The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-14 00:00:00

own bosom the supreme authorit
Now ready, In 2 vels. 285. bound, printed uniformly with the
and the stake has
Wellington and lie'son Dispatches, y,
THE CASTLEREAGH MEMOIR S ultimately become the crown of a perjured dynasty.
AND CORRESPONDENCE. Is FREDERICK WiLHELatso besotted that he cannot
" A work of the highest and most universal interest."—Morpin;
Chronicle. recognise even at this eleventh hour the falseness of his

The most Taluable contribution to modern history that we know
Of."—Morning Herald.
Henry Collartrn. Pablisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

position? If he had one spark of the perceptive genius
of the Great FREDERICK, he would perceive that he
is being rendered the silly instrument of the rigorous
and now revengeful policy of CLEMENT, Prince MET..
TERNICH•WINNEDORG—that he is being impelled
blindly forward to a precipice, which will result in
his speedy destruction. Has he no inkling of a pro-
spective abdication ? Or will he drain to the very
dregs the deadly bowl of retrogression ? Before long
the consequence will be sufficiently manifest—the
current of events causing the people and the troops to
eddy with frightful rapidity to a collision. One con-
solation remains to Prussia in the midst of these ex-
traordinary dangers—the people are no longer the
victims of a dazzling and perilous deception. The
Diet is strong in its integrity, and the KING weak in
the revelation of his egotism.

THEATRE ROYAL, COVENT-GARDEN.
Manager, Mr. BUNN.
GENERAL REDUCTION- OF PRICES.
The repeated representations that have been made to the manage-
ment respecting a reduction of prices, in order to meet the exigencies
of the times, have led to its present adoption. In complying with so
general as expression of public feeling, it is only necessary to state
that precisely the same character of performance will be given. sup-
ported by the same artistes, and aided by all the gorgeous parapher-
nalia of the establishment, presenting a series of attractions on a
scale of admission suitable to all classes, without any precedent in so
splendid a Theatre.

SCALE OF ADMISSION.
Dress Circle in the Grand Tier Six Shillings.
Fli st Circle •.... • • Five Shillings.
Upper Boxes. • • ...... ••.. • . Four Skillings.
Pit Half-a-Crown.
Lower Gallery .•• • .. One Shilling and Sixpence.
Upper Gallery ........ ••• • .. One Shilling.
Private Boxes, One and Two Guineas • Stalls, Seven Shillings.

Halt-price at Nine o'clock.
Dress Circle, 3s. ; First Circle, 2s. 61. ; tipper Boxes, 2s. ; Pit
18. 6d.; Lower Gallery, Is. ; Upper Gallery, 6,1.

_ .
THIS EVENING.
The Entertainments will commence with a Grand Opera, entitled

THE BRIDE OF LAMMERMOOR.
Lucy Ashton, Mdlle. Nissen ; Edgar Ravenswood, Mr. Sims
Reeves.
To conclude with a Grand Ballet-Pantomime, entitled
THE PERI
Doors open at Half-past Six, performance to commence at Seven.
The Box-ofilce is open from Ten tiil Five, under the direction of
Mr. John Parsons.

Until Guildhall is restored to quiet after the fes-
tivities of Thursday evening, it must not be forgotten
that on that occasion the annual ball will be held for
the purpose of accumulating funds for the destitute
refugees of Poland. Despite the ungenerous and
almost incomprehensible opposition of some amongst
, our Contemporaries, we are satisfied that the proceeds
1 of this charitable entertainment will be in some mea-
-1 sure commensurate with the wants of the unfortunate
• i exiles from Lithuania. In addition to the usual at-
I
I tractions of the assembly, it will be observed that
. ISir JAMES DUKE, M.P., the newly-inagurated Lord
Mayor, has promised to attend the ball on Thursday
• evening, accompanied by the Lady Mayoress and a
distinguished party of the additional supporters of
the Association. Among these we must also direct
• especial attention to the name of M. GUSTAVE DE
1 BEAUMONT, the French Ambassador to the Court of
St. James's, who has generously announced his in-
tention to countenance the charity by his attendance,
together with that of his two attaches, one of whom
is understood to be a nephew of M. DE LAMARTIIIE.
Under such auspices it is impossible but that the de-
monstration in behalf of the banished p:itriots of
Russian-Poland must prove eminently successful.
The hopes of Lord DUDLEY' STUART and his noble-
spirited colleagues will not be disappointed, and the
solottary alms amassed by the committee of manage-
ment will assuredly be no longer grudged by any
portion of the English press, when the necessitous
condition of the recipients is calmly and dispas-
sionately taken into consideration.

