The Express.
London, England, 1848-09-02 00:00:00

tato ilidelltenue.

LORDS' COMMITTEE OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL.
Mu. LANOSLOW'S CAS/L—DIIIIISSAL OF • COLONIAL
JUDOI.—Mr. Serjt. Manning, at the opening of the Court,
proceeded to urge upon the attention of their lordships the
new correspondence to which allusion was made on Tuesday
lest, and contended that Mr. Langslow had been removed
from his judicial position is the Island of Ceylon without
any grounds to lustily so melees • step on the part of Lord
Stanley, in his capacity of Colonial Secretary. He wished
particularly to 0301111PAt upon the remarks le letters of Mr.
Boller, who then filled the dike of Queen's Advocate, but
had idea been elevated to the judicial bench in India.
The mutt here interfered, end checked any comments on
the correspondent" of that gentleman, whom absence from
England would prevent him tram entering int.. explenetion.
Mr. Serjt. Manning • oult then confine his remarks to
the rest of the correspondence, which he felt to be such se
would justify their lordships in adv:sing the crown to restore
his client to that rank from which he had been removed.
There was no stain or es Section cast on Mr. Llngslow's judi-
cial character. He had won the esteem and approbation of
all parties within his jurisdiction, by the able, patient, and
upnght discharge of his onerous duties, and those who had
opportunities of judging thoroughly, deprecated his renieval
from the judgment seat. His dismissal, however, was put
ors the strange and novel ground that he had evinced a want
of celf•control and an absence of courtesy and decorum in
his conduct, behaviour, and correapondenee with the governor
and the secretary but it appeared that he had only reta-
liated and retorted in the style in which he had been him-
self addressed by those who now complained of him on this
ground. It was not his duty, as Mr. Langslow's counsel,
to do ny the fact, that in a very long and warm 'wrapped-
ence specimens of a want of temper might not be dimovered.
Neither did be pretend to justify every word of.his client's
letter. But whose eorrespoiVenco would bear such a severe
test ? And it was enough to say that there were fewer in-
stances of ill-temper than might have been expected under
the circumstances. The fact was that Miami' a wcsk ground
on which to ham the removal of a judge, end this app.al to
the crown gave rise to a most important public question, and
one which affected the administration of justice nhnoet as
much as it did the prospects of Mr. Langslow. In England
judges could not so be removed anti the questic n was woe-
thee a colonial judge ought to be lett to the mercy and ca-
price of a colonial secretary, acted upon by re-
presentations incapable of proof, and resulting at
least in vague charges of want of decorum. If
the high office of judge was to be suhjected to such control
few men of rank in their profession, possessed of self esteem,
would be found in the English bar who would condescend to
seek such dangerous promotion. He, for one, would sooner
live by sweeping the streets than accept a colonial judgeship
on se precarious a tenure. He would submit that no colo-
nial judge ought to be removed except for causes which would
seafront the remove' of a judge irtm the English bench.
That mane could only be taken by the crown oa en address
from the Gamow and, applying the same rules to Mr.
Lengslow's case, he protested he could find nothing in the
• correspondence which would be a just foundation even for
' a motion for an address to remove him. Looking, then, at
the whole correspondence, he trusted that their
, would feel themselves galled on to advise her 3=
' 'Mutate that gentleman in the position from whelk be
thought he had been improperly and unduly removed.
The Attorney-General, who appeared to watch the use
for the crown, briefly pointed out certain passage. in the
new correspondence, which, as he submitted, added fresh
grounds whereon to rest the justification of Lord Stanley in
removing Mr. Langslow truss the office ofjudr. These in-
nano' gave proof of a great want f decedents and temper on
that gentleman's part, and fay bore out the decision at
which the Colot.ial Secretary had come.
At the conclusion of the learned gentleman's remarks the
eosin was slanted, but no decision was annotmeed.