The Sun.
London, England, 1852-06-29 00:00:00

e 4 Je*nit .7, - tit It.

LONDON, TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1852.

Addresses are beginning to pour in upon the I
electors throughout the United Kingdom. Old can-
didates are reminding their constituencies of their
past services, and are either maintaining their title to
consistency or explaining their adoption of some
novel principle. New candidates, on the, contrary,
are bidding for the favour of the possessors of the
franchise by enumerating the advantages cer-
tain to accrue from their selection as representa-
; fives. It is :wonderful to observe the develop-
ment of the weakness of human nature in the
course of proceedings thus calculated, like
wine, to produce a mental excitation sufficient to dis-
close the real workings of character and the innate
force of each political adventurer's idiosyncracy.
Unhappily, we have, in numerous directions, the pros-
pect of witnessing the disappointment of the hopes of
the electors by the eagerness of the rival aspirants to
their approbation Upon this we commented yester-
day—alluding to a variety of instances in which the
energies of different parties are being frittered away
by a most injudicious emulation. Half a dozen op-
posing Liberals in the same borough, as in other
cases half a dozen contending Derbyites, afford by
their mistaken and inopportune contention the golden
chance which might not otherwise have existed for
their real antagonists. In this manner a constituency
containing a large majority of free-trade voters may
be delivered over to a Protectionist representative ;
or vice versa, a constituency containing a considerable
majority of electors advocating the re-imposition of a
duty on foreign corn, may be compelled in the end to
behold the triumph of some champion eof
unrestricted commerce. Ridiculous though these
shiftings and changings may appear, they have actually
occurred before now, and unless the possessors of the
franchise hold themselves forewarned, are at this
crisis very liable to a recurrence. Against such
casualties, therefore, we would seriously caution all
parties alike—as against a situation detrimental to
the interests and derogatory to the influence of po-
pular representation. Before the elections commence,
it were well for the voters in such localities as
Stafford and Leicester to make a preliMinary
selection, in the latter instance from the four, and in
the former instance from the six; Liberal candidates
who have already made their appearance. Otherwise
the result of the numbers polled may, in different
quarters, where least expected, prove disastrous.
Another subject requiring extreme caution on the
part of all individuals concerned—whether electors or
candidates—is the subject of bribery, extending
even to matters of the most innocent
description, but which might by possibility
be construed into evidences of corruption. If we
remember rightly, it was shortly after the last
general election—the general election of 1847—that
a striking illustration of the care which ought to be
shown upon these very delicate occasions was afforded
by the contest at Cheltenham, where, for some
trivial " treatiogs" (such as it Were absolutely absurd
to designate bribery or corruption), the return of the
Hon. CRAVEN PITZHARDINGE BERKELEY was declared
to be null and void, the borough being consequently
deprived since then of the services of a member who
had sat for Cheltenham during four successive Par-
liaments. Returned by continually increasing ma-
jorities—in 1832 without opposition, in 1835 by 411,
in 1837 by 632, in 1841 by 764, and in 1848 by
1,024, the Hon. CRAVEN BERKELEY was thus, by a
lack of caution among his conspicuous supporters
compelled to secede from the field, yielding the bo-
rough up for a while to his cousin, the Hon. GREN •
VILLE BERKELEY. His triumph over this misfor-
tune we regard, at any rate, es, at this moment,
assured. The electors cannot so speedily have for-
gotten the warning of two successive elections de-
clared to have been null and void, on petition, that in
1847 of Sir WILLOUGHBY JONES, and that in 1848 of
the Honourable CRAVEN BERKELEY. All constitu-
encies, however, are not, of course, so thoroughly alive
at the present juncture to the necessity of avoiding
the moat shadowy appearances of corruption. It is
fortunate, therefore, that we are enabled now, betimes,
to warn the possessors of the- franchise, and candidates
generally of this absolutely requisite circumspection.l
Upon this subject a high authority has recently (we
might say within the last few hours) pronounced.l
In the course of his very happily timed, and there-
fore doubly welcome ,and doubly valuable "Manual
of the Parliamentary Election Law of the United
Kingdom," it is remarked by Mr. WARREN, the emi-
nent QUEEN'S Counsel, as follows : -
" Tho position of all parties, and all places, entrusted
with the electoral franchise, has become exceedingly
critical, in consequence of the greatly augmented facili-
ties which now exist for detecting bribery in even its i
subtlest and most varies forms. Devices hitherto sue-1
cessful in the hands of those characterized by a corrupt,
but consummate astuteness, will be henceforth found
shorn of almost all their efficacy; for impunity is compa-
ratively annihilated. The universal spirit of indignation
against bribery, to which impressive utterance has been.
recently given by the most eminent statesmen belonging
to all parties, and also, with a marvellous concurrence,
by all the leading organs of public opinion, will not
suffer itself to be baffled daring the inquiry to which the
ensuing general election is likely to give rise. Candi-
dates can now be compelled to come before Committees,
or into a court of law, and be exposed to the most
acute and merciless examination, from which they
cannot shelter themselves, except under the pernicious,
perilous, and. even fatal plea, that they decline to
answer, on the ground that their answers may tend to
criminate themselves. All their agents, friends, and
acquaintances, especially those most intimate, and in
any way taking part in the election, will be subjected to
similar scrutiny; as will be also every elector whom
vigilant and unsuspected observation may detect in a
suspicious or equivocal position. While candidates, voters,
and those who communicate with them are thus im-
perilled, it must be borne in mind that the scenes
themselves of bribery . and corruption will henceforth
be subjected to the unsparing and rigorous scrutiny
of Parliament, with the great additional powers
conferred by the Act of tip present session.. It is pos-
sible that more than one borough may ere long find itself
in the melancholy position of Sudbury and St. Albans;
or their freemen follow the fate of many of their brethren
disfranchised daring the last few years for systematic
corruption, and whose doings have too often brought
opprobrium upon their order."

