The Sun.
London, England, 1840-10-09 00:00:00

CHANGES.

The Lord Lieutenant •f Ireland and suite, on a visit to
the Earl and Countess of Clancarty, at Garbally Park ;
Master of the Rolls and Lady O'Loghlen, at Drumcondra,
from Loughwatcr Castle, the seat of Lord Gort ; Lord
and Lady Courtcnay, at Exmouth, from Earl Fortescue's,
Castle Hill, Devon ; Lord Stanley and Mr. Blackburne,
M. P., at Knowsley Park, from Liverpool ; Lady Frances
Vane, at Cheltenham, frJrn Cumberland ; Lady Exmouth,
at Clifton, from Cheltenham.

LAW REFORMS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Slll,—Having observed your laudable anxiety, on
every occasion where time and opportunity serve, to
promote the interests of the public, I am induced,
through the medium of your influential Journal to offer
a few remarks on the glaring abuses which clog and im-
pede the administration of justice in the Court of
Chancery. Connected with this Court, there are, as
many of your readers are aware, Six Clerks, whose
business is to receive and file bills, answers, and other
records, and authenticate office copies thereof, when
presented to them by subordinate officers called sworn
clerks, or, in common parlance, Clerks in Court. The
duties of the latter are to inspect the engrossments of
all bills, demurrers, pleas, &c., to observe that they are
properly addressed and intituled, and that the residence
of Counsel is affixed thereto. They forward notices,
too, when served upon them, to the different Solicitors
for whom they may happen to be concerned. They
also tax such costs as are from time to time submitted
to them for that purpose. For these duties, unimpor-
tant and insignificant as they are, will it be credited
that these worthies pouch between them no less a sum
than 70,0001. annually. This enormous sum, too, it
will be borne in mind, is wrung from the pockets of the
unfortunate suitors of the Court, to support a body of
men who are really neither useful nor ornamental.
Were a Record Keeper, and two or three Masters, for
the purpose of taxing costs, and a few subordinates ap-
pointed, they would doubtless discharge the entire
duties to the satisfaction of the public for 6,0001. a-year
of the money.
By adopting this plan, 64,000/. annually would be
saved, a sum truly worth hoarding up, considering the
depressed state of the country. People are so alarmed
at the enormous expenses of a suit in Chancery, as the
Court is at present constituted, that rather than run
the risk of one, they would prefer surrendering a portion
of their rights. Indeed, it is no wonder that they
should be sc, when the number of turnpikes at which
the suitors have to "stand and deliver," before they can
hope for justice, is taken into consideration. In fact
there is nothing more common than for some people.
aye, sensible people, too, on beholding a housa in a
ruinous state, to exclaim "it is in Chancery," conveying
thereby the imputation that when anything once gets
there it is beyond the hope of redemption. How long
it will continue the butt and ridicule of a great portion
of the community it is impossible to say, but the sooner
those blemishes which impede its utility are removed
the better for the public generally. I shall, with your
permission, on a future occasion, offer a few additional
remarks on the way in which business is conducted in
some of the Common Law offices, but more especially
that portion of it which is transacted at the Judges'
Chambers.
John-street, Adelphi, Sept. 26. M. TAGG.

