The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-28 00:00:00

nessing its practical results in Ireland. It is in-
deed an important alteration, and one requiring
much calm and attentive consideration before it can
be finally sanctioned ; and we make every allow-
ance for the natural hesitation, the excusable re-
luctance, of the Commissioners to propose a change
so extensive, and involving a principle so objec-
tionable, as the multiplication of Judicial Oaths.
But we believe that advantages would attend the
practice that would fax more than counterbalance
the evil above referred to. It requires some very
decisive measures to check the improper and de-
moralising habit of putting forward unfounded
claims, or raising unconscientious defences. Such
proceedings are now of every-day occurrence, with-
out any eensure being inflicted on the party, who
coolly and deliberately places upon the file of the
Court that which he knowstobe false. The gross im-
propriety of such conduct must be manifest; but
it excites neither surprise nor comment, even on
the part of men of unimpeachable character. When
such indifference' is exhibited, there is clearly
something radically wrong in the system ; and
we must endeavour to ascertain the causes that
have led to a state of public opinion so vitiated,
and so much to be lamented.

In the first place, then, we find that the parties
themselves have not hitherto been sufficiently
idaatified with the pleadings, which were those
rather of the lawyers than of the litigants. It
was the business of the special pleader concerned
to raise every issue that could embarrass his op-
ponents. Traps were laid for rivals, and suits
were too frequently decided on technical and
formal grounds, totally apart from, and
generally opposed to, the substantial merits.
What in ordinary life would be regarded
as fraud and chicanery which would deprive the
perpetrator of the respect of every honest man,
were looked upon not merely with indulgence, but
admiration, as a brilliant coup, rather than an in-
famous deception. The party taking advantage
of the quibble was excused, because forsooth,
though he reaped the profit, "the matter was alto-
gether out of his hands," "he could not in any
degree interfere with his lawyer," and on such
flimsy pretexts, the disreputable practice grew and
flourished until it attained its present alarming
magnitude, there appearing to be a total disre-
gard of all the obligations of truth and justice
so tat as the pleadings are concerned.
Under such circumstances, the remedy must be
proportioned to the disease ; we must strike at the
very root of the evil if we hope to effect any de-
nided amelioration. This can only be . accom-
plished by removing the exciting cause ; we must
make the party directly responsible for the troth
and accuracy of his pleadings, not as to the legal
effect ; that must, of course, still depend on the
professional adviser. It would be unreasonable to
require a person ignorant of law to pledge his oath
as to the legal sufficiency of. his 'claim or defence.
But he should be,onabled to verify the facts, at
least, to the best of his belief. If he has no per-
sonal knowledge on the subject, and if any hard-
ship could possibly arise in requiring such corro-
borative evidence, it might be obviated by allowing
a dispensing power to the Court, or a Judge in
Chambers, to allow the pleading to be filed with-
out oath or signature (as is sometimes the case in
Chancery by consent of the parties), or to have it
verified by a third party, competent to speak po-
sitihly as to the facts.

We must remember that the proposition, if
carried into execution, would only anticipate the
stage of the proceedings at which the parties might
be called upon to pledge their oaths as to the ac-
curacy of their statements. They are now not only
competent, but compellable, to give evidence.
They .may be required to put themselves out of
Court by their own statements. Why, then, should
they not give some proof in the earlier part of
the proceedings of the justice of their cases, the
effect whereof would be to prevent the accumula-
tion of costs which the innocent party could never
recover, and the putting forward either of un-
conscientious demands or equally unconscientious
defences ?

One excellent suggestion has been made on the
subject, which appears well worthy of considera-
tion, as if deemed adequate to the exigency, it
would remove the grave objection as to the mul-
tiplying and rendering too common the appeals to
the DEITY, which constitutes the chief objection
to the practice. That is to say, that the pleading
should be filed as at present ; but that the oppo-
site party, before answering or taking the next
step, should be at liberty to require the verifica-
tion of the preceding pleading, if he thought
proper under such penalty as to costs, if he did
so wantonly or improperly, as the Court might
direct. There would be n 3 great difficulty in
judging from the result whether the demand for
verification was justified or not, so as to enable
the Judge to decide on an application for costs
in consequence of such a demand.

