The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-18 00:00:00

A MODEL DECISION.

As we have occasionally derided the Aldermana-
tion of Justice, it is but fair to acknowledge that
Aldermen Carden and Humphery at the Mansion-
house have, in the treatment and punishment of a
ruffianly case, presented a perfect model to the magis-
tracy. A. Mr. Leggett, leather tnerchant, committed

an assault upon a young lady, and followed it up by
using grossly indecent language to her. The plea in
defence was intoxication. Many a magistrate would
hare lectured the defendant upon the impropriety of
getting drunk, fined him forty shillings or so, which
would have been smilingly and triumphantly paid,
and the case would have been di-posed of; but not so
did the Aldermen allow a ruffian to purchase the in-
dulgence of brutality.
" Alderman Carden, after having conferred with
Alderman Humphery, said, my brother magistrate and
I have •ery narrowly looked into all the circumstances
of this case, and we concur in opinion that one of more
gross indecency could not have been brought before us.
We concur, too, in opinion that the disgusting words
uttered by the defendant must have been habitual, and
not the mere casual effusion of drunken brutality.
" The defndant—l assure you, sir, that I was so
drunk as to have no idea of what took place. A friend
and I had dined and taken four bottles of wine in the
tavern near the spot. I had no notion of insulting
the lady. _ _

" Alderman Carden—You were not able to run after
and persecute her, but to attempt to escape when you
found that persons were ready and determined to pro-
teat her, and you greatly aggravated your offence by
repeating language unfit for any ears, in the pretence
of one to whom as a man you were bound to offer suc-
cour and assistance insteai of insult. We are perfectly
aware that a sum of money al a penalty upon you would
be considered of no importance. You manifested by
your smiles and indifference, while the young lady was
so modestly giving her e►idence, that you felt very little
fur her, or for your offence against soc`sty, or apprehen-
sion as to the result of this investigation. But it happens
as magistrates we have the power of inflicting a very
disagreeable substitute for a pecuniary penalty, and we
think that this is a most excellent opportunity of testing
the efficacy of that power. Our sentence upon you,
therefore, is, that for your violent and indeoent conduct
you be imprisoned seven days in the House of Correc-
tion.—(Laughter.)
" The defendant was shocked at this judgment, and
assured the Bench that he deeply regretted his conduct,
and was willing to pay any penalty they might think
proper to inflict. He repeated that he was most willing
to be allowed to apologise to the lady and all other per-
sons whom ha might have offended.
" Alderman Carden said, the Bench did not consider

it necessary to consult the lady at all upon tte occasion,
and certainly could not suppose that she would con-
descend t 3 listen to the language of apology from one
who had used language for which there could be no
apology. The defendant was then taken off to the
House of Correction. There were several gentlemen
present who were ready to testify as to the high respect-
ability of Mr. Leggett, but the Alderman said the cafe
was disposed of."
This is all excellent. There are other police
courts in which the defendant's expressions of regret
after the unexpected sentence was passed would not
have been contrasted with the insolent indifference of
his demeanour when he thought that his purse was
to exempt him from punishment for his brutality.
The Alderman had the sagacity to see that the de-
fendant's sorrow was not sorrow at the unprovoked
outrage he had committed against an unprotected
woman, but sorrow that he had fallen into the hands
of justice, and could not ransom his person from the
House of Correction.
We have often protested against the readiness of ma-
gistrates to favour the intercession of complainants for
mitigation of punishment, as if a party should in any
way be permitted to interfere with the office and
functions of the judge, and as if the example of
punishment for outrage was not due to the public in-
terests from the moment a case was brought under
the cognizance of a tribunal. Alderman Carden
would not fall into this weak error; " he did not
think it necessary to consult the lady at all upon the
occasion"—all that he consulted was the example best
calculated to secure the public against the repetition
of any such offence.
Gentlemen were of course ready to testify to the
high respectability of the convicted defendant ; but
the honest and upright alderman simply intimated
that the case was disposed of, and " highly-respect-
able" ruffianism has to undergo its appropriate chas-
tisement in the House of Correction.

The City magistracy h honoured by this example.
•Examiner.

PUBLIC CONVEYANCES OF THE
METROPOLIS.
A densely-crowded meeting of the owners and
drivers of cabs and hackney carriages, likewise the
" watermen" of the metropolitan ranks, took place on
Friday night at the Temperance Hall, in the Broad-
way, Westminster, for the purpose, among others, of
confirming a series of rules and regulations agreed
to at a former meeting, as the foundation of a Pro-
tective Association, in consequence of the infor-
mations and prosecutions lately levied en mane
against both drivers and masters ; and also to
hear the report of the deputation appointed
to wait on the Commissioners of Police. Mr
Ruscombe Wollen, of Bucklersbury, attended as the
solicitor to the association, and it appeared that that
gentleman, accompanied by a deputation of masters,
consisting of Messrs. Emmett, Hider, Jenks, Smith,
and Beadle, bad waited on the authorities at Scotland-
yard, and represented the grievances they laboured
under, and the persecution they were enduring in con-
sequence of the "ranks" of London not being properly
.detined. The MaryleboneVestry, under theirilocal Ad,
the 35th of Geo. 111., cap. 73, bad positively interdicted
the standing of hackney carriages or cabs on what had
always been considered a " rank" in Oxford-street,
namely, between Market-street and Poland-street.
One cab driver had been recently fined by Mr. Bing-
ham, at Marlborough-street, and a number of other
cases were pending his decision. At the present time
there were nearly 3,000 cabs working in the metro-
polis, and, on an average, there were not more than
1,000 engaged at any one given time, which would
leave 2,000 that should be standing on the
" ranks "—the regular recognised " ranks "—which
contained room for only 1,200, leaving 800
totally unprovided with a standing. The depu-
tation urged the increased and increasing size of
London, and the necessity cf new " ranks," and fur-
ther expressed a hope that the Legislature would
shortly place the regulation of public conveyances, the
appointment of " ranks" or stands, &c., under the en-
tire control of the Metropolitan Commissioners of
Police, repealing, of course, all local Acts relating to
the same. The Commissioners replied, that they
would give the subject their serious considera-
tion : they had already taken the opinion of
the law officers of the Crown, relative to their
powers, under the 6th and 7th Victoria, for the regu-
lating hackney carriages ; but the legal authorities
did not think that it repealed the local Acts ; at least
their construction of the statute was equivocal. Sir
G. Grey intended last session to introduce a Bill on
the subject of public conveyances ; and if the Right
Hon. Baronet still entertained that idea, the deputa-
tion, through their solicitor, would be informed of i•.
In the course of the meeting, it was stated that there
was no less than 800 badges " working foul," at the
present time, in London, by the lowest and most de-
graded characters, the detection and punishment of
whom was one of the principal objects of the proposed
association.

We believe the annual financial statement of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer will not be made in the
House cf Commons before Easter; but there is every
reason to expect that it will he brought forward as soon
ss possible after the recess.—Sunday Paper.