The Sun.
London, England, 1826-10-02 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE runuc .1012RNALS.

Otn°Sttention has been recalled to the ease Of Mrs.
Pridhani,. by 'a correspondent. The above-named
lady, it will be recollected, had been a pronriettsr of
stock, which was•translerrec under a power of Attor-
ney, bearing apparentlyher ownsipature. She de-
nied, however, all knowledge of the power, which
she declared to have been forged. On her epithets-
tion to inspect this instrument, the Bank Directors
refused their per nission; unless she would consent to
indemnify them against whatever claim might accrue
to Mts.. rridham, from her establishing the proofs of.
its forgery. We need not say that the universal feel-
ing of public was against. the conduct of the Bank
on the occasion, as being harsh, illiberal, and unfair.
For what is the state of the question between these
parties ? A poor woman complains, that .through
the knavery of some individual, acting upon the remiss-
ness of a, peat corporation, whom she had heen com-
pelled by iwi° confide in as the guardians of her pro-
perty, every shilling of that property had been conveyed
away from her without her own authority or knowledge.
She then told the Bank Directors, that as she had heen
wholly' passive in the transaction, she claimed her
money at their hands, and could proVe to the satis-
faction of anybody,, that no reason existed why shay
shouldbe left destitute of the fituds which she had
placed in their keeping. .One might imagine, on the
first view of such a case, that the Bank Wold be eager
to assist this injured lady to obtain redress for SO grie-
veins a wrong, would afford her, the most accurate in-
formation that they were able, and after replacing
.her'
.stock (should the power have been a forged one),
would take upon themselves the duty ofstracing
out the felon by whom it had been prepared, ',slid of
vindicating at theim proper cost that public
.justice,
which, through 'their neglect or 'ignorance (and no
fault of the lady), had been so gravely violated.
The Bea, it appears, have acted in a different
visit, They have thrown every possible difficulty
in the way of the complainant. Instead of sub-
mitting the questionable instrument to examina-
tion, and aiding the course of right and truth' they
!lave felt foe nothing but their own interest, regardless
of the ruin of an, innocent woman. Further, this in-
direct sort of caution has had the effect of impeding
the path of justice, by suppressing that investrtion
which might lead to the punishment of the offender.
It is quite obvious that an indemnity front Mrs. hid-
ham to the Bank of England Would he premature
determination of the whole &spine. If the power was
not forged, the Bank would treed no such protection,
because they would hiwe dune no wrong; if, on the
other hand, the forgery 4bould he proved by the in-
spection, how could the Bank in justice require tts re-
lease against the consequences of their own miscon-
duct, at the expellee of One against whom no fault pr
imprudence of any kind had been alleged ?—Tirses.
BY a letter which appeared a few days since in a
Morning Paper, it would scent that a novel mode of
silencing the presshad been resorted to by an inclivi•
dual, who, both in the character of Director and Pro-
jector, is no small adept in the art of puffing. The
simple 'process appears to be this—be brings an action
10.7,stiost a:contemporary, which he afterwards agrees to
tomproirsisc, upon condition or the latter saying no-
thing against hint for the time to conic. This is an
admirable ruse guerre the adoption of which we
strongly recommend to thel whole tribe of thieves,
swindlers, sehemers, and projectors for the time to
come. Let any one who has a deep-I;6d scheme of
plunder, whi, It he wishes to carry on and consummate,
in a way unknown to the public, only contrive to get
himself libelled, as lie chooses to call it, in the news-
'papers, and then let hint hold the terrors of hislaw-
stir s bill over the timid part of the press, by way of
intimidation ; and he thus purchases impunity for all
his future misdoings. 'The press cannot be too much
upon its guard against these kind of artfitl machina.
tions. Such a ffisclostire as
,this speaks volumes,
showing, as it does, the way in which both silence and
etilogitinf too often take the place of, manly censure
and exposure. Every mans is emphatically said,
should be the guardian of his own honour and repu-
tation. The press'ttio should be the guardian of its
own diitity and independence. To receive the hatred
and vituperation of the vile and worthless, and of those
whoSe schemes and projects to defraud turd plunder
the public it unmasks, is its highest honour. To all
this, however, all compromise must be out of the
question. Were mere gain the sole object of those
who conduct the press, then thieves and swindlers,
gaiabfers, blackleg, imposters and seducers, would be
ready enough to share their profits and their infamy
with those who should be Ewe enough to pander to
their crimes and practices. But :there will ever be, we
trust, an unbanght.freedom of the press, which neither
price nor intinudation can reach, and. which will hold
in check those who, without its independence, would
rule the ascendant, to the ruin and disgrace of them-
selves and of mankinds--Moming Herald.

Several instances of the jealousy and alarm with
which most provincial Alagistrateti regard the Press
have lately occurred. Stich instances of jealousy and
alarm manifested towards the faithful chronicler of
their public acts, does not say much for the good sense
or conscious rectitude of our rural Magistracy. When
we speak of the character of the body, we speak of it
as it stands in relation to the conduct of the majority;
for we are aware, that in every county almost there are
some virtuous and right-minded Magistrates, who la-
ment the norow and illiberal views of their brethren.
If tilt e he one office which the Press exercises that is
more valuable than another in a free country, it is that
constant watchfulness anti inspection which it culti-
vates with regard to the proceedings in Courts of Jus-
tice. Upright. Judges, like good men in all situations,
love light better t-h 4,1 darkness. They are not like
gamblers and thieves, ashamed of the reflection of their
own facers. On the other hand, partial and corrupt
&avowed to conceal their
Judges have in all ages en
deeds as much as possible from the public eye, and 10
prevent their bring put on any indelible record. As
owls blink at the broad light of day, so are their
eyes
offended at the evidence of . history; yet it ix by ex..
perienee that all things improve, and especially the
administration of justice. But how is the iniminldra_
tion of justice to have the benefit of expericiice
without their proceedings being reported, and traria.
mitted from one generation to mother along with the
history of the times ? It is not inure certain that
piiblic men die, than that their acts ought to sur-
vive, that their successors may derive instruction and
warning from their wisdom and their errors. i
This is
acknowledged in the greatest Courts of Justice n the
realm. It is only in the minor Courts—such as those
of Coroneis and Justices of the Peace, that a prin-
ciple of exclusion and concealment exists, which is as
much at variance, with common senile as with the very
elements_ Of the British Constitution. If it be neces-
sary that all should be known and recorded which
takes place in the superior Courts, where the chances

of error or impropriety Recision are' Comparatively
few, on account of the distinguished abilities aiid
learning of the Judges, 'such publicity ie much More
necessary in the inferior Courts, Where the presiding
wisdom or virtue is not quite so eminent. The his-
tory of mankind has ever shown that all inquisitotial
power degenerates into oppression. Men of base or
corrupt dispositions van do things in secresy which
they would be ashamed to attempt before the eyes of
the public. Mahy things are done in Sessions, with
closed doors, which dare not be attempted in open
Court. If it be essential to the well-being of a state
that justice should be pure in the highest places, it
is of no less consequence that the administration of the
laws should be untainted in its source—or in those
Courts in which the preliminary proceedings of justice
are instituted.. Nothing can be so• available to so
great and national a purpose as the faithful going forth
of all their acts to the world—and in performing such
a task the press acts in conformity with the spirit of
the Constitution, and bestows upon the nation an in-
estimable benefit. This is not so much the advan-
tage of the Press'as the privilege of the country.—
Magistrates must revolutionize 'the laws before they
can suppress it.—Morning Herald: