The Sun.
London, England, 1869-10-23 00:00:00

THE EDMUNDS SCANDAL,

The arbitrators into the claims of Mr. Edmunds against
the Crown and vice versd, resumed their sitting on Friday
ing, when the same counsel appeared as on the precedin
day.

The Attorney-General proceeded with his address, and
read portions of the evidence taken before the committee
of the House of Lords, and commented on them as he pro-
ceeded. The Crown claimed interest at 4 per cent. on £B9l
and £7,892, which Mr. Edmunds had not paid into the
Treasury.

Mr. Higgins said that the Vice-Chancellor had not made
an order as to interest when his clients asked for it. So
what bound him ought to bind the Crown.
Mr. Pollock, Q.C., said that a man might have money
without being said to hold it back.
The Attorney-General said that, notwithstanding the
Vice-Chancellor, he could not say that Mr. Edmunds had
been a meritorious public servant. He contended that the
three charges that the House of Lords found had been
proved against Mr. Edmunds were made out. Those
charges were negligence, misconduct, and recklessness.
The Hon. George Denman said arbitration could not be
guided by what the Vice-Chancellor said as to 111
Edmunds's character.

The Attorney-General observed that the inquiry before
the House of Lords was much more minute than that in
Chancery. Of course, in the latter a man was simply
treated as a debtor, and Sir John Karslake, who was then
Attorney-General, was right in not making imputations ;
but it was his (Sir Robert Collier's) duty to do so, however
painful it might be to himself personally. The
learned counsel then turned to the second head of
his case. The Patent Office money had been used as
a capital wherewith to buy stamps, which were sold, and
the discount so gained divided between Mr. Edmunds and
his deputy, Mr. Ruscoe.

The next point touclied on was that with reference to
the parchments used in the Patent Office.

The Hon. George Denman said that the arbitrators
thought it better that the counsel should not go into the
question as to whether Mr. Edmunds put the £4OO into
his own pocket, or that the Brougham family received it,
as, in their opinion, the matter was totally irrelevant to the
case.

Both parties took this view of the matter, and Sir Robert
Collier proceeded to address the arbitrators on the ,12s. 10d
parchment question, on which he said the Crown thought
Mr. Edmunds was indebted to them in the sum of £1,79914s
9d. Before concludinghisspeech,the Attorney-General said
that the balance duo for fees was £8,764 3s. 6d. ; for shares
£3,033 16s. ; discounts, £5,131 13s. Gd. ; in the aggregate
£16,929 13s. ; interest, £3,678 15s. Gd. ; and interest on the
£B9l before-mentioned, £lB3 ss. 10d. ; interest on the skin
account, £1,799 14s. 9d. Against these sums credit wa!
given to Mr. Edmunds—money paid, £7,872 ss. Gd., whict
left a balance of the sum claimed of £14,719 ls. 4d. Tha'
sum, the Crown averred, was owing by Mr. Edmunds.
After further argument, the arbitrators adjourned.

The negroes of the South have, at New Orlean
and other points, established newspapers of their own sine'
the close of the war. The coloured people of Lexington
Kentucky, are about to start an organ. It is to be edited b)
coloured persons, and will receive the moral support of tb
Grand Army of the Republic.

The Minister of Agriculture will, it is said, presen
to the Italian Parliament a measure to facilitate and rondo•
lawful the manufacture of beetroot in Italy. Permission
will be given to the manufacturers to exercise the right fo
so many years, and in return for the concession they wil
have to pay, large sum to the State. Ey this means
new industry will be added to the country, and a new tat
secured to the Exchequer.