THEATRE 'ROYAL. HAYMARKET.
Mr. R. Webster, Sole Lessee and Manager, Old Erompton.
The public is respectfully informed that this Theatre has, during
the recess, undergone very extensive repairs and alterations, and the
whole re-decorated.

T2IIB EVENING.
Will be performed the Comedy of TWELFTH NIGHT. Viola,
Mrs. Charles Kean.
After which, THE RANSOM. Pauline, Mrs. Charles Kean.
To conclude with the Farce of SPRING GARDENS. Lord Court-
Ington, Mr. 11. 13011 ; Sir Arthur Love', Mr. IL Yandenholi; Scoreup,
Mr. Keeley ; Lady Clarissa, Mrs. L. )6. Buckingham ; Mrs. Scoreup,
34139 Julia Bennett.

THEATRE: ROYAL, ADELPIII.

Under the direction of Madame Celeste
During the Recess this Theatre has been entirely re-decorated, the
original designs by Digby Wyatt, Esq , executed by Mr. Sang. A,
new Stage, Curtain, Act Drop, and Chandelier. An approved eye_
tern of Ventilation, &c.' &c. The Private Boxes enlarged, Backs
added to the Seats, and Stalls rendered more comfortab'e.
THIS EVENING

When will be performed the original Drama, called HARVEST
HOME. Principal characters by Messrs. H. Hughes, Lambert,
Wright, P. Bedford, 0. Smith, Madame Celeste, Miss Weolgar, Mrs,
Frank Matthews, Miss Turner, Sec.
After which a new Farce called SLASHER AND CRASHER.
Mr. Slasher, Mr. Wright ; Mr. Crasher, Mr. Paul Bedford.
To conclude with THE DANCE OF THE SHIRT.

ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE.
Under the Management of Madame Vestria,
Sole Lessee, Mr. Charles Mathews.
THIS EVENING,
Will be performed FREE AND EASY.
To be followed by MY FATHER DID SO BEFORE HE, In whick
H r. John Reeves will appear.

To conclude with THE CRITIC ; or, a Tragedy Rehearsed. Si,
Fretful Plagiary and Puff, Mr. C. Mathews ; Tilburina, Mrs. Tates.
Boxes, 53.; Upper foxes, 45.; Pit, Xs.; Gallery, is. Ns
half-price to any part of the house.
C• c Sew Box-office, No. 2, Wellington-street, hi open to the
public every lay, from Ten till Six.

PRINCESS'S THEATRE.
Mr. J. M. Maddox, Sole Lessee and Manager.
During the Recess this Theatre has been re-decorated and eraltel-
.lshed in a superb and costly manner by Mr. Hurwitz. A new Chan-
delier has been fitted, and the best arrangements hare been reads tor
the due Ventilation of the Theatre, and the comfort aad ccrreitience
of the audience.

We have repeatedly directed the public attention to
♦arious defects in the administration of the criminal
law. The want of a public prosecutor has long been
deplored. In the absence of such a functionary,
whose duty it would be to investigate all charges that
might be submitted for his consideration, and to see
that all fitting cases (and no others) were put i❑ a
proper train for investigation—there is not only a
probability that the most heinous offenders may
escape the consequences of their guilt, but also
that innocent persons may be involved in
serious inconvenience by being most unnecessarily
and wantonly subjected to the expense and
annoyance of a criminal prosecution at the mere
caprice of some malevolent or vindictive assailant.
The execution of the criminal law is, in fact, left in a
great degree to chance. But while this is the case,
we act as if it were impossible that any mistake could
be committed. We seem to think that our criminal
tribunals are absolutely infallible, that they cannot
err either in law or in fact. The British law guards
with the utmost jealousy anything relating to the
property of British subjects, but it leaves their life
and liberty comparatively unprotected. If a sum
of money be demanded every precaution is taken
to prevent the enforcement of an unjust claim ; the
defendant must be personally served with a writ in-
forming him of the nature of the demand and the
amount claimed.; four days are: allowed in which
he can settle the transaction, or tender whatever sum
he may believe himself to be fairly responsible for.
If he does not choose to avail himself of this opportu-
nity the declaration may be filed at the end of eight
days. This document must be accompanied by a bill
of particulars, giving the fullest particulars of the
claim ; a certain time is allowed for pleading, which
will always be extended, if anything should
render such a course desirable. When the matter
comes on for trial (which cannot be until
due notice has been given to afford ample time for
preparation), either side may, if dissatisfied with the

