Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-03-27
THE CONTRAST.

THE CONTRAST.
Below are some just remarks upon the sentences
of the Royal British Bank Directors, passed upon
them by Lord Campbell. The trial, conviction and
sentences passed upon these public swindlers, and
the entire escape of all such criminals through the
meshes Of the law, in this country, their being
screened from prosecution, conviction, and pun
ishment by the fact that they are men Of high
standing" in the community, presents a contrast
between England and the United States in this
particular, by no means fattering or creditabe to
us.
Wealth andrespectability cannot protect Grim
inal from punishment there, while here they form
a complete panoply. A rascal is rascal there,
in spite Of wealth and social position; and juries
and judges are not deferred from doing their duty
to the public in convicting and publishing the
guilty, by the fact that the criminals are respect
ably connected" and that great sympathy is felt
for their families and relatives" No sympathy is
felt here for the swinded, but only for swindlers;
none for the murdered and their bereaved fam
lies, but only for the murderer and has family.
So in regard to public swindlers. They go I'M
whipt of justice, and walk our streets, and peram
bulate the Capitol with an air Of defiance, making
at the same time an ostentatous display OF that
wealth which they have obtained by means not
more honest than the counterfeiter the pick
pocket, the horse-thief, and the burglar obtain
their "pickiugs and stealings" And who shun
the public swindlerss Who refuse to return their
audacious salutations, decline taking their prof
fered hand Few, very few, if any, have the re-
solution'to do it, though they know that the indi-
vidual ought to be, and would be, if the law could
be impartially and rigidly enforced, within the
four walls of State Prison. 1aboring for that very
public he has SO successfully robbed.
But is it matter of surprise that such things
should be when we see the Government itself GO
ing openly into the market to buy up political sup
porters? That they do SO is notorious. With fat
jobs and contracts, made purposely tempting; with
offices, honors, distinction, power, and preferment
in one hand, and barbed arrows, whips, and de-
nunciations in the other the President walks into
the balls of legislation, or sends for prominent
andrnfuci,tial men" to the /" White House" from
every section of the country, aud thus prep AIRED,
tampers with their integrity, and buys their sup
port; or, failing in this, opens his battery of de-
nunciation upon them through his organ, the
Union, as renegades, traitors, and Black Repub-
licansl Such is the example Of political morality
set by the American Government; and of one
thing we may be sure namely, that the stream
can never rise higher than the fountain that
where there is low standard of political morale,
there cannot possibly be high standard of any
other:
The Sentences Of the Royal British Bank
Directors
"The certain punishment Of crime In England.
aud the impartial manner in which justice Is admin
stered without regard to the respectable standing
of the parties convicted, are deserving Of serious
consideration with us. The recent sentence of the
officers OF the Royal British Bank for conspiracy
is case in point. 1t is evident that ''fnancicrs,"
/ such as our own country is unfortunately cursed
with, and who are seldom, II ever punished, find
no favors with the criminal courts Of England.
| There they seem TO be placed upon footing with
other thieves, and disposed Of as their merits de.
mand We quote as follows from the sentence
passed upon the directors Of the Royal British
Bank.-Sun.
"Lord Campbell said: shall first pass sentence
upon you, Humphrey Brown, Edward Esdaile, and
Hugh lines Cameron. After long, and hope
impartial trial, you have been convicted by jury
Of our country, upon the clearest evidence of an
infamous crime. You were charged with con-
spring to deceive and defraud the shareholders of
the bank to which you belonged by false represent
tatioos, and II is clear that you did so. acqut
you Of having originated this bank with the fraud
ulent intent TO cheat the public, but IL Is now
demonstrated that for years you have carried on
system OF deliberate fraud, and fabricated docu-
ments for the purpose of deceiving the public for
your own direct or indirect benefit. II would be
disgrace 10 the law ofany country II this we're not
a crime 10 be punished. II is not a mere breach
Of contract with the shareholders or customers Of
the bank, but II is criminal conspiracy to do
what leads 10 great public mischief in the ruin Of
families, and reducing the widow and orphan from
aiiuence 10 restitution regret TO say that in NIT
| igation Of your offence II was said that it was
common practice
| Unfortunately, a laxity has been introduced
| into certain commercial dealings, not ON any de-
feet in the law, but from the law not being put in
force; and practices have been adopted without
bringing consciousness Of shame, aud, fear,
| without much loss of character among those with
| whom they associate. II was time stop should be
put 10 such system, and this information was
properly fled by her Msjestys Attorney General,
and the jury have properly found you guilty. hope
II will now be known that such practices are ile-
gal, and win not only give rise TO punishment, but
that no length OF investigation, no intricacies of
| accounts and no devices will be able TO shield such
practices. On account Of this being the first prose-
cution Of this nature, I pronounce a milder SEN
tence than otherwise should; but the mildest
sentence | can pronounce upon you, Humphrey
Brown, Edward Esdaille, and Hugh Innes Cam
eron, Is that you be imprisoned in the Queens
prison for one year.
@Richard Hartly Kennedy, the jury have re-
commended you TO mercy, and think there are
grounds which justified them in coming TO that
conclusion; but still there is strong evidence
again you. That paper for which the Jury sent
shows that, though you were a respectable mem
Der Of society, and filed creditably the Office of
sheriff. you lent yourself TO this deception. You
did not derive any personal advantage from IT. but
IL s clear 10 my mind that when you joined In that
last report you were fully aware that the bank
insolvent, and you knew IL to be false. The light
est sentence can give you is nine months mpri-
sonment In the Queens prison"
| -.