The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-24 00:00:00

J- truing Oint

LONDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1850

It is one of the proudest boasts of Englishmen, that
the British law knows no distinction of persons—
that its protection is afforded to all without exception,
to the needy and humble as well as to the wealthy
and exalted. Such is undoubtedly the constitutional
theory, which proclaims that none can be injured or
ill-treated with impunity, and that the rights and
privileges of the meanest citizen are as vigilantly
watched and energetically vindicated as those of the
SOVEREIGN herself. But, unfortunately, the practice
is very different indeed. Wo to the unfortunate
wight. who, being grievously injured in person or
property, claims redress through the criminal tribu-
nals of his country, without being possessed of means
sufficient to defray the expenses of the prosecution, or at
least to satisfy the fees which public officials, ap-
pointed by public authorities and paid out of the
public funds, are permitted to charge, and without the
payment of which insurmountable impediments and
obstacles are interposed at the very thresholds of our
courts of justice. The fee system is sufficiently bad
in civil cases ; it can hardly be defended or justified
, under any possible circumstances, but it is infamous
in criminal cases, and a great and combined exertion
should be made to get rid of the incubus. Is it to
be tolerated, that cases of great apparent atrocity, im-
peratively demanding the most stringent inquiry,
should remain wholly without investigation, because
the injured party is unable to meet the claims
of the clerks of the indictments, or to pay
charges which should never be sanctioned
or recognized—that a person, accused of the most
brutal and disgusting conduct to a helpless child,
should be discharged without a trial, because there
was no party willing to become responsible for the
expenses attending the prosecution ?
The propriety of appointing a public prosecutor
has long been admitted ; but the imperative neces-
sity of adopting such a course has never been more
painfully apparent than in the case of a man calling
himself the Count ADOLPHE DE WERDINSKI, who had
been committed for trial from the Police-court, Bow-
street, for a long-continued series of cruelties to-
wards a young girl, under sixteen years of age, who
had resided with him under his solo care from
an early age, but who had been discharged by pro-
clamation last week, no bill having been sent before
the Grand Jury.
In this melancholy case there was no public body
on whom the unfortunate victim had any claim for
assistance, so as to afford an opportunity to the com-
mitting magistrate to press upon its unwilling accept-
ance the duty of conducting and carrying on the
prosecution. Although wholly without resources
except those obtained from the alleged assailant, she
had never been chargeable to any parish or relieved
in any union workhouse. 1 humane and charitable
lady had provided a home for the wretched girl from
the time she left her persecutor, and therefore nothing
would be done by those who should, under other circum-
stances, have assumed the responsibility. Mrs. ELEM..
ING had incurred much expense and trouble in con)e-
quence of her benevolent and praiseworthy conduct. It
would indeed have been unreasonable to expect that
she could undertake any further outlay. She had
brought the case before the magistrate. The neces-
sary witnesses were all in attendance, but the clerks
of the indictments were not propitiated. These
gentlemen were anxious to know " who were the
persons to whom they were to look for their fees
The answer was not satisfactory. The police-consta-
ble who had the management of the case (1) replied
that the nominal prosecutrix (the unfortunate child,
MARY ANN RICHARDS) was wholly destitute, end
that there was no other person who could be looked
to. This was an offence that could not be Suffi-
ciently punished. An example was to be made
that would convince all similar offenders, however
grievous their poverty, of the necessity of providing
sops for the official Cerberus. The indictment was
framed with a single count for a common assault, in
the stereotyped form ; that was palpably inade-
quate. It was returned by the Deputy Clerk of the
Peace, with a request that the Clerk of the Indict-
ments would consider whether additional counts were
not required. None were, however, prepared, and it
was openly stated that the non-payment of the fi es
was the cause of this extraordinary occurrence. The
case, such as it is, requires a searching scrutiny.
We commend it to the notice of Sir GEORGE
GREY, in order, partly, that he may inflict
censure, if censure he really deserved, but still
more so, that he may introduce such regulations as
may prevent the possibility of such a palpable failure
of justice again occurring, and the majesty of the
law from being brought into similar contempt and
disrepute.

