The Express.
London, England, 1851-06-19 00:00:00

11101iTi UI NATITI YRINCEA.

Mr. LEWIN then rose to submit the following motion :
" Referrirsig to the refusal of the Marquis of Tweetklale,
while holding the office of commander us chief of the Ma-
dru.army, to furnish to the attorney and relations res-
pectively of the prisoner' of the 6th regiment of Madras
Light Cavalry copies of the record of the trial held on them
by general court martial : Moved—That the court of direc-
tors be requested to take such measures., may be necessary
to instruct the local governments of India to insert in the
articles of war for the native army a clause conveying the
same privilege to the native army of demanding copies of
the record of trial as is now enjoyed by the European soldier
under the articles of war framed by the British legislature,"
He said it was simply a case of justice to the native army
—a claim to be placed on the same footing u the:English in
respect to certain rights.
The motion was not seconded. _ _ .

The CHAIRMAN then put the question that the court
do now adjourn, which was done accordingly.

SOCIETY FOR

THE AMEND-

MENT OF TIIE LAW.-LETTER FROM LORD
DENMAN.

Yesterday the annual meeting of this society was
held at the offices, Regent-street, and was numerously and
respectably attended. The chair was occupied by Lord
BROUGHAM, and amongst those occupying seats aline plat-
form and in the body of the meeting were the Earl of
Harrowby, Lord Beaumont, J. Hume, Esq., M.P. ; W.
Mum% Esq., M.P. ; Mr. Bethell, barrister-at-law, &c.
'The motile CHAIRMAN opened the proceedingsby mad-
am seventh annual report of the council of the society,
a iserent which extended to considerable length. They
oammeaced by stating that the society had succeeded not
only In arousing the general attention of the public
the importance of amending the law, but that it
bad proposed for consideration specific and particular
fleas for the improvement of our jurisprudential
system, which it was deemed would prove effectual. Law
lfolbemers, however, must always be in a minority in their
profession, and therefore they stood imperatively in
seed of assistance from those who were out of the pale of
that profession. Union in this matter, as in most others,
was strength, and it was to effect this union that the so.
eiety had been formed. It had already in part fulfilled Its
purpose. Much had been efreet.vd, although more remained
still to be accomplished. The judges were on all hands ad-
mitted to be uncorrupt, hut the procedure of the
courts of law was so ill adapted to the present necessities
of the case and the requirements of the public that
great injustice was being done. Cases were not
always taken en their merits ; great delay and expellee
were created ; and this system had gone on so long that the
legal establishments of the country were now being very
generally condemned. It was the object of this society to
rescue the administration of the law from the odium which
at present rested upon it, and to give to the public the
means of obtaining cheap and speedy justice. Two of its
primary objects were—to extend the jurisdiction of the
county courts, and if possible, to reform the superior courts.
The council had considered the constitution of the In-
perior courts, with the view of seeing whether law and equity
could not jointly be administered therein. In the course
of their inquiries upon this subject they had extended their
research to America, and in doing so were assisted by Mr.
Lawrence, the American minister in this country. Their
decided opinion was, that the law reform which obtained in
the United States had been eminently successful ; and,
though all the judges in the state of New York had not
given an unanimous decision upon the subject, yet no fewer
than eleven of them had spoken in the highest terms of the
beneficial advantages derivable from the new American
code. The council was also of opinion that the distinction
made between law and equity in the superior courts of
England and Ireland could nat exist much longer here, for
that justice, whether it related to equitable cognisance',
or to legal matters, could be advantageously administered
by the same tribunal. It was matter of sincere regret that
there was no department in the state charged with the diva
reforms of this kind. Commissions, it was true, had bees
repeatedly appointed by the crown to inquire and repast
upon the subject, but, of the little they had recd
still Ices had been practically carried out. The hush
had proposed in the course of last year to swab-
KM a law school, and with that view the
lecture was delivered by the chairman ; b3l.lre
oouncil had found themselves impeded in this imparkuit
undertaking by a want of funds. Still they did not Eserair
of success in this field of their labours. Lecturers, they
believed, would not be found wantiug ; and if the public
really desired to have law rendered simple, intelligible,
cheap, and speedy, they would respond liberally to the
appeals made by the society. The council concluded by
calling on the legal profession to sustain their opetutisau
The noble CHAIRMAN then read the following MOW
on law reform, with which, he said, ho had bear
favoured, from his revered friend, the late Lord
Chief Justice of England, Lord Denman:—" I take
the fact to be clear that the public decidedly
prefers the county courts to the common law courts in
Westminster-hall for the trial of causes. The proof of this
fact—that the former tribunals swarm with suitors, while
the latter are almost deserted—involves another fact of a

