The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-11 00:00:00

LONDON,

torneys—sprung into existence at a later date. They
were not recognised by the common law, under which
every party to a suit should appear in person. By the
statute of Westminster 2, cap. 10, attorneys, duly
admitted, were allowed to appear "to prosecute or
defend any action, in the absence of the
parties to the suit." It was, however, only in " the
absence" of the parties that this privilege was con-
ceded, and it was expressly recognized that these
parties might act for themselves whenever they
thought proper so to do, without the interference of
any intermediate person. Indeed, the retainer or
consultation through an attorney constituted the
exception to the rule. The sergeants and
"utter" barristers regularly attended at the
"purvise," or In other words, their respective
pillars at St. Paul's, where those requiring legal ad-
vice hastened to receive it from the fountain head,
there being no bills incurred of unknown magni-
tude, the fair and first remuneration being satisfied
in the first instance—a principle to which, we believe,
many suitors at the present day would give in a
willing assent.

In these cases the honorarium was paid, and
the advice obtained, without the assistance of
either attorney or clerk, and it has recently been
decided in the case of " Bennett v. Hall," that there is
no absolute necessity for such intervention ; there is,
in fact, nothing but the feelings of the individual
members of the bar to secure the other branch of the
profession a continuance of the practical monopoly
which they have attained.
As an illustration of what may be done by the
bar, the committee refer to the well-known
case of Lord BROUGHAM, who, when a leading
member of the northern circuit, was threatened
with a total loss of his professional practice
in consequence of a resolution of the attorneys, who
were opposed to the legal reforms of which he was
the strenuous and indefatigable advocate. HENRY
BROUGHAM, however, defeated the combination by
publishing his intention of dispensing with their ser-
vices, and of affording his counsel and advocacy to
such lay clients as should seek his aid. In that reso-
lution he was generously supported by the members
of the Northern Circuit, who, with a view to relax
any contrary rule of etiquette, directed the records of
their circuit to be searched, when no trace of any
such rule was found to exist.

It was not every man who could venture on
a course so decided, who could ro boldly " take the
bull by the horns," but lIENav BROUGHAM did so in
1824, and with the most unequivocal success. his
brethren sustained him in the struggle, and we ven-
ture to assert that the northern bar, second to none in
England or in the world, will still_support even its
humblest member, who stands forward in support of
the rights and privileges of the profession.
The committee, before completing their report,
strongly recommended that the present too general
practice, which prevents the public obtaining the ad-
vice and assistance of counsel, except through the
compulsory intervention of En attorney, should be
discontinued ; and that so much of the 9th and 10th
Victoria, cap. 95, sec. 91, as has been considered to
prevent a barrister from advocating the causes of
suitors in the County Courts, unless instructed by
an attorney, should he repealed ; that an attorney,
desirous of being called to the bar, should, if in other
respects a fit person, be admissible into an inn of
court for such purpose without previously
removing his name from the roll of attorneys, and
should be permitted to keep his terms and perform
his exercises as a student-at-law, without ceasing to
practise as an attorney, but should be required to dis-
continue such practice and remove his name from the
rolls at some period not longer than six months be-
fore his call to the bar. That attorneys should not
be permitted to act as advocates in the superior courts.
That counsel should be responsible for crassa
hegligentia and for breach of contract or of
confidence, and be liable under the sum•
mary jurisdiction of the court either to refund their
fees or to make such other reparation as the court
should think fit. Lastly, that the legal university
composed of Sergeant's Inn and of the inns of court
should be revised, with a senate consisting of an upper
and lower house, the former elected by the sergeants
and benchers, the latter by the utter barristers, such
senate to have jurisdiction in all cases concerning the
discipline and conduct of the bar, and to appoint a
board of examiners to superintend the public exami •
nation of all candidates for admissio❑ to the degree
of barrister•at-law.

Time and space alike prevent us from entering into
a close consideration of these valuable suggestions
this day:; we shall, however, refer thereto on an early
occasion.

