The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-17 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 17, 1854

Light Infantry Battalion of the Royal Sussex Militia—
Captain the Hon. Henry Edward Hall Gage to be Major,
vice Hurst, resigned, March 10 ; William Davidson, Wee-
den, Gent., to be Ensign, March 9.
Artillery Battalion of the Royal Sussex Militia—Henry
Percy Anderson, Gent., to be Second Lieutenant, March 9.
Ist or Royal East Middlesex Regiment of Militia—Jas.
Ross, Gent., to be Ensign; Frederick Barnes, Gent., to be
Ensign, March 9.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

was devoted to purposes of this description, and it was
not the force of law, but the tenacious grasp of that
monarch which took this property from the purposes to
which it was applied, and devoted it to purposes which
were perhaps more useful. The general result of all
these acts was, that no land could be given to a corpora-
tion and held by that corporation unless there was a
license from the crown, or a provision cont&ned in the act
ofParliament under which the corporation was established.
With regard to personal estates, to use a parliamentary
phrase, he had three courses. He might forbid the
giving of all personally ; and there were some gentle.
men on the committee who advocated that view, but
he thought that would be too stringent a provision.
The second course would be to make the law the same
as that which applied to the other descriptions of per-
sonal property, that was to say, that there should be no
restraint whatever. He, for one, was not disposed to
accede to that. He thought it was not desirable to in-
troduce so grave a relaxation as that would be. What
lie proposed was a medium course between the two, and
that all personal estate should be subject to one law
with regard to bequests, namely, that the will should be
executed three months before the death of the testator,
and that notice of it be given one month before the death
to the charitycommissioners. Be confessed he attached
more importance to the second of these provisions than
the first ; because, if one thing had been proved before
the committee more clearly than another, it was the
great expediency of having such gifts brought under the
cognisance of the commissioners. He did not intend,
of course, that the objects of these bequests should be
made public until after the testator's death ; but he
wished to have all such executed in :is solemn and formal
a manner as possible. It was possible that under this
bill some charitable bequests might fail, but it should be
remembered that at present half the personal property in
the kingdom could not be given for charitable purposes
at all ; and therefore he considered his proposal a fair
compromise. The next matter to which he would allude
was the necessity of some measure for cuting the defects
of titles, which had grown up under the present law.
The house would be surprised to hear the extent to which
these defective titles existed. Mr. Bunting, in his evi-
dence, said, "I think I could, in five minutes, from my
own knowledge of the cases, enumerate property to the
extent of 200,0001. and 300,0001., the title to which is
bad, except so far as it has been cured by statute." The
source of these defects in the case referred to by Mr.
.Bunting was the local custom he had already mentioned ;
and about twenty years ago it had been found necessary
to pass an act of Parliament on the subject. He
(Mr. Headlam) now proposed by a general enactment to
make valid all existing titles except where proceed-
iiigs had been taken to impeach them ; and he trusted
that no retrospective measure of this kind would
ever be required in future. (Hear, hear.) There was
another object which he sought in this bill to attain,
namely, to prevent what were called secret trusts ; that
was to say, cases where property was given to indivi-
duals for trusts the nature of which was not disclosed.
A very strong opinion had been expressed-by the com-
mittee against trusts of this description, an opinion which
was founded upon evidence equally strong ; and, indeed,
it was obvious that secret trusts must hold out great
temptations to laxity and dishonesty, and give rise to
continual heartburnings. He should, therefore, propose
to enact, that if any person accepted property upon any
