The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-10 00:00:00

160....
unaintaintd by the British Goveininent. Lard
MALUESBURY could not expose himself to the
storm of indignation that would be.ex.,:ited by
any vacillation on such a point. We earnestly
desire that the French alliance should
remain unbroken. We recognise all the evils
that would arise from any interruption of
amicable relations. But far better endure them,
were they ten times more formidable, than yield
to such unwarrantable assumptions. It is the
Piedmoutese Government that must, in the first
instance, answer for the safety of our countryman.
Should he be tried by the Sardinian law, for au
ffence committed in Sardinia, we shall be enabled
to judge how far the proceedings can be justifi,:d.
But should he be given up to another State, thE,
Cabinet of Turin must render a stringent account,
-and alio the authorities to wh ,in he h is been ial
r:r.,perly given np.
We may bear many things
with patience, but certainly anything aff!ctiag the
life or liberty of oae of oar f:llow-c:tizcas can-
not be included in the number.

The extraordinary revelations as to the manage-
ment of sone Joint-st BlAci have proved the
necessity of some speedy and efficient alteration of
the law in respect thereto. Mr. FIEXDLIII'S Bill

fur the introduction of the principle of limited
liability, was received with considerable favour by
the House of CorunionA, and, we .elieve, that it
judiciously carried out, it wouli be beneficial to
Al parties, as well to the community at large
as to the shareholders iu these important and
valuable institutions.

Under the existing law few persons of large
mans are willing to encounter the responsibi-
lity of becoming shareholders, for not only will

!hey be subjected to the expense and annoyance
of the wi,ding up, but th y must answer to the
last shilling, and even with their persons, for mix••
managemen.c, in tvliich they did not is any degree
participate. It is all very well to protect inno-
cent depositors, and innocent cre-ditors, but
the interests of innocent shareholders should
be equally looked to. At present persons con-
sider that there is not the slightest necessity
for canton if they find the names of per•
suns of known wealth and substance on tilt-
list of shareholders. They know that, as the law
stands they can go against these parties, and are
sati-fled, alt•uough the management may justly be
he ensured. Thinking that they themselves are
safe, they are quite willing to dispense with im-
pertinent interrogatories.
But the person who, having a few spare hundreds
or thousands, is willing to invest them in concerns
• bat may be uxce.dingly beneficial to the entire
neighbourhood, is placed in a very different posi-
tion. He may net only lose his entire stake which
he was willing to risk, but even tenfold or a
hundredfold Cie amount. He may be
reduced from affluence to poverty, and
all his prospects in life blighted, because
he has laid out a little superfluous cash in trying
lo promote the welfare and prosprity of tho
neighbourhood in which he resides. Let frauln

lent directors he punished with the utmost rigour
of the law; but surely those whl are their inno-
cent dupes, and who have no shale in the mis-
management, should be 1.-3 t down easily.
We are happy to find that a movement amongst
shareholders has at length been inaugurate],

which, although deferred even to the eleventh
hour, must, if properly followed up, be produc-
tive of the best results. A circular has been
issued from the Chamber of Commerce at New-
castle-upon-Tyne, and extensively circulated
amongst the shareholders of Joint Stock Bauks,
-which places the question on a just foundation.
A Committee has been formed of influential per-
sons "for the purpose of endeavouring t) obtain
I from the Legislature such au amendment of the
winding-up priucip!e, whether voluntary or coin-
puisory, as may be calculated to prevent that
anxiety, suspense, and suffering to which persons
are necessarily exposed under the present system
—a sy,tem which not only makes
them accountable for a'l they possess, but
renders their future earnings liable for the debts
of the defunct 13Ank--a state of things which (As
truly stated) p!ac..:s an innocent shareUlder in a
worse position than a bnitkrupt 1 "

All that is required is that proper attention
should be bestowed on the subject. But there
must be the pressure from without—the tem-
perate but energetic agit Ltio7), without which
no great results call ba accomplished. Than-
are many interested, and many prejudiced par-
.
ties. But they could hot withstand an earliest
d,Anand founded on truth and justice. Teere is
nothing so beneficial to a nation as the extension
of bank!ng c pit ~1, but that is virtuilly pra vented
by the vast reipousibility incurred by the share-
h,..ilders, and which prudent rihm will be very un-
wiliug to undertak. LA us than by all legiti-
i ;nate means iitrive to achieve this great desiderattun
1 and pr,)cuie an alteration of the law founded or
justice and equity, and conducive to the wel fare
and pru.rperity of all cli,sai of the community.

