The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-01 00:00:00

TAITS MAGAZINE.

tnrbanceL in The historical sketch of tht Switzer-
landQ contains a great deal of infoenh:tion and some
sound reflections in a small compass. —LI— writer
justly remarks that nothing can afford a more itn:Z-
ing example of the manifold evils attending a Federal
Government than the presentposition of thatccuntry.
Distrust, jealousy, nay, even feelings of the most
ho-tile nature exist between the German, French,
and Italian Cantons. Their political, commercial,
and religious interests are in many instances op-
posed to each other, and the whole union is threatened
with a civil war, because one canton chooses to adopt
a certain system of education. But, besides, there
is a radical defect in the original construction of the
Union. There is no controlling power sufficiently
strong to neutralize or curb the rebellious disposition
of discontented States, and Switzerland exhibits it-
self among monarchical governments only as a beacon
to warn them against democratic institutions. But
Switzerland is not the only republic where this exhi-
bition has taken place. The United States led the
way, and the two together have certainly lowered
very much in general estimation the whole system of

Republican Government. After giving a summary
of late events at Lucerne and Zurich, the writer thus

concludes:—

" But whatever may be their professions, it is quite
certain that Switzerland i.. no longer the seat of those
disinterested sentiments, and noble feelings, which once
illuminated its history. On the contrary, the chief cha-
racteristic of its rulers and of its society is littleness !
the littleness of small owns. Ambition is little, poli-

...._.
tical views are narrow,_ and intrigaes are for paltry ob-
jects. Great talents find no exercise worthy of their
powers ; at.d it is not wonderful that IA here they do
exist, their possessors desire to see a capital in their
own country, and a means afforded by a central govern-
ment for the development of a larger system both of
commerce and of politics. Though great advances have
been made in education, much yet remains to be done as
regards moral culture. The Protestant clergy are un-
fortunately rtgarded with little respect throughout the
canton of Zurich, since many of them allowed themselves
to be made the tools of party ; their churches are thinly
attended, whilst drinking houses, dancing rooms. and
the theatre, are crowded every Sunday to excess. There
is no country in the world where there exists in propor-
tion such an enormous number of public homes, and
those of the worst character, or where they are so con-
tinually frequented, alike by young students, the pea-
santry, and the townsmen. The universal laxity of
morals is almost incredible.

" Whilst, however, the views of the Liberals are more
enlarged, and better calculated to enable their country
to keep pace with the progress of the age, than those of
their opponents, it is to be regretted that they have af-
forded them, in various ways, just grounds for reproach.
Many of the leaders of the party mike no secret of their
want of respect for the established religion ; and on se-
veral occasions they have shown a great want of political
prudence in provoking the enmity of the clergy of their
own persuasion, and by precipitating measures which,
without effecting any good, have excited the malevolence
of their opponents, and the distrust of their more pru-
dent friends."

This Number contains the conclusion of " The
Goldsmith's Daughter," by Mrs. Johnson ; a review
of Thiers' Ilistory ; and an article on Poor laws for
Scotland, in which the writer says, " Ile demurred
not at what Mr. Wakley thought the perfection of a
poor-law—the supply of a butcher-meat dinner and
two pints of porter per day, but we wish to put an
end to the cruel and selfish hallucination in this
country, that a human being can be efficiently sup-
ported on a shilling a week." There is also a pithy
disquisition on the Maynooth question, which tells
some striking truths, from which several of the Libe-
ral party might profit. We give the following as a
specimen :

" That this measure is, in many grave respects, a
highly disagreeable one to us, it must be needless to as-
sure our readers. State endowment of a particular form
of religious belief, a new ecclesiastical impost, taxation
of the public in favour of the creed of a sect, the salary-
ing of theologians out of the Consoldated Fund—no-
thing can possibly be worse, crept that state of things
of which this scheme is a :light corrective. But we can-
not overlook the "circumstances" which turn this wrong
into a sort of right. That gigantic iniquity, the Church
of England in Ireland, is a circumstance which, in our
apprehension, completely forbids, so long as it continues
to exist, the application of the principle on which we
would otherwise deal with the matter. We confess we
have no heart to introduce the " voluntary principle"
into this business. It is not a case for the voluntary
principle. If voluntaryism is to be the rule of our eccle-
siastical legislation, make it the rule—lrish Catholics
have no sort of objection. But voluntaryism is not the
rule. Do what we will, we cannot yet get it made the
rule. Not voluntary ism, but state endowment is the rule
of the ecclesiastical polity of Great Britain ; and this
being so, it is hard that the case of the poorest, and
most oppressed and insulted body of religionists in the
empire should be made an exception. Do-the-boys
Hall is scarcely the fittest field for a first experiment in
ecclesiastical economy and laissez- faire. We must begin
somewhere else the war against state endowment of
theological creeds. We should be indeed delighted, if
we could stop this Maynooth grant, in the pure, unaided
strength of the voluntary principle : for, were the prin-
ciple strong enough for that, it would be strong enough
for some other things of considerably more practical
moment. But we cannot. Voluntaryism has, really and
practically, no voice in the matter. Th* protestations
of voluntaryism are drowned and lost in the clamours of
No Popery' and Protestant Ascendency.' The
strength of the agitation is not in the voluntary princi-
ple, but in the no popery and ascendency passion. Vo-
luntaryism,is perfectly powerless in the matter, except
as a subordinate ally of no-popery and ascendency. As it
is powerleSs, we think it should be neutral. One thing
at least is clear—if the advocates of the voluntary prin-
ciple feel themselves bound actively to oppose this Bill,
they are most especially bound to oppose the opposition
—the most iUiberal, bigoted, and fanatical opposition--
with which it is assailed by men whose principles are as
contrary to theirs as darkness to light."