iresult, more for a new trial, on various grounds; for
instance, that the verdict was against the weight of
evidence, or that improper evidence had been ad-
mitted, or indeed for a variety of other causes too
numerous to mention ; or the decision may be alto-
gether changed, as the verdict set aside and a nonsuit
entered, and rice vers(i; and points may be carried
from tribunal to tribunal until the case reaches the
highest court of appeal, the House of Lords. Such
are the guarantees afforded for the enjoyment of
property, whether real or personal.

How different is it, however, if the charge against
a pirty should assume a criminal character. He ob-
tains no previous intimation as to the nature of the
accusation. Bills of indictment are sent before the
grand jury, but he is not permitted to be present, to
rebut or to explain the charge, neither will any
witness on his behalf be examined. It is, therefore,
unnecessary to set forth cases in which bills have been
found on the most frivolous and insufficient grounds.
The practice is notoriously of every-day occurrence,
and is so frequent that it has ceased to excite
astonishment or indignation. When the prisoner is
first called up to plead—generally at the sitting of the
Court, and during the absence of his professional
adviser, a brief abstract of the indictment is mumbled
over in a legal phraseology of which he is most probably
wholly ignorant. He must, however, plead at once
without a moment's time being allowed for considera-
tion, or even his being permitted to see a copy of the
indictment on which he is charged, and which may
be pregnant with such fearful results to himself. The
trial may follow without a moment's delay, so that he
may be called upon to rebut matters of which he
knew nothing previously. These disadvantages are
undoubtedly of a sufficiently formidable character,
but as if to render them still more dangerous, no
adequate remedy is given against any mistake either
by Judge or jury. If his Lordship should wrongly
interpret the law ; if he should give a
wrong direction to the jury, or admit improper
evidence, the prisoner has no means of correcting the
error. It is true, that if the Judge himself should
entertain any doubt, he may remove the case, and
bring it before the tribunal which has curiously
enough been termed, "The Court of Criminal Ap-
peal." Ile may thus take the opinion of five of his
brethren as to the propriety of his decision, but it is
wholly optional with him whether he will do so or
not; and the unfortunate prisoner, whose life may be
at stake upon the result, has no mode by which he
can have the question solemnly argued. The Judge
is infallible if he chooses to assert that infallibility,
and refuse to reserve the case, as it is termed.

But, as far as the jury are concerned, the matter
is still worse. Although the Judge should dissent
from their verdict, it is final and conclusive—no ap-
peal can be taken, even with their own consent. Her
MAJESTY may extend the royal pardon to the cri-
minal, hut although the country may be satisfied that
he
was unjustly condemned, and his innocence may
I souf his bsei rn
quently be made
aniFest, he must, to the end
days, be regarded as a convicted criminal. His
guilt has been declared by a jury of his countrymen
and the record is indelible—itnn cannct be altered or
set aside under any circumstances whatever.
The Secretary of State for theHo
whose duty it is to judge whether Zee
Department,
of the case are such as to merit the
exlerrectlimstances
of the
Royal prerogative in favour of the convict, is so
u
pied with his other multifarious avocations that occu-
pied -
months may elapse before the matter can be taken
into his consideration, during which time an innocent
party may be suffering most severe and undeserved
punishment. Take, for instance, the case of the man
BARBER, who was convicted more than four and a
half years ago (in April, 1844), at the Central
Criminal Court, as being an accessory before the
fact to forgery. Every person must be familiar with
the circumstances of a case which at the time at-
tracted the utmost attention. It has since been re-
peatedly brought under the public notice, the prisoner
himself having at all times most steadfastly asserted
his innocence of the charge, and succeeded in con-
vincing many of the authorities with whom he was