The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-15 00:00:00

termined to maintain a position of perfect equa- mended. The motive we have urged ought surely
a
lity. That she clearly knew, and would firmly to be enough.
Hardly had the effects of the successive shocks
assert her rights ; and that the duplicity and
Russia could have no effect but given to public confidence by the disclosure of the
special pleading of Ru
to excite the indignation of the English peop?e, great banking frauds passed away before we had
and prevent them from being tempted to wander to announce the detection of ROBSON in his melo-
into the labyrinth of Russian Railways. We term dramatic career of infamy, and now, in addition
it " labyrinth" advisedly, for moat assuredly it t ) what is inferred by the suicide of the cashier of
will be impossible for any one, who ventures in to the Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland,
find his way out with out
.:submitting to a severe we have to record the apprehension and examina-
plucking in the first instance. tion of a swindler supposed to have been to some
That the Monitetcr, and those from whom it I extent in league with ROBSON, but compared with
derived its inspiration, received a salutary can- whom ROBSON was a very Vico in his art. The
Lion, is more than probable. Notwithstanding the public mind is for the moment paralysed, and
burst of honest indignation which proceeded from those who hav© invested their money, or are de-
the Eeglish Press, with some few (we shall not
sirens to invest it, in joint-stock undertakings,
term them " base" exceptions), there was no re- know not what to think or what to do. The
turn to the charge, as there unquestionably would ground seems to tremble beneath their feet, and
have been if the topic had emanated from, or re- every one is anxious to see what the morrow
ceived the previous approval of, the EMPEROR,. will bring forth. Nothing appears so in-
There was an instant retreat on the failure of the secure as that which is lent on the most
first onslaught. The silence might possibly have approved securities nothing to need so
been regarded as ominous had it not been for the much caring for as that which is fenced round
summary castigation inflicted on the unfortunate by the most legitimate safeguards. Do the mana-
Constitutionmel, which, in the erroneous supposi- gers of public companies affect religion t Who so
tion that it was " rendering the State some ser- pious as Sir JOHN DEAN PAUL, foremost in good
vice," not only followed in tie same direction, but works, even to the building of a church ? Are
trespassed far beyond the limits, specified by its they weighty in the Senate and possessed of the
leader. The terms, too, were significant. There ear of Government? Who weightier than SAD-
was no attempt to ignore the fact that differences LEIR and others ? The profession of religion is
had existed between the Cabinets of St. James's nothing ; position in the State of no account.
and the Tuileries ; but they were (asset foible) of The professor turns out a double-dyed knave, the
trivial importance—nothing that could possibly M.P. a self-condemned villain. Worse still, let
disturb the cordial alliance happily existing be- the directors of a company be men of unimpeached
,weep the GDv eruments and Peoples of both and unimpeachable personal integrity, the share-
holder still cannot feel himself safe. As though
a judicial blindness had come over the race of
directors, instead of their being safeguards of the
interests of the shareholders, two instances have
come to light where, by an astounding laxity of
oversight, they have proved themselves a screen
for the depredations of their subordinates. In the
wide field of plunder nowhere could be reaped so
rich a harvest, or any harvest at all, with so little
pains as under their wings. So infatuated have
the directors in these instances shown themselves
that warning on warning has been literally thrown
away upon them. The shallowest knaves in the
world have been too many for them, and all but
to the very last could talk them over. Well
