The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-24 00:00:00

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS•

FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
GLOBE.—The proceedings in the case of Barber,
Fletcher, and their less guilty accomplices in the Wills
Forgeries being closed, and sentence passed upon the
criminals, the restraint under which, peudente lire, the
public journals properly regard themselves as placed by
the respect which is due to the administration of justice,
is removed. The case was marked with incidents so re-
markable, that public attention has been excited in
no ordinary degree by its detection and development.
The property obtained by the conspirators was large:
the plans by Which they effected their objects were at
once skilfully devised and boldly executed. The annals
of crime have furnished few instances of criminal adroit-
ness more extraordinary. The closing of the scene was
in keeping with the superior cunning of the chief crimi-
nal, Barber, who must be considered the master-mind in
the nefarious schemes of extensive fraud and forgery.
Barber's , address to the Court, yesterday, on being
called up for judgment, was remarkable for plausibility.
It was delivered with an earnestness well calculated
to 'impress person's who were but imperfectly acquainted
with the facts, as they were established upon the trial in
unquestionable evidence against him. Those who .had
watched and weighed that evidence will remain un-
changed in judgment as to the justice of 'the verdict
which has involved him in the consequences of the
crimes to the commission of which he had been
accessory. Such persons only see in his efforts
to clear himself from the imputation of guilt, a
confirmation of the evidence on which he has been
convicted. A man so shrewd—so capable of ad-
justing and ingeniously reconciling apparent contradic-
tions, and suggesting doubts—whose self-possession,
under circumstances so calculated to unnerves and
overwhelm men of ordinary minds, was almost unpre-
cedented—that such a man should have allowed himself
to be entrapped into such a scheme, and to become the
principal agent in a series of transactions, almost every
step in which, from the concoction to the completion,
was pregnant with suspicion—is an assumption so
monstrous, that no man, and especially no twelve men,
acquainted with the rules which direct and govern the
ordinary transactions of society could be expected to
adopt it. Assume that Mr. Barber was an innocent
agent in the extraordinary series of crimes, in which he
was charged with having a guilty knowledge and parti-
cipation, then it must also be assumed that lie—an
attorney, celebrated for professional tact, and possessed
of intellectual discernment and vigour surpassed by few
—acted throughout a protracted period, and in a con-
siderable number of transactions, with a blind credulity
which could only be the associate of inexperience the most
absolute, and of weakness the most pitiable. Nay, more:
he, an innocent agent, acting (he would have it believed)
as an honourable solicitor, strictly adhering to profes-
sional rules, and having no further interest in the trans-
actions than that which is derived from the ordinary
management of such business—is positively found so
acting, against numerous warnings, as to accumulate
' against himself a mass of circumstantial evidence of a,
character so strong, that in each individual case it
amounts to grave presumption—in the case on which
the verdict of guilty was pronounced, to satisfactory
proof; and, taken as a whole, to absolute demonstra-
tion. If Mr. Barber be the innocent man he asserts
himself to be, then is there no force in evidence. No
jury would be henceforth safe in pronouncing a verdict
of guilty. Because, as the facts on which an indictment
is founded can only be known to a jury by the ordinary
medium of oral testimony, on which they are called
upon to decide by the application of reason, and on
the solemn responsibilities of the oath under which
they deliver their verdict—if such an accumulation of
evidence as that by which Mr. Barber's guilty knowledge
was established in the Slack case, be regarded as defective
in bringing the case home to an accused party, under
such circumstances, no indictment for conspiracy can
ever be successfully prosecuted. Society would be pe-
rilled by the impunity which would be afforded to
adroitly-executed frauds and forgeries. No case would
be henceforth established, if the evidence against Barber
were to be held inconclusive of a guilty participation. No
convicted person, in our opinion, ever passed from
the bar of justice to suffer the punishment which
the law affixes to his crime, more righteously and satis-
factorily convicted than the criminal whose case has
called forth these remarks. In this opinion, we have
reason to know there is a very general concurrence. The
profession most competent to appreciate the force of evi-
dence, and the merits of the defence set up on behalf of
Mr. Barber—that he took no share in the transactions
but what was in perfect consistency with his position
as a professional man, acting with integrity for the in-
terests of his client—repudiates the defence, and approves
of the verdict. The class from which London juries
are selected—so far as we haVe opportunity of hearing
—is equally unanimous in this opinion. By affirming
the verdict of the jury which convicted Mr. Barber,
they declare that they also must have arrived at the
same conclusion, had they been called upon, as jury.