THE ST. GILES'S MURDER,
ADJOURNED INQUEST—VERDICT
Mr. WAKLEY resumed the inquest on the body of Mary
Brothers yesterday, at the Angel Inn, high-street, St.

Before the reporters or the public were admitted, Connor's
father was called into the room, and stated, in answer to
questions put to him by Mr. Wakley, that his son had three
witnesses who could prove an alibi. He named three persons,
and Harvey, the summoning officer, was directed to go for
them. In about ten minntes he returned with them, but
they were not examined.
Our readers will recollect that the inquiry was adjourned
for three weeks, in order to give Mr. Wakley an opportunity
of obtaining the opinion of counsel as to his power of having
persons charged with murder before him, and of bringing the
subject before the Queen's Bench.
Mr. WAELEY said they would recollect that the inquest
was adjourned at that point where Bridget Ronan stated that
she knew the person of the individual who had threatened
Mary Brothers perfectly well, but that she dill not know his
name. She said she should know him in that room among a
thousand, and that she could identify him twenty 3 ears
hence. The inquiry was adjourned until this day that an
application might be made to the proper quarter for a writ of
habeas corpus to bring the suspected individual before them,
with a view to his identification In the same week a true
bill was found against Connor, the suspected indi-
vidual, on which he was arraigned, and to which
he pleaded "Not guilty." His trial therefore for the crime
of wilful murder was secured by a step taken after the last
adjournment of the inquest. The opinion of Mr. Fitzroy
Kelly, Q.C., Mr. Roebuck, Q.C., and Mr. Petersderft; was
taken, and after everything that had taken place was clearly
explained to them. they were of opinion that, under the new
circumstances of the case, an application to the Queen's
Bench for a writ of habeas corpus ought not to be made, be-
cause they were strongly of opinion that that Court would
refuse_the application, and that because a refusal of it by the
Court must lead to an inference, on the part of the public,
that the Coroner had no right to have before him persons ac-
cused of murder or manslaughter. He had submitted to
their opinion—that the finding of the bill by the grand jury
would prevent him from having the accused party before
him. But Mr. Kelly, the fist man at the bar, and, perhaps,
the tirst lawyer in the country, entertained so strong an opie
nion as to his right of having persons so accused before him,
that, he said, if another case of a similar nature should arise,
he would go before the judge at chambers, and move for the
production of a person before that Court, if it was necessary
for his identification to be proved before it. He was also of
opinion that the course they had pursued was strictly cor-
rect, and that they had been improperly obstructed in the
performance of their duties. He (Mr. Wakley) entertained
the same opinion that he did—that the course of justice had
been wantonly and willfully interfered with by persons whom
he would not name. He would leave it to them to say whe•
ther they would go on with the inquiry, or return a verdict
at once against some person or persons unknown.
furlliteerfourieamn
aant t(hAel r last toer They had advancedbecause
they were anxious to have the matter settled, and complained
that Mr. Wakley had not applied to Lord Denman, instead of
gmesetin sag.id
referringg. the matter to counsel. If he had applied to the
opportunity of stating what the law was, and what took that
Court*Of Queen's Bench, Lord Denman would have taken an
case out of the particular course. After all, no decision had
been come to, so that the public would have to remain in
ignorance as to what the law was upon the subject. He
believed they were all satisfied that wilful murder had been
committed, and they had heard sufficient evidence to justify
them in coming to such a conclusion. He submitted that
they should give what they considered a faithful verdict, and
that they should state why they did not pursue the subject
further.
Mr. WAKLEY said that it was rather curious that the ap-
plication which was made to the Central Criminal Court to
put off the trial of Connor until the next session was on the
ground that a witness, who could prove that he was not at
the spot at the time of the murder, could not be found. Since
he had held the office of Coroner he had never known a man
charged with the crime of murder examined and committed
to Newgate in one day. By the adoption of such a course
no time was given to the man to obtain any evidence he
might have in his favour. Now, these persons could not be
bound over by the magistrate, and might purposely absent
themselves from the Old Bailey.
Harvey, in answer to a question from Mr. WAKLEY, said
he had no; evidence to prove who the person was that mur-
dered Mary Brothers.
The room was then cleared.
During our sojourn in an ante-room, Mr. Mites, the
Deputy-Coroner, supplied the reporters with a written state-
ment to the effect, that Mr. WAELEY wished to make a few
remarks with regard to an imputation attempted to be
thrown upon him by the foreman, that he had broken a
pledge which he had given to the jury, that he would
bring the matter before the Court of Queen's Bench. Ile
explained the circumstances which had occurred in his
consultations with counsel and the position in which he stood
now that a true bill had been found at the Old Bailey, and
the prisoner was sure to be tried. These matters having
occurred at chambers were altogether of a private nature
and not to be explained in public. The result was that the
jury, with the exception of the foreman, declared their
unanimous opinion that the Coroner had done everything.
that justice and sound reason required towards accomplish-
ing the object the jury had in view in adjourning.
Mr. Rogers said he should adhere to the opinion he had
expressed.
On the admission of the public, after a consultation of hal
an hour, during which Mr. Wakley was absent,
The foreman said the jury had come to the following ver-
dict :—" We find that the deceased Mary Brothers was wile
'le murdered by some person to us unknown, and that we
have be -I prevented by the conduct of the police mitten-
rit ire from
the investigation in a• more satisfactory
winner."
ehe \velure,- said if ,r0i,21 not be long before the matter
would be set at rest. Considering that they had been wan-
tonly interfered with in the perfermahee of their duties,. tile
verdict was a vers. moderate one.
A juryman said Mr. Wakley deserved the thanks of the
jury for what he had done at his own expense.—(Hear.)
Mr. WAKLEY thanked the jury, and said he shoul scat
tinue in the course he had taken until the matter was,ea
rest. No such system as that to which he was pppo.6 eren
f
terminated.
adopted in any other county in England. The inquiry

