The Sun. — 1842-09-10 (London, England)

EXTRAORDINARY RADISII.-40All WaS gathered the other day out of a gardeti bpliKatug to Mr. P. Dawson, maltster, Ashboyng, of the unusual length of 20 inches, nine in circumference, and weighing two pounds 4Pcl titrefi quarters. —Derby Reporter,  and Edward Gladstone, were, about ten days since, brought before the aforesaid Magistrates on two charges ; one, of assaulting a certain Frederick Fox Cooper, which was summarily disposed of by the infliction of a slight fine, and the other of threatening the life of the same Mr. Cooper, for which the accused were required to find two sureties in 201. each to keep the peace for two months, and in default were committed. We have no fault to find with the committal of these bloodthirsty comedians, whose "killing," however, would, we apprehend, have been "no murder"—for the law which_ imposes imprisonment in default of bail is imperative. Our business lies with the treatment which the comedians experienced for the three or four hours during which, while waiting for promised bail, they were consigned to the tender mercies of the gaoler and turnkey of the Dover prison. These worthies, who seem as well skilled as Abhorson in the " mystery" of their craft, turned those few hours to excellent account. They not only threatened the unhappy comedians with " oakum picking," "bread and water," and a " public whipping," but, before they had had them a quarter of an hour in their custody, they actually inflicted upon them the degradation of " cropping." that is, cutting their hair short, " after the fashion of common felons." Having assimilated the appearance of these unfortunate persons to that of the common felons of the prison, " they were then placed amongst the debtors, and ordered not to speak." Next in order came the threats :—" They must pick oakum or go without their dinner ;" " they must be placed on bread and water ;" "if they did not conform to the rules of the prison they would be publicly whipped!" Pretty rules these, and right mercifully enforced ! What part of the world are we speaking of? Surely of no place in England —of no town within 70 miles of the metropolis— within the reach of civilisatiiih.and the Home Secretary ! These occurrences took place on board of some slave ship or in some remote dungeon in Russia ? Not a bit of it. The serious drama in which the two comedians played the principal parts was enacted in the gaol of Dover, and, as it afterwards appeared, with the full approbation and concurrence of the worshipful bench of Magistrates, wtor when the case was fully gone into before' 'them, " after well weighing the evidence, came to the conclusion that the Governor of the gaol was perfectly justified in ordering the hair of the prisoners to be cut off; and, therefore they dismissed the case." Weighing the evidence, yes, but not in equal scales. In the one there were two poor comedians, light of heart, light of tongue, perchance, of course, not rich, and very possibly friendless ; in the other were the bolts and shackles of Dover gaol, the imposing weight of prison discipline and prison authority, the burly officials,—the gaoler (whom they style) " Governor ") mind his obedient turnkey—and that tendency to put all " players" beyond the pale of the law as " vagabonds" which has influenced the bench ever since the days when one' Will Shakspeare incurred the anger of a foolish country Justice—the type of the Dover Magistrates. We trust that Sir James Graham will come to the conclusion of dismissing these Magistrates from the office which they disgrace. He will be " perfectly justified" in doing so by the unanimous voice of the people.