men, to pronounce a verdict on the evidence.' Mr.
Wilkins, in his conduct of Barber's defence, displayed
much more courage than discretion. The difficul-
ties of his position will go far to plead in extenua-
tion of any ebullitions of temper into which he was
betrayed ; and we would be unwilling' to press them
to the injury of his professional reputation. But,
whoever heard, or has read, the 'attack which, in the
exercise of his forensic privilege, the Learned Gentle-
man made upon Mr. Freshfield, the highly respect-
able and justly esteemed Bank solicitor, must• have
regretted the facility with which Mr. Wilkins can
sink the gentleman in the advocate. As a matter of
-taste, it was villanous, and couki only reflect upon the
source whence the coarse and unmerited aspersions
emanated. As a matter of tact, it was calculated to
injure the accused, in whose cause he employed the
vituperation. Instead of propitiating, it manifestly
tended to prejudice the jury. What must be thought
of a cause, in the defence of which the counsel deemed
it necessary to travel out of the facts, to attack the
motives, and impugn the veracity, of one of the most
honourable and high-minded men in the City of Lon.
don ? As Mr. Wilkins is, we presume, a lawyer, he
will, perhaps, take some mode of explaining the mean-
ing of the following passage in his short speech of
yesterday :—" In order that my Learned Friends on
the other side might not be taken by surprise, I
now inform them that it is our intention to avail
ourselves of every constitutional means of ren-
dering the verdict in the last case nugatory,
by appealing to the highest legal authorities
of the land." The jury have decided on the facts.
No attempt was made by the Learned Counsel to arrest
the judgment by any objections to the framing of the
indictment. If any doubt existed as to the justice of
the verdict, the whole proceedings would be revised at
the Home-office. But as to " the highest legal authori-
ties in the land" being appealed to, where no legal ob-
jection to the conviction is alleged, we are disposed to
regard the intimation as an outburst of Mr. Wilkins'
impetuosity, rather than as an emanation of deliberate
judgment.
STANDARD.—Mr. Thomas Slingsby Duncombe last
night manifested a very strong disposition to take the
short-time question out of the hands of Lord Ashley.
ar.d repeated, with very little alteration, the attack
made in the Times a few days ago upon the Noble
Lord's proposed plan of action. shleryopocon-
tentedline
h Itsheel f
cuoirtdhialn
showingppro batthiloanfrdA
hisof the
p
information, however,
par-
ties most deeply interested and most competent
to form a correct judgment. Little
would be necessary to satisfy onewhether
cause, or anything else, would bem
more safe a public
in the hands
Lord Ashley or Mr. Thomas Slingsby Duncombe—or
of the two whose name would be most • satisfactory
upon the back of "a bill," every one will under-
stand us as speaking of " bills "—in Parliament, not
has been now and then placarded in Palace-yard.
of those bills, the sale of which at a reduced price
The introduction of the ten hours question led to a long
and painful altercation, in which the parties were Mr.
Ferrand, Sir J. Graham, and Mr. Hogg. It is but jus-
tice to those parties, however, to say that they very re-
luctantly squandered the public time upon disputes chiefly
of a personal character, but they were in a manner driven
per. force into a wrangle by the make-bate zeal of
Messrs. Roebuck, Ilume, and (appropriation)Ward, who
having fairly set them by the ears, rubbed their hands,
grinned, chuckled, and crooked their hams like " dog-
fighters ;" illustrating a remark that we have all had
occasion to make at school, that quarrels and boxing
matches are rarely made for themselves by boys of
strength and spirit, but made for them by
feeble, fearful, ill-conditioned little wretches, who
like a fight, but like only to be specta-
tors. This painful and useless altercation is, it
appears, to be revived to-night, if the make-bates can
manage it ; but we trust that the gentlemen
expected to act the principal parts will feel too
sensibly and too justly what is due to the . public,
to be accessory_ to the wasting •of the time
of Parliament in unprofitable squabbles. Each, no
doubt, thinks himself right, for all three are men
of honour ; but each may be wrong, for they are
fallible like the rest of us ; but, whoever may be
right -or wrong, happily each has a charicter to
fall back upon, too pure and too firmly established to
render necessary any -vindication of it upon the present
occasion. The most serious charge is that against Mr.
Hogg, in respect to his vote upon the. Nottingham Elec-
tion Committee. It seemed to us at *the time that the
vote was wrong, and the more we haveconsidered it, the
more thoroughly are we satisfied thatit was a vote against
law and evidence; but though, undoubtedly, such a vote
is, prima facie, a just ground of suspicion against the
integrity of an unknown man,
Mr.-Hogg's uprightness
and honour were too well known to ns, to allow that we
could ascribe his error 'to anything but an ex-
cess of self-distrust, .or to one of • those crotchets
which are very . populous in 'the heads of old
lawyers. We will not, however, pursue the
subject further thin to say that Mr. H.: :pays the
penalty which every man, however just an. onourable
—and there is no more just or honourable man than the
Learned Member for. Beverley—must .pay for having
given a wrong vote; the; penalty of being suspected of
unworthy motives by th'ose‘who knew nothing more of
him.