may reflections of this sort, warranted by fast
succeeding facts, have the benumbing effect we
have described, and render all available measures
to restore confidence imperative. It is not enough
to say matters are exaggerated, and the worst is
past. The public would not be justified in be-
lieving it were it true, as we hope it is—the most
thorough proof must be forthcoming where it is
not already, or directors will have themselves to
thank for the evils consequent on delay.
Of the two cases the last is the worst, both as
regards the directors and the , culprit. Their
similarity, however, is remarkable. Both RonsoN
and REDPATH sprang from comparative obscurity
to the occupancy of a position of grave responsi-
bility, and were alike in receipt of inadequate
remuneration. The main difference so far is,
ROBSON had a good previous character, and RED-
PATH a bad one. Both had every possible facility
for committing fraud set before them. To all in-
tents and purposes oversight the directors had none.
Both yielded to temptation, and indulged in the most
reckless extravagance. Each, however, after his
own fashion. One earned the reputation of being
the fastest man about town—the other of being a
most munificent and wealthy patron of public
charitable institutions. Their style of living was
the subject of general admiration. REDPA.TH'S was
princely--money flowed from both likewater. In
ROBSON'S case the contrast between his visibl e
R employers c
means and expenditure was so great as to excite a
g
i c os
sni
v ae supe se
e d is; dp in
at edt he mindEs Dp olf the Di retor
i
H
t. Tu,s
not only observed a like contrast, but had it thrust
on their attentien—w ere positively warned that
something must be wrong. It does net appear
that the directors condescended to entertain so
much suspicion as to question him. "My plays
and my antimony works" sufficed to avert suspi-
cion from one ; the exemplary practices and repu-
table associations of the other saved him from
inquiry altogether. One thieved by tens and
the oti.eeee 'b-
y hundreds of thousands, yet the latter
was, the last to be brought .to book. All in vain
'.vas the startling inquiry, " Why are we paying
in dividends fifteen or twenty thousand pounds
which is not due from us?" Mr. REDPATH was
" too respectable" to be suspected. Wherever he
moved the halo of good works surrounded him like
a shield against the directoral police. In no age
but one of religious cant and social humbug could
your PAULS and REDPATWS have pursued their
career with impunity. Not even RBDPATH'S
confederacy with ROBSON sufficed to shake the
rascal's reputation for trustworthiness.
English-
men are, or have been, in the habit of boasting of
their superior busine
ellealifications. How the
Directors of the Greeee Northern
could suffer
themselves to be sr, gulled' will be the wonder of
the world. Tl-40 ablest financiers, the most close
inspectors o i their affairs, have been deceived, but
the Directors of this company seem to have taken
no 'erecautions whatever. Most men look for a
character with their servants. The Directors of
the Great Northern took REDPITH into their
employ with worse than none ; and instead of
fencing, as they ought, the interests they had in
charge with every possible security, placed him in
a position in which a knave might riot, and left
him there exposed, without oversight, to hourly
temptation. Great must have been their faith in
the virtue of three hundred a-year. In common
honesty they ought to pay for it, for nothing
short of infatuation can be urged to palliate their
neglect. A breath alone was needed, as in the
case of the Crystal Palace frauds, to burst the
bubble, but it was not forthcoming until too late.
It is a bad case indeed, to which the latter is but
secondary. In further proof of the propriety of
the advice with which we started, we have but to
point to the flight of the solicitor of the West-
minster Freehold Land Society, the extent of
whose defalcations is not yet known. A little
moral resolution is all that is wanted to restore
public confidence to officials who deserve it.

