The Express.
London, England, 1851-10-30 00:00:00

CHANCERY REFORM.

Last night a meeting, numerously attended, was
held ut the Literary Institution, Woolwich, for the purpose,
of considering the evils of the practice of the Court of Chao-
eery, and the necessity for its abolition. The night lion.
Lord Erskine took the chair.

Lord ERSKINE, on taking the chair, said he had great
pleasure in meeting the persons assembled on the present
occasion, as the principle for which they bad long con-
tended was now recognised in high quarters, and on which
he Jimmied his highest hope of stneess. it was true that
little progress had been matte in gaining their object, but what
progress had been made was in the right direction. The
steps that had been taken by her Majesty's ministers were
encouraging,, and he might say that he believed that they
were imbued with the highest principles of good govern-
ment, having supported them by his votes in both houses
of Parliament for the hest forty-five years. Ile, however,
augured a pro•ps.•ct of success on the subject, for now public
opinion was directed to it, and it must ultimately prevail.
Thy public press had rendered essential service to their
cause, fur he believed without a single exception they were
opposed to the present system of the Court of Chancery.
Without the assistance of the public they could do nothing,
but with it they could do everything. They had got a
small instalment of justice, hut they would continue to urge
their claims until they got the whole debt that had long
been due to them. (Cheers.)
Mr. MERE WETII ER T U RNE R, in along and argumen-
tative speech, moved—" That, though this meeting has no dis-
position to depreciate the value of reforms recently effected
in the practice of the courts of law and equity, and in giving
an extended jurisdiction to the county courts, it i., never-
theless, deeply impressed with a conviction of the under in-
adequacy of our jurisprudence and judicature to meet the
want. of the country, and it is especially iinpres,ed with a
sense of the hardships and ruin entailed nom. thousands of
her Majesty's subjects by the exclusive jurisdiction of the
Court of Chancery, and its cumbrous, dilatory, and costly
form of procedure."
Mr. G. WALKER. seconded the resolution, which was
unanimously agreed to.
Mr. W. CARPENTER moved: " That the distinction
between law and equity, and the separate and supreme
jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery, has no foundation
in reason, and are productive only of uncertainty,
vexation, delay, and expense ; and this meeting highly
approve,. of the course taken by the council of the
Chancery Reform Association, in demanding tile aboli-
tion of this arbitrary and vicious distinction, and the
adoption of one uniform system of jurisprudence, and the
exercise by the same tribunal of all the powers heretofore
divides! between the courts of law and courts of equity.
Mr. TURNER seconded the motion.
Lord ERSK INF:, before the resolution was put, begged
to say that a few years ago he was of opinion that the
Court of Chancery might be reformed, but that now he
was an advocate fur its entire and utter abolition. (Cheers.)
The resolution was then put, and agreed to unanimously.
Thanks were then voted to the noble chairman, who ac-
knowledged the same, and the meeting was dissolved.
I

THE EGYPTIAN RAILWAY.—A letter from Lord
' Palmerston has been received by the Southampton Chamber
of Commerce in reply to their memorial respecting the
questions now pending between the l'urtc and the Pasha of
' Egypt, stating that whatever questions of etiquette and
i form may hive arisen between the Sultan and Abbas
Pasha in regard to the construction of a railway between
Alexandria and Cairo, or in regard to the introduction of the
Tansimaat into Egypt, no apprehension is entertained that
I the construction of the railroad will be stopped, or that the
local government of E,typt will be deprived of the means of
maintaining order in that province.
ATTEMPTED MERDER NEAR BERY.—At the Bury
Guildhall on Monday last, George Thring was examined
' before Wm. Salmon, Esq., Dr. Probart, and 11. Le °rice,
Esq., on the charge of feloniously attempting to discharge a
! pistol at James Frost. James 1. rout deposed: I live at No.
l 0 in the Vine-fields, and am a labourer ; the prisoner, who is
a servant out of place, ives next door to me. On Saturday
night in consequence of his improper conduct I ordered
the prisoner out of my house ; he refused to go, and used
bad language ; I then put hint out by force, and shut the
• door, but he returned again; I put him out a second time;
I then heard him go upstairs in his own house, and he
come in again with a pistol, and asked " Where is the
beggar that turned me out of the house ?" I said, "I am
the man that put you out," and he then presented the
pistol, and pulled the trigger, but it missed fire; I heard
the snap: it was not like the explosion of • cap. I
struggled with him, and he struck me on the head with
the pistol; in the struggle he dropped the pistol, which
was afterwards picked up. I sent for the police ; before
the police came the prisoner went again into his own
tl house, and came back with a stick, which I laid hold of,
and Thomas Middleditch drew it away frum him. I held
the prisoner till policeman Smith came. I asked prisoner
what he went upstairs for; he said, "I went fur the pistol
with intent to sh:ait you." I said, " You have not shot
me ; " he said, " I will, if ever I have the chance." Ile
did not appear drunk. Robert Smith, a supernumerary
night policeman, deposed—When I took the prisoner into
custody I examined the pistol in his presence, and found it
losded with powder and shot • it had a cap on. It was
loaded nearly up to the muzzle. The prisoner said there
was only shot in the pistol, and that he kept it for shooting
cats. The magistrates committed the prisoner for trial at
the assizes, agreeing to accept bail, two sureties in MI., and
himself in 100 L; 48 hours notice to be given.—Bury Post.