The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-14 00:00:00

LAW OF SUCCESSION.

Mr. L. KING then rose to move for leave to bring in
a bill to amend the law of succession to real property in
cases of intestacy. The hon. member pointed out the
anomalies of the present system, and contended that it
was hurtful to our national welfare that the law of intes-
tacy, with reference to real property, should be continued.
In the case of personal property the law was, perhaps,
fair enough, but it was a gross wrong that, unless a man
possessed of real property made a will to defeat the law all
his children, except the eldest, should be unprovided for.
The only argument that could be used to keep up this
system, was that of expediency, but Adam Smith had
disposed of that objection by proving that it was not
wise in a nation like this to have a law which made
distinctions in families. It should rather be the
object of the Legislature to secure equality amongst
families if it could not do it among men generally, and
since the example of almost every civilised nation in the
world was favourable to an equ .1 distribution of a man's
property amongst all his children, he was at a loss to
discover what danger could result from such a measure
as this. The Greek and Roman law invariably recog
nised the principle which we apply to personalities in
the case of real as well as personal property, and the
house might depend upon it the country would be more
prosperous if they no longer delayed the abolition of
that pernicious system which went by the name of
the law of primogeniture. (Hear, hear.) In all
ages a monopoly of land has proved pernicious
co the state where it was allowed to prevail ; for in-
stance, in this country, where perhaps there were fewer
proprietors of the soil than in any other nation, they had
:enes of unlioundel wealth and great prosperity, sur-
rounded by vice, misery, arid starvation, and he therefore
hoped there would be no objection to his laying on the table
a bill to abolish the law which assisted in producing this
et ite of things, and which was a dishonour to the Legis-
lature, and a disgrace to a country like our's, professing
to be civilised.

Mr. HADFIELD seconded the motion, and, in doing
SO, he insisted the personal property of the country was
far greater than its real property, and yet no evil had
resulted from the right of making a will in respect of the
former. But the law as it now stood, in respect of real
property, was anomalous arid unjust. If a man left be-
hind him his only daughter, all his real property was
equally divided amongst them ; but if he left an elder
son, all the daughters, as well as the younger sons,
were deprived of all their means.

Mr. BRIGHT said that if he were an elder son he
should as soon think of defrauding his creditors in forging
a will as depriving his younger brothers of their just
share in his father's property, so unjust and unnatural
did he consider the existing law. It was a remnant of
the exploded feudal system, and a disgrace to the statute
book. He, therefore, most heartily approved of the
introduction of this bill.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he certainly should
not oppose the introduction of the bill, though he could
not approve of some of the propositions which had been
made in the course of the discussion. With regard to
the bill itself he should reserve himself for its future
stages.

Leave was then given to bring in a bill.
PUBLIC PROSECUTOR.

Mr. J. G. PHILLIMORE moved for leave to
bring in a bill for the appointment of public prosecu-
tors, and said he was glad to know that the Government
did not intend to oppose its introduction. The adoption of
his scheme would save the public much annoyance and
expense, for under the existing system prosecu-
, tions were left to chance after the accused left
the police court, and the consequence was it
frequently happened that while some parties
were unjustly brought to trial, others who really were
guilty were enabled to escape through' being able to tam-
per with the evidence. Now, the object of the bill
was to amend all this. It would authorise the
Crown to divide the country into assize districts,
and to appoint public prosecutors for each of them,
wlio should hold office during good behaviour. In
addition to these the Crown would have power to ap-
point examiners to conduct the case before the
police magistrate, and return the evidence t•
the public prosecutor, who should decide whe-
ther it was sufficient to justify its prosecution. The
bill contained other provisions with regard to the pay-
ment of witnesses, but these were the principal pro-
visions, and he hoped there would be no objection to his
laying the bill on the table.
Mr. HUME seconded the motion, and thought the
bill provided the best means for preventing the com-
pounding
of offences, and the prosecution of unjust
charges.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the Government
were anxious to have the question discussed, and there
would be no objection to the introduction of the bill, but
at the same time he did not think the plan upon whit h it
was based was the best that could be adopted, but
the Government had the subject under their
most serious consideration, and they hoped after
a discussion some settled scheme would be arrived at
and agreed to.
Mr. NAPIER rose, and was
[LEFT SPEAKING.]

THE LONDON GAZETTE

(THIS EVENING.)

LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S OFFICE, FEB. 13.
Notice is hereby given, that her Majesty will hold
levees at St. James's Palace, on the following days, at
two o'clock :—Wednesday, the 22d of February inst. ;
Wednesday, the Bth of March next.

