The Press.
London, England, 1856-03-29 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

CASES OF GROSS PO3T-OFFICE FRAUD were proved
last week against the keepers of two post•receiving
houses at Westhall and Tiverton, near Bath. Pre-
cautions were taken to detect the offenders, and the
charge of stealing letters was fully brought home to
to Sarah Corp, the postmistress at Westhall. The
prisoner was fully committed. Louisa Kilson, the
other prisoner, was charged with taking money in
payment for postage-stamps to be put on letters, and
putting old stamps on in lieu. The prisoner had
rendered herself liable to '2O/. fine each time, but in
consideration of her high character was leniently
treated and fined only 11. and costs.

WILLIAM PARSONAGE, late clerk in the employment
of the London and North-Western Railway Company-,
was brought up on Wectnesday at Liverpool charged
with obtaining money under false pretences, and with
forgery. It appeared that the prisoner's duty was to
settle and invest claims against the company for
damaged goods, and that he was charged with having
availed himself of his position by paying away one
sum and ent •ring another for his own benefit.
Several witnesses were exantined, and the case was
adjourned.

A CASE or Dou-BITING was tried this week before
Lord Campbell at Warwick. It appeared that the
wife of the vicar of Aston, Mrs. Peake, kept two
Scotch terriers called (appropriately) Pepp,:r and
Mustard, which were notorious in the neighbourhood
for flying at strangers and biting them. Several
witnesses deposed to having been attacked by Pepper
and Mustard. One had his trowsers torn—another
was attacked behind, and four teeth went into his
flesh—another had his leg bitten—and the particular
plaintiff in the case, Thomas Emery, a gardener, was
attacked by the dogs one day in the open road, and
severely bitten in the ankle—
Lord CAMPBELL: Let Pepper and Mustard be called.
(A laugh.)
The dogs were here placed on the table of the
court. They were handsome dogs of the Skye and
Otter breed.

Lord CAMPBELL : Did the dogs come up, good•natured!y,
as it were, to lick your hand ?
Witness : Oh, no ; they came up and attacked me—they
came like lions. (A laugh.)

Mr. Cross, surgeon, proved that the plaintiff had
been incapacitated from work by the bite. Mr.
Sergeant Hayes, for the defence, reminded the
jury that the defendant was charged with keeping
dogs of " a savage and ferocious nature, ill s accus-
tomed to bite and injure mankind." To a certain
extent it was their nature; for—

Dogs delight to bark and bite
And worry children too ;
but the animals complained of had been brought into
court, and certainly two more amiable and quietly-
disposed dogs he (the learned sergeant) had never
seen ; for during the whole time they were wagging
their tails, which was of itself rather contradictory
of any sign of ferocity :

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If from what bad been done these dogs were to be pro-
nounced ferocious, what was to become of the lathes
throughout the country? They must at once get rid of
their dogs ; and what would then become of the ladies
themselves? They could scarcely go anywhere into pri-
vate houses or public parks, but they saw ladies with their
lap-dogs ; and if, because a butcher's trowsers were torn on
some one accasion, they were to call upon ladies to discard
their favorite Skye terriers, what really would become of
the whole female sex ?
Several witnesses to the excellent character of
Pepper and Mustard were called, but the jury re-
turned a verdict for the plaintiff, with 601. damages.

Corrtspontuut.
THE IRISH ATTORNEY-GENERAL.
TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS."

Sir,—The articles which appeared in your paper
on what may be called " The Sadleir-Keogh Party,"
have produced a great sensation in Ireland. They
hive found a response in the hearts and consciences
of men of all creeds and all parties. The scattered
farts relating to that infamous clique have not, in-
deed, been unknown to the people of this country.
But you have, just in the nick of time, with unrivalled
skill, clearness, and impartiality, grouped together
and summed up the conclusive evidence of their poli-
tical profligacy. And the remnant of that clique, and
the Government it supports, now stand arraigned at
the bar of public opinion awaiting the verdict of the
country whose morality they have outraged and whose
interests they have betrayed.
You, sir, have ably traced the political career of
Mr. William Keogh; but it appears to me that the
public in England are not suffiziently aware of the
professional standing of the man chosen by the Pre-
mier to fill the office of Attorney-General for Ireland.
It is considered essential that the office of Attorney-
General for England should be filled, not only by a
political supporter of the Ministry of the day, but
also by a man eminent in his profession. No one in
England could be appointed First Law Officer of the
Crown except a man whose learning and high cha-
racter had been exhibited In, and proved by, extensive
practice, The tittnineVatiteral has other duties tg

