The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-07 00:00:00

Seven ran.

BAIL COURT.-(THIS DAY.)
No case of any interest or importance came before the Cour
to-day.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.
GLOBE.—Sir Robert Peel's Law Officers are begin-
ning to think it quite necessary to take matters out of his
hands as regards the issue or suspenssion of writs for
boroughs. The Right Hon. Baronet was last night very
decidedly snubbed by his Solicitor. General, for his see-
saw and self-contradictory sayings and doings on that
subject. " The only constitutional reason," said Sir W.
Follett, " which could justify the House for suspending a
writ was, that it was on the eve of taking some prac-
tical step towards the disfranchisement of the borough.
If then, the Hon. Gentleman would say that he was on
the eve of bringing in a Bill to disfranchise the borough
of Newcastle-under-Lyme, he (the Solicitor-General)
would be able to understand his argument." It was im-
possible to intimate more pointedly that the Solicitor-
General cannot understand the conduct of the Prime
Minister towards different boroughs. " Unless they
were prepared to disfranchise the borough," he repeated,
" there were no grounds for suspending the writ. . .
If the House was not prepared to follow up the
suspension of the writ by some legal measure.s,
he (the Solicitor-General) for one, must vote against
it." Sir Robert Peel, of course, durst not oppose this
high and peremptory dictum of authority ; and he had
indeed nothing to oppose to its retrospective effect on his
past flounderings, but the singular avowal that he had
acted on no general principle at all. This, indeed, was
evident from the palpable contradictions of his course ;
but it required the Ri&t: Hon. Baronet's peculiar descrip.
tion of moral courage (which is neither the courage that
prompts consistent action, nor frank expression) to make
such an avowal his sole substitute for argument, or de-
fence. Argument there is none, defence there is none, for
a course so tortuous, which began with suspending the
constitutional franchise of Nottingham on the bare
supposition that a fishing inquiry might elicit the fact
that some of its voters were bribed. That was the
course taken against Nottingham, without the shadow
of legal proof; or presumption. On the other hand,
Ipswich, where everything was proved, and a great
deal more, than anybody affects to anticipate prov-
ing against Nottingham—fortunate Ipswich must not
have her rights for a day suspended. South-
ampton, on the other hand, exhibits . no case like
Ipswich, but presents another piquant opportunity for
a fishing inquiry. It is another case, therefore, to do
the plausible, and show uneasy virtue. There was be-
sides, the irresistible temptation to Sir Robert Peel's
'temper to make a merit of sacrificing a friend. So
Southampton is suspended. But now we have Newcastle-
under-Lyme, where again there is proof of bribery—
where, farther, there is a proof of a demoralising extent
of treating ; here too the constitutional rights of drink,
and of dinner-money, are too sacred to admit of suspen-
sion. So Newcastle-under-Lyme has her writ.
STANDARD.—Lord John Russell's proposed Bill
has no fault that we can discover, except that it pro-
poses to comprise in one Act measures which would be
better separated, not merely with a view to the certain
success of the more important measure, but also for
practical convenience, should both be adopted. As
far as concerns the trial of disputed returns, the
Noble Lord's proposition appears to be excellent. Its
adoption may not obviate bribery altogether, but
it will infinitely diminish its amount. We have
laws against treason. murder, and robbery—yet these
crimes are sometimes committed, though the first two
of them are happily of rare commission ; and the effect
of Lord John Russell's proposition for trial of election
petitions will render bribery almost as rare. There is
this, too, to be considered, that bribery will scarcely
be ever practised upon a small scale, because
when so practised it will have little effect, and
that, therefore, by preventing wholesale bribery,
you go a great way in extinguishing the crime
altogether. The second branch of Lord John Russell's
proposition—that which respects the disfranchisement of
corrupt constituencies—is not open to any objection that
we can see at present, save that some useful addition
may be made to it, Lord Sandon's proposal for a special
commission upon the spot, among others. But the scheme
seems too crude, if we may use the word without mean-
ing disrespect, for as early an adoption as the circum-
stances of the time suggest, in respect to the proposed
trial of petitions.
COURIER.—With regard to Lord John Russeli's
Bill, we object in limine to the principle of "indemnity "
on which it is founded, and in which consists its sole
chance of proving efficacious. If there be any one
maxim of Englis law more universally recognised, or
founded on clearer principles than another, it is that
no man is bound to criminate himself— and if there
be any one deviation from that rule more dan-
gerous than another, it is that which grants " pardon "
beforehand and then exacts confessions of guilt
the Crown can alone pardon; and that privilege the
legislature would usurp by an indemnity bill, such as
that proposed by Lord J. Russell. Beside holding out
impunity on the easy condition of subsequent confession
would constitute an almost irresistible temptation to
commit the offence. The readiest receiver of the proffered
or solicited bribe would also be the readiest informer ;
he would fly to the mixed tribunal in order to clears,:
himself of guilt and evade its penal consequences with
indecent eagerness; just as it happens in Roman Catho-
lic countries, that the villain who dreads approaching
danger seeks the "confessional" with the same hopes'
nay, certain conviction, of thereby purging himself of all
his crimes, while his wretched tendencies and propensi-
ties rem in full and vigorous action. We protest, there-
fore, into against the indemnity clauses of the pro-
posed measure, as being not only at variance with the
fundamental principles of British law and the spirit of
the constitution, but also with all sound notions of mo-
rality. Surely a more obvious temptation to commit an
offence could hardly be imagined than the certainty that
one's disclosing it will insure impunity. Surely, if the
offence carries with it any stain of moral guilt—if it be
not, in fact, a legal fiction, it is not competent
for the Legislature to pardon it ; and if it were,
it would not be conducive to public morality
to do so. The power resides in the Crown,
doubtless, to offer pardon to parties charged with
crime on' condition of their informing against others
more deeply stained than themselves, and the ends of
justice frequently require its exercise, but that is lie
reason whatever for vesting such power in the Legisla-
ture, or for declaring beforehand that a speedy confes-
sion absolves offenders. Other provisions of the Bill,
though less liable to objection than the one we have
here touched upon, require to be either remodelled or
considerably modified before they can expect the sanc-
tion of either House of Parliament.

