The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-23 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 1857.

Sir CHARLES BARRY *as again hauled over the
coals, last evening, in the Lower House
of Par-
liament. As usual to no practical good purpose
whatever in the way of diminishing the old
travagant expenditure complained of, loudly_
but still persisted in, pertinaciously ! It is the
old, lamentable, muddling, intolerable story all
over again :—Parliament grumbling and paying,
and Sir CHARLES BARRY all the while (down to
the very end of the chapter) entirely unsatisfied.
The only possible solution to this bewildering
problem, the only credible explanation of this
otherwise inscrutable mystery, the only conceivable
slue through this most involved and intricate

of labyrinths must, wo take it, be the very one
hit upon last night by Mr. MALINs, when he said
that "this story, in fact, like every other he had
ever heard of, has two sides to it !" Beyond all
doubt, that is the only imaginable loophole of
escape left to us out of all this whirl of " confu-
sion worse confounded." And, as affording direct
corroboration of its easily-conceivable accuracy,
we find floating, as it wore, upon the very surface
of the squabble the following particulars :
Parliament is indignant with Sir CHARLES BARRY
because he has already received 54,753/.—
whereas not more than 25,0001., at the very
utmost, had been originally fixed upon as the
amount of his remuneration. Sir CHAs. BARRY,
on the other hand, is indignant in his turn be-
cause, while other architects (as a rule) are paid
at the one average rate of 5 per cent. upon the
outlay—HE, the architect, not of an individual,
but of the Imperial Legislature itself, is remune-
rated with a beggarly 3 per cent. instead—con-
trary, as we have said, to the customary scale in
his profession.

Yes—there are, without doubt, two sides to
this story as to all other stories. Mr. Kum
was in the right. The Honourable Gentleman
has, we repeat, hit it. This, after all, is the only
explanation. It is nothing more than a new
illustration of a very old comedy—A/lint/re Wrong.
Parliament and Sir CHARLES BARRY are both
enormously to blame—and yet, at the same time,
shamefully illtreated. The architect (for the most
part) has received only a paltry 3 per cent. upon
the outlay—amounting, it is true, already to the
respectable aggregate of considerably more tkan
50,0001. sterling. And the Treasury at the same
time has had to bleed (to " drop its blood for
drachmas ") to the extent of—well, the sums really
are net very easily calculable ! At any rate, with
a view to give some faint idea of these
enormous disbursements, let us say that one simple
estimate, under 300,0001., was originally voted
by the House of Commons for this purpose some
years back—when it was first proposed to erect
the new Legislative Palace at Westminster.
Truly " one simple estimate" under 300,0001. !
For in lieu of that sufficing as a maximum—
a minimum of 2,000,0001. has already been
exceeded ! Then —as we have said nearly
300,0001. was voted as the necessary sum for the
construction of the new Houses, or, rather,
Palaces of Parliament. In 1854 there was ano-
ther estimate of 284,0001., just to finish with !
according to the assurance then given to Parlia-
ment by the late lamented Sir W. MOLESWORTH.
Nevertheless, in 1855 there was also voted and
spent (beyond that 284,0001.) a huge total of
1,700,0001. And now, in 1857, Ministers
have taken another Tote of 162,0001. addi-
tional ! And even this won't be thd last
by any means—we may be sure of it. It
would be the extreme of the most ridiculous
credulity to imagine it. At any rate there are
two or three reflections that come in to our aid—
in the midst of all this lavish expenditure—by
way of consolation. It is consolatory to remember,
for example, that while we are (no doubt of it)
paying for the luxury beyond all anticipation—
we are building up for the admiration of future
times one of the noblest monuments this ago will
leave of its splendour, of its wealth, and of its
munificence. It is immediately consolatory also
for ourselves—forgetting posterity, that is to say,
and thinking only of ourselves, of this present
generation—it is immediately consolatory to
remember that we have an able and conscientious
administrator at the head of our public works
department—a man who is resolutely bent upon
steering a waedium course between the extremes of
parsimony and extravagance. It is not yot quite
two years since Sir BENJAMIN HALL first occupied
his present delicate and responsible position—the
right hon. baronet having been appointed to the
office on the 24th of July, 1855—and already
he has extorted a panegyric from the honourable
Member for Lambeth (the recognised successor of
Mr. JOSEPH HUME, as the Economical Auditor-
General of the Public Accounts), " Wiscouut
WILLIAMS," as Punch calls him—W. W. the
Incorruptible ! Quoth Mr. Wremarrs, last even-
ing in the House of Commons, "The Right Hon.
Baronet (Sir B. HALL) is, in fact, the first Com-
missioner of Works who has offered any decided
check to Sir CHARLES BARRY." Surely that is
saying a great deal—that is giving us some con-
solation, some immediate and substantial consoln-
tio❑ ! Sir BENJAMIN is our " check" upon Sir
CHARLES BARRY. But while we say this do not
let us forget, in extenuation, or, rather, in expla-
nation, of the conduct of the last-mentioned—
the Great Architectural Delinquent and
Aderner of the Age—that he (Sir CHARLES
BARRY) has had to work onwards, as best
he could, through all the grand conglom-
merated obstructions of our system of circumspec-
tion ! He has had to act under all sorts of con-
flicting Committees, and Boards, and Commissions!
Under a Committee of Taste, and a Committee of
the Fine Arts !—a Committee of Inquiry and a
Committee of Supervision !—a Kitchen Com-
mittee, and a Committee of we don't know what
other department ! Consulting now with the
Treasury, and now with the Board of Works, and
now again with the Treasury—and so on almost
interminably. So that if we will have our Go-
vernment conducted upon the principle of circum-
locution—very well, in that case, we must con-
sent to pay the penalty !