299

perform besides supporting his party. He is the
person whose duty it. is to advise the Crown, as occa-
sion may require, on all legal questions. He is the
constitutional adviser of the Government on a range
of subjects far wider than is generally supposed.
Their adviser on matters absolutely requiring for
their satisfactory solution and despatch great learn-
ing, sound judgment, and habits of business. Above
all, he is the person generally selected to fill the
highest judicial offices.
What would be thought of any Government who
should appoint to the office of Attorney-General for
England a barrister of no eminence in his profession,
scarcely known at any time as a practitioner at either
the Chancery or Common Law Bar, at Dublin, and
who had for years past deserted his profession to try
his fortune in the House of Commons ? What would
the legal professions or the public think of such an
Attorney-General, or, if promoted to the Bench, of
such a judge ?
The answer to these questions is simply tins. That
no Government would dare outrage public opinion
by such an appointment. But what would be simply
impossible in England under any Government, we
now see before our eyes in this country, under Lord
Paimerston's Administration. If for no other reason,

on account of his legal inexperience alone, the
existence of Mr. William Keogh in the office of At-
torney •General for Ireland is a standing reproach to
her Majesty's Government, and his elevation to the
Bench would be a national misfortune.
I well remember the feeling of universal amaze-
ment with which his appointment as Solicitor-General
by Lord Aberdeen, and afterwards as Attorney-Gene-
ral by Lord Palmerston, was beheld in this country,
alike by the public and by the legal professions.
Called to the Bar in 1840, he had never risen into
general business. Indeed, a period of six 3ears and
a half is quite too short for any man, except of ex-
traordinary talents, to rise to eminence at so arduous
a profession as the Bar. And yet it was for six tears
and a half only that Mr. William Keogh gave regular
attendance to his profession ; for after taking his seat
for Athlone in 1817, he almost entirely relinquished
any practice he had, though he continued to travel
circuit.

Formerly, in Ireland, when important idteres.ts
were at stake, the parties concerned at one side or
other were sure to retain the Attorney General, not
because he was Attorney General, but because he
was a great lawyer.
Was Mr. William Keogh, either before or since he
has been appointed Attorney-General, ever specially
retained?
I certainly never beard of it, and have been credibly
informed that he never was. Nay, further. Li the
ordinary course of his practice, in what great legal
arguments did he ever distinguish hiinsell ? Men
familiar with the legal profession answer—ln none.
What important cases in the Dublin Courts has he
conducted? To this also, we are told, the same
answer must be given, that he has conducted none.
Yet this is the gentleman her Majesty's Govern-
ment select to be Attorney General for Ireland, and,
if they have the opportunity, whom they destine for
the Judicial Bench.
It was to create a vacancy for Mr. William Keogh
that the Government supported the motion that
sought to drive from the B-nch such judges as Chief
Justice Lefroy and Baron Pennefather.
Nothing could more plainly show the political ne-
cessities of the present, or of the late G ,veroment,
than this appointment,—an appointment which is
mildly described, in the words of Lord Eglington, me
"one of the least reputable acts of the Government,"
—an appointment which now is bringing down upon
its authors a just retribution.—l am, sir, your obe-
dient servant, As IRISH BALRISTER.
Dublin, March 24, 1856.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY.-THE "ADORA-
TION OF THE MAGI."
TO THE EDITOR OF " THE PRESS."

Sires I feel it incumbent on me to contribute
whatever authority I may claim from twenty years'
pursuit of art, ten of which were spent in Italy, to-
wards expo-sing the eisgraceful character of the last
purchase for the National Gallery. I have no hesi-
tation in pronouncing the " Adoration of the Magi "
a work of the lowest type of the Venetian school, and
so damaged by what is called " cleaning," and by re-
painting, that even such slender pretensions to notibe
as it may once have possessed are entirely extin-
guished. it is my deliberate conviction that the
" Adoration of the Magi" is not aeserving of a place
in the National Gallery.

I cannot allow this opportunity to pass without re-
marking that the wasting of two thousand pounds of
public money on such a work is a natural conse-
quence of placing the National Gallery under the
control of threa such notoriously incapable men as
Sir C. Eastlake, Mr. Wornum, and their German
"travelling " adviser, Herr Miindler.—l remain, sir,
yours obediently, At.rual STEVENS.
7, Canning•place, Kensington, Marolt 46,

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