REGULATIONS TO BE OBSERVED AT THE QUEEN'S LEVEES
AT ST. JAMES'S PALACE.
The noblemen and gentlemen who purpose to attend her
Majesty's levees at St. James's Palace, are requested to
bring with them two large cards, with their names clearly
written thereon, one to be lea with the Queen's Page in
Attendance, in the Presence-chamber, and the other to
be delivered to the Lord Chamberlain, who will announce
the name to her Majesty.
Those gentlemen who are to be presented are hereby in-
formed, it is absolutely necessary that their names, with
the name of the nobleman or gentleman who is to present
them, should be delivered at the Lord Chamberlain's
Office, before twelve o'clock, on the Monday previous
to each levee, in order that.
they may be submitted
for the Queen's approbation ; it being her Majesty's
command, that no presentation shall bo made at the levees
but in conformity with the above regulations.
It is particularly requested, that in every case the names
be very distinctly written upon the cards to be delivered
to the Lord Chamberlain, in order that there may be no
difficulty in announcing them to the Queen.
The state apartments will not be open for the reception
of company coming to Court, until half-past one o'clock.
Notice is hereby given, that all persons having petitions
or addresses to present to her Majesty at the levees, are to
deliver a card (having on it their names, a statement of
the object of such petitions or addresses, and the names of
the persons from whom they come), to the Lord Chamber-
lain's office, before twelve o'clock, on the Monday previous
to each levee above announced ; and that two other cards,
having on them precisely what is written upon that sent
to the Lord Chamberlain's office, are to be taken to the
levee; one of the two cards to be delivered to the Page in
the ante-room, and the other to the Lord Chamberlain,
who will read its contents to her Majesty; and, on these
occasions, no other statement is to be addressed to her
Majesty.
A Deputation to present an Address is not to exceed
four persons.
FOREIGN-OFFICE, FEB. 13.
Mr.
Thomas
The Queen has been pleased to approve of
Steers as Consul at Dundee for the United States of
America.

WHITEHALL, FEB. 13.
The Queen has been pleased to direct letters patent to
be passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, granting unto James Robinson
Planche, Gentleman, the office of Rouge Croix Pursuivant
of Arms, vacant by the promotion of William Courthope,
Esq., to the office of Somerset Herald.
DOWNING-STREET, FEB. 14.
The Queen has been pleased to appoint Hercules Geor
Robert Robinson, Esq., to be President and Senior Mem-
ber of the Council of the Island of Montserrat.
Her Majesty has also been pleased to appoint Stephen
Rico and George Birnie, Esqs., to be members of the
Exe-
cutive Council; and Joseph Hensley, Esq., to be a mem-
ber of the Legislative Council, of Prince Edward Island,
Her Majesty has farther been pleased to appoint Alfred

J. Duncome and William Hamilton, Esqs.' to be members
of the Legislative Council of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL, FEB. 13.
The Right Hon. the Lords of the Committee of Privy
Council for Trade and Plantations have received, through
the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a des-
patch from her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at Florence,
enclosing translation of a notification issued by the Papal
Government, extending the permission granted by the no-
tification of the sth October. 1853, for the free importation
of wheat, of Indian corn, and the flour thereof, of spelt, of
barley, of oats, of legumes (except lupini), of potatoes, and
of chesnuts, and the flour thereof, to the end of April next.

CROWN-OFFICE, FEB. 14.
MEMBERS RETURNED TO SERVE IN THE PRESENT PARLIA-

MENT.

County of Stafford—Southern Division.—The Honour-
able Henry William George Paget, commonly called Lord
Paget, in the room of William Walter Legge, commonly
called Viscount Lewisham, now Earl of Dartmouth, sum-
moned to the House of Peers.

. County of Sussex—Western Division.—Henry Wynd-
ham, of Petworth, in the county of Sussex, Esquire, in the
room of Richard Prime, Esquire, who has accepted the
office of Steward of her Majesty's Chiltern Hundreds. '
COMMISSIONS SIGNED BY LORD-LIEUTENANTS.

2il Regiment of the Duke of Lancaster's Own Militia.—
To be Lieutenants. —Ensign Frank Cavendish Ward, Feb.
7 ; Ensign Theophilus Preston, Feb. 8 ; Ensign Thomas
Pilkington, Feb. 9 ; Ensign Hewett Massey Dillon, Feb.
10 ; Thomas Gardner, late Lieutenant 4th Regiment, Feb.
11 ; Lambert Disney, Gent., Feb. 13.
Ist or Royal East Middlesex Regiment of Militia.—Jas.
Robert Innes Gregg, Gent., to be Ensign, Jan. 13 ; Georg.
Cumming, Gent., to be Ensign, Feb. 10.
bth or Royal Elthorne Light Infantry Regiment of Mid-
dlesex Militia.—Joseph Wallis O'Bryen Hoare, Esq., to
be Captain, Feb. 7; Alexander Aitken, Esq., late Captain
77th Regiment, to be Captain, Feb. 9.