countries.

It was also stated by the official organ,
that " the only question was whether the matters
were to
.be settled by a previous understanding,
or by the Conferences." The nature of the dif-
ference, or differences, was thus clearly indicated,
and but little doubt could remain that the poiat
at issue referred to the rectification of the Bsssa-
rabian boundary, the questions raised by Russia
respecting the Isle of Serpents, Bolgrad, and
others of a similar character. We cannot, how-
ever, regard anything relating to the faithful
execution of a treaty, solemnly and deliberately
entered into, as of trivial consequence. If any
matter, however insignificant, could again be re-
opened, and a. ne v discussion raised, the Treaty
would not be worth the parchment on which it
was engrossed, and a renewal of hostilities would
be rendered inevitable. Nor would that be by
any means the most inauspicious part of the trans-
action. The mutual confidence—which is of
vital importance between friends and allies— stould
I necessarily be greatly impaired, if either were to
lend themselves to the intrigues and fraud of a
third party trying to slip out of its engagements.
Were it a question respecting future policy
difficulties might arise, and each Power would
unquestionably have the right to advocate its
own peculiar opinions and to expect consideration
and indulgence therefrom. But when it merely
relates to the interpretation of existing stipula-
tions, when there can be no possible doubt as to
the ordinary and common-sense view of the sub-
ject, or that the only object of the party raising
the dispute is to get rid, on the easiest terms, of
the conditions previously agreed on, then it is a
duty to abide firmly by the agreement already in
operation, and not to suffer it to be disregarded
or frittered away. Any other course would com-
pletely destroy the prestige of the Power that
permitted itself to be bamboozled in so barefaced
a manner.
The traditional policy of Russia not only refers
to its aggressive objects in acquiring uew territory,
but it also indicates the means by which that
policy is to be carried out. One, and perhaps the
most important of these means, is by dividing
other nations, which might by union retard its
objects. It is unnecessary to say that France and
Eogland are the most important of all. In the
notorious communications respecting " the ' sick
man's" assets, the late AUTOCRAT completely
ignored the existence of the German nations. He
had previously made " all serene" with Austria
and Prussia, and he hoped to bribe England, so
that he could afford to treat with contumely the
French Government, which he had not then re-
cognised, and was disposed to treat with in-
difference. That deep laid project was only
defeated by the firmness of England and the
judicious conduct of the recently-elected EMPEROR,.
The CZAR believed that a cordial alliance between
those whom he erroneously supposed to be "he
reditary enemies" was impossible—and from that
miscalculation the entire scheme fell to the
ground, and he suffered severely from the fatal
error. Then he tried to gain England over to
his designs ; but the utter impossibility of such a
result being perceptible his successor endeavoured
to make France the object of seduction.
A partial success attended the unconscientious
attempt. Those who represented LOUIS NAPO-
LEON, during his hours of relaxation, yielded for
a time to the voice of the charmer—or, possibly,
to more substantial marks of his favour. It was
more than hinted that Russia had secured an ab-
solute majority in any new Congress that might
be opened, and that her own representatives, sup-
ported by those of France, Prussia, and Sardinia,
could leave those of England, Austria, and Tull,
.ey
in the minority. Could a new Conference 'oe ob
tained, all that had been accomplished when the
allied fleets were in the Euxiiie 'aid the Baltic,
and their troops iu the Crilr,ea, would be com-
pletely neutralised ; trivial as were the
c uscessions to whit ks Russia had submitted
be abrogated, and she would
they would virtuall7i
be enabled tQ 'give new proofs of her prowess to
minor State,e, so as to insure the restoration of
her wearing supremacy. The firmness of
the -English Government has defeated this in-
f",idious scheme, and the sound sense of the
French EMPEROR has induced him to disregard the
minor influences brought into operation. We
trust, then, that the alliance may be really per-
manent. It is even more for the interest of
LOUIS NAPOLEON than of our Own SOVEREIGN that
it should be so. For ourselves, we look even
more to the principles of truth and justice than
of expediency. We shall faithfully observe our
obligations to France, and we look for and believe
that there will be similar fide:i'y on their part.
While it is so there can be no serious interrup-
tion of the Pelee and tranquillity of Europe.

DEATH OF THE PRINCE OR LEININCEN.

Her Majesty yesterday received by electrtc telegraph
the melancholy intelligence of tt le death of his Serene
Highness Prince Leiningen, wl• ,ich took place at Wald
Leiningen, upon the morning of that day.
Her Majesty, on the recepti' 3n of the sad intelligence
cn -,-,ediately left Windsor Caat .le and proceeded to Frog-
=ore, the residence of the Du chess of Kent.

If the directors of publie comp knies censn't
they their own interests
will forestall the cry
which will otherwise' be
great body of slaareholder:' peedily
raised by the
have not done so already, sat '(1 :
t c';''''", if they
about, a. thorough
overhauling of their accounts.
/Nothing less than
this will suffice to avert the
Plnic which we
itnpending, and which would see
inevitably be fol-
lowed by the most disastrous results. At the
present moment the public are stunned by the
committed
rapid succession of disclosures of fraud, •••1.........1
---- --
with unparalleled facility, and to a perfectly Her Majesty has 7.espited the convict, Mary Wood,
who was sentenced -co death at E linburgh, last Sate=
astounding extent. In the very nature of things day, for the murde rof her infant. She is to be trans•
a reaction will follow of the character we have indi parted for life.
cated. We say nothing at present of the pre. On wodneslnt last, Orr, Jeffrey,
and Little, the
ventive and the moral considerations which ought R.f..4,0 rioters, we re sentenced to 18 months impriEen
also to have their weight in indu:ing directors of: rud ''t.
0 The Civil Governor of Madrid has forbidden discus.
public cAinpante, 4_ to ,tke the step we have teem8. ta of pojifioe irt coffee-houses.