When the Right Reverend Paul, CULLEN bellowed
wrathfully against Freemasonry in Ireland, we ex-
pressed a belief that no very perceptible results would
follow from the blind obedience of " the Brethren"
of his creed to his tyrannous and absurd manifesto.
What, after kill, is the result ? Namely, this, that up
to the last meeting of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, not
a single Roman Catholic member bad withdrawn,
while, we learn from the provincial journals, that
many Roman Catholics have recently joined the
order. The Limerick Chronicle says, " Upwards of
300 gentlemen of Ireland have joined the Masonic
body since the denouncement by Dr. CULLEN." To
which the Carlow Sentinel adds, " Our Limerick con•
temporary should add, that very many of those who
joined are Roman Catholics, connected with the Irish
bar, with the banks, country gentlemen,and solicitors.
So much for Dr. CULLEN'S excommunication, in the
19th century, of the Freemason order."
We congratulate the " Free and Accepted" on thus
properly upholding the dignity of their useful and
time-honoured order. It has stood several rude
shocks uninjured, and Dr. CULLEN may depend upon
it that he can no more succeed in crushing Free-
masonry by his big words than he can in proving
that the solar orb has a diameter of six feet, as his
Italian protege gravely asserted. He may as well
give up the crusade at once, for we can confidently
assure him, on the part of the Masonic fraternity,
that he will not in the very slightest degree reap
profit or pleasure thereby.

LATEST NEWS FROM

PARIS.

(BY SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH.)
(From the Ecruld.)
PARIS, WEDNESDAY, HALF-PAST SIX, P.M.
M. Theirs has been sent off from Paris under an
escort of gendarmerie. It is said that he has be en
sent to the frontiers of Germany.
It has also been reported that M. Leon Pemba'
has been sent off, but this is not the case.

(BY SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH.)
(From the Chronicle.)
PARIS, THURSDAY, NINE, A.M.
The departments of the Gers, Var, and Lot-et-
Garonne are declared to be in a state of siege.
Paris is tranquil.

REPRESENTATION OF GREENWICH.—We understand
that a gentleman of the highest mercantile standing
in the City, and of Liberal principles, has, as a mem-
ber of the Merchants Committee for the Reform of
the Customs, been solicited to offer himself as a can-
didate for the representation of Greenwich, and that,
he has intimated his intention of complying with the
request. The promises of support already tendered
to him, we learn, are so numerous, that his success is
undoubted.

HUNGARIAN AND POLISH CONCERT, AT THE HA-
NOVER• SQLTAILR ROOMS, ON TUESDAY NEXT, TILE 16TII INST.
—Miss Kate Hickson having generously volunteered to give
a grand evening concert on Tuesday next, in aid of the
funds of the Hungarian committee and of the Literary Asso-
ciation of the Friends of Poland, under the patronage of .Lord.
Dudley Stuart, M.P., has by her own exertions secured the
support of many distinguished artistes now in the metropolis.
Miss Louisa Pine, Miss Pyne, Mrs. W. Weiss, Miss Main.
Miss Poole, Mdlte. Coulon, Mr. Wrighton, Mr. Swift, Herr
Stotiregen, Mr. W. Weiss, Mr. Orosz, Mr. Remenyi, Signor
Piatti, Mr. It. Blagrove, and Mr. Charles Salomon, appre-
ciating the noble intentions of Miss Kate Dickson, promised
itselft
heir
iis gratuitous
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hctotielniaortnettihuttigstepeocsrtohccweceiasetdhliosov:vae.hrre:
sToetfbo
uenbcfeoonr music,pe rnpatarnoitda;
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sympathy is felt in this country, we trust that
will
fully co-operate in so benevolent an object.
fitsthe pausbtlrioeng
A Parliamentary contest is likely to ensue be-
tween the Tatf Vale and the Vale of Neath, respecting which
of these companies shall form a branch line into the rich and
fertile field of the Cwmdare Valley. Both companies have
deposited the requisite notices.
The Prince de Joinville, the Duke d'Aumale, and
ttobethCeoucnQuttndieelu'at.ris, are at E4ber, and not, reported, gone