FEVER IN LONDON.—At a meeting of the
London Medical Society, on Monday evening, Dr Clut-
terbucic, the President, stated that fevers were now more
prevalent in London than for many years past. They
were, however very mild, and did not at all partake of a
malignant character, a circumstance he attributed to the
improvements in ventilation, cleanliness, and diet in the
metropolis, as well as to better and more certain modes of
treatment. A malignant case of fever was now rarely
seen, and in the generality of cases which proved fatal it
was generally owing to improper medical treatment or ad.
vice not being bad in time.
COURT OF BA NK RUPTCY.—THOS. GOULD'S
ESTATE.-The meet'ng to declare a dividend under this
estate took place on Thursday. It will be recollected
that the bankrupt abounded early in May last, having put
into circulation bills of exchange to a very large amount,
many of which were forgeries. It was expected that many
attempts to prove such bills upon the estate would be
made today. Mr. tmes attended, on the part of the
assignees, to investlga the proofs tendered. Bills of ex-
change to the amount of 14,000/. more were proved, and
many proofs, after hearing the points argued, were re-
jected. The room was crowded with the holders of bills,
anxious to tender them for proof. Mr. James suggested
to the Commissioner, that as there were many proofs
which he was still instructed to oppose, an adjournment
of the dividend meeting should take place, which was
acquiesced in, and another meeting appointed for Thurs-
day next, at two o'clock precisely.
THE MARSEILLAISE HYMN.—On Sunday
evening, at the Theatre des Arts, at Rouen, the audience
demanded the Marseillaise, while the overture to the
Muette di Portici was playing; and one of the performers,
with a tri-coloured gag in his hand, came forward and sung
it amid the loud acclamations of the public. When the
opera was finished, the Bavarian chasscurs came on to
" Oct. 8, 1840. perform the Marseillaise again, when the public again re-
" Gentlemen—l beg to call your attention to a nuisance quired that it should be sung, and the request was complied
that a number of parents and guardians residing in the dis- with. A similar scene took place the same evening at
trict of your Court have to complain of and deplore, as the Theatre Francaise of Rouen, when the Bavarian ehas•
affecting the morals of the rising generation. I allude to ',mars also appeared and performed the air, but the people
the concerts held at various public-houses in and about insisted on having the words sung, and this was done ac-
your locality. A young and interesting daughter of mine cordiogly. Alter the closing of this theatre, a numerous
has been entrapped into one of those sinks of infamy, and group of young men went to the residence of the British
lam a:raid, from the society she has fallen into, that Cons
his housei
ulntleß
; tiuedi
eaythen
Vicomte,
r 0 oaened
ed to the rle
ad
and sung the .Itairseeni /e/cte isoef
she has sustained irreparable injury. Oa Saturday even-
before
ing, she left her borne by stealth, and, as I have reason the General. commsinagndininag
tthhee mmilaitiasreywdaiivsiesiaote,3ealainecdhef to the
to believe, she was decoyed into one of those pub- Hotel de Ville,
lican's concerts. I went to look for her, and at length Before the Hotel de Ville a commissar of
inter-
traced her to the Queen's Head, Blackfriars-road, where I firrenr:eedth,icearipiodewaddcees:lhraeendnathsoeenpmlayrtay.o:esddhi,esdpaentrdosent;oetslityief persons P
i ation of the conduct of Foreign Powersy towards France.
found her amongst the company. That house was closed the group replied, that they had no disturb-
atintentioenirof..oiliingdisappro-
of
tli7eoe'oelmopckanoynrethtuernneigdhttoirtehqeukeistteihoeno;, but afterwards areftmera;aerrddsthpeartret
n wil ionfg
the o
furtherth disturbance
e youth of T ~,Ax
tillco fourine
forwardo' cloc kt oin the
and
dornairsgo
tcok place.
both sexes who frequent them.—l am, Ge , lemen, your 2. Ill;. -`1 ORA LT Y
grl evidence
e_ta or
tt_
AND BARONETCY.—When
incalculable injury those concert..rtoooTnbihrsiinas
. H WAIT'S, Queen-street, Blackfriars- the Mate George IV. Was born, on the 12th of August,
obedient servant, H. 1769 .' e •
road.2' -, ~,
,C,eperation of London went up with an address
Soon after the receipt of this letter, two men, with on the fwlowing day to George 111., congratulating him
their heads ireadfully cut, were charged with quarrelling on the birth of the Duke of Cornwall (for the heir app.-
in the house above alluded to, and exciting a disturbance. rent is born Duke of Cornwall, and afterwards created
It appeared that the two defendants, accompanied by some Piince of \Vales), but no honours were bestowed on either
to the concert at the Queen's Head, and, tita Lord Mayor or Sheriffs. The rumour, therefore, that
females, went
some altercation having taken place between them, the there is a custom of creating a I armlet on such occasions,
two defendants, who were intoxicated, began to fight each and that the expectancy of the honour has had any in,.
other, although it seemed that they were previously old fluence in the late civi.: struggle, is unfounded. In the
friends. During the contest that took place they knocked Present case of the birth of an heir to the Crown there is
each other about in a woeful manner, and both having this peculiarity—that whereas on former occasions the
• d a fall, their heads came with force C ' ' 1 • been able to approach the Sovereign
sustained great °To ation hate
cannot do so, but
to cob round, and cut them severely. Both of them with their congratulations, now they
11
iged to be taken to a doctor ?address themselves to the father of the child, w 0 is
arc
wounds dressed. Mr. Jerem in 11 :y, tutusion to the rot a sovereign.
letter calling his attention to theWORCESTER Hors, OCT. 7.—There was a
concertl at
of
the Queen's Head, inquired of thehops sale in our market on Saturday ;
po icemen in limited supply
attendance whether the landlord had thoann 100 pockets, 40 only of which
music,
licence, there not be
and it appeared that the Magistrates aatgrowth. The new hops sold readily at
fused to grant a music license to the h
Sessions re- were o_f thistol ye
2/ per cwt. Yearlings were in demand, and
quence of its contiguity to a chapel. Mr.
jouse, in cone- front 9/
hops found buyers at better prices. The rr st-ket
eremy said that ()Ala
he had no doubt the proprietor of d and prices may be quoted as fell ,ws ;—New
himself the house subjected was steady,
himself to a penalty for NavinB/. to 121. ,best, 131. 13s —lB39's, Si. w
15g.
concerts at his house with- We7rser_oi: ;
out a license, and that the evidence choice, 8/.-1837'5, 41 10s. to 5/.
had quarrelled and fought, h •
of the two men who tocl
oilee, 1
61 62.-1835's and 1836'5, 3/
3s• to 41.1" ;
would establish a case aeainstaviinigi paid for their admission,
' choice, rd __weighed, new. 30 pockets, eld. 17,) •
duringlos. ;
In .
letter The Magistrate added,
the week, new 3. old 14. The duty for 0
that attention should be paid tothe sent by the father the district, 140/. ;
of the girl who was
traced to the house, and
were given to the police to take the necessary steps to . D.,-. Waddington, the new Dean of Durham,
bring the matter again was installed on 'Saturday last,
before the Court. and " read himself in" in
the Cathedral on Sund•
MARSHAL SOULT.—We arc sorry to hear that inlay, Dr. Waddington's accom-
Marshal Soult is still very unwell at his chateau of Saint plishhinenolkseri.s a gentleman, a scholar, and a divine, are
Arnand, beyond Toulouse, and that he is no: entirely redo- e
ofrp 0f,:111,,5t, and combine to render the appointment
vercd from the effects of the fall from his horse some time one the _ popular acts of patronage exercised by
the present Government.
ago.

