The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-19 00:00:00

fore, that the bill may now be considered safe,
and that none of the clauses which are of impor-
tance to the measure will be modified to its in-
jury in committee. If the animus of their Lord-
ships be right on a popular measure, oven we do
not deny that there has very frequently been
found the legal skill among them to improve the
details of a House of Commons Bill. The
present bill is one which peculiarly belongs to the
trading and middle classes of the country, and
which can scarcely ever touch the proceedings of
a " noble Lord," and it seems only graceful in
the Peers of the realm not to interfere with it

further than by cooperating to facilitate
its working. Henceforth by means of this
and the Partnership Bill persons will
be enabled to invest their money in business on
the plan which they judge best ; they will be able
as partners to share in profits, instead of taking
interest, without rendering themselves responsible
beyond the amount they choose to put into a con-
cern ; and they will also be able to form a joint-
stock company, limited in the liability of its
shareholders, without being encumbered by the
present useless but annoying regulations.

In this we can but see an evident extension of
the principles of Free Trade. It is " unrestricted
competition" in the employment of money. Lords
OTERSTONE and MONTEA GLE seemed very anxious
to deprive the bill of this argument, but with
entire ill success. Indeed, Lord OVERSTONE'S
only argument was drawn from the li-
mitations still retained by the bill. Why
apply its principles, he said, to more
than seven, and not to seven or a less number, if
it be meant to carry out a Free-Trade principle.
Now, the Partnership Bill does, perhaps, suffi-
ciently answer this question by enabling these
smaller numbers of persons to limit their liability ;
but the truth is, that if there is to be a distinc-
tion between partnerships and companies, for
which we by no means contend as a matter of
principle, then the numbers which define the
boundary must be fired arbitrarily. Certainly
this bill has avoided rigorous precision. Up to
seven, persons are to be considered partners—
from seven to twenty they may c institute a part-
nership or a company, as they please, and above
twenty must form a company. It is at least a
fair attempt to define as far as the nature of the
case admits.

The truth is, Lord OVERSTONE and his fellow-
capitalists are money monopolists, and like the
Landlords, West India proprietors and Shipowners,
they wince at the introduction of unrestricted
competition into their own trade. They dare
not at this time of day decry free trade, but
somewhat ludicrously endeavour to prove that
letting a man do what he will with his money is
not free trade in capital. When pinched to prove
their assertion, their arguments are much the
•
same as if the landlords had objected to the repeal
of the corn laws because a shilling duty was still
retained. So exclaims Lord OVERSTONE, banks
and assurance companies are excepted. It is true
this was done in deference to the recommenda-
tions of a committee, and the latter at least limit,
themselves without the help of Parliament. But
it is not for those who oppose the change to plead
against it that their own party will not suffer it
to be complete. For ourselves we have all con-
fidence in letting people take care of their own
money. Lord OVERSTONE has no occasion to deal
with a company which he thinks will be a bubble
one, and the public must learn wisdom for them-
selves in using them as means for the investment
of capital.

The opening of the new wing of the Royal Free
Hospital, yesterday, is one of those events which
make little noise in the world, but over Ti hi oh
the reflective and the benevolent find abundant
cause for rejoicing. So many more thousands of
the miserable victims of disease, accident, neglect,
and exposure will find a good Samaritan at their
elbow in their extremest hour of need, and, for a
while sheltered from the storm and rescued from
want, will experience all theaid professional science
and art cm render to the wealthy and the power-
ful. So many more heartfelt expressions of grati-
tude from ashy lips, better than most priestly bone-
r dictions ; anti from vigorous manhood and active
womanho)d rescued from the life-long endurance
of a cripple's fate. So many more responses to
the sacred claims of humanity—so much more
zeal and devotion. All this is involved
in yesterday's opening. Beyond this we
have the effects of a striking example
of benevolence, enterprise, and perseverance,
honoured with increasing success. Planets know,
or may be supposed to know, the length and
breadth, the height and depth of the space iio
which they roll, or through which they extend
their influence ; but no man knows how great a
sphere is his. He may be confined all his life in
a village, and before half a century is over
millions may be under obligation to him for

