The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-02 00:00:00

Solicitors' Work at General Elections.

(From the Taw limes of to-day.)
There is a confident expectation in the highest quarters
that a general election is nigh at hand. This is not now
such a harvest for the Profession as formerly. When we
were serving our articles in a borough, the regular fee for
each solicitor retained (and every solicitor in the town was
retained on one side or on the other) was 100 guineas, be-
iiides liberal allowances for extra work. Besides the solici-
tors, counsel were engaged for each candidate, to contest
and support the votes at the poll; and the returning afloat
was assisted by an assessor, also a barrister, who acted oe
judge, and advised him as to the validity of the votes ten'
dered. The polling lasted 14 days, and was almost alwaYo
followed by a scrutiny, in which voters who had been
jetted to at the poll were fought for again; and this was e'
matter of seven or eight days more. the cost of this arts/
of lawyers may be imagined.
In addition to this harvest at the elections, there Was
always an annual fee of £lOO to the leading solicitor for
"looking after the interests of the party," as it was oallelr
and sometimes a small refresher for the juniors.
But we have changed all that. The fees now are Inneilj
less, as the work is less. An election is now short and
sharp. A few days and it is over. Theregistration requiraS
some yearly fee trom the member, but thie is swell'
At least two-thirds of the revenue derived by the Profe'
sion from elections was swept away by the Reform Act.
But still the solicitors have very important duties to Per:
form. In their hands is practically vested the represents
lion of the country. By putting together they might ret"
the whole Parliament.

ANECDOTE OF THE LATE DUKE OF WELLIN°.
TON.—The lion. Arthur Wellesley, afterward°
Duke of Wellington, was, just previously to his enabarkV
tion for India, in command of a regiment at Poreheotef
Castle. The Hon. George Pitt, afterwards Lord Riv°cB'
commanded at the same time the Dorchester Militia, eta -
,
tioned also at the castle. Atter the conclusion of the
the Parliament voted an estate to the Duke of Welling t°l
for his great services, and Lord Rivers having off td
Strathfieldsaye to the Ministry as appropriate for the ec'-
sion, the Duke went down to see it. Lord River-0 tho
spoke of the matter —" I was on my back in a painful °tete
of rheumatic gout, when the Duke of Wellington was
bed'
nounced, I desired that he might be shown into niY bied
room, and in a minute or two he stood -by my bete,
After condoling with me a few seconds on my inoisP°e''.e%
he told me he had come to survey the estate, and requeeitm-
that horses and an intelligent guide might be allowed 13'—ci
These were aeon in readiness, and off posted the duke ".%
his guide to survey an estate 18 miles in circumferer he
ee•
about an hour and a half atter the duke's d
e
p
a
rt
re
returned, expressed himself pleased with his estate, e!,d
took leave. Atter his departure I sent for the guide..ai:ja
inquired of him as to what had passed between linliselilalor
the duke, during the progress of the survey. 111 All m 9
life,' anewered I never before had such a daace.a., ~„,
have been quite round the estate, nearly at full speed
way, Whether his grace has seen it or not, I don't klaov:s
fur I had enough to do to keep up with him,' MY uleur,,
eppearauce, piaste'red as he was with mud, sufacientlY ciesit
roborated what he said. A few days after alba flying V
negotiations were commenced by the Treasury for theuPtirt
chase of the estate, which terminated in its being be
Price
au-, presented to the duke. The following was the
paid :—Z200,000 the land, £150,000 the timber, i,l,3uu
the Inttileioll; 4363,000 total purchase money,"