The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-10 00:00:00

are we to change our principles because a Tory Govern-
ment
is in power ? Are we to veer about like weather-
cocks
with the Ministerial gale, and call that right 1
under the guidance of Peel which we protested against I
under Melbourne ?' All this is very tine in the way of
clap-trap eloquence, and will go down with many as
irresistible argumentation. But let declamation sleep
for a moment, while reason speaks. Of course, prin-
ciple
cannot charge with, or be the least affected by, '
the ruling Ministers ; but practical conduct must and
oaght to admit of modifications from such considera-
tions." . . . . . • . • • •
What was politic• and wise then (under the Whigs) is
not so now. Every motive of prudence loudly suggests
that it is only common sense to endeavour to make the
best use of an institution, now that it is impossible to
alter or suppress it, which it would have been most in-
expedient and impolitic to take any part in, as long
as holding off seemed likely to produce such effects."
Such is the advice which the Government, by the
mouth of its servant, the Dublin Packet, addresses to
the clerical opponents of the National Board of Edu-
cation. Is it not passing strange—assuming that there
has been no change of purpose, from infirmity to de-
cision on the part of the Government in this matter—
that simultaneous with a statement that a decisive
course was henceforth to be adopted—which statement
had no foundation in fact—there should be all this
waste of argument by the Government organ to recon-
cile the clergy to a state of things which had really
no existence ? On the supposition that the Govern-
ment means henceforth to give efficiency to its own
system of education in Ireland, by removing obstacles
which have hitherto retarded and counteracted its
success, all is plain. On the contrary hyplthesis,
everything is confused and contradictory. Will the
Standard undertake to reconcile the discrepancies ?
In the meantime, tha High Churchmen in this coun-
try see, in the ecclesiastical measures of Sir Robert
Peel, everything to alarm their fears. The system of
exclusive privileges, civil and religious, of which they
are by education and habit the advocates, they con-
sider as perilled by his policy. The Church and State
Gazette has for several weeks poured forth its anathemas
on the Government, and especially on Sir Robert Peel.
In consistency with the distrust of the Premier which
that influential organ of the Ultras in this country has
long inculcated, upon all who desire to preserve
Protestantism in both countries from threatened ex-
tirpation, 'we find in its leading articles of Saturday
last, the tocsin of alarm sounded in the loudest notes.
In one article we read :—" The Church, the House
of Lords, the Monarchy, must all abide the furious
trial. They may yet be saved ; but not by the
policy adopted by Sir R. Peel. That is certain de-
struction to all ! Under it the House of Commons
will become omnipotent, and, as in times past, will
break down and trample upon the other forms of the
Constitution." .

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
OLD COURT.

The Recorder sat in this Court and disposed of a num-
ber of cases of larceny, the details of which were of no
public interest.
In the course of the day the Grand Jury came into
Court and returned the following kills, having reference
to the alleged will forgeries :-
1. A true bill against William Henry Barber, Joshua
Fletcher, William Saunders, and Georgiana Dorey, for
felony.
2. A true 11-agamst the Gape' parties.
3. A true In to ihe-sdne: "
4. A true bill 'against Barti-'it,-Fleteltand Dorey.
5. A true bill against Susannah- Richards, Barber,
Fletcher, and Dorey.
. G. A true bill against these same prisoners.
7. A true bill -against Lydia Saunders, Barber, Flet-
cher, W. Saunders, and Dorey.
8. A true bill against all the above-mentioned pri-
soners.
9. A true bill against Dorey, Barber, and Fletcher.

10. A true bill'against the same prisoners.
It will be seen that no bill has been returned against
Griffin, and it is expected that he will be admitted a
witness for the Crown.

