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.)

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