secret trust, and should omit to give notice to the Chari-
table Trusts Commissioners, he should be, personally
liable to refund all the rents and profits which he had
applied to purposes specified, and if no suit were insti-
tuted within a given time by the persons interested in
the property, then the Attorney-General should be at
liberty to sue. He (Mr. Headlam) was quite willing to
admit the impossibility of entirely preventing cases of
this kind ; but he thought the proposal lie had made
would materially check the practice, which was, per-
haps, all the legislature could hope to effect. (Hear,
hear.) Since the act of George 11. various exemptions
from its operation were obtained by different parties ;
but he was strongly of opinion that there should be one
geaeral law based upon a sound principle, and that from
such law no exemptions should be allowed. In the reign
of George 11. a very earnest endeavour was made by
the universities to be excepted, and several other
bodies had since obtained - the same privilege. The
committee, however, had had the Vice-Chancellor of
Oxford before them, and that gentleman had stated
his opinion that the university had not derived any
material advantage by the concession. That state-
ment appeared to be quite the fact, for there seemed
to have been no gifts made to the university on ac-
count of its exemption from the act. But although
such exemptions were of such small practical value,
their continuance did impart a certain degree of unfair-
ness to the law ; and he (Mr. Headlam) would provide
against that by a clause to the effect that the exemptions
which had been obtained from the operation of previous
acts should not be likewise admitted as exemptions
from this bill. (Rear, hear.) There was now only one
other point remaining to be noticed. Dr. Wiseman
had complained before the committee of the Statute of
Superstitious uses. Now he (Mr. Headlain) did not
think that there was any practical grievance in that
statute, inasmuch as the act of the 2nd and 3rd of Win.
IV. placed the Roman Catholics on precisely the same
footing as Protestant Dissenters. However, as the
statute of Edward 11. might have possibly have prac-
tical operation notwithstanding the Relief Act- -which
he very much doubted—he should propose its formal re-
peal ; such repeal, however, not to effect the legal defi-
nition of the word "charity," so that Roman Catholics,
Dissenters, and members of the Church of England would
then all stand upon precisely the same footing. He had
now enumerated all the materials provisions of the bill he
was proposing, and he had described the nature of the
changes which he sought to introduce. When he first
moved in t.lis matter and asked the house to appoint a
select committee on the subject he stated that it was not
his intention to make any difference between the diffe-
rent religious communities in this country ; and he trusted
that there was nothing in what he had said or proposed
that could insult the feelings or even wound the preju-
dices of any person whatever. (Hear, hear.) His bill
had been oonceived in no illiberal spirit towards the
charities of the country. We had many proofs of the
greatness and wealth of this kingdom—many proofs !of
the power we exercised in the remotest parts of the
world ; but the proof that made the greatest impression
of all upon his mind were the enormous sums that were
annually contributed by individuals amongst us to chari-
table and religious purposes, and the zeal and energy
that were displayed by so many persons in improving the
condition of their fellow-subjects, and in spreading the
blessings of civilisation and religion to the farthest ends
of the earth. (Hear, hear.) He had no wish to freeze
up the source of this munificence ; for the alms which
men gave in their lifetime—the rich from their super-
fluities, the men of moderate means from their necessi-
ties, and those in humbler circumstances from their
poverty itself—conferred a benefit not only on the ob-
jects of their benevolence, but upon them-elves. Of
money so given the description of the poet was no less
accurate than beautiful—
" The quality of mercy is not strained ;
It droppeth as the gentle rain Irons heaven,
Upon the place beneath : it is twice blessed,
It b'esseth him that gives and him that takes."