THE LON DON GAZETTE,

(THIS EVENING.)

BY THE QUEEN.—A PROCLAMATION.
VICTORIA R.—Whereas it has been represented unto us
that great quantities of the gold coin of this realm deficient
in weight are now in circulation, • contrary to the tenor of
two Proclamations issued, one by his late:l-loyal Highness
George Prince Regent, in the name *ha en the behalf oi
h:s late Majesty King George 'itie Third. bearing date the
Ist of July, 1817, and the:,
"met:issued by his late Majesty King
Ge,,rge the Fourth., ',oaring date the sixth of February on,
thousand eight h:...ndred and twenty-one ; and there being reason
to believe that due attention is not paid to the weighing of the
said g0,,,*
coin, and the directions given in the Acts of Par-
-inent now in force with respect to the cutting, breakii.g.
or defacing such pieces thereof as are found to be ol
I«,ss weight than those declared by the last of the
aforesaid Proclamations to be current, and to pass
and be received in payment; "we .do by this our Royal Procla-
mation declare and command that frOm and atter the date
hereof every gold sovereign of less weight than five penny-
leights two grains and a half, and every gold half sovereign at
less weight than two penny-weights thirteen grains and one-
eighth, be not allowed to be current or pass in any payment
whatsoever; and we do hereby strictly require and
command all our loving subjects, and particularly all
the. officers, collecto•:s and receivers of our revenues,
strictly to conform to the orders hereby given, and to the direc-
tions and regulations enacted and established in the several Acts
of Parliament now in force with respect to the cutting, break-
ing, and defacing such pieces of the said gold coin as shall be
found deficient in weight : and we do hereby fur-
ther ordain, declare; and command, that the said gold
sovereigns and half sovereigns of the weights last
above described shall pass and be received as cur-
rent and lawful money of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, every such sovereign as of the value of
twenty shillings, and every such half sovereigns as of the value
of ten shillings, in all payments whatsoever.
Given at Our Court at Buckingham-Palace, this third day of
June, in the year of Our Lord, one thousand eight hundred
and forty-two, and in the fifth year of Our reign.
GOD save the QUEEN.
CROWN-OFFICE, JUNE 7.

MEMBERS RETURNED TO SERVE IN THIS PRESENT PARLIA-

Borough of Ipswich—TheMENT Right Hon. Otway O'Connor
Earl of Desart and Thomas Gladstone, Esq., in the room of
Rigby Wagon and George Rennie, Esqrs., whose election has
been declared void.

Commission by the Lord Lieutenant of Dorsetsbire.
T. J. W. Fleming, Esq, to be Dcputy Lieutenant, May 9.
Commissions by the Lord Lieutenant of Glamorganshire.
Royal Glamorgan Light Infantry Battalion of Militia— F. J.
Wheatley, Esq., to be Captain, nice ?Biers, deceased; J.
Hewett, Gent., to be First Lieutenant, vine Bandon, deceased,
April 18.
Commission signed by e Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire.
Queen's Own Regi tof Worcestershire Yeomanry Ca-
valry.—W.C. Watson, ent., to be Cornet, vice Perrott, re-
it
signed, May 30.
DECLARATION OF INSOLVENCY.
THOMAS WATTS
B ,
AlicenceNKßUPTSd victoailer, Rugby.

THOMAS GINGER, innkeeper, Leighton Buzzard, to
surrender the 17th of June instant, at twelve, and July 19, at
eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy, Basinghall-street. Ed-
wards, official assignee, Frederick's-place, Old Jewry; Wright,
Furnival's Inn, London ; Day, Woburn, Bedfordshire.
JOHN BRETTARGH, tunber.dealer, Pendleton, Lanett-
,shire, June 20, and July 19, at ten. Foster, Manchester;
Nethersole, Essex•street, Strand.
HENRY MATTHEW WALKER and THOMAS CAS-
SON, corn-faetors, Manchester, June 14, at ten, at the Ses-
sions-house, Wakefield, and July 19, at ten, at the Commis-
sioners'-rooms, Leeds. Adlington, Gregory, Faulkner, aad
Follett, Bedford-row, London; Taylor and Westmorland,
Wakefield.

JOSIAH BARLOW, hatter, Manchester, June 21, and
and July 19, at twelve, at the Corumisaiouere-rooms, Man.