The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-07 00:00:00

THE BUN LoN 1.)1-' COIN T LIESID;A:i , OCTOEL,. ll.' 7,
.

morous against the army for their want of proper dis-
cipline !) that the man has been most inhumanly treated!
and all those et cmteras of the common run of
articles, headed Barbarous military inhumanity.'
This, we assure him, is a very easy mode of de-
fending any abuse, provided it has the sanction of the

law. When it was the fashion to burn witches, and
when the statutes of the realm enacted such a punish-
ment for old women caught like so many Pacolets
astride a broomstick, doubtless it would have been
taken for a very " bad sign of the times," had any
person insisted that there were more humane, and
quite as efficient means, of restraining the moonlight
meetings of hags in league with the Evil One, as by
reducing them to ashes. It was likewise said to be
" a bad sign of the times," portending rebellion, revo-
lution, and a countless number of other calamities,
when the public began to be of opinion that heretics
ought to be suffered to live unmolested—that Papists
might be permitted to walk the streets without a fear
being entertained of their cutting the throats of the
passengers—that the simple theft of sixpence ought not
to procure a passport to the gallows—and that rotten
boroughs were blots in the constitution of England.
Even Magna Charta, in the opinion of King JOHN,
was a proof of the evil " signs of the times" in his
day, and certainly the Barons, in demanding it, evinced
a very great want of respect for the wisdom of their
ancestors.

In our strictures on the case of HUTCHINSON, of
the Guards, our object was to expose the evils of
the system, not the personal conduct of the individuals
who are merely the instruments by which it is carried
into effect. For this reason, and this reason only, did
we abstain from making any remarks on some part of
the proceedings which seemed to us unworthy of the
dignity even of such a Court. But of this no more at
present. The crime of HuTcurNsoN, in the first in-
stance, was getting drunk, and attempting to strike a
serjeant; for, on his trial, two eye-witnesses swore that
the serjeant did not receive the blow, and, besides, that
he provoked, by a brutal aggression on his part, which
exceeded human endurance. For this crime, which
was not proved in evidence, except the testimony of

he accuser be admitted, HuTcHiNsoN was sentenced

to receive " three hundred lashes on the bare back,'
in the presence of his companions in arms. The sen•

tence of the Court was carried into full effect.
poor fellow's back was dreadfully lacerated, and not a
lash was forgiven him, although he begged for mercy
in the name of the World's Redeemer I Afier coming
out of the hospital, disgraced, and branded with the
infamy of his punishment, he was persecuted by his
former associates, and deserted in consequence. In
nineteen days he surrendered himself, when he was a
second time put on his trial, arraigned for deserting his
regiment, and stealing a pair of old boots which were
on his legs at the very moment. He protested against
the trial, on the ground of the shortness of the notice

The

he had received, and the absence of a material witness,
who would be present, if the Court would adjourn the
trial for one day. This was refused, as was also a re-
quest that he might be permitted the assistance of a
legal adviser. The Court proceeded with the trial,
regardless of the want of witnesses—the prisoner was
found guilty, and is now under sentence of six months'
imprisonment andhardlabour ! These are the plain facts
of the case—this is a fair specimen of the working of
the system ; and we put it to the justice and the huma-
nity of the people of the United Kingdom to decide
whether they will agree to: permit its continuance ?
We attach no particular blame to the members of
the court-martial: we know their decision was

in accordance with military law ; but we cite
the conduct of the Court simply to prove the
despotism of the law itself, and to enter our protest
against its longer existence. We maintain the law is
unworthy of England in the nineteenth century—and
we blush that in a country where the brute creation
are such objects of legal protection, that to strike an
ass is punishable with a fine, the flogging of a fellow
creature is talked of as a mere common-place occur-
rence I Is the bleeding back of a brother less an
object of pity and compassion than an over loaded
horse ? Out upon such pretensions to humanity I
Our correspondent evidently does not understand us
when he assumes that we would take the lead in any
party, or faction, indiscriminately opposed to the Go-
vernment ; or that we ever took any measures to en-
courage men to resist the laws, however much we might
feel opposed to their injustice. There is a great dif-
ference between advocating a change in a law which
the country begins to discover to have an injurious
tendency, and the incitement to a breach of it. Our
correspondent has confounded both, and therefore, be-
cause we would not have men worse treated than the
beasts of the field, he very logically concludes that
we keep a subscription-box in our office,
for the benefit of legal offenders—and the vic-
tims of provoked justice. This is altogether in-
We know nothing of persons, and when we
can avoid it leave personalities to others. We seldom
blame even bad men—we only seek to expose the sys-
tem by which they have been made pests instead of
ornaments to society.

correct.

The Marquis of Waterford, accompanied by Lord
Glenlyon, Lord Alford, &c., arrived at Liverpool on Friday,
from Scotland.

The young Marchioness of Ailesbury, whose pros-
pects previous to her marriage were any thing but flattering,
has since come into possession of a handsome fortune, with a
much larger in reversion.
The Duke and Duchess of Cleveland have arrived
at Raby Castle from Newton House.

Sir William Gossett arrived at the Imperial Clarence
Hotel yesterday, on his way, we understand, to Killarney.
Sir William does not leave town until Monday or Tuesday.—
Cork Reporter.

We were sorry to announce, in our last, the illness
of the Hon. Col. O'Grady, M. P. We now feel happy in
stating that the attack- (a violent and dangerous inflammation
of the throat) has been subdued by the skill of his medical
attendants, and that the Hon. Colonel is in the course of re-
covery.—Limerick Paper.
Lord Stowell is now at his seat in the country, gra-
dually declining in health, and with very little chance of again
visiting the metropolis. His Lordship was born during the
rebellion in October, 1745, so that at the end of the present
month he will be in his 90th year.
By the death of the Bishop of Bristol a prebendal
stall of Durham has become vacant.

Archbishop Butler, the Master of the Shrewsbury
Grammar School is spoken of as the probable new bishop.
BATH, Oct. 4.—Amongst our arrivals are Lord
Carrington, Viscount and Viscountess Eastnor, Lady Foley,
Sir Wm. Clinton, Sir Wm. Digby, Sir J. W. and Lady
Smith, Lady Murray, &c.
GROSVENOR HOUSE.—It was supposed that this
edifice must have come down, after all the time and expense
devoted to it, in consequence of the walls not being strong
enough to sustain the new roof. Happily no accident arose,
and the aid of Sir Robert Smirke's judgment has tranquillized
the fears of the Marquis of Westminster.
Madame Pasta arrived at Bologna on the 19th ult.,
where she is to sing for the season. The rehearsals have al-
ready commenced. The police has forbidden the preparation
of two grand ballets, The Fall of Missolonghi and Imelsa and
Bonefazi ; the latter founded on a historical fact connected
with Bologna in the middle ages.
On the 27th ult., in the forenoon, died, at Freyen-
walde, the Princess Eliza Radzewill, daughter of her Royal
Highness Princess Louisa of Prussia, widow of his Highness
Prince Antony Radzewill, late Governor of the Grand Duchy
of Posen.