Fain would we believe that this solemn warning—
coming as it does from an authority like WARREN'S
Law of Elections—may prove effectual in clearing
the moral atmosphere of the constituencies and in
imparting to the successful candidates the dignity
of an honestly chosen and consequently genuine
representative. The country requires it ; the
House of Commons requires it : it is an
improvement demanded as much for the elevation of
the repute of the electors as for the vindication of the
aYst2ra of representative government. Let the
warning be accepted in " good part," and the nation
parliarnentwill then look with larger confidence upon that new
which is to be assembled in the course of
the enB •
Lung October, in the legislative palace at
EY eLtalindter.
Sever al ;

in Chancery
ntittorsof y
)-I,' - important measures of legal reform—" the
.Relief Bill,". ."the Improve-
ment
inJurisdictionChancery inAblevilitny:
Bill"—wereßill," and "ltahset
night considered for the in timeon onein tipmeinitloounsley—of
Ls,thoartdwhaicnhd
pvriertvueanitleya
Courts
of .
Equity from sending
qiestion the " Courts of Common Law,"
the Commons' amend-
of law to
which were accepted in all other par-
mwea:
tlyth, ere any dissent from
tint:Liars'. We may now, then, congratulate the
country on the fact that the session now ra-
pidly approaching to its termination, although
handsome of
comparatively barren in all other particulars, has
yet been more than ordinarily productive in mea-
sures
tshilereasdmn ofirisatlraptriaocntiocfalthue6 law.ty for
A improvement theand
instal-
ment has been granted to legal reformers, who have
indeed ample Clause for self-gratulation at the results
of a year during which, to use the words of perhaps
the highest living authority on Rich subjects, " mor© _

considerable progress has been made in the amend-
ment of the law than in any twelve times *twelve
months in his recollection." They should not, how-
ever, on this account relax their exertions, but, on
the contrary, should proceed more vigorously and
energetically in their useful labours from
the encouragement thus afforded. If much
has been achieved, much still remains to
be accomplished before the abuses which
sprung up during successive centuries, and which
flourished in rank luxuriance until they excited the
unanimous condemnation of men of all classes in
society, will be thoroughly and completely abolished,
and the humblest suitor can safely depend upon cheap
and expeditious justice.

The Society for Promoting the Amendment of the
Law, to whose unremitting efforts and jadicious sug-
gestions much of these felicitous results may fairly
be attributed, held its annual dinner at the Crown
and Sceptre Tavern, Greenwich, on Saturday. It
may easily be supposed that the members of this
patriotic association, who have eminently entitled
themselves to the thanks and gratitude of the com-
munity, warmly congratulated each other on the
present aspect of affairs, so different from that ap-
pearing before the formation of the society. The
veteran legal reformer, Lord BROUGHAM, presided
over his learned collaborateurs, and ably and elo-
quently encouraged his associates to continue their
labours., Not a toast was pkoposed in which some
much required alteration in the law was not sug-
gested. The Chairman alluded to digests of the
Criminal Law and of Common Law Procedure,
which have already been prepared in accordance with
the recommendations of a Commission given no less than
twenty years ago. His Lordship, also, while speak-
ing of the contemplated improvements in the superior
courts, declared " that whatever might be effected in
this way, he held it to be impossible to dispense with
the local courts." This is a feeling that has spread
throughout the country. Those who have " had
justice brought home to their very doors" will never
consent to its removal. It is true that there have
been many deficiencies in the county court system,
but these chiefly arose from the want of a regular
attendance of barristers. This palpable defect will,
we trust, be speedily remedied, and we have no
doubt that matters will thenceforth be placed on a
more satisfactory footing, so that every well-founded
complaint may be removed.

" The fusion of law and equity" was responded to
by Mr. Commissioner FAKE, who has given much
consideration to the subject. The great experiment
which has already been tried with such satisfactory
results by our Transatlantic brethren has removed
the doubts previously existing as to the possibility
of effecting this great desideratum. The law can
never be cheaply administered while there are so
many different tribunals through which a suitor may
be bandied, at a vast expenditure of time ' and
money. The more extensive the jurisdiction, the
more full and complete the remedy that can be
afforded, the better for all classes of litigants, for de-
fendants as well as plaintiffs. The bankruptcy
courts and the county courts have now both legal, and
equitable jurisdiction, and the great advantages
thereof must be familiar to every practitioner before
these tribunals. Indeed, we are convinced that the
community will never be satisfied until the
amalgamation be fully carried out, and the eccle-
siastical jurisdiction be also conferred upon the new
tribunal.