HOUSE OF LORDS--(YESTERDAY.)
COASTING TRAM BILL.
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY moved the second
reading of this bill. Noble lords opposite who had an-
ticipated so much evil from the passing of the measure
for the repeal of the navigation laws in 1849, would,
with his noble friends on that side of the house, be pleased
to learn that it had proved to ba a great boon to the
shipping. trade. The shipping showed an increase of
700,000 tons, and the additional seamen employed
amounted to 20,000. If any portion of the shipping
trade had not partaken of this prcsperity it was the coast-
ing trade, which, so far from having increased, had re-
mained stationary. (Hear.) Be was aware that the
conveyance of coal by railways and the employment of
steamboats had diminished the number of ships employed
in the coasting trade. One objection which had been
urged to extending the measure of 1849 to the coasting
trade had been, that it would afford facilities for carrying
on a contraband trade, to allow foreign ships to be em-
ployed in our coasting trade. That objection, however,
he thought was of little weight, when it was remembered
that the fact of the persons employed speaking a foreign
tongue would render it difficult for them to evade the re-
venue officers. The whole trade of the country had suf-
fered from the want of shipping—freights had risen up-
wards of 50 per cent., and in the trade between New-
castle and London, the wages of seamen had risen from
31. and 4/. per month to 71. and 81. The consequence
of this had been a great increase in the price of coal
to the consumer in this tOWR. As an instance of the
injury which had been inflicted on trade by the want
of shipping, he might state the fact, that there was a
large company in Newcastle employed in the manufac-
ture of alkali, and which required upwards of 100,000
tons of shipping during the last year, but they were
greatly impeded in their operations from the want of
vesseis, although there were many Norwegian ships
lying in the port which had brought over cargoes of
timber. He hoped their lordships would see the policy
of relaxing the law which gave rise to so much inconve-
nience and loss. There was no fear of foreigners being
able advantageously to compete with Englishmen when
it was considered that the latter would have a perfect
knowledge of the coast and the Ports ; but many foreign
vessels which now came from the Baltic and elsewhere
with cargoes were often obliged to go in ballast to some
other port to obtain a cargo, and no less than 415,000
tons of foreign shipping sailed from one port in England
to another during the last year in ballast. Another im-
portant consideration was, that if they kept up the price
of freights by the continuance of the pi esent law, the
result would be to throw a large p*rtion of the trade into
the hands of the railway companies, who were now most
formidable competitors ; and if they once got the greater
part of the trade into their hands it would he difficult
to restore it back to its former channel. With regard
to a suggestion made in the other house, th it measures
should be taken to secure reciprocity, and that no country
should be admitted to the advantage of cur coasting
trade which refused to permit British ships to partici-
pate in their coasting trade, he was of a different opinion.
He thought we should rather prove our confidence in
the correctness of the principles we were adopting by
allowing them to work their own was, and that foreign
Governments should be induced to follow our example,
not by any bargain compelling them to concede equal
advantages to us, but by the success attending their
adoption by us. (Hear, hear.) And in the case of the
United States of America, the effect of throwing open
our coasting trade to American vessels would be to a
great extent to remove the constitutional objection urged
by the United States Government against admitting
British-vessels to participate in their Californian trade.
He believed it would be found that foreign countries
would meet us in a fair and honourable spirit, as Holland
and other maritime states had done in reference to the
concessions nreviously made. A clause had, however,
been introduced, enabling the Crown to exclude from
participation in the coasting trade of this country any
foreign nation, should circumstances arise with regard
to it rendering such exclusion advisable. On the ground
that the measure was one calculated to extend the trade
and commerce, and consequently the material prosperity
of the country, he hoped there would be no objection to
its second reading.
Lord COLCHESTER admitted that there had been
an increase in our foreign trade since the passing of the
bill of 1849, but he attributed it rather to the gold dis-
coveries in California and Australia, the erngration which
had followed, and the necessity of supplying the emi-
grants with necessaries, rather than to that measure.
The objection, however, that had been urged against that
measure, on the part of its opponents, was not on the
ground of free trade, but that it would tend to interfere
with the supply of British seamen to the British navy.
He did not intend to propose any amendment to the
present bill.
Earl WALDEGRAVE suggested that national clanger
might arise from the knowledge which foreign sailors
would obtain of the navigation of our coasts and rivers
by being permitted to participate in the coasting trade.
The Earl of DERBY believed it had been stated, in
reference to the measure of 1849, that by the law of the
United States, any nation relaxing their navigation laws
in favour of American ships would obtain the same re-
lax tions of the 'navigation laws of that country in
return. The coasting trade was not included in that
measure, and as the trade from New York to California
was claimed by America as coasting trade, our ships
were excluded from participating in it. He wished to
know whether the necessary effect of passing this bill
would he to throw open the Californian trade to British
vessels
Lord BROUGHAM had, with other Free-traders, op-
posed the measure of 1849, on the ground_ stated by the
most venerable authority on free trade, though he did
not go with him to the full extent—Dr. Adam Smith ;
whose doctrine was that while he bad no doubt of the
soundness of free trade as applied to the wealth of a coun-
try, he considered that the defences of a country must
always form an exception. His view had always been,
when things were well to leave them so, and not to apply
change where change was unnecessary, especially in so
important a matter as the national defences. The mea-
sure of 1849, however, having passed, he thought the
present measure a necessary consequence, and one which
the Legislature could not stop short of.
The bill was then read a second time.
HIGHWAYS (SOUTH WALES) BILL.
This bill was, on the motion of Earl CAWDOR, read a
second time.
The Mutiny Bill and the Commons Inolosure Bill were
read a second time.
The Consolidated Fund (8,000,0001.) Bill was read a
third time and passed.
The select committee on the Testamentary Jurisdiction
Bill was, nominated, and
Their lordships adjourned.