Colonel DICKINSON then brought forward his motion:
That a list be prepared, with a. little delay as possible,
and laid before the Court of Proprietors, of those native
states with which treaties have been entered into by the
British government, the chiefs of which are thereby de-
prived us any of the rights or privileges of adoption without
the consent of the paramount power." Lord Ellenborough's
proclamation must lead to the ruin and demoralisation of
the native princes. He would cite the ease of the Nabob
of Surat with whom the company entered into a treaty after
his dethronement in 1800. if the treatment complained of
had taken place after a war, there might have been some
excuse for
i severity. The boa. proprietor then quoted the
Cokidto Iferiew n support of his argument, and said that
Mr. Duggan had affirmed that the rights of the Nabob's
family were secured. The Nabob died in 11142, and 1848
arrived without anything being done for his family, though
they were led to hope and expect that there would have been.
One of the Nabob's nephews writes afterwards that he had
received a small sum, but that it went immediately to pay
creditors, and God only knew when his claims would be
settled. The government, in order to justify their acts,
passed a measure through the legislature which put it out
of the power of the native princes to obtain redress. They
had shut the door to all possible appeal, and eases of the
kind he was citing would, tie of every day occurrence with
Indian families, owing to Lord Ellenborough's proclama-
ties. He (Col. Dickinson) wished that those families should
see what would be their fate. There would be endless ap-
peals, but only give the families notice what would be their
fate, when the time arrived that they were to lose their in-
dependence.
Mr. LEWIN rather thought the court would object to
give a list of those whose independence had been forfeited,
because it would involve the necessity of giving also a list of ,
those who were not deprived. The earn of the Rajah of
Lahore, which had been cited in parliament, was in point.
Not only his territory and revenue, but even his regalia,
had been taken away, and part of it—the Koh-i-nour—
was in the Exhibition.

more general nature, the destitution of the bar, the ruin of
many now in business, the disappointment of many more in
theirjust expectations, and, finally, the annihilation of a
most valuable class of society as it has existed for the ad-
vantage of the public. If the interest of the bar come in
competition with that of the public there cannot be one
moment's hesitation as to which must be sacrificed. Neither
that nor any other set of men has any vested right in mis-
government or maladministration—no privilege to de-
feat or even delay for a single hour well-consi-
dered improvements. Could we suppose the legal system se
perfect and so justly appreciated that all persons would
spontaneously act right on all occasion, from knowing that
otherwise the law would force them promptly to do so, the
community would enjoy the greatest blessing ascribed by
Horace to the rule of Augustus—fort/mgt., Wilms ortSwin.
The barrister must turn his powers to some other account,
nor breathe a murmur, nor ask a farthing of compensation,
still less demands restoration of the bad old system. But
the state that should make one of its tribunals cheap and
efficient, while it condemned another to a dilatory, expen-
sive course of procedure of trial, would be deemed doubly
impolitic and regardless of the people's welfare—first, in
declining to place both in the most favourable footing for
the attainment of justice, but, secondly, in the reduction
that must follow of those learned men who formerly prac-
tised in a court now so fatally eclipsed, and formed a body
capable of effectual resistance to oppression, and of guard-
ing the rights of all. I might dwell on the value of the bar
in collateral respects, in the service of public departments,
in the various relations of private society, in furnishing a
constant succession of gentlemen competent to till the judi-
cial Ake through all its ranks up to the most arduous and
elevated seats of justice. The education and habits of
the bar have formed the present judges of the common law
courts as well as the recorders and other presidents in local
jurisdiction. The fact I first noticed—the over-crowdedness
of this inferior jurisdiction at the expense of the superior—
is not merely to be traced to the power of examining parties.
There is a still more operative, because a grosser and more
palpable cause of the same notorious fact—the enormous
coats imposed on suitors in the superior courts. • • • Can
we expect a sane man to resort to a court which refuses
to hear him and his adversary, possibly the only two
persons in the world who know the truth, and which makes
him pay 201. for admission into its precincts, while
in another court, close at hand, and always sitting, he may
state his own rights as be understands them, call his antago-
nist to disclose the whole merits of the disputed transac-
tion, and, fina recover his own at the one-twentieth part
of the cost ? The evil points out its own remedy. If we
are right in our premises, and suitors keep alooffrom courts
of unimpeachable knowledge and integrity because they are
exclusive and expensive, the conclusion is obvious. Make
them open to receive information from allmadeheapp enough
to be acceptable to all, and the same amount of wEI
be found to flock thither as was seen there before this
unexpected rivalry. was created by the legislating. I cannot
help feeling sanguine in my hopes for the encore of your
great measure for receiving the evidence of parties, and,
looking to the names and characters of the enlightened com-
missioners for inquiring into practice and pleading, I fully
anticipate such a reform of abuse, such a sweeping abolition
of fiction and verbiage—those pets of the English lawyers—
the establishment of such a matured and intelligible course
of proceeding in our courts, as will be satisfactory to the
public, and conducive both to the honour and interest of our
profession."
The reading of this letter was frequently interrupted
by loud and long continued applause.
The CHAIRMAN said his dear friend, Lord Denman,
ought to have called the measure introduced into the House
of Lords this session his own measure, because that measure
was merely a corollary to the great one Lord Denman had
himself brought forward. (Hear, hear.) This was his
ease. He concluded by reading an extract from " Political
Philosophy," written by himself, on the subject of the old
governments of France.
Lord BEAUMONT moved the first resolution, to the
effect that the society was deserving of public support.
Mr. HUME seconded the motion, which was carried

