The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-03-06
Carrying Ous the Law,,

The firm and impartial administration OF
the laws in Great Britain must challenge the
admiration Of the most ultra Republican. 1t
| 10 but a few years since Sir JOHN DEAN PAUL,
RKDrATH, and other individuals of wealth
and social position, were condemned, for their
frauds, TO. penal servitude. Another notable
| proof that the law in England is no Tespec tor
| Of persons has Just been added to the list, In
| the case Of MI DAVID HUaHEs who was, UNI
til lately one Of the most celebrated solicitors,
| In his peculiar line, in London. 1t appears
| that Mr.. HuaHEs had for many years been in
the habit of lending out money for hrs clients,
who had the utmost confidence in his integ-
rity; but he betrayed his trust, and applied 10
much money to his own purposes that be at
length. finding discovery and ruin inevitable,
left for Australia, whittier he was followed
and brought back. The amount Of his delin-
quency was about eight hundred thousand
dollars! HUGHES lived in.great splendor, with
town and country houses, carriages and horses
in the most approved style Of fashion, as in
all such cases made and provided. He was
proceeded against in the Bankruptcy Court
at which time he was enjoying himself on the
deck of clipper ship, with Australia in the
perspective. Long-armed justice, however,
reached him, and he has been most right
eously condemned to a degrading punishment.
He was duly tried in the Criminal Court for
obtaining money under false pretences, and on
other and kindred charges. A verdict Of
guilty having been returned, the prisoner was
at once called up for judgment when Mr..
BARON MARTIN addressed him at considera-
bic length, showing, first, that he had been
culpable Of felony in refusing to appear at the
Bankruptcy tribunal; and stating in effect,
that it WAS clearly established that the priso-
ner had for u n lumber of years acted as an at
torney and that he had by means of that. po-
sition succeeded in gaining the confidence of
his clients, aud had got possession Of their
money upon the pretence that he could get
higher in terest for them than they could obtain
from any other source, and that he for some
time employed this money legtimaiely, but al
length his avarice got the better of him, and he
employed the money in land EQUATIONS of his
own. There was no doubt that year after year
these spec u ations had increased in embarrass-
ment to him. and at length, in 1857, he found that
he could not go on any longer, aud he left the
country with debt amounting to one hundred
and sixty thousand pounds. The crime he had
committed was a most base, scaDdalons, and
ungrateful one He had been the confidential
solicitor of Mr.. HUNT, one OK the parties who
had been defrauded, for more than twenty
years, and in 1855 he gave him a pretended Sc
curi;y for one thousand pounds, having pre-
viOusly obtained from him all the money he
could take out of his business, and of the |
whole of which he had defrauded him. A man |
who committed robbery upon the highway |
risked his liberty, and the chance Of entering |
into personal conflict, in which he might be |
worsted, with the person he desired TO rob, !
but the prisoners offence consisted in deceiv- |
ing those who placed confidence in him, and |
who had no means of protecting themselves
Under such circums tances the Court would be |
neglecting its duty to the public if it did not |
pass a severe sentence as Il warning and eau
ton to others who were in similar position,
and the judgment of the Court therefore was.
that he be kept in penal servitude for the term
Of ten years.
Why is it tina: in the English courts neither
wealth nor rank ever screen All offender, and |
that it is difficult, next to impossible, to con-
vict man of crime by an American jury who
possesses money and social position 1t is
frequently said that this result in the United
States is due to the fact that wealth commands
the services of able counsel, and that their
superior ingenuity and counsel extricate their
client from his difficulties. But does not |
wealth command in England, also, the first
legal talent! and yet no array of counsel is
sufficient to save d criminal against law and |
evidence. We fear that the cause Of the differ |
enoe must be looked for in the tenure by |
which the judiciary holds office in this coun-
try, and in morbid sentiment of sympathy |
with criminals i'll high life, not very crcdita- |
BILE to the good sense of a republican consist |
ency of our people.