The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-06 00:00:00

SPAIN.

Madrid journals of the 30, h ult. have arrived.
All the Ministers had on the previous day tendered
their resignations to the QUEEN, in consequence of the
resignation of the Finance Minister, BRAVO Muani.o.
Her MAJESTY, however, refused to accept any of the
resignations except that of Senor BRAVO MURILLO.
On the 30th thre was another Cabinet Council. Senor
MoN, who is at Paris, has been sent for, and he will
probably be the successor to BRAVO MURILLO.
Lord HOWDEN has addressed a strong note to the
Ministers on the subject of the debt, recommending
the adoption of the proposal made at the last meeting
of the bondholders; the _Prussian, Dutch, and Belgian
Ministers had followed the example of Lord How-
DEN, but the French Minister bad refused to in-
terfere.

The facts in the case to which we have alluded lie
within a very narrow compass. It appeared that a
widow named ANNE LAVEY was plaintiff in the
Whitechapel County Court, and a man named HAN-
NAH, defendant. The plaintiff was examined as a
witness, in pursuance of the 83d section of the
County Courts Act (9 and 10 Victoria, c. 95).
After giving her evidence in chief she was suhk cted
to a severe cross-examination by the defendant's
attorney as to her previous character, and among
other questions was asked " whether she had ever
appeared at the bar' of the Central Criminal
Court on a charge of forgery, or any other
charge, or had been ever locked up in tt e
Thames Police, or any other station ?" which
questions she answered in the negative. An
indictment for perjury was subsequently preferred
against her, and on the trial yesterday it was proved
that she had been committed from the Thames Police-
court on the charge of having forged a seaman's ad-
vance ticket, and that she had been tried at the Central
Criminal Court on that charge, although she had been
acquitted, as it was alleged, on a technical flaw in the
indictment. After a patient investigation, the jury
returned a verdict of guilty, accompanied, however,
with a recommendation to mercy, and the defendant
was thereupon sentenced to imprisonment in the
House of Correction, in Westminster, for twelve
calendar months.
Although we do not, in any degree, dissent from
the verdict or sentence in the foregoing case—the
woman richly deserving the punishment to which she
has been subjected—there are points in the case
worthy of notice ; and first, it will be seen that the
perjury assigned was not in any degree connectt d
with the real question at issue, whether Mrs-
LAVEY had a right to recover her demand from
the prosecutor? If there was no evidence to
sustain that demand beyond her own testimony, then
unquestionably her previous character became a
matter of considerable importance in enabling the
judge to decide upon the weight that should be at-
tached to her statements. But every uncorroborated
assertion of a party to a suit will ever be regarded
with considerable suspicion, and if unfounded, the
oath of the other party may be received as an equiva-
lent or set-off, so that much mischief could not under
any circum:stances be occasioned by refusing to permit
any cross. examination of plaintiff or defendant either
as to their genneral character, or as to particular trans-
actions unconnected with the subject-matter under
investigation. If the practice be at all sanctioned or
tolerated it may' give rise to serious abuses. A vin-
dictive or malevolent person, although having no real
case, either as plaintiff or defendant, may go into
court merely for' the purpose of being enabled to
bring his opponent to shame and disgrace, to convict
him out of his oven mouth, and blast his character
among his neighbours and friends for acts long since
forgotten, which had been sincerely and truly re-
pented. A fearfit instrument of moral torture would
thus be placed in. the hands of ill-disposed persons,
THE TREATY OP OLMUTZ BETWEEN
who would be hereby enabled to persecute their
unjust demands. AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA.
enemies, or to extort a recognition of
• The treaty of Olmiltz is stated to comprise the f 01..,
Is there, thee,, necessity for .this extraordinary privi-
hs
lege being granted ? We think not! And we " 1 lowing six
The p paraacifigrap :.
. cation of holstein by Austrian troops

MADRID BOLSA, Nov. 30.—The Three per
Cents. 34 9.16 ; Five per Cents., 13. Exchange on
London 50 35.

PORTUGAL.

Intelligence has been received from Lisbon to the
Ist December.

The difference between the Ministry and the Bank
continued unarranged, and the English claims re-
mained unsettled.

Commodore MARTIN'S squadron brd returned to
the Tagus.

The Italian Opera at Lisbon opened on the 29th,
with Clara Novello as prima donna. Her debiit was
most successful.

GERMANY.

LADENBERG tendered his resignation to the King
of PRUSSIA on the 3d ; it was accepted. This leaves
MANTEUFFEL and the peace party masters of the Ca-
binet. On the same day MAI'TEUFFIL announced to
the Parliament the arrangement of Olmutz, and de-
clared his determination to maintain peace and to con-
tinue in office. After this communication, VON
Visacs proposed an amendment to the Address, calling
on the KING to dismiss bis Ministers. The Committee
adopted VON VINKE'S proposition, which had been
signed by 110 Members, by a majority of 18 to 4. A
Cabinet Council was immediately held, and on the
opening of the Chambers on the 4th they were pro-
rogued to the 3d January. The following telegraphic
dispatch is the latest intelligence that has been received
from Berlin ; it is dated the 4th :
" The Lower House had assumed a hostile attitude.
"Its Committee OR the Address bad agreed on a new
draught condemnatory of rbe Olmutz arrangements.
"Of the committee 18 voted for the Opposition. The
Cabinet had f,,ur votes.

"A Cabinet Council has been beld.
" The King has adjourned the Parliament to the 3d
of January. 1851."

The Cologne Gazette of the 2d says—" The stipu-
lations agrevri upon between Prince t..:cuwAirrzels-
BURG and Baron VON MANTEUFFEL have been sanc-
tioned by the Courts of Vienna and Berlin. Peace is
secured."

The Lloyd states that numerous telegraphic dis-
patches has arrived rat, and been transmitted hem
Vienna in the course of the day ; they were com-
municated in cyphers, and were invari;.bly submitted
to his MAJESTY immediately. It is generally con-
sidered that the free conferences determined upon will
not only settle the differences between Vienna and
Berlin, but likewise secure the peace of Hesse Cassel,
and Lliable the ELECTOR to return to his dominions.
No change had taken place in the position of affairs
in Hesse Cassel up to the lid inst.