharge of his duty to his
client—it is not for his own sake that he enjoys
the freedom from arrest, Eundo morando et re-
deundo, in going to, remaining at, and returning
from the Court where his services may be required ; but it is
because his possession of these privileges is found to be essen-
tial to the public welfare, to the protection of the rights of
those who may be engaged in litigation. Should the barrister
fail in his duty, should he not bring all the powers of an
intelligent and cultivated mind to the service of his client, he
will speedily sink in the public estimation. His competitors
are so numerous, so talented, that his practice may be extin-
guished without his being missed from the courts. Next to
the independence of the Legislature, of the judicial bench,
that of the bar is found to be most essential to
public liberty. In Guernsey this independence does not
exist. The advocates, who alone have the privilege of prac-
tising, are limited to six; thus little power of selection is
afforded to the person seeking justice. The Court has the
sole appointment of those six. The situation is a lucrative
one, from the limited number, and is consequently much
sought after, and only to be obtained by the friends and con-
nexions of the jurats. In England, any person who goes
through certain prescribed forms, whose conduct and
character is unimpeachable, is, as a matter of course,
admitted to the profession, and when once admitted,
can only be removed for improper or disgraceful
conduct, contrary to the rules of Lis profession, his duty
to his client, or the laws of his country. But, in Guernsey,
no matter how zealously, bow efficiently, any one may have
pursued his studies, may have followed the course indi-
cated for those seeking admission to the bar, though
his talents may be of the highest order, though his charac-
ter may be unquestionable, unless he can curry favour with
the jurats, and secure their votes, he cannot be admitted, will
not be entitled to practice. Again, the Court assume the
power of suspending, of disbarring the advocate at their mere
will and pleasure—he is wholly and entirely under
their control, and dependent upon them. It requires
little argument to establish the impropriety of this system,
and to exhibit the result attendant upon such a state of
facts. The advocate does not impeach the conduct of the
Court; no matter what prejudice, what injustice he may see
exhibited, he is bound by every tie of interest to those by
whom he was selected, and on the continuance of whose
favour his pecuniary interests are so deeply involved.
The proceedings in this Court are carried on in the French
r language, and there is no sworn interpreter to explain to the
Englishman the charges, the evidence against him, or to be
the medium of communicating his defence to the Court. Law
authorities, whether English, French, Norman, or Guern
sey, are indiscriminately quoted, and weight is attached to
them according to the interests, the feelings, the prejudices,
. I or the passions of the individual jurats.

The wide discretion exercised by the Court in the sen-
tences it pronouncesveintindtamrdly be conceived. A few plain
utterance.;ok
can ogrweeto exemplify this than any
behind arid
A Guernsey
assault upon a
cases, simply stated,
language to which we
man committed a violent and unprovoked
British soldier in her Al Agri Y's service hecet
struck the soldier a fearful blow he
ersatgeed,
dieting a deep wound on the temple.
ssa
iatgi ltnai
einedt
time,
furmw ea.,s
atnhnde: twbhriuennteabalrfti aeatrteNtvdaa.crkd.s
NcoolalveciacutNevsaae s The as_
in_
the punishment assignedfor the offence • • was imprisonment for
forty-eight hours.
An English soldier (when drunk) struck a Guernsey
he was forthwith seized and put in irons, treated asac man ;
of the worst class, having been (even before trial) rirninal
kept for a
week in solitary confinement, and on bread and w
on conviction was sentenced to three montha' imprisonment, at water, and
two of the three months in solitary confinement, and on r
and water. Look at this picture and on that, andead
could
theuolt d
outrage,
arrested
aa
ss
see the justice meeted out to Englishmen in one of the
British dependencies, close to our very shores. Instances
might be multiplied illustrative of this conduct, but one
more will be quite sufficient.
One of the six advocates stabbed a native of Great
Britain. It was said, and we believe truly, not to
have Leen his first offence of a similar description. He
was found guilty, without extenuating circumstances.
One would have thought that this was a crime im-
peratively demanding a punishment of the weightiest de-
scription, that public justice would have been vindicated ;
the majesty, of the offended law avenged ; but, no, the
criminal was one of the favoured body—the friend, the
associate of his judges ; his sentence was two months'
imprisonment; and as if this mockery of justice, this ridi-
culously inadequate sentence, was not sufficient to excite the
indignation and the disgust of the English inhabitants, the
Court condescended to bandy compliments with the criminal,
and he is told from what ought to be the bench of justice,
" that he would be discharged from his confinement without
a stain on his character."
Surely proceedings of this class and character cannot be
suffered to continue without stringent and efficient means being
adopted for their reformation and amendment. 'We trust that
the Commissioners appointed will closely investigate into, and

fearlessly report upon these, and the other cases which may
be brought before them. We doubt not that their conduct
will be worthy of members of the honourable profession to
which they belong, and that all parties will receive at their
hands full and impartial justice. One thing we would im-
press upon their minds (although we hope and trust there is
little necessity for the caution), they are deputed to investi-
gate into, and sit in judgment upon the conduct of the ad-
' ministrators of the law in the Channel Islands; a large num-
ber of their fellow-countrymen of the natives of the islands, who
are not connect edw ith the clique, anxiouslylook for theirreports
for the alterations and amendments which they may suggest.
Let them not be induced to attend at public banquets given
by, or to exchange laudatory speeches with, those on whom
they are sitting in judgment. We do not doubt their
integrity, or suppose their decision could be biassed by any
such paltry considerations, but the public will be better
satisfied if no such festive meetings take place, and will
think it more seemly on the part both of the Commissioners
and members of the Court that they should be avoided.
We know such things have been commented on before. We
trust there may be no opportunity for similar comments
again being made.

