The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-12 00:00:00

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE AMENDMENT
OF THE LAW.

Yesterday evening a general meeting of this society
was held at their rooms, 21 Regent-street—Mr. Cooke
in the chair.

ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS.
The minutes of former meetings having been read and
confirmed,

Mr. STEWART proposed the following resolutions,
which had been agreed to by the committee on ecclesias-
tical courts, and ordered to be submitted to the so-
ciety :

1. That the present jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical
courts, so far as testamentary matters are concerned, is
universally admitted to be unsatisfactory, and requires
extensive reform.

2. That this reform should consist of a transfer of their
present jurisdiction in testameniary matters to a court
clothed with jurisdiction as well over wills of real as of per-
sonal estate.

3. That to create a new court for the purpose would be
unadvisable if any existing court can be found to which
such enlarged jurisdiction may be properly entrusted, and
to which complete powers can he given.
4. That the existing courts of common law and county
courts, not having an equitable jurisdiction of power of
dealing with trustees, or with equitable matters arising in
the construction of ills, should not, as at present consti-
tuted, be entrus..-ed with such enlarged jurisdiction.
5. That the existing courts of equity, not having any
power of empannelling a jury, or of conclusively deciding
issues of fact, are under a similar disqualification.
6. That in order to do complete justice in testamentary
matters, it is necessary that the court to which they are
entrusted should possess the full and conjoined powers of a
court of law and of a court of equity.
7. That no thorough or satisfactory settlemer t of the
questions pending with respect to the testamentary juris-
diction of the ecclesiastical courts can be come to, except
by its being exe-xised by a court of conjoined law and
equity, having jurisdiction over wills of real and personal
estate.

8. That it is the bounden duty of the Government of this
country to provide such a court for the proper adjudication
of all testamentary matters, and of this society to promote
its establishment by every means in its power.
9. That the most desirable means off effecting this ap-
pears to be the union of the present law and equity com-
missions, and inviting their immediate attention to this
important question.

Mr. STEWART observed, that the committee by whom
these resolutions had been unanimously carried com-
prised in its members every branch of the profession. In
framing them they had been ...iotod by qeveral distin-
guished proctors, who had unanimously approved of the
spirit in which they had been drawn up. The question
of ecclesiastical law reform now occupied a good deal of
public attention, and the Solicitor-General having signi-
fied his intention of submitting a scheme for such reform
to the Legislature, the committee deemed it their duty
to acquaint the society with the resolutions upon which
their report was to be founded. He was glad to find
that the plan of the Solicitor-General agreed very
nearly with the resolutions, and he trusted that they
would be accepted unanimously by the general body of
members.

Mr. PRITCHARD seconded the resolutions, which were
put seriatim from the chair.
Dr. WA.DDILOVE opposed the third resolution. He
deemed it most desirable that a new court should be ap-
pointed, having the most complete and decisive powers,
and thus save suitors the trouble and expense of being
bandied about from court to court. He thought that
the court to be appointed should have the same power
over real property as the executor or administrator had
at present. It was evident also that the resolution was
inconsistent with those which followed it ; and as they
distinctly declared that neither the county courts, courts
of common law, or equity ought to have the new juris-
diction, what court was to have it then, except a new
one ? It was urged in the seventh resolution that the
new court should have jurisdiction over real and per-
sonal estate. How were they to get such a court unless
a new one were to be created? They had better refer
the resolution to the commission now sitting on the
questions of law and equity to decide what sort of new
court should be constituted. He moved the insertion of
the words " is advisable," instead of the words " would
be advisable."

Mr. CHEERE moved the postponement of resolutions
three to eight, until the committee reported on them.
Dr. BAYFORD urged the adoption of the resolutions.
The subject was beset with difficulties ; but notwith-
standing this the committee were agreed in the principles
they affirmed.

The amendments were then put and negatived, and
the resolution was carried.

The remaining resolutions were then agreed to up to
No. 7, the eighth and 9th being negatived.
The meeting then separated.

SOLAR PHENOMENON.