DIZETRY LANE

-- --~-

MR. E. T. SMITH'S BENEFIT.

The great gala night of the sea,on, the le,see's benefit,
is fix:,l tc.r Friday the 19th, on which occasion it is his
intenti ,re to place before his patrons an en'ertainment of
the moot tril!iant and extraordinary character. How-
ever gratif3 log each an event may be, we think the
situp', announcement of the night set apart for Mr.
Snith's benefit would of itself be more than sufficient to
insure au immense attendance of those anxious to testify
their approbation of the spirited manner in which (foeu-
nate'y for the shareholders and rentor,) he has carried
on this great national 4 hea•re. Mr. Smith io c lebrated
for d.,lng extraordins,ry thinv, but his grand annual
b ,netit it is -aid, ec'ipee alt hts fnrtner
t ffor-tp,

LITSIIII. THZITBE —Tait; evontug Me. Toole, the
twented low o median at this theatre, takes Me benefit,
and for the occasion he has selected a very excellent list
of entt.rtainmenta. Amorivt the many attractions we
find an adapted drama, "The Artist of Florence,"
which will he presented for the first time, and in which
Mr, C Dillon, and Mies Woidar will sustain the lead-
ink parts. It will be followe,l by three farces, viz ,
" The Birthplace of Podgers" (a new one) " amble
Dummy," an I "0 it Corks." Mr. Fools appears in
each of t'_:e abase, so thel avers of fun and gaol humour
.111 have nothlng to desire. Mr. To .le'e merits as an
actor w.ll entire him an oven fhwing audience.
Mrs. S qinour, - f the Haymarket, and I ite manageress,
of the StlJ,ime,..'s Theatre, has jo,t organised a little
troupe for the purpose of pro lu,;ind. the pieces of Mr.
Ch4il s R aie (the popular author of "N aver Too Late
to Mend ") an the pr,vinces. In the li-t of the COM-
pAtly we perceive the names of Saal lets, Hurletope,
S,erlit.g, R ib,..rtson, &o. ; Mesdames Barratt, Balmer,
Bur on, & t.
A Cabinet C iuncil was held yesterday at the official
re,iiscce of the First Lord of the Treasury, in D i vzn-
ing-street. Tile Ministers present were—the Eat' cf
Derb7, the bor.] Chancellor, the Marquis of Salisbury,
the Earl of Hardy:ticks, the Right Hon. B. Disraeli,
Mr. Seoretlry Walpole, the Earl of Malmeshury, Lord
Stauky, Gen. P el, Sir J. Pakiligi.na, the Earl of Ellen-
NG' .1r11,,c,.:11,,,,,,ge:Dre1.i:,:it.,71::,iRme
oie:::suttin_tac...h.ti:S:.aetjtvit 717:nt.dhours L ,
ra
aald"Life'veson
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.. t Staffer.! Howie, or. Minday night,
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)rf i nCarnaZni i lag iLdo athe
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town,
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itshealPwraty% Beal of
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12...HracIsiter:yittez.
I.L.,a.ury Or, trio lest occasion of
,!; race it was. fi.led by tie Marcpaisi of '1,„,1),.,71)Y bete
We are informed that Sr George Gr,), 1,-.;:tn:
a int,,n-
fan of Ong abrca , but w;11 attend to his parliamentary
nuties until the end of the steamy..
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East, The email
21 lligltobakikt steamer
Atr 1 Bt6ix34
4, I 91
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