The Press. — London, England, 1857-05-09 00:00:00

THE PRESS. MAY 9,1857. Crystal Palace, .and his zealous services on those occasions com mended him to the favourable regard of the promoters of the Palace at Sydenham. It is said that the examination of candidates for admission to the Bar is about to be made compulsory. Now, let us look this question fairly in the face. The Bar is a profession in which, as in the Church, the Army, and Medicine, one man succeeds for a hundred who never hold a brief : that is to say, that it is a thoroughly overcrowded pro fession ; and, what is more, nine-tenths of the young men who enter it know it to he so. In other words, just as men wish to be clergymen or soldiers because it is respectable or genteel, so do they wish to be bilrristers, because it is an honourable affix to their names. Now, it 1177, - . found inevitably necessary to accommodate the standard of our divines and soldiers to the attainments and capacity of the mass. When a man is wanted for real work, we know where to go for him ; but in the meantime we allow the profession to be subjected to natural laws. And the consequence is, that English clergymen and English officers are models of manliness and breeding over all the four quarters of the globe. As it has been with the Church so will it be with the Bar—the examination must be adapted to the abilities of the 6, ,70x),64, or the profession will be de cimated—be a species, as ARISTOTLE might say, without individuals. We do not mean to deny that the institution of a compulsory examination may tend to throw somewhat more of a learned atmosphere round the venerable precincts of the Inns of Court, or that it may possibly suggest more lofty ideas of legal lore to some few born lawyers. All that we wish to insist upon is that examinations can never promote science. They are, in fact, usually the device resorted to to conceal its dis appearance. Let us have examinations by all means. But do not let us suppose that because every young law student of five and twenty can explain the rule in SHELLEY'S case that therefore we shall witness any increase in the number of HARDWLCKES, MANSFIELDS, or LYNDHURSTS. The public is beginning to ask what has been done with "our money"—the millions voted for the purposes of the Ivar, harbours of refuge, and civil services generally. It is quite evident that the Treasury have no faith in Exchequer control ; the public Auditors are dissatisfied with their own powers ; the general public are dissatisfied with the existing, and its arrangements. The Adminis trative Reformers view the whole system of public moneys•control and audit as a shame ; and the financial abuses of public companies point to the danger of allowing delusions any longer to exist. A plain and simple account of the whole of the receipts and expenditure of public moneys must. he laid before the public, and that within a presciibed time, in default of which the accountants and auditors should be made personally responsible by loss of office. In dealing with public money the House of Commons cannot make their laws too penal. If one office cannot look af'er the public interests within a reasonable time, another should be found. The whole of the public accounts must be simply and promptly rendered, audited, and reported to Parliament. A Sessional Finance Committee to inquire into estimates and accounts submitted to Parliament is urgently required, but an accountant officer should be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Commons to assist that Committee, as well as to report to him the state of the public accounts, and the progress made in rendering and auditing the same. It is only by bringing the whole state of the receipt and expenditure of the equntry under the speedy revision of the House of Commons, and that through the medium of one of its officers, that public confidence can be restored. This is a serious matter, and must be settled in the current session. Is it or is it not possible for the Legislature to help those who will not help themselves? Is Montague Tigg for ever to remain an inaccessible scoundrel, and are half•pay officers, clergymen's widows, and industrious laundresses to continue for ever unavenged victims? Sir:h is the question which Sir RICHARD BETHELL is now called upon to answer ; and without going so far as to assert that his official repu• tation depends upon his answer, we may at least say that a fine oppor tunity is now open before him of benefiting the public more by a s'ilgle act, than he has ever done before in the course of his whole life. The proposed measure for checking fraudulent breaches of trust is one that the public will expect perhaps with more impatience than any of the various reforms so long talked of and so little a lvanced. The national gullibility is something prodigious. There are at present no less than 224 fire, life, and insurance companies in exist ence Can these all return an honest interest on the money invested ? Or are they they all wanted for the security of tin public ? In 185.2 no less than seventy new companies were projected. Worthy British householders are gobbled up by these adventurers, like so many gudgeons by the pike. Well may they anxiously expect the keen-eyed and strong-handed champion who is to put a book in the jaws of their tyrant. Let Sir RICHARD, however, be sure that his tackle is strong, and that he does not strike too soon, if he would avoid the fate of his illostiious Chief upon the Woolsack, and fiot add another• to the list of legal failures. PAM'S " APOLOGY." Thus spoke the DICTATOR. "My members, attend, Shut mouths, open ears, and then see what 171 send. Behave yourselves handsome, and vote the supplies, And be ready, when grouse are in season, to rise ; Aud—if I must buy my position so dear— promise you such a Reform Bill, next year. " Of course (though old Albemarle chooses to preach) One couldn't include such a thing in the Speech ; In fact, that Address had to much to disclose To leave room for Reforms and such trifles as those. And, besides, it was really much pleasanter here To announce the Reform Bill I keep for next year. 457 " My Speech had to tell you we still were at peace, That the chances of keeping it did not decrease ; That the armies had all been brought off to home-quarters, And the navies had sailed from the Niussulm in waters. With such mighty secrets to burst on the ear, Who cared to be told of Reform Bills, next year ? " My Speech had to tell of the bargtin or sell 'Twixt the Switzers and Prussia, about Neufchltel, To state that in Central America Lowe And his mission had left the dispute stutu quo; And you see with all that information to hear, You'd forgive the o►uission of Bills for next year. " My Speech had to state that the excellent Cowley (Whom ' faction' takes license to libel most foully) Has, thanks to—no matter—contrived to transmit A treaty with Persia, no end of a hit. Ungrateful you are as the daughters of Lear If, with that, you can't wait for Reform till next year. " My Speech had to state my sincerest regret That the quarrel with China was not patched up yet; That, in fact, we must give it the brutes, hot and hot, And had sent out whole shiploads of powder and shot. To reform the Chinese is our duty, 'tis clear— A Reform for ourselves we'll postpone till neat year. " My Speech had to add that with infinite pains We've come to some terms with those bothersome Danes ; And England must burst with joy at the news That a compact is signed to redeem the Sound Dues. With tidings like those. 'twould be very small beer To talk in a Speech of Reforms for next year. " Then my Speech turned domestic—and gracefully said How estimates should on your table be laid. (By-the-bye, I lose Berkeley, the fiercest of testy mates, And Freddy, the snapper, to fight those same estimates.) And it spoke of economy, stern and severe— That's more to the purpose than Bills for next year. " My Speech next observed (Bethell heard it with awe) We must deal with our Ecclesiastical Law; That Divorce must be cheapened (confound those concoctora Of cobwebs, both civil and canon, the proctors). You've heard this before, but you've no call to sneer, Or claim, in addition, Reform for next year. " It had all that to promise, all that to declare, Besides the set words—gratulation and prayer ; And its stuff was so weighty, that ere it was done Poor Cranny got blundering the phrases like fun. 'Twould have finally smashed that remarkable Peer Had he had to announce a Reform Bill, next year. " Well, now do your duty, as I have done mine ; Beware how you grumble, find fault, or combine ; If you dare to display hesitation or doubt, Seek a chief for yourselves, for, by Jove, I'll Go OUT ! Then find whom you can the State vessel to steer, Or give you a splendid Reform Bill, next year." (After a few submissive trorls from Mr. Roebuck, the Address seas unanimously carried, and the House adjourned.) .....41