The first fruits of the labours of the Statute
Law Commissioners, were last night laid before the
House of Peers in the shape of Eight bills, conso-
lidating the laws with respect to larceny (including
burglary), malicious injuries fo property, forgery,
offences relating to the coinage, the game laws,
libel, and the laws relating to the accessories to
offences. They are not, it appears, merely consc•
lidations, inasmuch as the amendments suggested
by the Criminal Law Commissioners have been
embodied in the different bills, as if they had
already received the Legislative sanction. This is
in accordance with a very judicious resolution of
the Upper House in 1854. It is to be regretted,
however, that the bills only relate to the Statute
Law, leaving untouched the Common or unwritten
Law. The great object of obtaining the whole
law in relation to a particular subject in a single
statute, so clear and intelligible that any
person may .know what he is required to do—
and what he must leave undone, with the
nature and extent of the penalties to which he will
be liable, in the event of a wrongful act either of
omission or commission, will not be completely
attained.

It will, however, be a decided step in ad-
vance, a movement in the right direction, from
which we may anticipate further improvements
that will eventually placo the criminal laws of
Zngland in as satisfactory a position as that to
Which those of France were elevated by the Code
Napoleon. At present the English lawyer is
compelled to examine some 50 volumes, of gigan-
tic dimensions, a large proportion of which
have been repealed thers may be regarded as
obsolete, while in many instanoes there are con-
flicting enactments. All those matters must be
considered, and, if possible, reconciled. " The
glorious uncertainty of the law" is thus produced,

and it is clearly impossible for auy man who does
not devote his life to the study, to understand
the duties imposed on him as a good and faithful
subject. And yet by one of those legal fictions,
Mill tolerated, oven the most illiterate person is
supposed to be thoroughly informed on every
point, to have the laws of England at his fingers
end, available for his information at any Moment.
We are told that, in all, 65 statutes have al-
ready been prepared, of which those which have
just received the first reading may be regarded as
fair specimens, and that nine others are now in
the hands of the commissioners. This is certainly
doing a great deal, and affords a reasonable hope,
that, with equal industry, the work may ere long
be finished. We want, however, codification, as
well as consolidation, and, to our judgment, it
' seems as if the operations could proceed simulta-
neously and with little additional labour. The
people should be able to know what they were
bound to obey, and it is notorious that the whole
duties of good citizens are by no means contained
in all the statutes, voluminous and elaborate
though they may be. The Statute Law gives the
mere skeleton, which has no vitality until that
which has been handed down from time iinmem o-
rial, and been affirmed by the judicial wisdom of
all ages has been fully and fairly incorporated
therewith.

It can scarcely be anticipated that even the
present limited number of bills can receive the
legislative sanction during tho present session.
The Judges will depart on Circuit within a few
weeks, and their advice and opinions may be of
paramount importance, besides, there should be
ample time for mature and attentive conside-
ration, which cannot be bestowed, during the
busyportions of the year, but which may be given
during the recess. We should therefore rejoice if all
of the 65 bills now in readiness were introduced
and laid before the country, while the work of
active legislation may be properly postponed until
the commencement of next session. It would be
well also, if care were taken that new bills should
be so framed as to occasion but little trouble in
the way of consolidation.
Criminal procedure has, it appears, been post-
poned, until a decision can be arrived at respect-
ing the address of the last House of Commons,
for the appointment of a Minister and Department
of Justice. The appointment of Crown prosecu-
tors, properly selected, will be indispensable to
the administration of the Criminal Law, now
about to be consolidated, and, we earnestly hope,
codified.