The Al usical Union was on Monday again honoured
with the company of its Royal President the Duke of Cambridge,
the Earl of Falmouth, Lord Gerald Fitzgerald, Viscount Teznpe.
town. Lord Saltoun, and most of the noble lady amateurs of the
institution. Nothing can be more enjoyable than the manner in
I;o34:43b.t4ilidnotion,pnetzinfecn itsiordoudcioolthorineutiischrilirsernvtaiseil chastett rirfifa

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF COMMONS, April 30.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at the usual hour.
RAILWAYS.
Mr. FOX MAULE presented a petition, numerously
signed, in favour of the Scottish Central Rail% ay.
Mr. BUSFEILD presented a petition in favour of the
Leeds and Dewsbury Railway Bill.
The Epsom and Dorking Railway Bill, and the Ere-
wash Valley Railway Bill, were read a second time.
Mr. COLLETT presented a petition from the borough of
Athlone in favour of the Mullingar, Athlone, and Langford
Railway.
On the motion of Mr. PLUAIPTRE, the South. Eastern
Railway Extensions Bills were read a second time.
Mr. THORNELY-presented a petition praying to be heard
by counsel against the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway.
Mr. DARBY wished to draw the attention of the House to
a petition of his Grace the Archbishop of York against the
Direct Northern Line, a project in Group X ; also petitions
against projects in groups before Committees on Railways, and
also the right of parties to present petitions to be referred to
Committees on groups of railways in case projects may after-
wards come before them in the shape of Bills.
After a short discussion, the matter dropped.
GRANT TO MAYNOOTH.

Mr. JAMES presented several petitions from Hull against
(as we understood) any further grant to Maynooth.
Mr. LOCKHART presented petitions from Lanarkshire to
the same effect.

Mr. R, iUND presented a similar petition.
Mr. FOX MAULE presented petitions against railway
travelling on Sunday!,

Mr. B. DENISON presented four petitions against any
further grant to Maynooth.
Lord EMLYN presented petitions praying the House to
take some steps to improve the state of harbours of refuge.
Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition from Liverpool against
the practice of flogging in the army, and one from Edinburgh
against the game laws. He also presented sixteen petitions
against the grant to the College of Maynooth, and
others against the sale of intoxicating liquors on the
Sabbath day, and also a petition from certain proprietors
of railway property for the establishment of some rule by which
railway directors should not dispose of their property without
their consent.

Sir J. Y. Buller, Mr. Greenhough, Mr. Greene, Mr. Ha-
milton, Sir G. Strickland, and other Hon. Members, pre-
sented petitions against the Maynooth grant.
Mr. HAMILTON presented twelve petitions against the
national system of education in Ireland. .

Mr. Sergeant MURPHY presented a petition from an indi-
vidual signing himself Mackenzie, in favour of the grant to
Maynooth. . .

Mr. M. GIBSON presented a petition from the Presby-
terians of Manchester, approving of the grant to the college of
Maynooth ; but praying the House not to take the fund for its
lupport out of the taxes of the country, but from the revenues
of the Irish Church.

Mr. P. BORTHWICK presented a petition from the agri-
culturists of Worcestershire, praying that an inquiry be made
into the operation of the income-tax, as it respected the small-
class farmers, who, in consequence of the depreciation in the
prices of their produce, were unable to pay it.