Cor Edmonton Royal Rifle Regiment of Middlesex
Coutts, Viscount Bury, late of Scots Fusi-
lier Guards and 43d Light Infantry, to be Captain, vice
Griffiths, promoted, March 9.
4th or Royal South Middlesex Regiment of Militia—
Egbert Pell 'Pardon, Gent., to be Lieutenant; W. Mathew
Dunbar, Gent., to be Ensign, March 9.
sth or Royal Elthorne Light Infantry Regiment of Mid-
dlesex Militia—Albert William Murray, Esq., late Cap-
tain Royal Trinidad Battalion, to be Captain ; Frederick
William Woodall, Gent. to be Lieutenant, March 9.
2d Cornwall Rifles Militia---janies Campbell, Gent., late
Second Lieutenant Huntingdon Militia, to be Second
Lieutenant, March 11. _ _

The Essex Rifles—Samuel George Lavin, Gent., to be
First Lieutenant, March 9.
West Essex Militia- Zedward Brett, Gent., to be Lieu.
tenant, March 11.
_ _ _

Wait Essex Yeomanry Cavalry—George Palmer, junior,
Gent., to be Lieutenant; Cornet John Bramston to be
Lieutenant, March 11.

The Queen's Own Worcestershire Regiment of Yeomanry
Cavalry—Captain Robert Clive to be Lieutenant-Colonel,
vice Lord Ward, promoted, March 10.
Ayrshire Regiment of Yeomanry 'Cavalry William
Lang, Gent., to be Cornet, vice Charles Vereker Hamilton
Campbell, promoted, 13th March.

The Lord Chancellor has appointed the following gen-
tlemen to be Commissioners for administering oaths in the
High Court of Chancery :
Charles Blake, Fleet-street.
Mark Shephard, Clifford's-inn.
Samuel Denton, Gray's-inn-square.
Richard Hart, Wilitefriars, City.
George Martin Frankham, Moorgate street.
Madgwick Spicer Davidson, Spring-gardens.
George Cornelius Stigant, Portsea.
George Blake, Carlton-chambers, Regent-street.
Mark Henry Gregory, Wax Chandlers'-hall, Gresham.
stre t West, City.
James Thomas Cookney, Lamb's Conduit-place, Found.
ling Hospital.
John Rogers, Jermyn-street, St. James's.
Charles Wilkinson, Kendal.

BA.NSRUPTCY ANNULLED.
Thomas Gately, iron merchant, Derby.
BANKRUPTS.

Thomas Colyer, licensed victualler, High Holborn, to
surrender, March 28, at twelve, and April 27, at ha f-past
eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Bell, official assignee,
Coleman-street-buildings ; Martineau and Reid, Raymond-
buildings, Gray's-inn.
William Duncan, grocer, Kingston-upon-Hull, April 5,
and May 3, at twelve, at the Leeds District Court. Car-
rick, official assignee, Hull ; Richardson cud Lee, Kings-
ton-upon-Hull.

Jaines Hughes, coal merchant, Birkenhead, March 30,
and April 28, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court.
Bird, official assignee, Liverpool ; Hough, Carlisle.
Mary Parkes, printer, Golden-square, April 4, at one,
and May 2, at twelve, at the Court of B.mkruptcy. Lee,
official assignee, Moorgate-street ; Cole, Tokeuhouso-yard.
James Shannon, linen-draper, Liverpool, March 29 and
April 19, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Caze-
neve, official assignee, Liverpool; Bretherton, Liverpool.
James Matthias, lineudraper, Swansea, March 29 and
April 2.j, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. Miller,
of eial assignee, Bristol ; Leman and Humphreys, Bristol.
Charles Ferguson, draper, fiitchin, March 24, and April
28, at one, at the Court of Boukruptey. Whitmore, offi-
cial assignee, Basinghall-street ; Sole, Turner, and Turner,
Aldermambury ; Longmore, Sworder, and Longmore, Hert-
ford.

John Driscoll, potatoo merchant, Cardiff, March 29, and
April 26, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. Miller,
official assignee, Bristol ; Bird, Cardiff.
John Symmons, cut nail and shoe heel manufacturer,
Bristol, March 3 i, and April 25, at eleven, at the Bristol
District Court. Hutton, official assignee, Bristol ; Crosby,
Bristol.
William Jones, slater and plasterer, Liverpool, March
30 and April 28, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court.
Bird, official assignee, Liverpool ; Conway, Liverpool.
William Forbes, stationer and bookbin, ter, Birmingham,
April 5 and 26, at twelve, at the Birmingham District
court. Bittleston, official assignee, Birmingham; Hodg-
son Birmingham.
Hodg-
son,
Frater, brewer, Manchester,- March 28, and April
25, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court, Mott,
official assignee, Manchester; Richardson, Bolton-le-Moors;
Cobbett and Wheeler, Manchester.