One of the chief and most interesting points, how-
ever, referred to during the evening, was " the free
transfer of land," with which the name
of Mr. JAMES STEWART was most de
servedly associated. That learned gentleman has
devoted himself to the simplification of G6titles," to
the removal of the difficulties and obstructions th at
impede the transfers of real estates, and occasion' such
delays, expense, and inconvenience to ,both
vendors, and purchasers. As " free trade''
has been accomplished in the produce of
land there can be no adequate reason why it should
not be extended to the land itself. Mr. STEWART
has pointed out how this may be accomplished, and
no greater boon could be conferred on the agricultural
interest than bringing into full operation his valuable
suggestions. It would create a demand • for
land • that would speedily raise its value
in the market. It would give a stimulus to the
improvements, causing the soil to be brought into the
highest state of cultivation, and thus providing em-
ployment for the labouring population, so that all
parties, landlord, tenant, and even farm-labourer,
would be materially benefited by the change.
Nothing but our own artificial regulations have
occasioned the enormous evils. It will require
some degree of nerve and resolution to break through
the trammels that custom has forged around us. But
it may be done, and we hope to see the time when
estates may be transferred with as much simplicity as
money in the funds, or shares in public companies.

We cannot close our notice without some allusions
to the admirable observations of Mr. R. Low, on
" the Codification of the Law," a matter of vast
importance, but which only requires the public atten-
tion to be steadily directed to the advantages that
would follow from its adoption to ensure its ultimate
success.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris journals of yesterday.
The session of the Corps Legislatif was closed yes-
terday.
The PRINCE PRESIDENT addressed a message to it,
couched in the most conciliating terms; thanking it
for its loyal co-operation, and promising to lay before
it, on its re-opening, some projects tending to dimi-
nish the country's expenses, without injuring "les
services pz‘blics:, The following is the text of the
message :

" ELYSEE NATIONAL, JUNE 28, 18 52.

" Gentlemen,—At the moment of the close of the
session of 1852, I have to return you my thanks for the
loyal co-operation and support you have given to our
new institutions. You have known how to resist what
is the most dangerous amongst assembled men the
being carried away by esprit de corps—and, all suscepti-
bility laid aside, you have occupied yourselves with the
great interests of the country, feeling that the epoch of
impassioned and sterile discourses had passed away, and
that of business had arri►ed.

"The application of a new system always en-
counters difficulties ; you have had your share
of them. It occupation has seemed to be wanting at
your earlier meetings, you have understood that the
desire of abridging the term of my dictatorship and
my enxiety to call you around me had been the cause
of it in depriving my Government of the time necessary
for the preparation of the laws which were to be submitted
to you. The natural consequence of that exceptional
state of things was the accumulation of business at the
close of the session. Nevertheles3, the first trial of the
Constitution, completely of French origin, must have
convinced you that we possessed the conditions of a
strong and free Government. The Government is no
longer that passive butt against which the various Op-
positions directed with impunity their shafts. It can
resist their attacks, and henceforth follow a system with-
out having recourse either to arbitrary rule or to du-
plicity. On the other hand, the control of the Assembly
is serious, for discussion is free, and the voting of the
taxes decisive.

" As to the imperfections which experience has shown
us, our common love for the public good will tend inces-
santly to diminish their inconvenience until the Senate
shall have pronounced its opinion.
"Daring the interval of the recess I shall direct all
my efforts to find out what are the wants of the country
and to prepare the projects which may permit me to di-
minish the burdens of the State without detriment to the
public service.
" On your return to your duties I will lay before you
the result of our labours, and the general state of affairs
in the message that the Constitution obliges mo to ad-
dress to you every year.
X," On returning to your departments, be the faithful
echoes of the sentiment that predominates here; confi-
dence in reconciliation and peace. Tell your constitu-
ents that in Paris, the heart of France, that revolution-
ary centre which scatters over the world alternate light
or conflagration, you have seen an immense population
labouring to efface the traces of revolutions, and joy-
ously applying themselves to industry with confidence
in the future. Those who so recently, in their madness,
were impatient of all restraint, you have heard saluting
wila acclamation the restoration of our eagles, the sym-
bols of authority and of glory.
" At that imposing spectacle, where religion conse-
crated aith her benediction a great national festivity,
you have remerked their rupee:till attitude. You have
seen that army so proud, that has saved its country, rise
ctill higher in the esteem of mon; and kneeling in devo-
tion before the image of God, presented from the summit
His altar.
" The meaning of this is, that there exists in France
a Government animated with the faith and the love of
good, which reposes on the people, the source of all
power; on the army, the source of all force; and on reli-
gion, tho source of all justice.
" Receive the assurance of my sentiments,
" LOUIS NAPOLEON:

The reading of this message was repeatedly inter-
rupted by marks of approbation, and its conclusion
elicited loud cries of " Vive le President !"
The sitting WAa afterwgrds attspenclo to enable the