The Express.
London, England, 1850-07-04 00:00:00

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE AMEND-

iiiiioiiiia*:

At tho request of the conneil of the Seidel for
Premew=he Asseedmost of the Lew Lord
the t, delivered yeeteedsy evades • dlesearse on
tite advantage of trundle, legal keowledu eseseset all
alums el the esmanalty. There was • ecesiduebis &etude
sams ad wimp% 'Uses present on the etessiest were ob-
served Mr. Meeekise Mike., M P., Mr.elasey, M.P., Lard
Biluifsitirtieter. 11. P.. He. The aside and leassed
lied wee ea eateriag the roam dad at use pro-
seeded to reed hem • smanesript an intensities address,
which esetieeed f.r more than an hear. He began by
daft that he appeared before them at the request
of the embed of the moiety, and that the object
able address was he impede eta tee people the inipertesee
of enquiring • knowledge of the haws seder whisk they
lived, by whisk their Apes wen determined, Asir duties
&deed, and their misdeeds punished. From the foferioe
Ml:tMiser, to whim we committed the unities of the
o the highest Ober% • knowledge of the law at
least in its visual bearings, was isdiepeemble. sod Wiese
betrayed their trust who did not qualify diseeishes ler
disharsieg their ditties by making Ulnae/11M eimeeistad
with the laws which they had to carry out. It was not his
intention to discourse of law subletles sad r. des-
titute, but to show how a rd
sla mgweinhusee
oda the laws under which they lived ben suss
die every-day dudes and substantial InMeeste of life.
With regard to moral conduct, the gourd priadples if
seeds afforded &defined guide, but how wee It possible for
mean to follow the rule of conduct as regraded his legal
dolits and duties, which were smatters of positive enactment,
name be wee acquainted with the laws which regulated
end dedined them -?
Tee bounds w lob separated memo
INNS seildelleaarnar and the differesse between mt-de-
meanest and f.looy were matter of importance, but they
were Use creation of positive easement and arbitrary
ertwagement In which the moral mese could afford no light
or guidance whatever. The noble lord then went
on to show how aeceasry it was that .0 assess
'Mehl be acquainted with the general principle of the mho
of evidence, the limitation of action', the laws Mathes le
seamy, Partnerships, parole evidence, and wilts. A horse-
hair* of these subjects was of importance to every class el
mien and was highly useful in its *Natation to the ordi-
say affairs of hr.. Bat even some acquaintance with the
laws relatieg to real property would not he supetfluom in
persons of any clew, we might be seen in Shelley's ease.
It not unfrequently occurred that an ignorance of the lew
re:Acrid it impossible for persons to carry into effect their
own intentions. But persons in the wealthier clams might
st all events have the edviceof persons learned in the law.
It was otherwise with regard to pavane in the humbler
retake, and therefore it was the more necessary for
them to malts themselves acquainted with the laws under
which they lived. In the first place every person should
I ears a clear notion of his own intentions ; he should not do
what the law would not permit him to do; he should nit
express ineonsistent or iccompatibls intentions, for otherwise
the law would step in, and might perhaps do that which
was no; roily the intention of the party himself. Any one
might be involved in legal proceedings, and might to under
the neerrity of seeking legal assistance. Most of the coat in
these cuss was owing to all defined rules of practice is this
respect. But no rules would protect persons, unless they
themselves sxerted some vigilance and control, which a
hatter konwleffire of the law would alone enable
them to do. The noble lord went on to show
how useful a knowledge of the law would be
to the agriculturist and farmer class—• class of
the highest importance to the state, but one which, it must
be wintered, was the slowest to extend education, and which
laboured under great ignorance of many things. But if to
the swain • knowledge of the law was by no means a super-
dunus accomplishment, how much more was it necessary
to the tradesman, and to the merchant in the crowded city.
Ate acquaintance with the bankruptcy and insolvent laws,
the laws touching pettnershipa, contracts, shipping, and
navigation, the transfer of netts and bills of exchange, the
effect of notice, of assets or no assets, should be familiar to
every mercanti'e men if he world conduct his business
with safety. Tao noble lord then dwelt on the advan-
tage of keying the interior officers who had to execute the
law, and the classes from which the jurors were
selected, acquainted with the general outline of the laws,
and accustoming their minds to take a legal slew of subjects.
"The sdnauistration of justice by a jury was," as Hume
truly said, " the object of ell oar policy." It was that
which bound the people to the law—which identified them
with the state—which lent to all a direct interest in the
distribution of justice, by vesting its administration in the
hands of all—which, in a word, made the govern" ant of
this country truly and literally popultr by placing in the
heeds if the people themselves this precious power, and not
by me rely giving them • share in legislation. In Fromm
ere sit zen was of to importance unless he had some
direct connexion with the public service. There
but little regard for liberty existed ; assaults on public
liberty and personal rights were constant ; there there wee
no care for fraternity which had no intelligible sense, but an
impatience of superiority was to be displayed at all times
and at ell blends—there the love of equality wee insatiable
except in each mu 's own case—(laughter)—for each pre-
tested that he was not in We right position as long as be