It is to be hoped that the engine-drivers and fire-
men of the London and North Western Railway
may, while there is yet time, consider calmly and dis-
passionately the probable results of the illegal and
unjustifiable demands which they have put forward,
and with which it is utterly impossible that the direc-
tors can comply. The consequences of " the strike',
on the Eastern Counties line last summer, and the
ruin and misery in which it involved the unfortunate
and misguided men who endeavoured to coerce their
employers, should not be lost sight of. On that
occasion the malcontents fell into three grievous
mistakes, which rendered all their calculations erro-
neous. Ist, They believed that the directors could
not possibly obtain competent substitutes, and conse-
quently could not carry on the business of the
company without their aid and co-operation. 2dly,
That the shareholders, trembling for their dividends,
and alarmed at the pecuniary losses that must almost
inevitably arise, would compel the directors to suc-
cumb, and accede to the demands, however unreason-
able or unjustifiable ; and 3oly, That the public,
influenced by the raw-head-and-bleody- bcdnes reports
of acci,lents, which had no foundation save in
the fertile imaginations of the narrators, would time
taken an active part with the combinators, and that
the " pressure from without" would have proved
effectual. It is scarcely necessary to say how com-
pletely the parties to the strike were deceived on each
and every of these points, and bow fatal to their own
prospects was the mischievous course into which
they had solemnly and deliberately entered.
We may, however, briefly allude to these mis-
takes under present circumstances, and we sincerely
trust that it may be received as a salutary warning
by those who may perchance fall into similar errors,
and who, most probably, afforded pecuniary assistance

LONDON,

to the defeated combinators in the misery and desti-
tution which they brought upon themselves in the
rash attempt to change their relationship with their
employers, and make the former become their very
humble and obedient servants, who should not ven-
ture to express or even to entertain an independent
opinion.

To their great surprise and astonishment, however,
the directors stood irm ; they felt that it was not a
matter in which they could, consistently with their
own reputation, yield, or even give way in any de-
gree. It was a question in which every board through-
out the entire kingdom, every employer of labour,
was deeply interested. If they had struck their
colours, or even hesitated for a moment, it would be
impossible to say where the matter would terminate,
or to what lengths the victorious conspirators
or their sympathisers on other lines might
proceed. The situation was one of great difficulty
and enormous responsibility ; but the directors
showed themselves fully equal to the emergency,
and their conduct on that trying occasion reflected
the highest credit on themselves, and entitled them to
the marked thanks of the community in general, and
more especially of all persons in any degree interested
in railway property. While they evinced every die-
position to conciliate and to refrain from availing
themselves of the advantage which the :reckless
and intemperate conduct of their employis placed
in their hands, they also showed the utmost firmness
and a thorough and unflinching determination not to
bate a hair's breadth on any matter of principle. They
held out the olive-branch by offering to accept the
submission of the men, to forgive their past insubor-
dination, and permit them to withdraw their notices ;
but that which was done in mercy and charity
to the unfortunate victims of their own folly
was all that would be done. They would not
sacrifice an able and efficient officer, who had done
nothing worthy of censure, but whose management
had given the highest satisfaction to his employers, to
gratify the unwarrantable caprice of their subordinates.
The result proved how justly they had calculated.
They were enabled to fill up the vacancies occa-
sioned by the secession with competent and duly
qualified men ; they had to make but a few
trifling changes in the number of trains
for a few dais, and before a single week,
matters had resumed their former appearance.
The appeals to the shareholders, and to the public
generally, were equally unavailing. The half-yearly
general meeting of the company took place during
the height of the contest, and printed addresses were cir-
culated, detailing the imaginary wrongs of the seceders.
The simple and straightforward, clear and manly,
statement of the Chairman, however, placed the mat-
ter in its true light, and carried with it the feelings
of the entire assembly. There was no differ-
ence of opinion ; never, perhaps, was greater
unanimity exhibited at any numerously at-
tended meeting, and some shareholders, who de-
clared that they would rather sacrifice their entire
dividend than yield to the unreasonable demands,
were greeted with enthusiastic and rapturous ap-
plause, which showed that they only gave expression
to the sentiments of their brethren.

