The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-25 00:00:00

should concur with their colleagues in the line of
policy about to be pursued. We can say that, look-
ing merely to the learning, experience, professional
standing, and unquestionable abilities of the gentle-
men nominated, no persons better qualified or in
every respect (non .political) fitted for their respective
offices could be appointed.
Highest in position and place is Sir EDWARD
SUGDEN, who is to ascend the woolsack, having pre-
viously been called to the House of Lords. Probably
no man in the United Kingdom could be found of
more profound legal knowledge, more extraordinary
acuteness in unravelling the tangled thread of plead-
ings and proofs in equity, picking out the infinite-
simal particles of truth from the quantity of chaff
with which it was encumbered, and applying his
almost miraculous lore to the due consideration of
the facts thus ascertained. Perhaps, as an
equity judge, none of his great predecessors in office
were in any way more competent than Sir EDWARD
SUGDEN. This is not merely a matter of conjecture.
He has already given unequivocal and indisputable
proofs of his high qualifications when he held the
great seals of office in Ireland in 1834, and again
from 1841 to 1846.

Bat it may be said something more is required at
the hands of a Lord Chancellor than a mere know-
ledge of law, and a power of applying that
knowledge to the cases on which he is about
to adjudicate. Many alterations of great mag-
nitude and of the most vital importance to
litigants, both in courts
,of equity and common law,
have for some time been under consideration ; and
it is essential that the most exalted judge of the
land, whose opinions and sentiments will be naturally
looked to with profound respect, which must ma-
terially influence the ultimate result, should be a man
of enlarged and comprehensive mind, not wedded to
useless forms, or disposed to sacrifice justice to tech-
nicalities. Granted. We fully coincide in the
opinion; and it is one of the chief reasons that in-
duces us to hail the appointment of Sir EDWARD
SUGDEN with pleasure. He has always exhibited
the strongest evidence of his anxiety to get
rid of abuses. When re-appointed to office in
1841, he directed all his energies to expediting the
business and diminishing the expenses of Chancery
proceedings. The rules and orders of the Irish
Court of Chancery, promulgated in 1842, remain
"monumentum core per e nnius," an unanswerable proof
of his zeal, activity, and efficiency in the cause of
Chancery reform. He taxed his powers to the utmost ;
he abolished the crying abuse of the Master's offices,
the necessity of obtaining warrants for a single hour—
an abuse which still exists in this country, and
which is the principal cause of the delay
so justly complained of— and he autho-
rised the hearing of cases de die in diem,
until finally decided. He also made sundry bene-
ficial regulations for reducing the then existing
prolixity of pleading, and diminishing the expenses
of the merely formal parties to suits. It would far
exceed the limits of a single article to notice the
leading features of these rules. We would, however,
refer legal reformers, who may fear that the acces-
sion of Sir EDWARD SUnDER to the Woolsack
might prove injurious to the great cause which they
have at heart, to these regulations as the best evi-
dence that they should rejoice rather than regret the
change that has taken place. There is another point
which should not remain unnoticed, although of the
most trivial importance when compared with the
other matters above referred to. A pension of 3,0001.
per annum, to which Sir E. SUGDEN is entitled as a
retired Lord-Chancellor of Ireland, will be saved to
the country. We are by no means indifferent to
£. s. d. It is of greater importance to have an eli-
gible person in office as Lord Chancellor than ten
times the amount ; but still 3,0001. per annum is
something to be saved.