Charles Frederick William 71mic,b, Princ.s of Leiningsn,
via.nyal Highness the Duchess
of Kent,
e
nt, blydeeson of h
her first mareeriZe with Ilmich Charles Prince
of Leiningon, and was co' asequently half brother to her
Majesty the Queen. 11 .e Prince was born September
12, 1804, and succeed' Jd his father in 1814. He held
the rar:k of a Lieutenar it-General in the Bavarian service.

REPRESENTATION OF SOUTRAMPTOIV.

SOUTHAMPTON, FRIBA;
_IIDNIGHT.

Intelligence reached the chiefs et the Liberal party
yesterday,from good authority ,that Sir Alexander Cock-
burn had accepted the Chief Justicesbip.
A meeting of the liberal party took place tonight to
consider the choice of his successor to the representation
of Southampton.
A communication was received at the meeting stating
that Mr. Wegnelin, the Governor of the Bank of Eng-
land, would like to represent Southampton.
During the reeding, which was a most influential one,
a telegraphic message was received, stating that Sir
Alexander Cockburn had not accepted the Chief Justice.
ship. In consequence of this message the meeting was
shortly afterwards dissolved.
As many as six ge❑tlemen had made overtures to poli-
tical parties in the town.

SUICIDE OF THE CASILIER OF THE VIDLAND
GREAT WESTERN RAIL WA Y OF IRELAND.

DUBLIN, FRIDAY.
Mr. Little, the cashier of the Midland Great Western
Railway of Ireland, committed suicide to-day by cutting
his throat.

The cause of this act is supposed to have been the
discovery of extensive defalcations in his accounts, whi(h
were previously unsuspected.

An amalgamation of the City Gas Company with the

Great Central Company is shortly to take place.
The Belgian senate was closed on Friday last.
Parliamentary notices have been given for the making
of a park for Finsbury.
A marriage is on the tapis between the Archduke
Maximilian of Austria and Princess Charlotte of
Belgium.

Incendiariun is on the increase in Nottingham: within
a few days property to the amount of 12,000/. has beet

W. S. WOODIN.

leEtroyed.

The only good portrait of the late celebrated painter
Turner is in the possession of Mr. Birch, a gentleman

residing near Birmingham.
Upwards of 4,000/. having been subscribed toward
the Harrow-school chapel, the works have been recom•

menced and are proceeding rapidly towards completion.
BERLIN, Friday.—The convocation of the Royal Die

will take place on the 29th. The King will, it is under.

stood, open the Chambers in person.
Subscriptions are in course of collection in Lincoln
for the erection of a monument to the memory of Sir J.

Franklin, the Arctic navigator,
A. passenger on board the James Baines, on her last
voyage, states that the ship took upwards of 100 days
to accomplish the homeward passage.
French dramatic pieces, in which the demimonde
is represented, have been forbidden to be performed in
Prussia.

Simon Hansen, the Norwegian sailor, stabbed during
the jracca at Cardiff, on Friday last, expired last night.

The two men charged with the offence are in custody.
Yesterday afternoon an unusual flow of water too

place in the Thames, causing a considerable amount 0

damage to property at the waterside.
Mr. Elliott, of South Brent, deceased, has left property
to the amount of 20,000/. to a little boy, the fifth chili

of Ms nephew, a rigger's labourer in Plymouth dockyard,
The brig Iris, of Southampton, was fallen in with
on the 19th of Oct., waterlogged in lat. 42 N., long.

50. The crew were taken off and have arrived ire
Liverpool.

OF THE POLYGRAPHIC HALL.

A telegraph despatch has just been received, announc
ing that Mr. W. H. Rummell, the Times correspondent,
lies dangerously ill of fever, at Simpheropol.


SrNOPE.—The owners of the Howard have learned
through the Foreign-office that the Russian Government
positively refuse to compensate them for the destruction
of their vessel at Sinope.
I❑ the Chancery Courts, this morning, nothing of the
slightest interest occurred to justify a report.
At Marlborough-street police court, this morning,
Ellen Marshall was sant to prison for a month for vio-
lently assaulting a policeman.
At the Tliames police court, this morning, a young
man named Fielder was charged with stealing a quan-
tity of brass fittings from a fire annihilator on board a
ship in the West India Docks. He said he was driven