COMPANION TO TILE NARRATIVES OF LADY SALE AND
LIEUTENANT EYRE.
Now ready, in small 8 vo., with Plates, 12s. bound,
NARRATIVE OF THE
AS•T• CAMPA-IGN
.1N AFFGIIANISTAN.
UNDER GENERAL POLLOCK.
By Lieut. GREENWOOD, of N.M. 31st Reginaent.
" We warmly recommend this work as a valuable supplement to
the Journals of Lady Sale and Lieut. Eyre. The author accom-
panied General Pollock throughout the campaign,. and passed over all
the ground from Jelkilabad to Canbul. His narrative abounds in
inzident."—Messenger.
Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street.

COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE CHINESE WAR, &c.
Now ready, in 2 vols. Bvo., with Maps and Plates, 325. bound,
NARRATIVE of the 'VOYAGE S
and SERVICES of " THE NEMESIS,"
From 1840 to 1843
And of die combinecrNaiial and Military
OPERATIONS IN CHINA;
Comprising a Complete Account of the Colony of HONG.KONG, and
Remarks on the Character and Habits of THE CHINESE, &c.
From the Notes of Commander W. H. HALL, R.N., with Personal
Observations by W. D. BERNARD, Esq., A.M., Oxon.
" This is probably the most important publication that has ap-
peared respecting our late contest with China. , In all that relates to
the Nemesis especially, and to the naval operations of the expedition.
It is replete with the most lively and stirring interest."—Naval and
Military Gazette.
Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street.
- _

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
Last appearance but two of Carlotta Orisl.
TO-MORROW EVENING (it being a Subscription Night),
Will be performed Bellini's Opera, entitled NORMA. Norma,
Madame Grisi ' • Adalgisa, Mdlle. Favanti ; Pollio, Sig. Mario;
Ororeso, Sig. Lab ache.
After which will be presented the new Ballet by M. Perrot. with
new Scenery, DressestDecorations &c., founded on Victor Hugo's
ceiebrated work of " Notre Dame 'de Paris," entitled
LA ESMERALDA.
Ls Esmaralda, Mdlle. Carlotta Grid • Fleur de Lys, Mdlle. Ade-
laide Frassi ; Phoebus de Chateaupers, 'M. St. Leon ; Pierre Grin.
goire, M. Perrot.
Applications for Boxes, Stalls, and Tickets to be made at the Box
Oltic", Opera Colonnade.

THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE,
THIS EVENING, APRIL 24,
Will be repeated A New Grand Opera, entitled THE BRI
DESD
OF VENICE. Count Alberto, Mr. W. Harrison ; o
Soranzo, Mr. Corrani ; Nairna, Mrs. Alfred Shaw; Gerald°, Mdlle.
Alb.,rtAzzi ; Francesca, Miss Romer.
After which will be repeated a New Ballet, entitled LADY HEN.
itiErrA; or, The Statute Fair. Lyonnel, M. Silvain ; Walter,
Mr. Howell; Sir Tristram, Mr. O'Bryan; Queen Anne. Miss
O'Bryan ; Lady Henriata, Mdlle. Lucile Grahn; Nancy, Miss C.
Webster ; Mina, Miss Carson.
Dress Boxes 75., Second Price 3s. ; Upper Circles of Boxes 55.,
Se: and Price 35.; Pit 3s , Second Price thi.; Middle Gallery 25.,
Second Price Is. ; Upper Gallery Is., Second Price 6d.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
MK. BENJAMIN WEBSTER, LESSER
THIS EVENING, APRIL 24,
Will be performed Sheridan's Comedy of THE SCHOOL
FOR
SCANDAL. Sir Peter Teazle, Mr. W. Farrcn ; Charles Surfe,
Mr. C Mathews ; Lady Teazle, Nladame Vestris.
'fo be followed by a New, Original, Occasional, and Local Extra.
vaganza, founded on Fact, entitled THE DRAMA AT HOME; or,
An Even,ng with Puff: Principal Characters by Mr. C. Matsews,
Mr. J. Bland, Mr. Caulfield, Mrs. Glover, Miss P. Horton, and
)lass Lee.
To conclude with a New Farce, entitled LOVE IN A SACK.
Tickets and Places to be had of Mr L T. Archer, at the Box—
office, from Ten till Five. •

PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET.
LESSEE. Mr. J. M. MADDOX.
THIS EVENING, APRIL 24,
Will be performed an Eng ish version of OTELLO. Otello,
Mr. Allen; Elrairo, Mr. Weiss; Roderigo, Mr. Gardner; lago,
Mr. Burdini ; Desdemona, Madame Eugenia Ga•cia; Emilia, Mias
E. t. onner.
After which, MY WIFE'S SECOND FLOOR.
To conclude with a new Fairy Burlesque Extravaganza, caked FAIR
STAR ; or THE SINGING APPLE, AND THE DANCING
WATERS. The principal characters by Messrs. Wright, Paul
Bedford, Oxbsrry, Mrs. H. P. Grattan, and Miss Fortescue

- -
THEATRE ROYAL LYCEUM LATE ENGLISH OPERA-
HOU'SE.

Under the Management of Mrs. KEELEY.
THIS EVENING, APRIL z 4,
Will he repeated the New Comedietta, in Two Acts, entitled
HASTY CONCLUSIONS. Principal Characters by Messrs. Diddear,
F. Mathews, F. Vining. Emery, Miss Fairbrother, and Mrs 'Keeley.
After which. MY WLFF.'S OUT. Principal Characters by Mr.
Keeley. Mr Wigan, Miss Chaplin, and Mrs. Keeley.
To he followed by a New Drama, in One Act, called THE POST
OF HoNOUR. Characters by Messrs. Keeley, Turner, Kinloch,
J. Collier, Stanton, Yarnold, Miss Woolgar (from the 'I heatre Royal,
Adelphi, her first appearance at this Theatre), and Miss Grove.
To conclude with an entirely new Grand Burlesque Fairy Extra-
vaganza, called OPEN SESAME; or, The Forty Thieves. Cha-
racters by Mi,s Woolgar, Miss E. Chaplin, Mrs. Woollidge, Miss
Turner, 'Miss Grove, Mrs. Wigan, Miss James, Miss Fairbrother,
and Alps. Keeley, Messrs. F. Mathews, Turner, lounge, Wigan,
Yarnold, and Chaplin.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE OF ARTS.
l'roprietor and Manager, Mr. BATTY.
Triumphant Succets of the Grand National Spectacle.
THIS EVENING. APRIL 24,
Will be reported the Hi.torical Spectacle of the INVASION OF
ENGLAND BY' WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR ; or, the Batt!e
of 11, stings. With all the effects of the Norman Conquest, Death
of Harold, &c.

New Feenes in the Circle.
To conclude with LONDON and KENSINGTON ; or, Pursuit of
a Wife.
The door will open nightly at six o'clock, and the performances
Commence at s,ven. Box-office opened daily from ten till four. The
private boxes have been reconstructed and decorated with care and
aplendour.
Acting and stage-manager, Mr. W. D. Broadfoot.

DAV IDGE'S ROYAL SURREY THEATRE
THIS EVENING, APRIL tA,
Wilt bE' repeated an entirely New Drama, embracing all the
strong effects of the celebrated work, entitled WHITEFRIARS,
In which the entire Company will perform.
After which. THE SCAPEGRACE OF PARIS, sun iorted by all
the leading Favourites of the Establishment.
To conch de with a Domestic Drama, entitled BROKEN HOME.
Paces and Private Boxes to be had of Mr. Kerschner, at the Box-
o lice. from Eleven to Four.

ROYAL VICTORIA THEATRE.
Miss VINCENT has the honour to announce that HER BENE-
FIT ib fixed for MONDAY, May 6, when will be performed THE
TEMPEST, or, The Enchanted Isle. Stipp: rted by Messrs. Osbal-
thston, F. ecr, Nants, Arden, Miss Viacei.t, &c
After which, a New Musical Romance, entitled OUR LADY OF
THE WILLOW.

And other Entertainments
To conclude with a Popular Melodrama.
Tickets and P aces to be had of Miss Vinc.nt, daily, at the Theatre,
and at her residence, Balham.hill. Private Family Boxes, £2 25.;
£1 l Is lid ;and .£1 is.