The new Attorney and Solicitor- Generals of
England have only resumed the offices which they
formerly held, and in which, so far as professional
attainments were concerned, they gave unmitigated
satisfaction. The public generally—more especially
solicitors and clients—have shown by indisputable
proofs, that Sirs FREDERICK THESIGEIS and FITZROY
KELLY are at the very head of the profession, the
persons whose nominations would be looked for,
under the circumstances. It is said that the former
Right Honourable and Learned Gentleman will, at
the next dissolution, resign bis high office for the
Speakership of the House of Commons. Although
he would be fully qualified for the latter situation, we
can scarcely conceive that he would relinquish the
position of head of the English bar for even the posi-
tion of Speaker of the House of Commons.
The Irish appointments are no less satisfactory.
As Attorney-General, Master of the Rolls, and Chief
Justice of the Queen's Bench, the new Lord
Chancellor BLACKBURNE has proved himself
to be nulli secunclus. There can be no
question as to his capacity—the only doubt
is whether he will relinquish the permanent situation
of Lord Chief Justice for that of Chancellor, from
which he would retire with the Ministry. He has,
however, accumulated a large fortune, the result of
his former prudence and assiduity, and may probably
be willing to look forward to the odium cum dignitate.
Messrs. NAPIER and WHITESIDE have also ac-
quired first-class.legal reputations. The former gen-
tleman, who has been named Attorney-General,
will, probably, be made Chief Justice, in the place of
the new Lord Chancellor BLACKBURNE. Every Irish-
man will acknowledge his eminent qualifications for the
office. He springs from a family whose members,have
distinguished themselves in every pursuit to which
they directed their energies. Mr. WarrEsinz, who has
attained an European reputation, will then become
Attorney-General, and it is by no means improbable
that Mr. BUTT will be the next Solicitor-General of
Ireland. If all the appointments were equally good,
the DERBY Administration might look forward to a
longer lease of office than the nation, or, we believe,
even the most sanguine members of their own party
anticipate.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris journals of yesterday.
Their contents are unimportant.
The Bulletin des Lois publishes a decree, dated the
10th of the present month, opening to the Minister of
Finance a credit of ao,ooof. applicable to the per-
sonal expenses of the Chief of the State. This credit
is opened as an advance on the sum to he hereafter
allowed to the PRESIDENT of the Republic by a se-
natus-consultutn, in conformity with Art. 15 of the
Constitution. Another decree opens to the Minister
of Justice, from the Budget of 1851, a supplementary
credit of 750,000 f., applicable to the expenses of cri-
minal justice.
A decree from the PRESIDENT of the Republic offers
a reward of 50,000 f. to such person as shall render
the voltaic pile applicable with economy to manufac-
tures, as a source of heat, or to lighting, or che-
mistry, or mechanics, or practical medicine. Persons
of all nations may compete for this prize, and the
competition is to be open for five years.
The Moniteur publishes a decree by which general
officers oa the active list are allowed to accept the
office of senators without losing their rank, or being
placed on the retired list.
Rear-Admiral JACQUINOT is appointed second in
command of the Mediterranean fleet, in place of Ad-
miral DDDOURDIEU, promoted.
The Courrier de Marseille states that a new com-
mercial treaty is in contemplation between France
and Sardinia. France is to abolish in favour of Sar-
dinia all differential duties, and to accord that
country considerable reduction on the import-duty
on oil; and in compensation is to obtai❑ new feei.
lities for the introduction of her wines into Piedmont.
M. DUPIN has declined to stand as a candidate to
the Legislative Corps for the Nievre, or for any other
department.
The Secretary of the Pacha of EGYPT has arrived
in Paris on a special mission.

We read in the France Napoleonienne :

" The state of Beige of Paris is, it is said, to be re-
moved soon after the meeting of the Senate and the Le-
gislative Body. The date of that convocation is not yet
fixed; the 20th of March, and the sth of May have been
spoken of. However this may be, the intention of the
Government appears to be not to convoke the delibera-
tive bodies until it has published all the decrees which it
considers necessary to the organization of a vigorous
authority and government."
Notwithsts tiding that the public appeared to be more
occupied with the procession of the bceuf-gras than with
speculations in the rentes, the Bourse was firm and pub-
lic securities rose slightly. The Five per Cents, opened
at 103 f. 75e., and closed at 103 f. 80c. for the end of the
month; the Three
per Cents. closed at 65f. 70c.; the
Orleans Railway Shares, 1,135 f.; Rouen, 6501.; Havre,
261 f. 25c.; Great Northern, 591 f . 25c.; Avignon, 230 f.;
Vierzon, 5 27f.50c.; Basle, ~
-45 F.; Bordeaux, 44`21.50c.;
Paris and Strasburg, 4181. 25c.; Tours and Nantes, 300 E;
ArniQu to Boulogne, 302 f, 50c,; Paris and JD), crilfi, 5801,

Wheat. 1 Barley. I Malt. ; Oats.

Flour.

Qrs. Qrs. Qrs. Qrs. Sacks.
2,910 2,830 6,170 2,,20 2,690
Irish •• .• •• •. 1,620 14,480

Foreign •• •• •• 1,830 I 4,490

-- I 14,270 I 440

71011.017 GEL 110 P MaXX=
The demand for most kinds of Hops is very inactive,
yet last week's prioes are well supported.

NITNITZCIVELPZL.
The supplies of Meat on sale here to-day wore by no
means large, yet the general demand ruled dull, as fol-
lows:—Beef, from 2s 2d to 33 2d; Mutton, 2s 6d to
3s 8d; Veal, 3s 4d to 4s 2d; Pork, 2s 6d to 3s 8d per
Blbs by the carcase.

5s
e paenrtcl.lieofacilities for
was
iilepdet.' share, and the
report and accounts were carried..
ofbusinees likelyliCtusbsion princi-
Ddoeccklacreodmpyaensyterday at the meeting of
the lh The
Southamptondividend
princi-
pally related to the increasec promoted
general Southampton.
one,but it was intimated
connexiona navigation,with tb
that there was every prospect of its being maintained, and it
was hoped the directors would shortly find themselves in a
by the etxrateffincsioinn ofste
position to recommend a higher rate. Before the close of
posi
The present dividend was a small. '
the proceedings a vote of 8,000/. was authorised to enable
the board to give farther accommodation for dock business,
and make other arrangements to improve a part of their
property leased for a sugar refinery.
alreadyß uc Ti"ttefoii the
lonNotoifiFedLi
na Gt
h(); .
Gazette— i nti de df it
FridayiO ri to the pro-
motions,
destruction of Lagos, the Admiralty have promoted
p EBI.
engineers in charge on board the Bloodhound and eater,
s. Thund
viz., Mr. William N. Cov and Mr. George
~
engineers,
first class assistants, to he acting third class chief
-
examin
who will be confirmed ea passing the necessary a
ti 9114.