Thomas Burrowes Moss, tea and colonial dealer 12,
Little Tower street, City, 24th March and 28th April, at
half-past twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Cannan
official assignee, Aldermanbury ; Moss, Queen-street,
Cheapside.
Joan Hunter, tape and lace manufacturer, Fazely, Staf-
ford, April lst and 29th, at ten, at the Birmingham Dig-
triot Court; Bittleson, official assignee; Hodgson, Birming-
ham.

SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.
Robert Wilson, calenderer, Glasgow.
John Stewart, jun., writer, Glasgow.
Peter Al‘Laren and Company, ship carpenters, Glasgow.

BANK OF
An Account pursuant to the Act
the Week ending on Saturday

ENGLAND.
7th and Bth Victoria, cap 82, for
the 1 i to day of March, 1854.

ISSUE DEP,
X I
Notes Issued ........ 28,€41,070

.A.ILTMENT.

Government debt .... 11,015,100
Other securities.- 2,934,900
Gold coin and bullion 11,1)41,070
Silver bul i0n........ -

£28,641,07u

• . £24,611,070
it. NIA.RSIIALL, Chief Caviler.
1861.
,PARTIKENT.

Dated the 16th day of March,

Government Reenrittes

plicludg.l)o4,l,, eight

A:nnuitys 11,747 728
Other securities...... 13,064,655
N •tes . • ...... • ..... 7,620,65)
Gold and silver coin .. 755,615

X 33,1,44,653
MARSITILL, Chief Cashier.

'Cheers.) But the same observation was scarcely accu-
rate when applied to money given, nut during the life
of the donor, but at a time when it ceuid hardly be
called his own—given when he could exercise no self-
denial in providing it, nor control its disposition. (Hear,
hear.) If anything, therefore, that he (Mr. Headlam)
had said, or any provisions of the bill he sought to intro-
duce, should have the effect of changing charitable dona
tions of this second class into those of the first, in induc-
ing men to give in their life-time rather than upon their
deathbed, be, for his own part, should be completely
satisfied with the result ; and he should feel that his
labour had not been in vain. (Cheers.)
Mr. HA.DFIELD seconded the motion for introduc-
ing the bill, arid expressed his regret that a measure of
such importance had not been brought in by the Govern-
ment. As to deathbed bequests to charitable objects,
he believed that the majority of the people of this coun-
try knee, nothing of them at all. Such, at least, had
been the experience of Mr Bunting, and such, too, his
own. But what they had to complain of were the diffi-
culties thrown by the existing law in the way of gifts to
,charitable and religious objects. The statute of mort
main was never intended to operate against di,pen-
caries, places of worship, schools, or the like, and he
believed that an entirely erroneous construction of the
act had for a long period prevailed in the courts,
to the no small detriment of the cause of benevolence.
The charity of which the people of Manchester were
most proud, was the infirmary ; but that was held
for fifty years upon a bad title. The trustees had
reserved a small rent-charge to the lord of the manor,
and their reservation completely vitiated the title. Under
the mortrnain acts copyhold land could not be applied to
'any purpose of charity ; and in the whole of large dis-
tricts, where the land was all copyhold, not a dispen-
sary, a school, or a literary institution could be safely
erected. He knew a .case where a gentleman had left
60,0001. to found a blind school and a blue-coat school ;
.but that noble charity Was actually kept 10 years in
abeyance owing to the impossibility of finding a site to
which a safe title could be given ; and the difficulty had
at last to be obviated by a private subscription. (Hear,
hear.) The bill would give facilities to charitable pur-
poses of all descriptions, and it would not have the least
sectarian tendency. He should therefore second its in-
troluction with great pleasure.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that on the part
of the Governmetit there was no objection to the intro-
duction of the bill. (Hear, hear.) The subject was no
doubt one of great importance, and he thought the time
had come when the law of mortmain might well undergo
revision. (Cheers.) His hon. and learned friend had
given a great deal of time to the question, and no one
was better able to deal with it than he ; and therefore
without pledging the Government as to the course they
would pursue when the bill was before them, he (the
Attorney-General) had no hesitation in saying that the
objects the bill proposed were well worthy of the con-
sideration of the house. (Hear.)
Mr. BOWYER admitted the justice and fairness with
which the subject had been treated by the hon. and
learned gentleman, and assured the house that when
measures affecting the Roman Catholics, and framed in
that spirit, were brought forward, they would always be
discussed with moderation and candour by hon. gentle-
men of that persuasion. (Hear, hear.)
Leave was then given to introduce the bill, which
was brought in accordingly.
ENDOWED GRAMMAR-SCHOOLS.
Mr. PELLATT moved for an address for the appoint-
ment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the stete,
average number of pupils, diseip!itie, studies, and re-
venue of endowed schools of England and Wales • also
of the endowment for scholars, their number and re-
venue ; likewise of all bequests of libraries, and endow-
ments for their support ; the character, numbers, and
condition of the books, the number of the librarians and
their salaries, with the view of increasing the educational
and
of h
other
i motionadvantages
was
theto bringpublicto
in
bear,
forgeneral.
trfohare
object

