The Press.
London, England, 1858-11-27 00:00:00

THE PRESS,

pied than in giving currency to puerile personalities of col-
Jen about " our new Librarian." Who does not remember a
such jokes in his own college days, which, aided by the buttery
to wash down our tepid haunch of mutton in Hall, but were
worthy of publication in a London newspaper ? There were
or more items in our " battels" that were supposed to minister
Ivate self-indulgence of the Dons. Now it was the Rector's
, was the bindings of the
,junior tutors' books—now it was
dinners wherewith the Don of the world entertained his friends
currently believed to be defrayed out of the mysterious
were terminally called upon to meet. So we can fancy, in
our " new Librarian," some college prig has resolved to make
great man by withstanding the little tyrant of his grassplat,
ifying a trumpery schoolboy scandal into a great public abuse.
gentleman, probably a near connection of \Viscount IV! WAN'S,
his end. Ile has become a great public character, and will
reach the summit of his ambition by being likened to a Gracchus
Debating Club.

tumorous little poem entitled " Nothing to 'Wear " would admit
good parody to be called " Nothing to Spend," founded on a
took place in the Court of Common Council on Wednesday
subject of the debate was the erection of a lunatic asylum fir
pers, which had been ordered by Sir CrEoltuir: Giu under
legal proceedings. The impoverished Corporation to whom
id was addressed humbly pleaded their poverty, and then that
didn't want an asylum. Neither plea, however, went down
Secretary of State, and accordingly the City has at last begun
If, and, after vainly trying to house their lunatics in Essex or
resolved to buy a piece of ground and begin forthwith as
have determined, poor men, how to raise the cash. There
funds, they declare, available for the purpose, and, accordingly,
must be met by a rate. A rate, however, seems to be
;hly objectionable by the more public-spirited members of the
who pride themselves on having always been exempt from
In the meantime the other party continue to cry out that
got no money—an assertion, we fear, they will find no one to
less it is a few experienced landladies who have discovered that
e expeditions to the City in search of that commodity invari-
disappointment.

dark days of November seem to be stimulating Englishmen, not
own throats, as they are commonly said to do, at this time of
tt other people's. What with new murders, and the discovery
scarcely a day has passed during the last few weeks without
_ cases of homicide appearing in the columns of the papers.
one is the murder near Queen's-square, principally remarkable at
. Mr. WAKLEv's address to the Jury on the occasion of the
his complaint is, that the coroner's inquiry takes place in the
'the accused person, and that, consequently, the jury are obliged
their decision without the advantage that is afforded by a view
prisoner. The justice of this complaint depends on the real nature
.ler's office. Attempts have lately been made to unduly mag-
\portance and extent. But we think it would be quite as well if
Secretary of State, on being appealed to, were to take some steps to
proper limits of the coroner's authority and that, if the busi-
jury is to determine the guilt or innocence of any person, they
afforded all the facilities for arriving at a just conclusion.

complaints of an American divorce lawyer present a strange
inaccuracy and good sense. It is hardly possible to conceive
I who has attended for months in the Court can state that there is
idicial exposition nor forensic argument. The latter, at all
(ere is in excess; old the former is perhaps scanty, because it is
the caution orriglish judges when dealing with an untried
ite subject. The complaint as to the insufficiency of the proceed-
fact, an attack upon the whole system of pleading in our judica-
- principle our Courts adopt is, to receive from the parties in
deadings a mere skeleton of their legal claims, and not a detailed
'all the circumstances of the case. And few persons conversant
subject would desire that a complainant should be allowed to
. his complaint by all the extraneous matter which he thinks tend
den and inflame his wrongs. The objection as to the summary
of the Court in cases of dissolution of marriage might seem to
foundation, but it is in some measure obviated by the resolution
.ed at by the judge, to require the trial to be in the first in-
le by the jury, and the application Ihr a decree, in the second
,to the full Court itself. But if the American's view of the facts
distorted, his letter contains a suggestion which is certainly deserving
^onsideration. In cases where a petition for dissolution of mar-
unopposed, there is undoubtedly some danger of a judgment being
and hastily obtained, for the judges seem either unable or unwilling
• such cases the searching and rigorous investigation which ought
so momentous a step. And in this state of things it would
seem advisable to follow the practice of the American Courts, so
direct that wherever a dissolution of marriage is sought, and not
counsel should be appointed by the Court to oppose
'cation, or, at all events, to sift the evidence, and
the Court whether there is any cause for further opposition, in

better occupp
lege freshmen
score of such
beer, served I
scarcely wort
always one or
to some Priv
cub—now it
the little din
_that were
charges we 11
the case of of
himself a gre
and magnifYil
The young g(
has attained 1
probably reac
in the Union
The hun
of a very goo(
debate which
last. The su
the City paup
the threat of
this command
the lunatics d
with the Seel
to bestir itself
Surrey, have
soon as they I
are no City ft
the expense
thought high
Corporation,
county rates.
the City has
believe, unles
their lodgers
ably end in d
The dar
to cut their o
the year, but
of old ones,
one or more
The last one
present for
inquest. lli
absence of th
to come to tl
of the prison
of the coronc
nifv its impo
the Secretar
mettle the pis
noss of his it
should be afl
The coi
mixture of it
that a man
neither judi
events, then
regulated b%
and delicate
ings is, in fa
ture. The
written plea
account of a
with the su
variegate hi,
to heighten
lodgment of
have some
just arrived
stance made
instance, to
is distorted,
of great con
mane is limn
unduly and
to apply to s
to precede
certainly sec
14 as to di
opposed, e
the applic
report to tit,