his example..
The story of the R )yal Free Hospital is
of a very gratifying nature, and from the example
of its found-r, and the success which has at-
tended his efforts, important lessons may be learnt.
Some thirty years ago this benevolent individual,
Dr. MARSDEN, discovered a poor girl in the last
stage of destitution and disease, au outcast in the
streets. On inquiry he found no hospital was
open for her reception, the wretched woman not
being possessed of a very unlikely thing for one
in her condition to have, viz., a ticket of recom-
mendation from a Governor. A bright thought—
the adjec ive is especially good in the connection—
struck the mind of the Doctor—Was it not pos-
sible to found an hospital to which the misery an
hospital is intended to relieve would be a sufficient
recommendation f The reply must have been in
the affirmative, for Dr. MARSDEN was speedily to
be heard of with his subscription list, and
ultimately the Royal Free Hospital was founded.

Year by year it grew up, extending the sphere o

its usefulness, until last year the number o

patients had increased to 40,000.

The Hospita,

needed elbow room, and a sum of 1,6001. having

been subscribed for a memorial to the late Duke

of SUSSEX, Grand Master of Freemasons, it was

determined that the extension of a benevolent
institution would be the best memorial, and that
the Royal Free Hospital had peJuliar claims for

he preference. Henc3 the SUSSEX wing, at once

a memorial of a benevolent prince and an addition
to the much-prized resources of a truly popular

hospital--80 additional beds, in short, for the

destitute sick and afflicted.

may be included. A good work can never be
►ided too soon, and contributions towards it are
praiseworthy in every stage of its progress. We
confidently look, therefore, to long years of in-
creasing prosperity to the Hospital, assured that
whatever features of its management have com-
mended it to public favour will c ,ntinue to be
presented in increasing proportion. To this
ground of satisfaction must be added the convic-
tion that the utility of the Hospital will be further
witnessed in the foundation of institutions abroad
as well as at home of a similar nature en the like
great principle, and also that in other fields of
benevolent enterprise the example and success of
Dr. MARSDEN will be found to have exercised
a directing influence. We are not of those who
delight in thinking evil of human nature, as mani-
fested at home or abroad, nor on the other hand
would we attribute to it any very close approxi-
mation to perfection ; but we entertain a profound
conviction that more faith may be placed in its
charitable impulses than is usual, and that those
who do so will be rewarded like the founder and
the directors of the Royal Free Hospital. It is
surely a great pity Doctors' Commons should he
enriched as it is, while the owners of superfluous
wealth leave so many of the sick and the afflicted
sons and daughters of poverty behind them ; and
the sanitary movement which would prevent so
much sickness continues at a standstill.

LATEST NEWS.

FRANCE.

PARIS, WEDNESDAY EVENING.
It appears from the official report in yesterday a
Moniteur that in tile sitting (if the Senate on Tues-
day, the President of the Council of State read the
preamble and text of a project of senatus-consultum,
having for its object the organisation of the re-
gency.

_
The Senate is a body whose deliberations are
conducted with closed doors. Sufficient has tran-
spired to say that the project in question proposes
the Empress as Regent in case of the Emperor's
demise, assisted by a Council of Regency, named l y
the Emperor in a letter which is to remain closed
until that event. In case of the Empress's demise
the nearest relative of the Emperor to be Regent,
hut only until such time as the Senate shall have
named a Council of Regency ; but the Emperor
still reserves the right of a previous nomination
which will supersede that of the Senate.
The Legislative body sat yesterday, M. Schnei-
der, one of the Vice-Presidents, in the chair. The
Imperial decree which extends to July 2 the pre-
sent session was presented, as was a bill according
ten millions to repair the damage caused by the
inundations.

