The Sun.
London, England, 1818-12-16 00:00:00

Christmas next.

As we positively contradicted the report of
what, if true, we should have considered as

heavy loss to the Nation,—the intended retirement
of the Earl of LIVERPOOL, the 'Dealers in rumours
of Ministerial Changes have now thought proper to
change dick ground, and to dismiss Viscount .5.1 -
MOUTH, in order to make room for Mr. PEEL. IV.•
are tally persuaded that there is no more founda-
tion for this latter report than fur the fortuer,which

tie cont rabic tea Upon indispOtabh: aut t►or ily•
Lord
SIDMOUTII, by desire of his evened Sovereign'
assumed the conduct of the- national affairs tit
$
critical period, when no other distinguished 657
racter woulil venture to undertake so arduous
office. He. conducted himself throughout yts
Administration as an able and consciendatli
Statesman. His Sovereign and his Country /104
full reason to approve of Lis Ministry, and though be
was exposed to the unretnitted rancour and ridicsl6
of Party, he persevered in a steady
,dignified
course. He has pursued-the same just and Jibe'
ral conduct in the office which lie now holds, Oa
the Illustrious Prince who governs the coantrY
knows his merits ton well to part with so vain'
able a servant of the State.—As to Mr. PEAL'
his abilities, his services, his independ entrain('
and situation, and his sound constitutional
character render it, in the highest degree, de'
sizable to the Empire in general, that
should be engaged in official employment, ail('
we sincerely hope to hear that his great abilities
are again called into action, and arc to add to the
strength of that Administration which justly poi'
sesses the full confidence of the Country.

The reflexions which have been thrown upon
the Bank of Eugl,lnd, the greatest Commercial
Body in the world, and to which every nation id
the world looks •with confidence and security, arts
illiberal anti unj..t. The Bank has acted upon(
the same principle, as it has lately done, for a cell'
tuty, and the, speech of Mr. Serjeaat BosANctusT/
on the recent Triais, was a full jnsti6catiou of its
conduct. He truly stated, that Prosecutions do 104-
originate with the Bank, but with those who ow°
the intended victims of criminality. The tradcs'
men, or others, to whom forged Bank-notes are
tendered, take the Person whO tenders, them int°
custody, the swpected Criminal is taken befote a
Mafi!strate, who commits hint, and be is the!) to
abide by the violated Laws of the Country. The
Bank is,
called upon to ascertain the, validity or
forgery of the tendered notes, and is obliged to
ohm y the call. What would be thought of tile.
Rank if it attempted to avoid the summons, f;°11:1
a fAlse sense of compassion ) The conse.
(pence would be a total cessation of the
national l'aper Currency, anti forgery %%413
then operate in ha kers' Checks and Provi6'
cial Notes, while the want of due accool`

modation, necessary for carrying on trade, w"ula
be ruinous to multitudes in the Metropolis. 1-1“ t
it has been urged that en uncertainty attends tile
evidence of the Bank Inspector, who appears in
Court. They can know but little of the condnc
taf the Bank, if they suppose that the evidence
forgery depends solely on the testimony of the wit'
ness who gives evidence in Court. On questions
life and death, as well as on the necessity of so"
taining commercial credit in the country, there iv
reason to believe that the evidence of forgery ect's
not depend upon indivirbral inspection, but np°3
minute examination by those whose experience, es
well as private official knowledge, renders theta
frilly qualified to decide. In matters of high ".4
rolrbery, burglary, ordinary theft, or even murder,
there may be a great difficulty in discoveringthe real
culprit,. because the witnesses may be doubanis.
and even the innocent may be accused. 13" 41
forgery of Bank-notes, where their whole prngre".
in circulation can be traced, the guilty person lg
ascertained. It appears that in only one instance'
a Bank Inspector was deceived, but then the sill',
peeled note had been so long in use that it was
almeat worn our, its prominent features- Were 'le'
faced, and a paper was pasted at its back. 11.164
solitary instance of mistake can have no weight
When opposed to the general' course of evidence's-
and the necessity of guarding against
anion in a Commercial State. 'she Bank, it
appears, always conducts itself with renity,,anal
where the guilt is demonstrable, gives the culprit
the opportunity of pleading to the minor eritne'
As to the case of the unfortunate men who 'cell.
executed yesterday, their guilt was establish°.
beyond the prissibility of doubt, and
they
suf-
fered the punishment which .the'law, a law ces"
sential in a Commercial Country, had awarder!.awarder!.
The British Press of this day, with humanity eve'
ditable to its feelings, animadverts with severity
neon the fate of those unfortunate men, arid seenA
to think that they had reason to hope for Red°
till the last moment. If the hditor of that l'aPeC
bad rextl Tni3 SUN of yesterday, he would haver
seen that, up-ori no light authority,- we a.ssertet!P,
that these unfortunate men ‘‘ had every Pn"
tilde attention paid to their cases." A more 11°4'
mane character than the Nobleman who presides
o
at the Home Department cannot be found' of
all occasions that admitted of the extension
eat."
Royal Clemency, assidnons zeal and lenient tr
ment of all culprits who were within the Plll
Vince of his official functions, have ever n"rh C,l
re
his conduct. The unhappy men in question' vte
proved guilty, and they tickuotsicded their gui

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Who Om can say ties;, in a Commercial Country
like Great Britain, the general interests be
brought into Itazatli .by mistakon lenity ,?—We
should 'recollect ihat t've ought to feel for the,
Community as Well as for individuals who, bytheir
crimes, have forfeited the protection of the Law.
and who, if pardons were familiar, would hold
forth examples that might shake the credit of the
Country, and introduce incalculable evils.

The new Two-Pound Bauk-note, which ivas
3'eported to be of such heautirul engraving and

fine texture as to put it out of the power of any

Person to imitete, has been lair! before the Bank
tngraver, who' has taken so complete a copy,
that it was found impossible to discover the dif-
ference : conscrrently this plan has been aban-
linned by the Di.ectors.

OLD BATLRY.—This morning John Kingston,
!Mother of tho',e Pri:oners who had on a former
Ileeation pleaded Guilty to the minor offence
(If haviog forged Bank of England Notes in his
P°ssession,. took hii trial before Mr. Baron
WOOD, for having uttered the said Notes.—The
Nal was not fini.:hed when our Paper was put to
kress.