The Sun.
London, England, 1848-11-15 00:00:00

THE SUN,

of fortune, and to allow them to wander as paupers
through the streets of our capital, we should become a
horror, and a scorn, and a hissing, and a clisg(ace to

the nations.
Let it be born° perpetually in remembrance,
therefore, that the only recipients of the benevolence
of the Association are those who are debarred from
returning to their fatherland by the terrors of the
public executioner, by the tortures of the knout, or
by the gradual assassinations of Siberia. The despo-
tism of the AUTOCRAT scares them, not unnaturally,
from the frontiers of his Polish frontiers. They re-
main in England simply in obedience to an instinct,
and that instinct is the instinct of self-preservation. IV a
are, consequently, satisfied that the public will pay
no heed to that portion of the London press which has
disgraced itself by maligning the intentions of the
Polish Association; that those of our Contemporaries
who have degraded themselves into the assailants of
an unfortunate race of patriots whose miseries have
entirely disarmed them, will find their cruel
and heartless diatribes productive alone of the
bitterest remorse ; and that the ball which will
be held to-morrow evening, in the great room at the
, Guildhall, will prove remunerative to its objects, and
ifraught with unalloyed pleasure to its numerous and
distinguished supporters.

Among those who have already announced their
intention to encourage the charity by their attend-
ance, we hare Already enumerated the Right Hon.
the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, together with
his Excellency the French Ambassador and his
attaches. We are now gratified to announce that, in
addition to these eminent supporters of the entertain-
ment, there will be an almost unexampled number of
guests, rich in wealth and worldly honour?, in beauty
and distinctions. Up to the latest hour the demand
for tickets of admission has been uninterrupted, so
that the solace afforded to the refugees from Russian-
Poland promises to resemble that DANAI—a shower
of gold. To say that we are gratified beyond ex-
pression at the promised success of the charity is
surely superfluous—our heart being with the cause
which has originated the amusement of to-morrow
evening at Guildhall.

On Friday last we pointed out a few of the many
difficulties that; must be surmounted before the con-
templated amalgamation between the three great rail-
way companies can be carried into execution. These
difficulties, however, only related to the shareholders
themselves. Their removal would not in any degree

affect the great questions which must be decided be-
fore the proposed arrangement can be sanctioned by
Parliament. The shareholders may possibly agree

among themselves. One body may be prepared to
sacrifice something, in order to bring about a per-
manent alliance. But is it for the benefit of the
nation that such a union of interests should
take place ? Can it be carried into effect
without any possible injury resulting to the public;
without being followed by: an increase of fares, or a
diminution of accommodation ? And, lastly, is it
prudent to entrust such enormous power and influ•
ence in the hands of any private body of individuals,
as must necessarily belong to the directors of the
united con.pany ? Unless these questions can be
answered in the affirmative, it is vain to suppoie that

the Representatives of the people can so far forget
the duty they owe to their respective constituents
as to give their assent to a measure of such mag-
nitude, and fraught with such dangerous consequences,
merely that amicable relations should be maintained
between the companies, and expensive Parliamentary

contests avoided. These are the only grounds put
forward, and are they sufficient to induce Parlia-
ment to venture upon so great an experiment ?
There can be no object of greater national im-
portance than the means by which the communica-
tions between the different parts of the country can
be effected. Every facility of access should
be afforded, and no unnecessary obstruction
allowed. The utmost freedom must be maintained

in every particular. No exertions should be spared
to render the transit of passengers or merchan-
dise from district to district as safe, as expeditious,
and as economical as possible. Any interference
with the public roads was at all times re-
garded with the utmost jealousy, and any obstruc-
tion resisted with the most determined opposi-
tion. Whenever a highway was opened for a certain
space of time it was presumed to be dedicated to the
public, and it could not again be closed, even by
the person at whose expense it was constructed, and
through whose property it ran. Private property,
in other respects so sacred, was not regarded when
placed in competition with the public welfare. It
was essential that good roads should be opened be-
tween the several districts, and any land required for
the purpose was, without hesitation, taken from the
owners. The most cherished domain was unhe-

sitatingly invaded when the interests of the
community required the sacrifice. The roads
were generally made at the expense of the districts
they traversed, by means of rates levied for the pur-
pose. Sometimes, however, private individuals or
associations were authoised to construct them, and
to levy a toll or tax on the parties by whom they
were used, as a remuneration for their expenditure.
The roads, however, were to all intents and purposes
free to all persons willing to pay the stipulated
amount, and when these charges were defrayed no
impediment could be interposed to prevent the most
extensive use thereof. They might be travelled on at all
hours of the day or night, at any time and in any manner
the public thought proper. The very nature of rail-
ways, however, rendered certain restrictions neces-
sary that would not have been tolerated in any other
case. They could not be traversed by private con-
veyances without the utmost inconvenience and
danger. A certain degree of monopoly was neces-
sarily allowed. The parties entrusted with the
management should fix the arrangements under
which those using their line should be carried
thereon. A. contract was, however, entered
into with the public that every practicable
facility should be afforded. A maximum rate
of fares was established which could not
be exceeded under any circumstances. They
were also bound to run trains of a certain descrip-
tion ; but, notwithstanding these and other stipula-
tions, it was manifest that enormous powers
should still be entrusted to the companies. Points
might ‘levery day arise for which they would be
bound to provide, although no express agreement had
been entered into. It would manifestly have been
impossible to provide for every possible contingency,
and, therefore, there was the implied understanding
that the public should be fairly and justly dealt by.
The extraordinary advantages afforded by the
railways speedily banished all private competition.
The various stage coaches were universally withdrawn
from roads that ran parallel to railways. Some pro-
tection was, however, afforded to the public from the
existence of independent companies, who, although
they did not traverse exactly the same localities, were
yet formidable rivals who exercised a salutary in-
fluence that prevented any undue invasion of the
rights of the public. One company could not readily
withhold advantages that were conceded by another,
more
wooruelhalch
especially when there was a neutral territory
mosti t mightcertainly ob t a
be invited i a n footing,
in and
the into
e v e n
twhichof
f any
n ity
misconduct on the part of their neighbours. It was
the wholesome fear of such a result that 'Prevented
in a great degree, the ill consequences that are the
invariable result of a monopoly wheneverwiltwhasitto be
found. It was the " balance of power" ac
just as essential to the people of this country to was
main-
tain, and any alteration of which should be regarded
with as much jealousy as nations would view a dis-
turbance of the European " balance," the mainte-
nance of which has led.to so many sanguinary and
expensive wars. This, however, will be wholly set
aside by the proposed amalgamation if carried into
effect, and will be as prejudicial to the general wel-
fare as it would be to allow Russia to absorb the
neighbouring states into one mighty empire.
We shall on a future day return to the considera-
tion of this subject.
td

COUNTY COl.7ltT OP KENT.—WEST KNAT CIR-
CUIT.—The following amount of debts and damages sued
for in the several courts of this circuit from March 15,
1847, to March 15, 184, will serve to show the utility
of the law, and the advantages derived therefrom by the
trading community :—Maidstone, 6,354/. Is. iid. ;
Gravesend, 5,3241. 2s. ; Rochester, 4,7161. Is. Id.; Ton-
bridge Wells, 2,9361. 13s. 11d. ; Dartford, 2,2401. 6s. ;
Bromley, 1,708/. 11?. 11d. ; Sheerness, 1,5311. 25.11 d. ;
Sevenoaks, 1,4801. 6s. Id. ; Tonbridge, 9131. 19s. 3d.;
total gimuunt, 27,2101. 18s. Bid.