The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-10-29 00:00:00

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cry tourinib.ge eliatirtr.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29th, 1881.

THE LEGAL YEAR.

ON the 2nd of November in each year the Lord
High Chancellor of England is the principal
figure in two ceremonials which never fail to
attract interest and attention in widely different
quarters. On the previous day the municipalities
in England and Wales have elected their repre-
sentatives in the local Parliaments—the men to
whom they entrust the administration of their
own affairs, and from whose ranks a chief
magistrate is chosen to preside over the interests
of every corporate city and borough. The
system of self-government could not well be
made more complete. There is no central 1
machinery in the capital to control the elections
to the advantage of the Minister of the day ; the
choice made is the free and unfettered one of
the householders themselves without outside
,
, pressure of any kind; the men selected to the
town councils not only select their own chief
magistrate for the year ensuing, but adjust their
own local burdens, make their own bye-laws, and
generally regulate the machinery for govern•
ing the community of which they form com-
ponent parts. The municipal government of
the corporate towns in England and Wales is, in
fact, constructed upon a basis which renders any
interference on the part of the Executive not
ooly uncalled for, but absolutely impossible.
The system is indeed one of self-government in
its widest, best-understood, and mos', legitimate
torm.

On the following day the law courts are opened
for the legal year after the Long Vacation. But
before this is done the Lord Chancellor receives
at his private residence the Lord Mayor el:ht of
the City of London, and herein a ceremoey is ,
gone through which contrasts with the mode of ,
electing the chief magistrates in other towns.
The Lord Mayor of London is the only chief
magistrate in the three kingdoms who is form-
ally presented to the Keeper of the Couscieuce
of the Sovereign for an expression of the
monarch's aeproval. The Lord Mayor of Dublin,
the Lord Prov-st of Edinburgh, the Lord Mayor
of York, the nieyers of every city and borcugh
in England aint Wales are chosen without having
to submit tin mselves for the Sovereign's appro-
bation. The I.ord Chancellor, on the question
referred te expresses the opinion of the Queen
that the choice /nada by the citizens ia a wise
and judicious one, and having approved it, the
Lord Mayor takes the oaths of office a week
later. What would happen if the Sovereign
refused assent to the election is at this time of
day scarcely a matter worthy of speculation.
The Corporation Of London would probablj
thereafter cease to present the subject of its
choice for approval at all. Such a powerful
body wouid never consent to be ruled by a nom-
inee of the Crown. While the form of nresente-
tion remains on form only, it is annually gone
through as such, and no harm is done. The in-
dependence of the City of London is not com-
promised in the slightest degree because the
choice of a chief mailistrate by the citizens is
acquiesced in by the Sovereign, who has seldom
beard of and has probably never seen the new
Lord Mayor. It may be assumed that the
, citizems of so wealthy and important a munici-
pality would not choose a gentleman to preside
over its destinies for twelve mouths who .was
not, in their opinion, fully capah:e of discharging
;he duties of his high office. The City of
London, bar, in past times, played a conspicuous
eirt in the history of England, and in the con-
soli:ration of its liberties. It presents its chief
magistrate to the Monarch, not as a metier kr
personal approbation or disapproval, but a 3 the
representative of the influeeco of a powerful
Corporation, jealous of its rights and rivileges
cruk but at the s,rue time es a body thoroughly
‘37;i1l to the Thfone, firm in its adherence to the
principles of the Constitution, and sted.:ast in
ts determination to uphold the laws, and to
maintain, as far as in its power lies, the integrity
of the Empire.
The Lord Chancellor,:or in his unavoidable
absence through illness, the Lord Chief Justice
of England, receives at breakfast the Judges
and the Queen's Counsel, and then heads a pro•
cession to Westminster Hall, where he opens
the respective courts for the legal year, which is
brought to a close at the beginning of August.
The Long Vacation, which has lasted three
months, is at leng.h over; and the legal tri-
bunals ct the lane, hctli in law and equity, are
for the nix', few mon-eis busilyongaged in olefin
big off the accumulation of arrears. Three
months is a protracted period in which to shut
up all the lee courts of the country; but while
Her Majesty's judges aro at work, they certainly
never spare tivinselves in the public service.
When on circuit they as a rule open their courts
at nine in the morning, and sit until six in the
evening. Nine hours in a close and oppressive
atmosphere tax the energies of the strongest
men. The hours at Westminster are not so long,
but the atmosphere of the Court is worse ; and
to elderly mcn such as most of our judges are,
the labours of jedicial life are peculiarly trying.
The completion of the new law courts will effect
some improvement so far as ventilation and ac-
commodation are cone erned, and will afford that
comfort to valued servants of the State which
they have a right to expect in the discharge' of
their onerous and important duties.