THE `VAR IN THE EAST.—Mr. Wyld of Charing-
cross has just published two maps which will be found
useful at the present juncture of affairs in the East. The
first is t small map of Beyrout, with the adjacent coun-
try, and a portion of the coast on each side of the
town. The other is a beautiful chart of the harbour of
Alexandria, with the city and environs in 1840, on a
large scale, and coloured. It gives a delineation also of
the walls and ruins of the ancient city, the ruins of
Ptolomy's Palace, the sites of Pornpey's Pillar, and
Cleopatra's Needle, the new canal of Alexandria, and
the modern town with the different fortifications, and
altogether affords a most distinct and comprehensive
view of a place now rendered so important by the dis-
pute between Mehemet Ali and the Allied Powers. Mr.
Wyld has also published a small map of Syria, and an-
other on a larger scale of Syria and Egypt at a very
moderate price.
A private letter from Paris states that the Eng-
lish were quitting that city—that the hotel keepers were
pulling long faces—that English bank-notes were at a
disawnt of four sous per one pound—and that the funds
were expected to go lower.
UNION-HALL.—A letter, of which the follow-
is a copy, addressed to the Magistrates of this Court, was
received on the subject of the nuisance created by the con-
certs held at some of the public-houses is the district. It
ran thus :

i]VEN IN G EDITION.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM THE ETENINO PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
(From the Globe.)
The constitution of Courts-martial, their consistency
with the impartial sprit of the British constitution, and
their efficiency for the purposes for which they are held,
are questions which have occupied no inconsiderable por-
tion of public attention during the proceedings of the
Court-martial recently held on Captain R. A. Reynolds.
Certain decisions of the Court, by which portions of
the evidence tendered by the prisoner as essential to
his case were rejected, have tended to strengthen the
disposition to examine more closely into these points,
from a belief that these, by explaining the provo-
cation, would have greatly extenuated, if not wholly
justified, Captain Reynolds' challenge of his com-
manding officer. The inquiry having closed, we
sive left at liberty to discuss the question, without
subjecting ourselves to the imputation of impugning
the discretion of the Court while engaged in pursuing
the inquiry. A general Court-martial is composed of
a President, not less than twelve members, a Judge-Ad-
vocate, who is usually—always in cases of importance
—a legal personage. As he is, though without a de-
clared voice in their decisions, unquestionably the person
of most consequence in the Court, it may not he super-
fluous to describe his functions and duties. Military
men are supposed not- to be very deeply versed in
questions of jurisprudence ; he is, therefore, to direct
the Court in all questions of law, evidence, practice,
or precedent ; and he has the privilege, if they do
not receive his advice, of entering his protest on the
minutes aginst their decision. When a disputed
point of procedure is to be determined, the Court is
cleared ; that is, the prisoner and strangers are re-
moved. The Judge-Advocate, who is also prosecutor
whenever the charges are brought by authority, is then
left with whatever stock of legal knowledge he may pos-
sess, to persuade the Court at his leisure. He
also himself pleads against the prisoner, who has not
the privilege of reply, nor is allowed to examine
or cross-examine the witnesses by Counsel ; the Judge-
Advocate having the privilege of addressing the Court
last. Nor are these the only disadvantages under
which military men are placed when subjected to
trial by Court-martial, as compared with the judicial
proceedings of Civil Courts. In Civil Tribunals, even
though a corrupt Judge were to preside, and seek to per-
vert justice by brow-beating the witnesses or the Jury,
B•itiah Juries are not easily intimidated; nor is it likely
that any of their number could be made to suffer from it,
even though the individual who most strenuously opposed
a decision contrary to his dictum could be diseoverod
by nor even though the Judge were to be present
in the Jury chamber, and were allowed to listen to their
5: But in a military court it is widely different.
sers give their votes under the eye of the Pre-
youngest first. Lord Cardigan assigned as
or refusing Captain J. W. Reynolds leave of
rihsenee, that be had " opposed hire on a regimental
Court-rnartial ; and this appears to have been th 6 origin
of the subsequent growing dissensions between these
the progress of which has lately occupied
)f public attention. Surely this part of the con-
Orin of procedure on Courts-martial re-
vision with a view to alteration.

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