The CHAIRMAN was of opinion that the hon. mover's
speech had no reference to his motion. There was no adop-
tion of Mahornetan suns. When the Nabob of Surat
died, he left no heir. A daughter married a native gentle-
man who had all the property which belonged to the father-
I in-law. The government could not give him the property
which belonged to the title when that title did not exist any
longer. It war an extraordinary assertion that the govern-
ment had got an act paned to justify their measures. The
proprietors would not believe that such a thing had been
stone. The Court of Directors had no case similar to that
of which the hon. mover had given notice in his
motion. There were no such treaties. All eases
of adoption required the consent of the power
interested. The conquest of the Punjaub was a necessity,
as was well known ; otherwise it would have been allowed
to remain independent. Thou gentlemen who knew the
character of Lord Dalhousie would not think him capable
of doing anything that was unjust. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. SULLIVAN—CoIoneI Dickinson had said that the
Governer-General had passed sentence on every native
prince in India, and the Board of Directors confirmed that.
The state of every native prince who died without heirs
erases to be independent. At least let such princes know
that they have a life interest only. Not only was the go-
vernment bound to tell them this, but more, it was bound
to exhort them to make that provision. In the British
territories the Governor-General was a constitutional sove-
reign, ft,r he was governed by the laws; out of it, he war
an autocrat, and might do as he pleased. The government
was bound to tell them the fate of the Rajah of Satter' ;
and that the very just Governor, Lord Dalhousie, thought
to meet the justice of the case b 7 giving a small allowance
out of the large property belonging to the rajah. There
were 150 native princes, with whom the East India Com-
pany had treaties, granting their heirs the property. Warn
them that they may not be reduced to a state of destitu-
tion. All who denounced the Governor-General's seta
must be called fsedous. Their Governor-General used