SURREY QUARTER SESSIONS.
REIGATE.—ApriI 9.
The general quarter sessions for the county of
Surrey commenced to-day, at the Town-hall, Rei-
gate, before J. W. Freshfield, Esq., Chairmin ; IL
Kemble, Esq., M.P. ; J. W. Denison, Esq., M.P. ;
Sir R. Frederick ; C. Barclay, Esq._; A. K. Barclay,
Esq. ; T. Puckle, Esq. ; H. Gorse, Esq. ; G. T.
Nicholson, Esq. ; and a number of other Justices.
FEES OF COURT.
The usual routine business having been disposed of,
Mr. JEFFREY, upon the report of the Visiting Jus-.
tices to the county gaol being presented for confirma-
tion, •said he begged leave to bring to the notice of the
Court a subject which he considered of very great im-
portance. He held in his hand the jaetition of a
person named Ward, who complained that, being
arraigned upon a charge of misdemeanour, and ac-
quitted, he was compelled to pay a fee of 10s. 6d. for his
discharge. The petitioner complained bitterly of thiS
proceeding, and of the hardship of a poor man being
compelled to pay a heavy fee, after he was
declared innocent of the charge made against him.
He (Mr. Jeffrey) would not waste the time of the
Court by any remarks upon the injustice of this"
course of proceeding. He believed that the question
had before arisen, and that the only plea urged in
favour of the continuance of the practice was, that it
had existed for a great many years, that the fee had
been sanctioned by the judges, and that in point of
fact a prescriptive right had been obtained. The
matter had, however, been brought before Parliament,
arid the Secretary of State for the Home Department
had declared the practice to be illegal, and to amount
almost to the offence of extortion at common law.
Mr. Jeffrey then read an extract from a speech made
by Sir J. Graham in the Houie of Commons, in which
he declared all such fees to be ab origine illegal, and
said that the order of the Court of Quarter Sessions
sanctioning such fees, although they might justify
persons in taking them, could not render them legal ;
and, considering it a great hardship upon defendant, he
felt it his duty to bring the subject before the Court.
He believed that in Middlesex the practice of taking
such fees had been abolished, and he thought it was
high time that the same course should be adopted in
the county of Surrey.
The CHAIRMAN said he believed it had been the
custom from time immemorial to take these fees, and
this was the difficulty the Court would have to get
over.
Mr. JEFFREY said, that although this 'Might be the
case, in his opinion it was illegal, and the Court
were bound to interfere and stop such proceedings in
future.
The Cssapts!taer said that if the fees were illegal,
they could not be enforced. Did Mr. Jeffrey mean
to make'any motion upon the subject ?
Mr. JEFFREY said his Only object, on the present
occasion, was to bring the *natter before the Court.
He thought it monstrous, and contrary to every prin-
ciple of justice, that a poor Mau, who was acquitted of
the charge made against him, should have to pay a
heavy fee for his discharge.
Mr. DAWSON concurred with the Hon. Magistrate,
that it was a hard and cruel case for a poor man to be
compelled to pay such a fee. A complaint of a simi-
lar nature had been made some years ago, and a me-
morial was submitted to the Secretary of State. He
believed that there was, at present a Committee of the
House of Commons sitting, for the purpose of con-
sidering the question of those fees, and whether it
would not be• better to substitute a salary in lieu of
them. As to their legality, he could not admit that
an opinion of the Secretary of State ought to be of
snore avail than the order of Quarter Sessions.
Mr. KEMBLE wished to know who received those
fees, and how they were applied ? By a paper which
he held in his hand they appeared to be divided be-
tween the crier of the Court, the jury, and the sum-
moning officer.
The Deputy Clerk of the Peace said that he had
nothing to do with those fees. They were received
by the crier, and he could explain how they were ap-
propriated.
Mr. KEMBLE said this what he desired to know,
and he put the question to the crier of the Court.
. The Crier replied that ha believed the fees in ques-
tion had been taken for a great many years, and for
40 years he had taken them under the authority of the
Court. The money was divided between the jury,
the summoning officer, and himself.
Mr. KEMBLE—And these feei were received under
the authority of the Court ?
The Crier said they were.
The CHAIRMAN inquired what was to be done upon
the subject. Did Mr. Jeffery mean to give notice
of any motion ? At present the discussion was pre-
mature.
Mr. JEFFREY said he thought the matter was one
of very considerable importance, and he should cer-
tainly give notice of a motion to take the subject into
consideration at the next session.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
(YESTERDAY.)
-CLERKEIV (YELL.
I,SIIOCIUNG . OCCURRENCE. Yesterday morning
when Mr. COMBE took his seat on the bench, a re-
spectable looking man, who seemed to be labouring
under great excitement, came before the Magistrate,
requesting his advice.
Ile said his name was Long; that he was in the
employment of Messrs. Ashton and Berwick, under-
takers, Gray's Inn-road. On that morning, about
nine o'clock, a woman cut her throat in his house,
No. 3, Robert-street, Bedford-row.. She was not
dead, but nearly so.
Mr. COMM inquired where she was ? Long—She
is at the Gray's Inn-road Hospital. The surgeon told
me there was no hope of saving her life.
Being further interrogated by the Magistrate, the
applicant stated that the unfortunate woman- is, the
wife of a gentleman's servant, and that herself and
husband have been lodging with him for a consider-
a'ele time. On Monday last they had a quarrel, but up
to that time they lived very happily together. Yester-
o'Oock_, the husband left home_
day.mornin at eight