was not the first. (Laughter.) Hence it was ttat man
who had been staunch leeitimiets in that country hod be,
come saaious reputoicans in a few moments by the opetatian
of the electric telegraph. (Hear, hear.) Tne system gave
rise to sycophants and agitator.. But the English people
were far otheiwis• connected with the state. Moat import
tent edminis 'retie. functions devolved upon them which
they performed without envy of those who were celled
to more permanent ollival functions. This it was
that rendered the administration of justice the mainstay, the
prop, and ce riierstote of the coosti ution—the compact belt
which encircled the solid pyramid—the massive chain which
bound the solid structure. At teenage time it must ha ad-
mitted that many errors were committed by jetties whi:h an
acquaintance with the first principles of the law which they
were called on to administer would save them from felling
into. The noble lord teen went on to lament the ignorance
illegal knowledge which existed amongst the meg etracy,
and even amongst the legielaton of the country. Had three
who were celled on to make laws been bitter acquainted
with legal pricciples the statute-book could net have become
the bundle of contradict ims which ft was. Amendments in
the law should not be left entirely to lawyers, who generally
nessersrd a professional bias. They were misled by the
ildln sprats and the id,lon fori, and public opinion
often went before them as to the necessity of
a change in the law. They should therefore be
the asserson rather than the judges in such muter.
it was true that dilettanti lawyer often did great nai-chief,
and were very ignorant. He had known county members to
have introduced bids into parliament which di.pesed of
private tights then in dispute, and decided questions actually
pending. It was n y that en apprenticeship should
be saved by the handicraftsman, but nothing was required
for the most difficult end impertant duty that man could he
called on to discharge The reason of this was, that if the
shoemaker made bad-fitting shoes, he suffered from it
himself, because nobody would employ him; whilst it was
the foot of the people that was compressed and injured be
inespeble persons trying their band upon it. (Cheers.) I:
seemed to him that when a person came forward as a esndi
SSW, far • seat in the legislature, Le was es much hound to
be possessed, or to acquire the possession, of sufficient legal
knowledge as a surgeon was bound to be sequainted with
pathology who undertook to operate for stone, or
an admire' with navigation who should under-
take the command of the Channel fleet. (Laughter.)
If a " Cimmerian darkness" had not prevailed amongst their
legislators • clause would not have found its way into the
act of • certain railway company which made the production
of its own books, or copies from its own books, sufficient
evidence to prove payments by them, not to themselves, but
to strangers. (Laughter.) This might have escaped the
attention of a few lawyers, but if the general body of legis-
lators had been acquainted with the principles of law and
legal construction, it was quite opposed to the dee:eine of
ch that a clause so degrading to the legislature could
have weed unnoticed. But if the hopeless ignorance of all
legal principle in the members of the lower house wss to be
deplored, was it not unseemly and even discreditable that
those who were, by the constitution of the coun-
try, the judges in the last resort in all criminal
aad most civil cam, should be ignorant of legal
knowledge, and yet that ignorance was undeniable.
It was thought that there was • greater amount of legal
knowledge in the upper house than in the lower; but the
balance is I not incline in favour of the hereditary legis-
lators as much as was generally supposed. A legal know-
ledge of the most elementary kind would save yours, men of
reek and fortune from becoming the prey of more crafty and
designing men. The means and the standard of legal
knowledge had deciined in England. Iu the time to
Elizabeth 2,000 young men, many of whom bed no inten-
tion of practising 'at the bar, were students at the ions of
court; and 2,000 in that day were in the pro
portion of 10,000 at the ptesent He rejoiced,
however, that an improvement was taking place
in that respect. The council approved of the able
and learned report of Mr. Bethell, which was
peculiarly worthy of attention in respect to the advantage of
a more general legal education. It was now proposed that
persons well qualified for the task should open their cham-
bers, and amompany students in the reading of standard
works, which they could illustrate and explain from their
own practice, or from the practice of others, in the same
manner as medical professors did. With this was to be com-
bined more public lectures for the laity, as well as for pro-
fessional persons, and he had great satisfaction in announcing
that able men were ready to give lecture e as soon as there
was ground for supposing that the poblio patronage would
be extended to the undertaking. It was also
proposed that the opportunity of acquiring legal know-
ledge should not be confined to the metropolis, but should be
extended to the great provincial towns. The noble and
learned lord having apologised for his inadequacy to do jus-
tice to the subject which he had undertaken, and expressed
his thanks for the patience with which he was heard,
announced hie intention of proceeding to Anterior* in next
February, whither he had been invited in order to confer
with his brethren there respecting the amendment of the
law. (The noble lord sat down amid loud cheers.)
Lord BIAVMONT then proposedand Mr. SL4I4ISY seconded
a vote of thanks to the noble lord, which was denied by
acclamation, after which the meeting adjourned.

