The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-04 00:00:00

wherever practicable, have miserably jobbed, we find,
the little vacant green space between the West-
minster and Vauxhall-roads, called Kennington-green.
A contemptible addition to the Revenues of the
Duchy is to be made, as we are informed, by
the contemptible expedient of building over
that once open space, now covered with a double line
of nondescript.brick tenements, half house, half shop
—entirely a mean and sordid mass of brick and
mortar. The " war of occupation" has been largely
pushed over one side of Kennington-common. This
Common is in progress of purloining from the public,
and in due time will disappear, we doubt not, as
Kennington-green has already passed away. Away
then, we say, with all Bills to " facilitate inclosures
and improvements of commons," to facilitate " the
exchange of lands and the division of intermixed
lands—to provide remedies for defective or incomplete
executions," &c. &c. Any Bill, on the contrary,
to prevent such inclosures, to exclude and abolish
all such projects of improvements and exchanges,
except by a majority of the votes of every holder of a
tenement rated under a certain value, within the
whole district, basing, whether by charter or pre-
scription, custom or sufferance, rights of common
and common rights on such lands—shall have
our cordial support and advocacy. But we
don't desire to give Lords of Manors one
tittle more of such " facilities " than they have
already in all conscience! Let any man who
would study this subject under its practical aspects,
go down to Epping Forest, and examine with his
own eyes the wholesale inclosures made under sanc-
tion of Lords of the Manor, or Verderers, or by
them, or by tenants from whom they receive rents.
If they should get at the authority for such inclo-
sures, especially the more modern of them, we shall
be obliged to them for its communication to us. We
know of no domestic questions on which successive
Parliaments have more scandalously neglected their
duty to the people—to the most meritorious class of
the people—the honest but indigent labourer, agri-
cultural or mechanic, in towns and cities, or in ham-
lets and villages—than in their gr2sping, sordid,
selfish legislation of the last five-and-forty years, in
filching from the poorest and least protected orders of
our countrymen those sylvan rights, if we may so
call them, which are as dear to all the natural ass )-
ciations, as they are identified with the most ancient
and most national rights of all English subjects.

Mr. WAKLEY, in our humble opinion, has displayed
more zeal than judgment or discretion in his attacks
upon the p.)liee magistrates,:and governors of gaols, and
the Home S:cretary, for not cordially entering into his
views with regard to the production of prisoners at a
coroner's inquest. This court was established originally
not for the trial of persons accused of murder, but
simply to ascertain, when there were reasonable grounds
of suspicion, by what means the individual, on whose
body the inquest is held, lost his life. It was for the
purpose rather of satisfying the friends of the deceased
and the public as to the manner in which death had
been caused, than for investigating all charges
that might be brought against individuals. That
task is 1. ft for police magistrates and judges ;
and when the different stages through which
a process of this kind passes is considered, the
formalities on which the Coroner for Middlesex so
ardently insists appear altogether uncalled for. The
verdict of his jury, in fact, decides nothing. It merely
adduces grounds for further trial, and the accused
has every chance of fair play. He is brought before a
magistrate, is allowed to hear evidence and defend
himself ; and if there are reasonable grounds of
suspicion he is committed for trial. But two more
investigations take place. The case must be heard
before a grand jury, and if no sufficient evidence
is furnished, the bill is ignored ; but if the Co-
roner's jury has returned a verdict against him, he is
not discharged, but arranged before a petit jury. He
has thus three, or at least two, chances of fair play—
as meny as any man can reasonably desire ; but
to carry on four separate investigations, and to
bring up the unfortunate person, with all the wit-
nesses, and solicitors, and agents and friends, in
each instance, appears to every unprejudiced mind
a work of supererogation. Nay, it is a wanton
waste of time, and the public mind is kept in a
state of excitement, witheut one good purpose being
served. The case of this man HOCKEIt is an instance
in proof of the fact. The affair has been kept
before the public for ten days, and it has only
arrived at the second stage to-day ; and at
the Central Criminal Court the whole business must
again be brought before the puldic. It is an ab-
surd system, and the sooner the Coroner is convinced of
the fact the better, both for the accused and the good of
the public.

The Madrid journals of the 24th ult. contain no news
of interest. Senor CASTELLO 1r AYENZA was about to
return to Rome with a higher title—that of Minister
Plenipotentiary from the Court of Spain.
MADRID BuURSE, FEB. 24.—Three per Cents., 33
11-16 cash, 34* at 60 days ; Five per Cents., 251, at
60 days; Coupons, 261 on the 28th current; Passive,
7 5-16, cash; Exchange on London, 7 9-16.

