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

.
Solicitors' Work at General Elections.

(From the Law limes of to-day.)
There is a confident expectation in the highest quarters
that a general election is nigh at hand. This is not non"
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 wee
retained on one side or on the other) was 100 guineas, be'
sides 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 tacef
was assisted by an assessor, also a barrister, who acted se
judge, and advised him as to the validity of the votes ten-
dered. The polling lasted ft days, and was almost always'
followed by a scrutiny, in which voters who had been ob..
jectrd to at the poll were fought for again; and this was a
matter of seven or eight days more. the cost of this anal
of lawyers may be imegined.
In addition to this narvest 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 called,
and sometimes a small refresher for the juniors.
But we have changed all that. The fees now are
much
d
less, as the work is less. An election is now short an
sharp. A few days and it is over. The registration requiree
some yearly fee from the member, but this is awed'
At least two •thirds of the revenue derived by the Prefer*
Bien from elections was swept away by the Retorm Act.
BUt still the solicitors have very important duties to Per'
form. In their hands is practically vested the represerite'
tion of the country. By pulling together they might rata°
the whole Parliament.

ANECDOTE OF THE LATE DUKE OF NVELLIS°.
TON.--lhe lion. Arthur W eiiesiey, after War
Duke of Wellington, was, just previously to his embari°3:
non for India., in command of a regiment at Porcheat°'
Castle. The lion. Geurge Pitt, afterwards Lord Rivell'
commanded at the same time the Dorchester Militia, et':
tioned also at the castle. Atter the conclusion of the
Rat
the Parliament voted an estate to the Duke of Welliogl
for his great services, and Lord Rivers having efier....e-
Strathfieidsaye to the Ministry as appropriate for the ee7,
sion, the Duke went down to see it. Lord Rivers tbuw
spoke of the matter —" I was on my back in a painful etat6
of rheumatic gout, when the Duke of Wellington wasted. t'l
nounced, I desired that he might be shown into my
room, and in a minute or two he stood by my bedside,
After condoling with me a few seconds on my inaispeeiti°ll,
he told me he had come to survey the estate, and request,
re
that horses and an intelligent guide might be allowed h
These were anon in readiness, and off posted the duke eliji
his guide to survey an estate 18 miles in circumference. m
~
about an hour and a half after the duke's departure
returned, expressed himself pleased with his estate, 9_:,
took leave. Atter his departure I sent for the guide. 973.
inquired of him as to what had passed between hinaself I:31
the duke, during the progress of the survey. in all is,
life,' answered he, ' I never before had such a dance. .ii
have been quite round the estate, nearly at full speed elilo
way. Whether his grace has seen it or not, I don't l'a°ll
fur I had enough to do to keep up with him: MY rag ,
appeaiaixe, plastered as he was with mud,
roborated what he said, A few days after this flying
negotiations were commenced by the Treasury for the Pa.'
sufficientlY
vie
chase of the estate, which terminated in its being bong:
an i presented to the duke. The following was the prL
3 Ut
paid :—L2,00,000 the land,
the mansion; asap() total puratuse money,"
£150,000 the timber, £1