THEATRE ROYAL, ADELP HI.
THIS EVENING, APRIL i 4.
Who can wonder that hundreds cannot gain admission to the
Magic "lemple of the WIZARD OF THE NORTH ? He has
waved his mystic wand for the fourth time over the Great Metro-
po‘is ; its influence is greater than when he that appeared at the
Strand Theatre four years ago—he has now performed during five
years 510 nights (at a moderate calculation) before 4 0,0(0 spec-
tators !—one and all proclaim him to be the only living professor of
Sties t tic Delusions.
Were the Magi of old—Pythagcruq, Polydoras, Did, Paracelsus,
Jerome Cardan, Benevcnuto, Cellini, Nostradamus, Michael Scott,
Ali urtus Magnus. Frisr Bacon, and Dr. Faustus to look up and be-
hold the WONDERS OF THE WIZARD, they would be as
much su prised as our great gransfathers would be to look on our
10. °motive of the present day.
The Modern Faustus will nightly appear in his Magic Circle, and
prove by ocular demonst-ation, that he can make the " eyes the
fools of the other senses."
Between the Wizard's performance, which will be divided into
two Parts, Mr. MALONE RAYMOND, will give
AN HOUR IN IRELAND,
assisted by Mrs. R. M. RAYMOND and Miss LINLEY.
All Compli,nunury Admissions suspended, the Press excepted.
Private Boxes can be secured at the Agents in London.
Reserved Seats ss.
Boxes, is. Pit. Is. Rd. Gallery, Ed. Second Price at Nine o'clock.
Reserved Seats, 2s. 6d. ; Boxes,. Is. lid ' • Pit Is.
Ilyors open at half-past Seven—the Wizard appears at Eight.
The KEY to the WIZARD'S TRICKS to be had at the Box-office

LOVE'S POLYPHONC ENTERTAINMENTS,
MUSIC-H ALL,I STORE.STREEr.
EVERY WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY.
Total Change each Evening.
Cn WEDNESDAY MI. RTII AND MARVELS; with MINE
'MSC'S DILEMMAS.
On FRIDAY, LOVE IN ALL SHAPES; with LOVE'S LA-
BOUR'S LOST.
Particulars in Handbills. DJors open at Half-past &men; begin
at Eight. Admission, 2s.Cd.; Reserved Seats, 2s 6d.
Mr. LOVE'S Second Entertainraent.THlS EVENING, in the
Theatre Royal, Windsor.

r • -
Ulf WATER AT LONDON-BRIDGE TIES DAY.
Morning ... 56 minutes after 5 Evening 51 minutes after 5.
•

EGYPTIAN HALL, PICCADILLY.
IMPORTANT NOTICE.
ONE SHILLING Admission to TILE NAPOLEON MU-
SEUM, the moat magnificent and extensive Collection of Histo-
rical Curiosities and Works of Art ever known to have been formed
by One Person, during 'Twenty-five years of elaborate research, at a
cost of 60,000 guineas, and to completely illustrate, hi the most in-
structive and interesting manner, the most Important part of Euro-
pean history, viz.--CHARLES 1., OLIVER CROMWELL, and
LOUIS XIV.. to the deaths of GEORGE 111., and the EMPEROR
NAPOLEON. in 1821. This unique Museum has been visited often,
during the last and present year, by the Royal Faintly, the Duke of
Wellington, the Foreign Princes, Ambassadors, and their Ladies,
also many thousands of the Nobility and Public ; and the Pro-
prietor has recently been able to increase, by several very tine
pictures, &c., his previous almost incredible number and variety of
sISS., Works of Art, and a multitude of valuable Relics, and other
curiosities, In this most instructive and, as hundreds have said it
ought to be, a National Museum. Many thousand have inspected it,
and THIRTY PRINCIPAL EDITORS of the PUBLIC PRESS
have stated that it ought to be seen by every one. The price of admis-
sion is reduced to ONE SHILLING.
The NAPOLEONMUSEUM is to be seen only at the " Egyptian
Hall," Piccadilly, daily M
from Ten till Dusk.

_
TuE WEATITER.—SUN OFFICE, APRIL 22.
THERMOMETER, Lowest, 44; Highest, 67 ; Noon, 59.
BAROMETER, 30.3.—W1ND, N.W.
Nont—The number 32 on the Thermometer denotes the
t eezing point, and 55 temperate. In Barometers fair is
asually placed opposite 30, and rain at 29.

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