The parties in the
,French Chamber of Deputies on
Saturday had another trial of strength on the passing of
the Council of State Bill. A ballot took plec.,, when
there were for the Bill 197, against it 170, giving a
majority of 27 to Ministers. In the Committee on the
Budget M. LACAVE LAPLAGNE, the Finance Minister,
explained, as we stated yesterday, the views of the Go-
vernment on the conversion of the Five per Cent. Stock,
and announced that unless some material financial changes
should take place in the meantime, a Bill to that effect
would be introduced next session. His reasons fur not
presenting such a Bill this session are thus stated:—
The situation of the country as regarded public
credit was satisfactory, and seemed favourable to the
measure, but the Government was engaged in
considerable expenses for railroads and other works of
public utility; that it had just submitted to the Chambers
a new system for the execution of the railroads; and that
it would be injudicious to change the economy of the
finances before the additional charges they would have
to bear were exactly ascertained ; he also urged that a
considerable loan had just been raised, which was
not yet classed, and that a feeling of delicacy towards
the contractor did not permit the Government to under-
take a financial measure which might compromise
the success of his operation." " After all," he said
in conclusion, "a discussion begun this year in the Chain.
bers, would perhaps possess in other respects some ad-
vantages: it would prepare matters for the measure,
and would enable the Government and the Chambers to
see their way more clearly in the questions which are to
be resolved ; the Bill could in this way be voted more
rapidly next year."
Towards the close of the public sitting on the same
day, a Bill was presented to the President for the can-
version of this stock by M. MURET DE BORT, who is
understood to be in the confidence of the Government,
the object of which is not to carry the Bill during the
present session, but simply to discuss it, and prepare the
public mind for a scheme of such importance. The
following is an outline of the Bill :
"The Minister of Finance is authorised to reimburse, at
the rate of' 100 f. for each sf. of stock, all holders of Fives,
who within a month from the time fixed by royal ordinance,
should not formally, by a new inscription, demand the con-
version. This reimbursement is to be effected in series, and
is not to be obligatory on the State, but to the amount of the
series called on. Such holders of stock as think fit to de-
mand the conversion are to receive for cash sf. of Five per
Cent. Stock, 4f. 50c. in Four-and-a-Half per Cent. Stock,
with a guarantee against the exercise of reimburse-
ment for ten years, and with the enjoyment of the
interest of five per cent. for the half-year after the day on
which the operation shall have been terminated. The Minister
of Finance is to be authorised, in order to effect the reim-
bursement of the Five per Cents., Ist, to negotiate Treasury
Bonds; and, 2dly, to have inscribed, if necessary, on the
ngerganotdialtiivorne
ofo fwthe p
isu btol i ebed e b
effectedt, F o übr3per
bClei
cn te.
om Stock,pet
itohne,
and in no case below par. The part attributed for the Sink-
ing Fund to the stocks which shall have been reimbursed or
converted, shall be transported to the stocks substituted for
them, dating from the day of the inscription of these new
stocks in the grand livre of the public debt."
At TORTONI'S, on Sunday, the Three per Cents. were
quoted at 85f. 15c.
Swiss papers of the 27th ult. have been received, from
which we are glad to find that things wear a better
aspect, and that the agitation is on the decrease.

TEE LATE LAMAN BLANCHARD.—A correspon-
dent, who calls himself an actor and an author, but says it
might be invidious or presumptuous in him to put his name
to his note, inquires whether a benefit might not be got up
at one or more of tbe theatres for the family of the lamented
Mr. Litman Blanchard. He assures us that there are num-
bers of actors who would be found to assist in so holy a cause,
and as Mr. Blanchard was well• known in the theatrical
world, there seems little doubt that the project would be
eminently successful. We place his suggestion before our
readers, and leave it to them to give it form and being—
Chronicle.

JOHN THOMSON, ESQ, LATE CA.SNIER OF TIIE
ROYAL BANK OF EDINBUIIGIL— This gentleman has ad-
dressed a circular letter to the partners of the Royal Bank,
calling upon them to direct an investigation to be made into
his conduct while manager of the affairs of the Bank. Mr.
Thomson declares his perfect freedom from all responsibility
as to the mismanagement of the Leith branch, and requests
inquiry into the circumstances affecting this agency, which
he says has involved him in much, but undeserved public
suspicion. This letter will, we believe, be brought before the
next meeting of proprietors,
Edinburgh Post, which takes place on Tuesday.—