THE TRIAL OF THE BROTHERS STRAKER. (From the Wellington Independent, Dec. 30.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVII, Issue 1285, 6 January 1860, Page 3

THE TRIAL OF THE BROTHERS STRAKER. (From the Wellington Independent, Dec. 30.)

Ik compliance with the wishes of many of our sub* scnberi, -we this day republish in a complete form the whole of the proceeding! in thi» important case, together with an account of the zealous effort* which have been nude since",the trial, to procure a commutation of sentence passed upon Charles Straker. In repeating the hope expressed by 10 many of our fellow • colonists that the life of this unhappy man may be spared, we yet quite concur in the view expressed, we believe, by his Honor the Judge to the deputation who waited on him, that the systematic persecution—not to, say cruelty—to which boys are subjected on ship board, requires to be repressed by a strong hand, and that it must be matter of gratification to all right-minded persons, that in a Colony so distant and young as this, the power of English law is strong enough to overtake and punish the wrong-doer, of whatfm class he may happen to be. We are fre» to confess that our own acquaintance with ships and sailors, and the testimony of many competent persons, incline us to the. belief that a large part of the inhumanity with which the unfortunate Francis Muir was treated, is chargeable upon the seamen themselves, not with any design of doing him serious harm, but simply from that want of consideration which too often causes the greatest evils. Nor can we admit that this exonerates the officers of the ship, who ought not to be ignorant of wh at is going on in the little community over which for the time they have such absolute authority. The result of this trial therefor*' we hope will be most salutary, and will teach offi. cers of ships that they are directly amenable for acts which they have the power to prevent, and that wherever they may go within the Queen* dominions l,' they will find themselves wthin the graspof s l*w, that in its righteous administration, knows no dif^ ference of persons,'and cannot allow feelings of p\ty to obstruct its course. Therefore w» again tty that it is matter for congratulation that in the colqriie»jas well 'as in England "the Courts, are kept," "and Judges'and Jnries are found to vindicate the law, by .whomsoever it may have been transgressed.

We are gl*d to t heir that the Petition to hit Excel*' lenoy the Grovbrn^f, for mitigation' of the 'tfente'nce of dAthp«*don C.)Str*ker, hw ulready been signed by newly lioo'pel»oiii.^7i«/ l •, .

W^BbTFv *T '^'f'* j 'f af *f* iJ * 1 t 'attended to tha that hii Honor ertntually oxpimMa «n intinuitioii tH^t, though ho wh unftble to concur in the term« of the^Petition m placed befort aim, yet he felt ther* wm m general ground which might probubly jmtify him In wpporting iU p»yer.— Sptctator. -'.'♦,

Tax Govmujob.— H.M.S. "Niger," having hii Excellency the Governor and tuit* on boud, anived at Picton, the capital of the new Brarinoe of Maxlhorough, on Monday lut. ,The European* and Native* of the plaoe asaembl9d.2io4.do honor to the reprenentatire of our Quean. It is suppoied the "Niger" haauuled from thence dinot to Otago. — N. Z. Advertittr,