CORONATION DAY.—To-day is the fifteenth anniversary
of the coronation of her Most Gracious Majesty. The
morning was ushered in with merry peals rung from the
metropolitan churches. The royal standard floated from
the various Government offices, and the shipping in the
pool displayed their national ensigns on the occasion.
At one o'clock the usual royal salute was fired from the
Park_ and Tower guns.
STORM AT PORTSMOUTH AND Loss OF LIFE. —The
weather yesterday blew a heavy gale, and many casual.
ties were apprehended. A shore boat, in which were
Lieut. Lambert and Mr. Muirhead, surgeon, of the
Edinburgh, foundered, and they with two watermen
were lost. Whilst striking lower yards on board her
Majesty's ship Am,phion, a hook fell down and struck
Captain Patey, fracturing his skull. He is not ex-
pected to live: Two men were similarly wounded.,

\SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH ACROSS THE SOLENT.—The
project of having a submarine telegraph across the
Solent> for the purpose of extending a telegraphic com-
munication with the Queen's marine residence in the Isle
of Wight, has been abandoned from pecuniary causes.

DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES AT KING'S COLLEGE.—
Yesterday the'annual distribution of prizes to successful,
students in literature and the applied sciences took place
in the hall of King's College, in the presence of the
King of Hanover and a large number of spectators. The
Archbishop of Canterbury, as visitor of the institution,
presided. The King, whose lamentable privation ex-
cluded him from the number of spectators, received ex-
planations of the various incidents as they occurred
from Mrs. Jelf, the wife of the learned and reverend
principal, who, at his Majesty's request, took her seat
by his side for that purpose. At the close of the pro-
ceeding the King expressed his thanks for the good
feeling which had been expressed towards his family and
country, addressed some encouraging words to the
.students, and then proposed and led off three hearty
cheers for the Archbishop of Canterbury, and an in-
definite number for the Queen. Previous to leaving
the hall his Majesty desired that all the prize-holders
might be presented to him, which was accordingly done
by the reverend principal of the college. His Majesty
shook hands with them, asked them a few questions,
and said that he should be happy to meet them if their
pursuits ever took them to his dominions.

A deputation, consisting of Messrs. Benjamin Bower,
James Roberts, J. Causton, George Greves, Wm. Bous-
field, and H. S. Gibbs, waited yesterday (Monday) on
Baron Rothschild, to present a resolution, agreed to at
a meeting of the inhabitants of the ward of Billingsgate,
held at Fellowship-hall on the 23d inst. The deputation
was courteously received, and after a short conversation
the Baron gave his written answer, to the purport that,
having put his cause into the hands of the Liberal party,
and having been advised by them to hold his seat, he
could not comply with the wish expressed in the resolu-
tion of the Billingsgate ward meeting.

THE NEW BARRACKS AT DEVONPORT.—The extensive
contracts for the building of the new barracks at Devon-
port, have been taken by Mr. Thomas Clift, of Ply-
mouth, the contractor for the new works in progress at
the dockyard, and for the improvement of Sutton Har-
bour, Plymouth, and an extensive builder. The con-
tracts now entered into involve an alteration in the
approach to Devonport from Plymouth, and an exten-
sion of the Mountwise-parade, as well as the new
ba,rraok.l.
THE Ma.kILS.—SOUTHAMPTON, MONDAY, June 27.
The Pe2iinsolar and Oriental Steam Naaigation Com-
pany's_ ship jheria, Captain John Bowen, took her de-
parture this.afternoon with the usual mails for Vigo,
Oporto, Lisbon,- Cadiz, and Gibraltar, and a good nuni-
ber of passengers: The next mails from the same ports
will be brought by the Tagus, Captain Joy, due at South.
ampton on the 4th pfzuimo. The screw stearm.ship
Captian E. Cooper, sai7ed at 2 p.m. to-day for Gibraltar,
Malta, and Constantinople,
2,0001. and a fair cargo. taking out ,specie value
The next steamer for the Le-
vant will I the City of Loi2dni2, Captain Cargill, due at
Southampton on the oth of The Bengal, Captain
A. Kellock, is appoint:3 to take, out the East India,
China, Meditet:ancan, and Australixn mails of the 4th
of July. Tne E-Ljah, new screw steam collier, belong. in;
to the Peninsular and Oriental Company, was tried at
the measured mile, in Stokes Bay, on Saturday, with
Griffiths' patent screw propeller, which was found to
give an increase of speed of about a quarter knot over
the old screw, with six evolutions less of the engines.
The United States' mail steamship Washington, pith
dates from New York to the 18th instant, is expected
off Cowes on Friday or Saturday next, e 4 route to
Bremen.