The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-01 00:00:00

ascertaining the competency of candidates for forensio
honours ; while as for an examination, it was true
something of the sort did prevail in one or
two of the Inns of Court, but purely voluntary,
and vastly inferior in its scope and character to that
which prevailed in America. (Hear, hear.) Formerly
the Inns of Court were a species of university, but since
the time of Henry the Bth, when they certainly partook
of that character, they had wholly lost the supervising in-
fluence of a school of law and jurisprudence. The inns of
court, however, still held a high trust from the public. It
was still, he contended, their duty to look after the edu-
cation of those young men who made the law their
peculiar study, or who meditated practising at the bar.
For this purpose, therefore, he insisted they ought to
provide a public school for the study of law and juris-
prudence, which should be open to the deserving students
of all the Inns, and which should be rendered so com-
plete and efficient as to make it restore the superintend-
' ing influence and control that were exercised in former
ages by these institutions. The original object of their
foundation was to furnish a public test of the compe-
tency of all persons who were called to the bar, and in
making this motion, he wished to see that function re-
vised in its most stringent and extended form. He was
anxious that this commission should consist of enlight-
ened and liberal men; and that they should sit in con-
junction with the University Commission, so that the
education of the university should be rendered as uni-
form as possible with the inns of court. For in-
stance, the course of study for an undergraduate
intended for the bar should be made the groundwork of
his more intended studies when he entered an inn of
court in the university, he should be made to go through
a course of reading in national and moral philosophy, in
biography, and civil laws, and then when he came up
to London he would be ready to undergo, under the eye
of eminent professors, the severe preparation which
a proper study of law and jurisprudence must inevitably
necessitate. It was alike for the interest of the law and
the country that this commission should be appointed,
and he hoped upon legal as well as public grounds that
no opposition would be offered to his motion.
Mr. R. PHILLIMORE seconded the motion.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL gave his hearty
and ready support to the motion, as quite sufficient
had been stated to justify the inquiry. The constitu-
tion and resources of the Inns of Court were matter of
public concern, and they could not refuse to submit
themselves to this inquiry, but at the same time he was
bound to say that he did not anticipate from this in-
quiry the large results which the hon. and learned gen-
tleman seemed to expect. (Hear, hear.) During the
last five years no less than five professorships had
been established in connection with the law, besides
many studentships, indeed at the rate of one every terns,
and he was glad to say that in that respect little more
could be done. But still some good would result from
the inquiry, if it was only to remove the misconception
which generally prevailed with' regard to the revenues
and the application of the resources of these in-
stitutions, and since the Inns of Court did
not object to the inquiry, he could see no reason why it
should not be had. The light should be let into the
universities iand all similar institutions, because it did
them good, and he hoped when the turn of the Univer-
sity of Dublin came, there would be no objection to that
being thoroughly inquired into also.
After a few words from Mr. R. PHILLIMORE, who
warmly supported the motion.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said he was unwilling
to allow the motion to pass without expressing his
thanks to the hon. and learned gentleman who had
brought it forward. (Hear hear.) Much had been
done during the last ten years to promote the study
of the law, but still much remained to be done in that
direction. No country was more interested in advanc-
ing the study of jurisprudence and law than this, and
he was rejoiced to find that the subject had at length
fallen into excellent hands. For his part he thought
the enquiry asked for hardly went far enough.
He could see no reason why schools of law
should not be established in connection with
the Inns of Court, which should be open to laymen as
well as the students of law, and he yet hoped to see
the day when the having obtained some degree or dis-
tinction in such a school should give a little promotion in
the civil service. In France they were far in advance of
this country on this subject, but if this inquiry were
effectually carried out he saw no reason why the pro-
fessors of law and jurisprudence in England should not
be as distinguished as those of any other nation in the
world.

Mr. BOWYER admitted that much had been done
of late years to promote legal education in the shape
of establishing readerships and studentships in the
Inns of Court, but still much more remained to be
done. The remuneration of the readers was vastly dis-
proportioned to the services performed : it was only
three hundred guineas a-year ; while the student
attending the lectures was obliged to pay five
guineas a term for the privilege of doing so. Now,
in his opinion, the revenues of the Inns of Court
were amply sufficient to enable them to abolish
the students' fee altogether, as well as to in-
crease the stipend of the readerships. He repeated that
what had been done was nothing compared with what
ought to be done ; and therefore be hoped this inquiry
would be a searching one into the revenues, besides
every other branch of these institutions.
Mr. V. SCULLY highly approved of the commission,
and was satisfied that its appointment would be attended
with the most beneficial results both to the public and
the Inns of Court themselves.
Mr. HADFIELD availed himself of this motion to
express a hope that the universities would be thrown
open to all classes of her Majesty's subjects.
Mr. CRAUFURD added his meed of praise to the
hon. and learned gentleman who had made this motion,
and declared that no public bodies had been guilty of
so many breaches of trust as the Inns of Court. The
revenues of the four Inns of Court, viz., the Temple,
Inner Temple, Lincoln's Inn, and Gray's Inn, amounted
to no less than 87,6801., which was grossly misapplied,
while the rents charged to the students, and the fees
extorted from them for dinners were equally extrava-
gant. Now, although the revenues of these courts
were so enormous as almost amounting to 100,000/.
a-year, would the house believe that they spent out of it
for the purpose of promoting legal education only a
paltry 3,0001. a-year.
The motion was then agreed to.
PAYMENT OF WAGES.
Sir H. HALFORD asked for leave to bring in a bill
to restrain stoppages of wages in the hosiery manufac-
ture.

Mr. HUME hoped the bill would be referred to the
select committee already sitting on a similar subject.
Mr. FITZROY understood that there would be no
objection to that course.
Sir H. HALFORD—Certainly not.
Mr. CRAUFURD should oppose the bill unless it
was referred to the committee before the second reading.
Sir J. WALMESLEY said the masters were most
anxious that the whole question should be referred to
the consideration of a select committee.
Mr. FITZROY said the understanding he had come
to was, that this bill should be referred to a select com-
mittee after the second reading. With regard to re-
ferring the whole of the general question of the truck
system to a select committee, he was not prepared to
give such a pledge, as the same subject was investigated
by a select committee no later ago than 1842.
Leave was then given to bring in the bill.
METROPOLITAN BRIDGES.

Mr. OLIVEIRA moved to nominate the committee
on metropolitan bridges.—Mr. Oliveira, Sir W. Moles-
worth, Lord J. Manners, Lord R. Grosvenor, Sir J.
puke, Sir B. Hall, Mr. Wilkinson, Mr. Blackett, Mr.
Alderman Cubitt, Mr. Alderman Challis, Mr. Pellatt,
Lord A. Hervey, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Locke, and Sir J.
Shelley.—Five to be the quorum.
Agreed to.
MANUFACTURE OF ARMS.

Mr. MONSELL moved the appointment of a select
committee to consider the cheapest, most expeditious,
and most efficient mode of providing small arms for her
Majesty's service.

fora DUDLEY STUART said he hoped the
commitee would be a fair and impartial one. No corn-
mittee would be satisfactory to the house, or the
country, unless the noble lord the member for Totnes
was on it.

Mr. HUME said in 1811 a committee of the house
decided upon the impracticability of the Government
undertaking the manufacture of small arms.
The motion was then agreed to.
The house adjourned shortly before six o'clock.