The M oniteur publishes a decree, on the
proposition of the Minister of State, promoting
the Duke de Trevise, senator, to the rank of
commander in the Legion of Honour ; the Mar-
quis de Larochejaquelein, the Marquis de Boissy,
and Count Le Marois, senators, the Count de
Kergolay, deputy of the Legislative Body, the
Duke de Tarente, chamberlain to the Emperor,
and six other persons to that of officer ; and nomi-
nating M. de Lezay-Maru6sia, chamberlain of the
Empress, Baron de Pierres, equerry to her Majesty,
and 20 others, knights.
On the occasion of the baptism of the Prince-
Imperial all the troops in Paris, as well as in the
departments, received an extra ration of wine and
a day's pay.
Letters from Tenedos state that the young son
of the French consul had been assassinated by some
of the inhabitants.

For some days past letters addressed from Paris
to
,foreign journals have spoken of arrests which
have been made in the South of France. A letter
from Lyons of the 16th has the following on the
subject :

The Royal Free Hospital, it is true, is not free
'rum debr, and the additional beds entail an addi-

"At the moment when we heard on every side ex-
pressions of the warmest gratitude for the zeal and the
devotedness displayed by the authorities under the ad-
mirable initiative of the Emperor to repair our disasters
the administrative police were warned that the secret
society called aLa Matianne,' the tendencies and
abominable programme of which are well known, was
on the alert. Serious indications denounced persons
in high positions as forming part of it. Nothing has
transpired as to the actual projects which the society had
in view, but, whether the facts appeared serious or the
government was determined to strike a blow at the very
heart of the association, so subversive of every honest
principle, warrants were issued at Saint Etienne, Rive-
de-tier, Vienne, Macon, and Lyons. Forty persons
have been arrested. Among the number is M. B-,
an advocate, at Vienne, and a member of the con-
stituent ; and M. u-, a medical man of the same
place. They were taken into custody on Thursday
last, and on Saturday were lodged in the prison at
Roanne. The preliminary examination, which has
been entrusted to M. Baudrier, is geing on with great
act vity."

THE BOURSE, June 18.—The following were the
closing quotations :

ion al expenditure. Its entire history, however,

fr. a. End of Month
41 per Cents 93 25 —l. —O.
3 per Cents 7O 70 71 15
New Loan 7l 40
Bank Shares 4,050 Roman
Credit Mnbilier 1,755 Austrian
Belgian Fives. 97 Spanish Threes
Piedmontese(s) _ 92 50 dome Debt .......-

is full of eneouragemPnt—a trustworthy pledge,
in fact, for the money being forthcoming.
The benevolent individuals who have already
contributed towards its funds are not likely to
forsake it, now that its sphere of usefulness has
been enlarged ;
on the contrary, their inclination
to contribute more largely must be greatly stimu-
lated ; others will feel disposed to manifest
their appreciation of the enterpthe, benevo-
lence, and perseverance of its spirited founder,
by promoting still further the success of his

RAILW A Yti-ITOIL CASH.

'r c. fr. c
Orleans ... ..... 1,365 Western 925
~orthorr,
Lyons ..,... 1,470 Now Ditto . ..... ... 850
xl.rxiiterninoxn l,t 75 Grand Central
Lyons Geneva ...... 780 Taste

Caere
760 Austrian C0ra....... 885

RUSSIA.

Admiral-General Prince Menschikoff, who had
retised into private life and quiet at an estate he
possesses near Moscow, has been unexpectedly
summoned to St. Petersburg by command of the
Grand Duke Constantine, and arrived there on
the 10th inst. He has since then had several
audiences of the Grand Duke, and it is believed
that their conferences have reference to a military
expedition soon about to be undeitAken.

handiwork—a succesg, by the way, in which
the liberalisation of the rules of other institutions

THE SUM. LONDON,. THURNDA,If -EVENII44, JITVE 10. 18110;