The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-06 00:00:00

:Suit

flourishing condition, to judge from the report of
its " ast proceedings" and " future prospects:,
p
This is a very satisfactory annoiuncemmt, because
it so often occurs that in these again a great deal is
promised at the outset, but as time goes on a de-
cadence is observed, until at last there is a decided
failure. It is curious and also very interesting to
notice that there are volunteers an d those who in-
terest themselves in rifle-shooting in Hong-Kong,
for a sum of five hundred guineas has been sub-
scribed by British residents in China for a " China
Cup." This proves a genuine appreciation of the
question which it is gratifying to witness, and which
must be of great encouragement to those who
it particularly concerns in this country. As for
numbers the association is rapidly increasing, as will
be seen by the statement ; that it now counts as
many as two thousand eight hundred and eighty-
seven members. During the last year alone it has
augmented to the number of two hundred and
eighteen. This is a proof of the increased respect
and attention it has received, and doubtless the in-
crease will be as much, or even more, this year than
the preceding one. As for auxiliary support, we
may rejoice to notice that nothing is found to regret
in that particular, but, on the contrary, much to
encourage the well-wishers of the institution. Con-
nected with the National Rifle Association there are
now the associations of thirty-seven counties and of
fourteen colonies. So extended a combination is a
double source of strength, since it shows the wide-
spread influence of the feeling which has given rise
to this and similar affairs of the kind, and preserved
them in strength and utility till they reach a
prosperous condition, and give promise of attaining
future excellence, and effecting still more valuable
services for the community among which they
flourish. There is no lack either of prizes, for there
are various promises made, and many have signified
their intention of keeping up their prizes. It is to
be hoped that this custom will be extensively fol-
lowed, since a great number of rewards must be an
incentive to urge on and stimulate those who
naturally wish for some trophy of their arduous
attempt. The Duke of CAMBRIDGE was able to
give the assurance that the shooting had been well
kept up by " matches," not only in this country, but
also in India, in China, and in Canada. His Royal
Highness very truly observed that this would be of
great service to our colonies, and must contribute
greatly to their means of defence. In all respects,
then, there seems no reason to doubt that the wish
of the Royal Chairman will be fulfilled, and that
National Rifle Association will continue its sphere
of usefulness and progress in a course of prosperity.

Allusion having been made in the QUEEN'S Speech
to the much-wished for and long-desired reform of
having one large building for the concentration of
all our Law Courts, as well as in the Houses of Par-
liament, to a system for the confiscation of our
laws, it may not be amiss to review the present state

of the present mode of conducting business in our

Courts of Law at Westminster.

It must be admitted by all thinking and sensible
men that things are not necessarily good nor bad
simply because they are old. This is one of the
many things upon which the only rule is that there

is no rule at all. We published a series of articles
last spring, in which we pointed out how misera-

bly the Inns of Court are behind all other profes

sions and public places of emoluments in investing
thousands, as they do every year, with the power
of defending life and property, without even taking
the trouble to investigate whether those upon whom
they so intrust so mighty a responsibility are capable
of ever knowing the distinction been law and equity,
or the meaning of the technical terms made use of in
our books on the law of real property. It may well
be worthy of consideration how far it is expedient
to continue the present system of dividing the legal

profession into two branches, or, at any rate, of only
allowing counsel to be consulted through the inter-

vention of an attorney.

It is the interest of the public, in a country where
every one is supposed to know the law, to have as
ready as possible an access to all sources of infor-

mation. To multiply time and trouble, may be the
interest of the practitioner, but never can be that
of the client. To employ two men to do what can
be better done by one, is as little expedient in law
as in manufactures ; such an arrangement is not a
division, but a multiplication of labour, and there-
fore of expense. Wheat, thrashed by the hand, will
obtain no higher price than wheat thrashed by
steam ; but, in law, where the process and not the
result is paid for, there is a strong inducement to
resort to a chemical instrument rather than the flail,
if such can be found to separate the grain from the
chaff. If there be two ways of doing a thing,
manufacturers, who are paid for the product, will
take the shortest ; lawyers, who are paid for accord-
ing to the amount of labour, which they can afford
to waste, the longest. We should, therefore, no
more think of rejecting any means by which

the access to law may be made easier
and cheaper than we should approve of
breaking a frame or smashing a thrashing
or reaping machine. Law will always •be dear
enough, without raising it to an artificial price by
fictitious restrictions. How ill does this shutting
out the public from the Bar accord with the spirit of
our new institutions. Parliament is doing all it
can to cheapen and expedite the decision upon rights,

while the etiquette of the Bar renders the previous

knowledge of those rights as difficult and expensive
as possible. If your case involves a point of law
you may get a decision on it before a County Cou
for almost as few shillings as an opinion would cos
pounds, the Lion's share of the said pounds being
oracle, reserved for the person who smooths the approach
of theof maonndeynsoptenfotr
itnheobotraainng
oracle itself.
the
opinion
.Nine
tenths
are spent in removing artifiical difficulties interposed
between the client and the barrister,
the other tenth
is for the opinion itself. Some people are of
opinion that these exactions are willingly paid. We
believe, on the other hand, that
whilethe public
never grudge fair remuneration to those who do its
work, there is no money parted with so
unwillingly
by as that which goes to defray expenses incurred
for legal proceedings needlessly and vexatiously
complicated. The ablest physician in the land
is accessible to the humblest patient who can
pay for his advice, and the public would
have every reason to complain if they were
denied access except through the intervention
of an agent, who should demand for placing them
in communication with him a sum many times the
amount of his fee. It has never been proposed to
prevent free access to the attorney. Place the bar-
rister on an equal footing, and let the public select
between them. This is no time-honoured practice ;
the rule of etiquette in question is of comparatively
recent origin. Sir MATTHEW HALE (as appears
from Lord CAMPBELL'S " Lives of the Chief
Justices") received fees directly from his clients,
and POPE, a century later, in his imitations of
roRA.cE, represents himself as taking the opinion of
s counsel learned in the law, who advises, " as is
wont," without a fee, " clearly implying that the
omission of such a demand was a matter of personal
kindness to himself.
We have seen how dearly the
client pays for the luxury of laying his case before
the barrister by means g
of an attorney. Let us
next gee what he gets in 1—
vle'-'011)4e fg his money.