HOUSE OF COMMONS--(YESTERDAY.)
LAW OF MORTMAIN.
Mr. HEAD LAM, in moving for leave to introduce a
bill to amend the law of mortuiain, said he rose for the
purpose of submitting to the house a measure of some
importance. He was about to ask the house to consider
the whole law affecting the disposition of property for
charitable and religious purposes, a law under which it
was right to state, in the first instance, many institu-
tions in this country had been established, and which
were sanctified by the memories of the past—a law which,
on the other hand, it was equally right to say, by which
great injustice had been done, a great amount of litiga-
tion had been caused, and a great amount of property
had been taken from those who had a moral claim to its
possession, and applied to purposes of questionable
utility. He was going to ask the house to repeal the
existing law on the subject, and enact in its place provi-
sions which he hoped to prove were more adapted to the
circumstances of the time. The existing law had failed
to answer the purposes for which it was intended, tnd
at the same time had given rise to evils of great magni-
tude. It was right that he should say a word for himself,
as some apology might be considered due from au inde-
pendent member venturing to bring forward a measure
of so comprehensive a character. But the house would
remember that in the last Parliament a select committee
was appointed on this subject, of which he had the honour
to be chairman, and, aster investigating the subject for
two sessions, a full report was made to the house, and he
pledged himself to bring forward a practical measure if
it were not undertaken by Government. He had urged
it on successive Governments since that period, and as
Government did not intend to undertake the measure
he thought it right to fulfil his pledge. The first law on
the subject of mortain aas to be found in Magna Charta,
which stated that it shall not be lawful to give land or
hereditamnents to any religious house, and to take the
same land again to hold of the same house, nor shall it
be lawful for any house of religion to lease the same ;
and if any one shall give his land to a religious house
the gift shalLtie utterly void." This was in reality the
commencement of the law on the subject, but before that
time the principle of the common law prohibited the
giving land to religious houses. Our statutes were
passed subsequently for the purpose of preventing eva-
sions of the law which from time to time took place.
This provision of Ma,goa Charta was still in force, but
had become obsolete with reference to the circumstances
of modern times. He might commence his proposed bill
by repealing the provision, but as it did no harm he should
not raise his hand against it. As he had stated this was
the commencement of a series of statutes by which Par-
liament endeavoured to prevent the evasions which con-
tinually took place. Blackstone said "in perusing the
history of these statutes, it will be a matter of curiosity to
observe the great contrivances in evading this law from
time to time, and the zeal with which successive Parlia-
ments adopted new remedies till at length the legislature,
though with great difficulty, obtained the victory." It
was true a great many statutes were passed, but he
differed with him when he said the legislature obtained
the victory. They were all of them familiar with what
was called long terms of years of conveyancing-. Now,
where land was give❑ for charity purposes they at that
time evaded the law by granting the land for very long
periods. The 7th Edward I. was enacted for the pur-
pose of meeting this evasion. Then they heard prob-
ably of what were termed fines and recoveries, which
were proceedings technically existing in the law till
within the last 20 years. They were also used for the
purpose of evading the law of mortrnain, and the 13th
Edward I. was enacted to prevent that mode of evasion.
Then there were uses and trusts which were applied to
modern conveyancing, but which were introduced also
for the purposes of evasion, and the 15th Richard 11.
was passed to put a stop to that mode of evasion. In
the time of Henry VIII. a great proportion of the land