RELEASE Or FUSSELL, TUE CUARTIST LEADER.
—Yesterday morning an order wee despatched from the
Home office to Lieutenant Tracey, the governor of the
Hones of Correction, Toth!11-fielda, Westminster, intimsting
that her Majesty bad been pleased to remit the unexpired
term (rather more than three months) of the sentence pro-
nounced at the Old Bailey in 1848 upon Fowl!, who with
others, was outdated of sedition, and the prisoner will be
discharged es tom as he provides the sureties 'Attired by
the sentence. The term of imprisonment to which Ernest
Jones was senteneea will expire on the 11th instant.

AND YORKSHIRE RAILWAY.

A meistiag of thh sompsay was held yesterday, at Man-
chester, ler the purpose ofoonsidniag the Liverpool, Crosby,
sad Southport Bill, whirls proposed to dissolve that com-
pany sad hand over tho railway to the Lancashire sad York-
shire Compaoy, of which the Whiter read the various
assess.
HOULDSWORTH (having hem called to the chair)
moved, sad Mr. STUMM' (one of the directors) secoaded, the
emotion, to the *Ewa that the permission of the shareholders
be riven to the ably, bill.
Mr. VANCE objected to the motion, and pronessood the
whole to be a lab.
Masers. H. Rawson, A. Walk* Bennet, and other tosk
the soma view, and opposed the moths. Ultimately,
The CHAIRMAN tuck the wow of the meeting on the
matiots, sad afterwards posoutioed it carried, stating that
them parties who opposed it would have the opportunity, if
they thought R., of naiades it when berate the House of

Mr. T. KYNASTON demanded a scrutiny.
After a lengthy dieelistdon on thia subject,
The CHAIRMAN stated that they were all san:ng In the
same boat, that himself and ether directors wen equally in•
tussled. and that he bail paid up calls on 95.0i.01
Mr. KYNASTON at length withdraw his motion of scru-
tiny, end
The CHAIRMAN again put the motion, which being
duly curled, the tweeting resolved itself into the adjourned
special meeting, which was adjourned fres the half yearly
meeting for the purpose of receiving a balance sheet to the
31st of December, 1849, and a complete statement in detail
of the remaining expenditure required to close the capital
amount.
Mr. HOULDSWORTH again was celled to the chair,
sod said that tae dividends had decreased from 8 to 2 per
cant The present income of the company by no means
chewed whet will ultimately be the result. They had 42
voiles of railway over the corresponding teak of last year
Us expected that by reducing their working expenditure, by
lammed traffic receipts from the now tariff, by the reduc-
tioa of the number of trains both in goods and passengers,
and other improvements in the general management, a large
sum would be saved. _ _ _