A Trieste letter of the 30th ult., from nomelia, states
that the Turks have attacked the Catholics of that country,
torn them from their houses, and dragged them through the
streets, because they would not abjure their religion. The
Greeks were obliged to interfere to save the victims of fana-
ticism from being massacred. From this time the invete-
racy between the Turks and Christians had become so great
that it had been found necessary to send detachments of
troops to keep the peace between them. According to ac-
counts from Damascus, dated March 31, the Catholic
Melchites have also suffered severely from the Turks, who
are encouraged by the authorities, and even by the PACK♦
himself.

Madrid papers to the sth instant have been received. The
Heraldo states with positiveness that the Cortes will be dis-
solved, and the new Cortes be convened for the 10th of
October. It was reported that a conspiracy had been dis-
covered at Granada, in which five officers of the garrison
were implicated, but it was immediately crushed. The intelli-
gence from the other provinces was satisfactory. The lie-
parcial announces that General NARVAEZ had accepted the
mission to Naples. _ _

The Three per Cents. closed at 32!../t for cash ; the Five
per Cents. were not quoted ; the shares of the Bank of San
Fernando at 320; and those of Isabel at 185.

The French papers of Monday have been received.
The Chamber of Deputies opened the discussion on the
Bill relative to the supplementary and extraordinary credits
for the years 1845 and 1846. In the Chamber of Peers the
discussion on the Belgian treaty was continued. Baron
CHARLES DUPLN spoke at great length against the treaty,
and took the opportunity of opposing the principles of free
trade, which several Peers had advocated at the sitting on
Saturday.

The Moniteur announces that the Lyons and Avignon rail-
road line, with a branch to Grenoble, will be adjudicated on
the 10th of June. The line is to have two points of departure
from Lyons, the one at the extremity of the station of the
Cours Napoleon (on the Paris and Lyons road), and the other
on the left bank of the Rhone, near the bridge of La Guillotiere.
The Grenoble branch will commence at or near St.
Rambert, and pass through Beaurepaire, Rives, Voiron, and
Voreppe. Companies intending to bid for the Lyons and
Avignon line must deposit their lists of subscriptions in the
hands of the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Public
Works, and two copies of their statutes in those of the
Secretary-General of the Department of Commerce, on or
before the Ist of June. The deposit of the sum required as
security (10,000,000 f.) must be effected before four o'clock,
P.m., on the 9th of Jur".
The Prince DE JouMt.x.x hoisted his flag on board the
Soverain three-decker on the morning of the 7th inst., and
inspected, in the course of the day, the different ships at
anchor in the roads of Toulon. The squadron of evolution
was to sail in a few days for Naples.
The KING has, it is said, sent a reply in his own hand-
writing to the address of the Lord Provost and corporation
of Edinburgh.
A grand review in the Champ de Mars, in honour of
IBRAHIM PACHA, is to take place about the 20th of this
month. It is the KING'S intention to have troops of all
kinds present on this occasion ; and in consequence, not only
the regiments of the garrison of Paris and the neighbourhood,
but the greater part of the regiments of cavalry of the Ist
division, the Ist carbineers, the Ist and 7th cuirassiers, and
the batteries of artillery at Vincennes and Lafere, are all to
attend.

The Moniteur Alyerien of the sth instant states, that
perfect tranquility prevailed in the west of the Regency,
from the Dahra to the frontier of Morocco. The great league
of the southern tribes, organised by AIM-EL-KAMM, was re-
garded as entirely dissolved. The Duke D'AUMALE
had conducted in person a convoy of 1,500
camels to General Joussoiri, together with a
column of fresh troops, with which the General
was to continuehis operations against the Emir. The Ouled
Nayls, who had supplied him during the last three months
with the means of carrying on the war, had made their sub-
mission to the Duke n'Aumm.E. The Marshal-Governor-
was to leave Algiers on the 6th, to take the command of an
expedition destined to reduce to obedience the revolted
mountaineers of the Ouarensenis.
Business on the Paris Bourse opened on Monday under
favourable appearances; but it having become known that
an eminent Lyons banker, largely connected with railroad
speculations, had committed suicide, and that some failures
had taken lace there in consequence, prices receded.
The Three per Cents. closedat 84f. ; the Five per Cents., 119 f. 95c. •
the Orleans Railroad shares, 1,245 f. ; Rouen, 1,035 f. ; Havre, 756 f.

25c.; Great Northern, 761 f. 25c.; Avignon, 915 f.; Vierzon,
668 f. 75c.; Bordeaux, 622 f. 50e. ; Boulogne, 505 f. ; Troyes and Mon-
tereau, 402 f. 50e.; Basle, 218 f. 75c.; Dieppe, 450 f.; Paris and Stras-
burg, 512 f. 50c. ; Tours and Nantes, 5321'. 50c. ; Paris and Lyons,
55f. ; Belgian Two-and-a-Half per Cents., 56% ; Spanish Actives,
33 ; Spanish Domestic Debt, 31%.

The following are the quotations in the new lines:—
Lyons and Avignon Deflnitivcs, 5171. 50c.; Bordeaux and Cette
Defuiitives, 50Sf. 75c.; Charleroi, 460 f.
MARSEILLES.—MarseiIIes and Avignon, 931 f. 25c.; Northern, 767 f.
50c.; Faris and Lyons, 56Sf. 75c.
LvoNs.—Paris and Orleans, 1,255 f.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE