The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 7, 1861

;oncessioi i by the Chinese immediately, and
unconditionally, of all the demands made by the
Russian
,Government!! It is amusing to note
how Russia has thus contrived, without firing
a shot, without sending forth a solitary battalion,
without expending one single rouble, how she has
thus contrived to .edge her way in between the
late belligerents at Pekin, and thus to obtain the
concession of all he,. demands under the shadow
of the terror of the ic,nglo-French expedition!

1

the

As if we were never ttu know the worst of game
preserving, we have at a renewal of the practice
of seducing to crime, and t hen taking the award of
apprehension. It was bad e. cough, in all conscience,
that the squirearchy around Derby should get their
friends in the Corporation .to hunt poachers for
them at the cost of the borough; but the case of
Lord BATHURST'S game prose lcution at the Ciren-
cester Petty Sessions surpasses' anything we have
seen in the modern annals of clime. The nearest
case of late is that of the murder •er MULLINS, who
endeavoured to enrich himself 1:),y convicting the
innocent man Emma. He had not, I iowever, tempted
Emus to crime. Lord BATHURS T'S witness was
fetched from a distant part of the country for the
express purpose of making poachers of such persons,
we presume, as Mr. Gamekeeper thought to have
some taste that way, and then turning King's
evidence against them.
Lord BATHURST can, we should think, have little
pleasure in his preserves when he sees the accounts
of the disgraceful mode adopted to protect them.
The victim of his Head Gamekeeper's seduction
and accusation is described as a poor simple-look-
ing countryman, in rags, and bordering on starva-
tion. His very appearance was enough to move any
hearts but those of a bench of game-preservers or
their friends. But even this poor starving man was
tempted to shoot at a pheasant—not to shoot it, for
so inexpert a poacher was he, that he tried several
times to shoot it in vain—was tempted to commit
this awful crime by the solicitations of a man who
professed to be more hungry than himself. This
man was admitted by the bench as witness against
the prisoner HALL, and, it seems, he actually called
up poor HALL, to whom he was a stranger, at mid-
night, and under pretence of " being hard up,"
begged him to shoot a pheasant for him ; the man
brought the gun with him, for HILL had none,
and loaded the gun several times for HALL, when
he vainly tried to shoot the pheasant for his
seducer. The poor simple man stated all this,
without contradiction, in his own defence, and
therefore the fact of his shooting at the pheasant
was admitted. But there are degrees in crime,
and if our readers did not read the case in Satur-
day's Sun, what will they suppose was the penalty
inflicted on a poor starved man for shooting at a
pheasant to relieve the wants of a man who had
pleaded poverty greater than his own,, and
obviously, now, for the villanous purpose of seduc-
tion P We suppose all would reply—Oh, some
perfectly nominal punishment; a warning, per-

baps, from the Reverend Chairman (for Reverends
are generally on the bench on these occasions), and
a severe, a threatening, lecture to the wretch of
an informer, with an unmistakeable hint or two to
the game preservers who employed him to entrap
others. The sentence, for being seduced to shoot
at a pheasant by a hired informer, to relieve that
informer's alleged necessities—was imprisonment
for three months and to ,nd sureties for six months
afterwards, It was said he had been convicted for
poaching two years ago. We should like to know
all the facts of that conviction. Its connection
with this case certainly did not increase poor
HALL'S guilt, for there was in the latter cases
none to increase.
But the most remarkable fact of Justices' justice
is yet to come. It might have been supposed that
the Reverend conservators of rural morality had
dispensed enough of their magisterial Gospel; but
they actually heard another case against HALL,

supported by the testimony of the same choice wit-

mess, who was again an accomplice, of course a
tempter also, and the provider of HALL, who again
had none, with a gun. This time, instead of listen-
ing to the sermons of the reverend imprisoners of
seduced men, HALL was engaged with the seducer
and witness in shooting rabbits on a Sunday after-
noon ! This witness pointed out the rabbit, HALL
shot it, and the witness walked off with the booty in
his pocket !
We have little doubt their Reverences would have
found this another aggravated case of poaching, and
an additional three months' imprisonment and six
months' securities would have been inflicted. But
there was a justice in the court, not indeed hon-
oured with her MAJESTY'S commission, and not
quite blind to everything but vengeance, by fair
means or foul, on every one who touches the sacred
pheasant or rabbit. Mr. WILLIAM BOODLE, an
attorney, let his name be known throughout Eng-
land, startled the magistrates, " who were consult-

inq on the.case"—as if it needed consultation for

any other object than that of punishing the real
criminal—by asking permission to address the
Court, not as an attorney, but as an
Englishman, " and he thought any man with
English feeling must feel indignant at the manner
in which this poor starving wretch had been
trapped into crime. This witness had been brought
from a distant part of the country to tempt this
poor man ; he had basely lent himself to the pur-
pose ; he had called the poor fellow out of bed,
begged as a favour that he would go with him,
had himself produced the gun and ammunition,
and was in fact the prime instigator of the offence
with which the prisoner was charged. He (Mr.
BOODLE) had hoped that the system pursued by
JONATHAN WILD, of first making men thieves and
then taking blood-money for their apprehension,
had been extinct in this country since that worthy
was executed. But he was sorry to find it was not so.
Mr. BOODLE then asked the witness if he had a
license, and witness said" No." He then asked
him for his address ; but Mr. Bevir, the magistrates'
clerk, told him not to answer the question ! ! !
The magistrates' clerk, like their Reverences,
might of course be expected to protect seducers to
poaching, but what are we to think of a bench of
English magistrates who did not themselves de-
mand the name and address of this vile tool of
Lord BATHURST'S Head gamekeeper, before they
gave credit to his evidence. Mr. BOODLE, how.
ever, had the game in his own hands. He told

the court that the man had himself admitted shoot-
ing a hare ; he was present when the hare and the
rabbit were shot, and for each of the acts he was
liable to a penalty of £2O. He then applied for an
information against the informer "for shooting
game withodt a license." The scamp, advised by
the clerk, who never proffered advice to poor HALL,
refused to give his address, but admitted that he
had been brought up feom a distant part of the
country for the express purpose of catching men
as lie had caught the prisoner. An officer of the
Inland Revenue present, backed Mr. BOODLE'S ap-
plication, promising to bring the rmatter under
the notice of the Commissioners. Mr. BOODLE
declared again his determination to press for the
penalties, which might either go entirely to Go-
vernment or be given to objects of charity? or laid
out for the benefit of the victim of the villain's 50-
d4etiou. He also pledged himself to bring the

whole affair under the notice of the Secretary of
State, with a view to obtain HALL'S liberation.
The dumbfounded Reverences now refused to con-
vict in this second case, and doubtless wish heartily
that they had not convicted in the first. The
rascal to whom their Reverences had so willingly
listened was glad to escape under protection of the
police, by a side door, to avoid the results of
popular indignation.
But how long are such scenes as these to be pos-
sible in the interest of rural sports—rather abuse
of sports—for squires and lords ? Here are Lord
BATHURST, a head-gamekeeper, a rev, chairman,
and other administrators of justice, all mixed up
with one of the vilest transactions we have re-
corded for a long time. Lord BATHURST may, of
course, be able to clear himself. If he dismiss with
a severe reprimand the head-gamekeeper, who
could be guilty of such foul play,
we shall be bound
to believe that he did not wish to entrap men
whom he suspected, into the commission of what
he, and the law of game preservers, makes a crime.
Nothing but some severe and public step like this
can save his reputation. What to say for the rev.
chairman and the other magistrates we know not.
We cannot think that they deserve to remain in
commission of the peace. Who, henceforth, can
rely on their fairness. They can justify what they
did, by the letter of the law, no doubt ; so can every
LEGREE in the cotton planting States of America.
But can they substantiate their discretion and their
equity. They are obviously unfitted to be entrusted
with summary powers. What, moreover, will they
say in defence of their clerk, and, if we understand
the case aright, the magistrates themselves, com-
bining to aid the informer in defrauding her MA-
JESTY'S revenue of the s penalties which he had
incurred, and which, as they would fall most
heavily on his wealthier employers, were never
more justly due ? It seems to us that, for-
ward as they were to demand six months'

securities from the hardly offending THOMAS HALL,
they ought not to have allowed the witness, whose

name they conspired to conceal, to quit the Court
without giving full security that he would respond
to Mr. BOODLE'S informations, This case, however,
and the Derby one, will soon, we trust, be heard
of in the House of Commons.

THE PRINCE OF WALES AND FREEMASONRY.—It
is rumoured that his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales
will be initiated this year in freemasonry. Owing to the
death of the Marquis o!Dalhousie, the titles of the deceased
nobleman (except the narquisate) are now borne by Lord
Panmure, Deputy Giand Master of England. —Dover
Chronicle.

THE PRINCE OF IVALEs.—The name of his Royal
Highness the Prince Wales has been entered on the
boards of Trinity College, Cambridge, and he will come
into residence in statu pupillari on the 18th instant. The
Prince, in edition to Nadingley Hall, which has been pre-
pared for him, and which was inspected in the course of last
week by the Prince Consort, will occupy the royal apart-
ments at his college. The Prince is expected to arrive on
the 15th at Madingley Hall, which is now occupied by his
servants, Lady King having given up possession. A
quantity of furniture arrived from Oxford on Thursday.

The Right Hon. Sydney Herbert, M.P. (says the
Observer), is about to to summoned to the Upper House by
the name, style, and title of Lord Herbert of Lea, in the
county of Wilts, in the peerage of the United Kingdom.
The Canada Club entertained the Governor-
General of Canada, an Wednesday last, at the Albion
Tavern. A numerous and distinguished party assembled
to meet his excellency,

Lord Brougham has passed through Paris en
route for his seat at Cannes, where his lordship intends re-
maining until just before the meeting of parliament.
THE EARL OF YARBOROUGH.—The tenantry and
numberless friends of the Lord Lieutenant will be exceed.
ingly gladdened by the intelligence contained in the follow-
ing letter addressed to a contemporary :—" 17, Arlington-
street, London, Dec. 22, 1860.—Sir,—Noticing in your
paper on the 21st an account of my health which is likely
to convey an erroneous impression to my friends in Lin-

colnshire, I shall feel greatly obliged by your stating in
your next number that my medical advisers consider my
state of health greatly improved. lam thankful to say my
weakness exists only in the imagination of your correspon-
dent.—l remain, sir, yours faithfully, YARBOROUGH."
Hull _Packet.

ACCIDENT TO LORD RAGLAN.—We regret to state
that Lord Raglan met with a serious accident on Thursday
last, by which he broke an arm. His lordship was sleighing
on the road between Madresfield Court, the seat of Earl
Beauchamp (where he was visiting) and Worcester, and on
arriving at a hill where the ice and snow were thick, he
alighted, with her ladyship and page, and proceeded to
walk down the hill. His lordship was leading the horse,
when he slipped anl fell with such violence on his side that
he broke his arm. He was conveyed as speedily as pos.•
sible, back to Madresfield Court, where the limb was set,
and he is going on favourably.

ACCIDENT TO THE RIGHT HON. A. BREWSTER.—
We regret to hear that a serious accident has befallen this
eminent lawyer while on a visit to Mr. B. Osborne, M.P.,
NeWtownanner, Clonmel. Our informant states that while
shooting a few days ago the contents of the gun passed
through the palm of one of his hands, while the ramrod
seriously injured the fore-arm. It was stated that an emi-
nent surgeon left town on Friday for Newtownanner. We
trust the accident is not of the serious nature that has been
represented to us, and that the lion, gentleman will soon be
in a position to resume his duties at the bar.—Freeman's
Journal.

MR. LOCH AND THE DOVER TOWN COUNCIL.-
At a meeting of the Dover town council on Tuesday last,
the mayor requested the attention of the council to a letter
which he had received from Mr. Loch, who had landed at
Dover the preceding Thursday :—" Fenton's Hotel, St.
James's-street, Dec. 28, 1860. My dear Sir,--You will be
adding a great favour to the honour you and so many gen-
tlemen in Dover have already conferred, if you will receive
yourself, and convey to those who gave me such a cordial
welcome yesterday, my most sincere and grateful thanks,
which at the time I was unable fully to express. I feel
that the kindness I have personally received arises from the
pleasure felt at the escape of two Englishmen from a bar-
barous enemy. I wish all my companions in captivity had
been spared to meet with similar kindness and sympathy.
It will be cheering to Mr. Parkes, who is still working in
China, to learn with what interest our fate has been watched
in this country. Allow me once more to thank you, and to
assure you that the recollection of yesterday will never be
forgotten.—Believe me to be, my dear sir, yours faithfully
obliged, HXNRY B. Loci.—J. Birmingham, Esq., mayor
of Dover."--Dover Chronicle.

Rear-Admiral R. S. Robinson is reported to be
the likely successor to Sir Baldwin Walker as Comptroller
of the Navy, but the matter is not definitively settled.
CAPTAIN'S FULL PAY.—We understand that in
the new art angements respecting the pay of 3aptains, R.N.,
the third class will be reduced from £450 to £4OO ; and that
the command money will only be granted to sea-going
ships. Flag captains aro not to be allowed any command
money whatever, although on the home station and in
harbour ships they are obliged to keep a separate table.—
United Service Gazette.

COMMITTEE ON IRON-PLATED SHIPS.---A War-
office committee has been appointed to investigate into the
results of experiments upon iron plates. Captain Dal-
rymple Hay, R.N. and two military officers have been
named.

THE EASTERN QUESTION " SETTLED" ON THE
STAGE.—The great topic of conversation to-day is an in-
cident 'which took place last night at the Theatre du
Cirque Imperial, during the first performance of the
,6 Massacres de la Syria," a melodrama, which, though
produced under another author's name, is well known to
be the work of M. Mocquard, the Emperor's Secretary and
Chef du Cabinet. You may easily form an idea of the
plot—the Druses are represented in the blackest colours,
and the Maronites are the very embodiment of persecuted
innocence; the French army are heroes, avengers, liberators,
&c. There is much expenditure of gunpowder, but the
" glory," " greatness," and " disinterestedness" of
France settle everything satisfactorily by the end of
the fifth act. The authorship of the piece being well
known, and the Emperor having intimated his inten-
tion to " assist" at the first performance, a great number
of diplomatists had taken boxes, and the remainder of the
audience were made up of senators, functionaries, journal-
ists, police spies, and gamins. The Emperor arrived about
8 o'clock, when the first act was over, and was loudly ap-
plauded on his entrance. The four last acts are literally
crammed with allusions to the " beneficent" influence of
France, which invariably brought down the house, all turn-
ing their eyes

WRECK OF A SWEDISH BARQUE.—PORTHCAWL.
GLAMORGANSUIRE, Jan. 3.—During a gale of wind and
heavy surf on the morning of the Ist inst., a Swedish barque,
from Cardiff to St. Kitts, with coals, went'ashore on the
Carfig Sands, off Porthcawl. The lifeboat of the National
Lifeboat Inatitution at this station immediately procecded
otf to the wreck, and took from her five men. The cost of
the lifeboat was the munificent gift of a Staffordshire lady
to the National Lifeboat Institution, It watt brought to
PorthcAwl some raontils ago,

LAriEhT NNW/is-4.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

PARIS, JAN. 6, NooN.
Negotiations concerning Gaeta have been opened
between France and Sardinia.

NAPLES, JAN. 5.
Several Neapolitan officers have been arrested.
The bombardment of Gaeta continues.

NAPLES, JAN. 4, 6 P.M.

A conspiracy formed by the Bourbon party, but
without any importance, has been discovered hare.
Four Royalist generals have been arrested,with
some agents of King Francis 11., who had come
from Gaeta.

Prince Carignan is expected here on the 15th

instant.

TURIN, JAN. 5.

The Turin journals publish a letter from Gari-
baldi, in 'vhich he renounces any intention of
offering himself as a candidate for the post of
deputy to the Italian Parliament, and advises con-
cord in order to arrive at the deliverance of Venice.

PARIS, JAN. 6.

To-day the rumour is renewed, in a more serious
manner than ever, that the French fleet is shortly
to be withdrawn from Gaeta. This time, I believe,
the rumour is well founded.

The replacement of M. Farini, by the Prince de
Carignano, at Naples, is confirmed.

VIENNA, JAN. 6.

The official 'Wiener Zeitung publishes an ordi-
nance of the Minister of State, which is to be valid
for all the Crown lands, with the exception of
Hungary, Transylvania, Croatia, and Venetia.
The ordinance specifies the conditions of eligi-
bility, both for the elections and those elected as
deputies to the diets in the cities and rural com-
munes. The cities which, according to the statutes
of their province, have the right of sending their
own representatives to the diet, will appoint them
by direct elections, at which all inhabitants of the
communes who, by the special communal law of
1849, are entitled to elect the municipal authorities,
will take part. The election of deputies from the
rural communes will be effected by electors who
are to be themselves elected by the inhabitants of
the communes.

Those persons are eligible as deputies to the diet,
who are Austrian citizens, who are at least 30 years
of age, in the full enjoyment of civil rights, and
who belong to one of the classes privileged to vote.

PESTH, JAN. 6.

Yesterday disturbances took place at Kerskemet,
which necessitated the intervention of the garrison.
The soldiers were compelled to make use of their
firearms, and five persons were severely wounded
in consequence.