The public were equally unanimous. Occasionally
some testy gentleman wrote a letter complaining
of a trifling delay that might have taken place
under the most perfect system, but the
exception proved the rule, and the general
feeling was, that any degree of inconvenience would
be willingly encountered rather than that the direc-
tors should be prevented from obtaining a complete
victory over the insurgents. That victory was
achieved without a single circumstance that could
cast a gloom over the picture, and none but the mis-
guided men themselves, and their miserable and un-
fortunate families, bad reason to deplore the strike of
the engine-drivers and firemen on the Eastern Coun-
ties Railway.
Let those who are now entering on a similar con-
test be warned while there is yet time, and reflect on
the more than probable consequences of their acts.
Let them be well assured that the directors of the
London and North-Western Company will exhibit
similar determination to that which gained for the
Eastern Counties Board'golden opinions, and that they,
likewise, will be supported by the shareholders and
the public generally in any contest that may arise.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC,

We have received the Paris journals of yesterday.
Galignani's Messenger (which is published at two
o'clock) gives the following account of the proceedings
at the office of the Finance Minister yesterday morn-
ing, for the adjudication of the new French rents:—
" This being the day appointed to receive tenders for
the two millions of rente which the French Government
had decided to dispose of, a considerable number of
persons assembled at the Hotel of the Minister of
Finance, in the Rue de Rivoli, as early as eleven o'clock,
and, in half-an-hour afterwards, the room thrown open
to the public was filled. It was generally understood
beforehand that only two parties had lodged the re-
quired deposit, namely, the firm of Rothschild, and the
Banque d'Escompte. Several of the receivers-general
had united with the latter, whilst the houses of Hottin-
guer and Co. of Paris, and of :Baring Brothers, of Lon-
don, had, it was said, come to an understanding with M.
Rothschild. It was also said that in consequence of the
heavy affliction in which M. Rothschild and his family
were plunged by the recent death of his grandson, that
gentleman would refrain from bidding. At five minutes
past twelve o'clock, M. Fould, the Minister of Finance
entered the room, and directed a secretary to read the
decree of the President of the Republic, authorising
the sale of rente, and the conditions of the adjudica-
tion. From them it appeared that the amount of the
repte to be sold was 1,543,5471. in Fire per Cent. Stock,
with the dividend of rbe 22d September, 1850; and
493,217 f. of Three per Cent. Stock, with the dividend
of 22d December, 1850; the price of the adjudicati
was to be at least equal to a minimum price fixed by
the Minister. The payments of the sum agreed to be
accepted for the above amount of rente were to be
effected as follows:-20 per cent. on the 25th January,
1851; and 20 per cent. on the 25th of February, March,
and April, respectively. The tenders were, as usual, to
be scaled, and when once given in could not be
withdrawn.

" After the conditions had been read, the Minister
placed on the table two sealed packets, containing the
minimum price ho would receive for the two kinds of
rente to be offered for, and. then announced that he
was ready to receive tenders.

A sealed packet was banded in by M. Biesta, the
director of the Banque d'Escompte, and no other tender
being forthcoming, the Minister said that be would
wait a few minutes, to see if any other offer was to
be made.

" After a delay of about twenty minutes the Minister
again inquired if any other desired to tender, and no
answer having been given, he said that he would now
open the tender presented.
" The tender was then opened, and declared to be from
Receivers general and the Banque d'Escompte, offering
for the Five per Cent. &rite 921. 40c.—(Murmurs.)
" The Minister rose and said that the minimum price
which he had fixed being 93k. 50c„ there was no adju-
cation.—(Bravo! bravo!)

" The secretary then read the afar for the 3 per cent.,
which was 54f. 60e.