At a late hour last night, or rather an early
one this morning, Mr. LOWE carried a resolution
through a Committee of the whole House, whereon
to found a bill for the regulation of Joint Stock
Banks, or rather to extend to these establishments
the benefit of the Act of last year. It is intended
to remove the existing difficulties in the way of
the formation of such companies, to ensure a pro-
per register, which will at once show the contri-
butories, in the event of any winding-up, and to
atop actions against individual shareholders
whenever the winding-up process has been insti-
tuted. So far so good. There is nothing more
important to the trade and commerce of the coun-
try than the possession of banking facilities. Without
these indispensable adjuncts Joint-stock Banks can-
not be properly conducted, and yet under the exist-
ing laws they are discouraged in every possible way.
Almost insuperable obstacles are interposed in the
way of the formation of a new company, and when
these have at length been overcome, after enor-
mous troublo and expense, a mere license to trade
is all that is granted. They cannot issue a single
note, however ample the securities they might be
prepered to offer. The law is, in fact, almost
prohibitionary; and, notwithstanding the inviting
and ample field for competition, the restrictions
and liabilities are such that few capitalists will be
prepared to embark in banking speculations.
One of the most mischievous provisions is that
which renders a man liable, both in person and
property, and in the latter both to the last shilling
and the last acre, and that although he may be
the holder of but a few shares, and did not in any
degree participate in the management. We regret
to say that this evil is to be perpetuated. The
well-known views of Mr. LOWE have been appa-
rently overruled;and that, although the experience
of the British Bank would show that the unlimited
liability was equally injurious both t 3 the creditors
and shareholders. Mr. WYLD, whose efforts iu fa-
vour of the creditors of that unfortunate concern
have been of the most efficient and energetic
character, pointed out the inevitable consequencis.
Those who would gladly pay a reasonable and
definite sum, when they found they were to be
stripped of their all and reduced to beggary
entered into arrangements to dispose of their
, properties and go into perpetual exile. It is
indeed difficult t o understand how any wealthy
capitalist will face unlimited liability; and
there is no reason to doubt that the
same principle that prevails in other cases
should be made applicable to the share-
holders in Joint-Stock Banks. This defect
in the measure may, however, be amended in
a )mmittee, and then the Bill 1.; ill prove of real
value to the community. ..
The unfortunate and innocent shareholder has
also been placed-within many fires. He has been
proceeded against, simultaneously, in Chancery
and Bankruptcy ; and, as if the con-
current jurisdictions of these tribunals was
not sufficient, he might have his goods seized in
execution, by any creditor. Nay, more, the
same process might be multiplied a hundred fold,
so that the original debts, due to the sharp prac-
titioners, would be far more than quadrupled.
This will henceforward be ameliorated ; but until
the principle of limited liability is introduced,
and the privilege conferred of issuing (on
unquestionable security) notes of convenient
denominations, banking will not be placed
on a sound or satisfactory foundation, bene-
ficial alike to the shareholders and the com-
munity at large. As we have already stated, the
measure is good, so far as it gone, but a conside-
rable addition must be made before it will be ex-
tensively acted on, or the existing void properly
filled.

Her Majesty will hold a Privy Council on Thursday
next, the 25th inst., at Buckingham Palace.
TEE FROZEN DEEP.—Her Majesty has commanded a
private representation of Mr. Wilkie Collins's drama
of "The Frozen Deep." It will be given on Saturday
week at the Gallery of Illustration, the characters being
sustained by the original corps of amateur ladies and
gentlemen who played in it at Tavistook House.
ADELPHI THEATRE.—Mr. and Mrs. Barney Williams
last night returned to this theatre for a limited engage-
ment. No novelties were produced on the occasion.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE ORDER OF VALOUR.--.kNOtiCe
has been issued that persons applying for tickets of ad-
mission to the reserved seats, to witness the ceremony
of the distribution of the Order of Valour, should send
in their applications to the Quartermaster-General,
Horse Guards, on or before Wednesday morning.
THE GRAND CALEDONIAN FANCY DRESS BALL.—
The annual fancy dress ball, under the immediate pa-
tronage of her Majesty and members of the Royal family,
fur the benefit of the Royal Caledonian Asylum and the
Royal Scottish Hospital, was given at Willis's Rooms,
King-street, St. James's, and although it could not be
said to be the fulle-1, it was one of the best balls we
have witnessed during the last three yeFJ..

The specie from America yesterday includes 50,0001.
Mexican dollars. Of the gold 50,0001. will be sent to
the Bank of France, and 40,0001. has already been pur-
chased to send to the continent for silver. A consider-
able portion of the remainder will, perhaps, be taken to
he Bank.