Dthth =dm is Ms lth Wined Lied
W ageab, Method the rshollisa at
Lathe—(cries of .ge oh ")—which isfasd Is Ids sale.,,
of the territory and of that Koh-i-noor width seamid very
ask ashamed of this country, for they • odd art get it to
dam its helm (A laugh.)
The DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN them* OM dam the tam
aispied by the Met speaker Is loth "pea bias to aide the
pupate., ea that he hod loss betrayed be. in-
valid," es wahasmith as it was ammilai the. The eame,
hatarrer, mesa opposed. It NTS/ tho ail gmelisa of !at-
toss whisk Ismemad the hon. sadismom's loassisation.
Had it as snared to the boa. prspistor did ether
people wmenspthie of forming an opiate. as wen as him-
self, sad that he did not concentrate all the lemur,
sad all dm intellect, and all ths haowlsilge of
the Court of Proprietors, or that the mejsrlty might
be right sad the 'Masotti snreog ? (Hoer. burl. Had
be hegottat the diammisall sod decision ta primmest ?
(Hear) His istlimiatios "boot the &Masa math could
ailed au may amuse for each warmth. It was ever dot.
tom listhrma, flatters, and for 12 years past the cry had
hata &Am. (Hear.) Mr. Saltine bad selected the case
eir the Mohammedan states, although sash a moo so that in
°dead Wildman sadism maid saw arise there. He
asked them to gives list of them With princes who had
bees toorthead he soma le, VI, or 40 years by some ini-
quitous gomemergessral, sad a but of them whom it is in-
tended to morillos. (Hear, bear.) Wm it not monstrous
that such • prom should be mob to as intelligent
sammbly that were to andelpato sash pal injustice ?
011sw.) Mr. 8 sea had gems theism* of as 22;
the esaissest of the Pea** was a Mask thst la the
et ladle ; bat be (the agotp. atinemaj wadi tel the
lear that the pima SIM ad Mak se, mai dm;
la las sad that if ths world, the dary if the
would be a bright star ia that histhsy.
(Load thee) The bassmalds progoistor hal chortled
Lent Hothead' with thmsaiing 116 rebellea. (" Hear,'
beat Mr. Oullimm.) B. eocrahairman) wee
sorry to loth amt Dalhousie had
adopted smemmos Ike the tateteth amt eats of British India,
bat of all them people esmaitted to his rule. The treaty
eeold sot be issimpood. (Great a)
Mr. SULLIVAN mid he had , Lord Dalhousie
with the rebellica ha the Punjab by Warab.
b
the obr. bed pot hie spiethes la Oat
amid eea is a Odd deg with dm boa. ai ty
chatemmat who had amid the math lath* away
the isaailith hiders It. There had ast Miss one weed cold
span the maw of Oohed Diatom% aestisa. He (Kr.
Sullivan) dad". OM he hod revived themes of the Rajah
of ilatous. 011, eh.") He mmoly aimed it.
Calmed DICWIION sold be simply reminda the
of those native polosss who Wad the alsytha M type.
versant.
The notices was them put sad misdeed.

unanimously.
Mr. BETHELL moved that it wu highly desirable that
a school of law end jurisprudence should be founded in con-
nexion with the society for promoting the amendment of
the law. He enlarged at considerable lug* upon the evils
of the present legal system.
The motion was seconded by Mr. H. Lows.
The remaining resolutions, which were chiefly of a Ton-
tine character, were then paned; and after the usual rote
of thanks to the chairman, the meeting separated.

THE LATE BALLOON ACCIDENT.---(0171CIAL IN-
CICTIVI—Mr. Otwq, espeelatestlent of the 0 division of
polies ha made an °Odd le(Tat theraddutt• of Col.
Nati. Me. 111. Asliegetraeliwee.- PhamMly, tir *spume
I et wasitsking the mans* stamp dew fry the
saes beaus snidest es Matey 1/11•1•1. ~.:p
OM hies, Mr. Otway fowled, I. the heat the
house HU& free the thesa.perk, diet between la sad 16
I feet oldie worst led been tent away, sad the wawa
throws spa the reef,whist theyearehed ia, teemlaw with
the Mies eappeetles it, the whets having beta heeled dews
the Mims bell Item Two Lep weeks of
chimneys MN else them dews, the mahleM; of which
they ware empartiee glue rear of the fare-
°mat, Vfhish erg le a waywsblwalie watt ;
tieWhiroof of the beau ie semilAereigait
g et bids feet w dummyOei.
that the bowie dews te bk law eisaa w mesa to
Elof MR The demise awe la the Maw is Peak- '
i& abuts ea Adisesaweeeek aelehle Ably of
seek essoliteed by the daleweeppele ladies awls
Wise ea Iheal. Mt. Oeway Wear *it le lopeelhie le
NOWA the lambs ausereat at demise am, ew dale
se may Vide
ve injheehaw to the handless is Maass le Ow
Rion eatehelaries.

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 19, 1851.