Masora W. R arson, A.Watkin, J Heald, M.P., MuVance,
and F. Hewett, M.P., entered into a conversation on the
subject of the report of the committee of oonsultaiion the
latter gentlemen delivered a lengthy speech In sandmen*.
dm of the present board of directors, in tne course of which
Le said that he had paid up calls to the amount of 40,0001.,
which sum h now yielding him only 4001. or 6001, instead
of 1,9001, or 2,0001- He mid no confidence in the present
boar', and hoped they would at once retire. lie had lon
11,0001. or 12,0001. in consequence of the management of
the company. lie confines' by moving that the accounts
be puled, and tnat the report of the committee of consulta-
tion be received, and that so much of it as relates to the
future meow meat of the company be adopted.
The CHAIRMAN stated that a full opportunity would
be afforded to the ettteholders to discuss every matter of
interest to this company. It was nut their intention to
blink it.
Mr. J. HEALD, M.P., said that he had been a member
tithe board in its earliest history, when it was most floe-
rishieg, and that ho was induced to resign his seat from a
consinentious conviction that the board were departing from
that cosine which he thought was to the interest of t►e com-
pany. lie deprecated the idea of removing the board of
directors until a fair and ample opportunity of recording
their votes be afforded them.
The CHAIRMAN was prepared to put the former, but
not the latter part of the resolution, as the special meeting to
be held at the close of the meeting would be the proper
time to bring the matter forward.
Mr. MOWATT, M F , objected ; he had taken counsel's
opinion, and Ate moti in was strictly in order.
Mr. HARI'ER, of York, one of the directors, would re-
egn it the sh-reholders wished it. lie would not consent to
this or any other meeting being swamped by proxies.
The proceedings were being continued we en our parcel
left _ . .

A meeting of holders of fi'th shares of this company was
also held yesterday at Manchester. Mr. David P.m was
silted to the chair, and stated that the tneetirg had been
called is consequence of an attempt which was being made
by the direclioa to to contiecre their nroperty, and to give
other shares a preference over their fifths ; and further, to
determine the course they would adopt at the meeting of
altareholers to be held that day in tne Exchange-rooms.
After some divcaosion on vinious maters relating to the
stfei,a of the company, Mr. Vance moved, and Mr. Thomas
Ey nest in secorded • resolution to theeffect that the meeting
rejicted altogether the terms proposed by the directors in
their report, and that the committee appointed on behalf t f
the fifth-shareholders, be a (quested to continue procevdiogs
' '

for the protection of the hills there.. A protest had been
prepared, undtr the advice of counsel, spinet the power of
the dirs.-tors to take away the dividends of the fifths, against
.icing guaranteed dividends to the 321. shares, and ceiling
upon the company to adhere to the rights of parliament in
respect to the filth shareholders.

CAMERON'S COALBROOK STEAM, COAL
AND SWANSEA AND LOUGHOR RAILWAY.
On Tuesday, an extraordinary general meeting of
the registered shareholders of the said company, was fled
at the (Aces in Moorgat•-street, for the purpose of confirm-
ing or rejecting a resolution passed by the directors for
making a further call of 21. per share, for the tayment of the
contractor for making the lint of railway from the coal.
fields to the port of Llanelly, and for other purposes.—E. G.
WINTHROP, Eq., loth the chair.
It basing been stated that the secretary had received
proxies from parties in the country holdieg ►etween 400 and
500 Aerie,
The CHAIRMAN said that the call had been made fir
the purpose of carrying on the works. lie believed that
their came was • good one, if not the very best in 5,u h
Wales ; and it only required the completion of the railway
to bring it into profitable operation. Unless they were sup.
plied with funds, they could cot g o on. The works were
proceeding v.ry satisfactorily, and it was essential that they
should be completed as soon as possible.
The resolution for confirming the lost call of 21. was then
carried unanimously.
Mr. SMALLBUNE said if they had done earlier in the
day what they were now doing, the untie rteking a o;.Id have
been in a very different position to that which it had
unfortunately taken. A large sum of their mony had been
expended on schemes which had pr s'ed futile. Re
hoped that within a very short period they would be enabled
to bring their csals into the market, and from the proceeds
give the proprietors a return for •r.eir outlay. Tney were
hound to find the money for the contractor; for unless
they did so, and completed the railway, there would be utter
ruin for them. There were several parties who had rad
their lot tall, ►nd he would suggest the propriety of appo'nt.
log • committee of shareholders to represent matters to the
defaulters, and induce them to pay up the mew.
It appeared, in the course of the conversation, that 200 tons
' of cid per day could be raised during the next three or tour
rears, out of the proceeds of which they could pay a dividend.
By the call just made 24,0001. of the company's debts would
be paid off. There would be a complete statement of the
company's affairs laid before the proprietors at the end of the
month.
After soma further conversation the meeting separated,
with • vote of thanks to the chairman.