" The Minister said that his minimum price being:s6f.
25c., there was no adjudication.—(Bravo! bravo!)
66 The crowd then separated."
The Constitutionnel has the following on the gold
currency question :
"It has been said that the Ministry was about to sus-
pend the coining of gold which was flowing into the
Mint, and a report has been even in circulation that it
had given orders, if not to stop, at least to restrict it.
There is no clause in the laws relative to this subject
which can authorize the Government to interdict or
limit the coinage of gold. The decree of 28 Thermi-
dor, year 111, stipulates that Every one who shall carry
gold or silver to the Mint shall receive the value of it in
gold or silver coin.' We find in the law of 8 Frimaire,
year IV, that Every citizen who may wish to convert
gold or silver into coin, may carry it to the Mint.'
If, moreover, it be considered that the coinage
is placed exclusively in the hands of the Government,
we shall be naturally led to conclude that it could never
enter into the intention of legislators to allow it a power
of suspending or diminishing it at its pleasure. The
cause of the report that the Ministry had given orders
to limit the coinage is this—lt is in presence of the in-
flux of gold into the Mint, that the Government took the
measures called for by the limits of the means of coinage
at present existing. Thence arose an order, which was
issued by the Minister of Finunee on the 16th instant
on the proposition of the Committee of Coins and Medals.
It was stated that henceforth the maturity of the Mint
orders delivered in payment of gold taken to the Mint
shall be calculated in suck a manner that the director
should only have to pay each day the sum of one mil-
lion, in rotation as the gold should have been
deposited. There is nothing in this order like
a fresh limitation. The Minister of Finance
has only fixed the deliveries at one million a day
because the means of coining will net allow a larger
amount to be made. The limitation of the delivery is
only made
_equal to ,the means of production. There
has also been an exaggeration in the account of the
quantity of gold lately coined in the Mint. It has doubt-
less been considerable, but not equal to what has been
stated,particularly during the last month. We are enabled
to state the exact amount. The coinage of gold, which
was only seven millions in 1847, rose to 38 millions in
1848 ; it again fell in 1849 to 27 millions, and rose to
about 70 millions in the first eleven months of 1850.
But what more particularly deserves attention, is the
manner in which that 74 pailliclus is divided between the

different months. The first six months cnly produced
23 millions ; July produced 14 ; August, 11 ; Sep-
tember only 5 ; October 10, and November 6. Thus
the moment of the greatest coinage corresponds pre-
cisely with the [period when the removal of gold from
circulation in Holland caused the precious metal to flow
into our market."

The Algiers journals of the 15th announce the
death of General DE GALBOIS•

M. PEBLBT, the celebrated actor, died on Friday,
after a long illness.
The Pouvoir states that M. DROUTN DB LHUTS,
who has arrived in Paris, is the bearer of an arrange-
ment concluded with Lord PALMERSTON on the sub-
ject of the affairs of Germany, and of the conduct the
Cabinets of France and England will follow with
reference to the powers represented at the Congress
of Dresden. It is also announced that General
LARITTE will send a special agent to Dresden during
the Conferences.

The Bourse was much crowded, and there was a
considerable amount of business transacted. The
Five per Cents. opened at 94f. 85c., fell to 941. 70c.,
rose to 95f., and closed at 94f. 80c.; the Three per
Cents. closed at 57f. 20c. Orleans Railroad Shares.
860 f. ; Rouen, 670 f.; Havre, 2671. 50c. ; Great
Northern, 4811. 25c ; Avignon, 1951.; Vierzon,
4101.; Basle, 1361. 25c.; Bordeaux, 403 f. 75c.;
Paris and Strasburgh, 3561. 25c. ; Tours and Nantes,
2471. 50c.

BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT TUE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, Dm. 23.
Boulogne and Amiens, 9N—Central of France (Orleans and
Vierzon ), 1614—Great Indian Peninsula, 54—Luxembourg,
2% Namur and Liege, 9 4—Northern of France, 1534
Orleans and Bordeaux, 3k—Paris and Rouen, 27% Paris
and Strasboui g, 95,E—Rouen and Havre, 11%—Sambre
and Meuse, 3A—Tours and Nantes, 54 ex div.