LEWIS MINES CoslPABY.—Yesterday the anima
general meeting of shareholders of this company was held
at Salvador Rouse, Richard Rodeson, Esq., in the chair.
The directors in their report said they were enabled to pre-
sent a much more satisfactory account of the prospects of this
undertaking than it his hitherto been in their power to lay
before the proprietors, and were enabled pretty confidently
to predict a speedy realisation of their original hopes and
exeutations, s. e , dividends, which in a few months it is
anticipated the success of the mine will enable the directors
to commence paying. By the accounts it appeared that the
cost for the current year has been 13,51131. 155., the ores sold
have realised 14,9231. 13e. ltd., leaving a balance in favour
of the mine of 1,4061. 18e. 11d. The directors add, "At
the annuel general meeting held on the 4th July last year
the accounts showed a balance or 2,2351.85. 9.1. sgainst the
mine. The directors felt assured that this balance would
be grea'ly diminished in the then current year. At
the request of 1 influential shareholders they re-
frained from making calls to liquidate it, and they
era t you will approve of the coons taken. The last
yeses balance of 2,235 i. 8s 9d. has thus been reduced to
8281. 9s. 101. You will bear in mind that this balance is at
the end of the month (April). Your directors have no hesi-
tation in stating that the profit for May will be at lust
4001., so that the debtor balance will be on the sale of the
ores half diminished, and they believe wholly ro when the
acecunts are made up to the end of last month (June). The
directors feel the more gratification in stating this much, as
on reference it will be seen that for the first six months of
the past year little or no profit was made ; therefore, the
last six months have borne good results, notwithstanding the
price of tin has not been good. Over and above the results
thus detailed to you, the directors may state that there are
some 25 or 30 tons of tin ore broken end at edifice, which
is legitimately due to the put year and not brought to ac-
count, which tin is so situated as to preclude its being
brought to stamps for the present. These ores may be fairly
estimated at 1,3501. over and above all that has been stated
to you." The agent's report having been read, it was re-
solved, " That the reports and accounts bn received, adopted,
and eat ired in the cost and transfer book." The thanks of
the meeting were afterwards given to the chairman and di-
rect us for the management of the affairs of the company.
CALLINOTON MIRES COMPANY.—Yesterday a
lie Hodgson,
th.,isincottche-
cpivanayrtaz
chair. The agent's report stated that the lead mine is now
paying its way, lied that theproepectof improvement is good.
held general
a t Salvadormeeting
of
tit!
The accounts having been examined it was resolved, " That
the reports and accounts submitted be received, adopted, and
entered in the cwt and transfer bock." It was further re-
wired, " That for the future the accounts hitherto kept for
Kelly Bray be merged in the general mines account." The
thanks of the meeting were given to the chairman and
directors for their able management of the company's affairs.
METROPOLITAN SEWERS.— Yesterday a parlia-
mentary paper of 22 folio pages was printed, showing the
receipts and expenditure of the General Commissions of
Sewers in force from the let January, 1845, to the 31st
December, 1819. The total receipts for the fivo years (1845
to 1849) incluling the general cuh balance in hand on the
Ist January, 1816, was 470,7781.91. 10d. ; whilst the expen-
dittos in the period was 461,5131. 15e. lld., leaving the
general cash balance in hand on the 31st December last
9.2341. 13e. 11d. The receipts from the Bth ()debit to the
31st December last, a little more than two month', were
t 2,7971. Os. ld., and the expenditure 19,9741. Os. 71.