The Sun.
London, England, 1869-10-05 00:00:00

LAND SUCCESSION.

The special question in the Jurisprudenqp and Amend-
ment of the Law Department was, " What ought to be the
principles regulating the ownership and occupation of
land ?" Several papers were contributed. That by Mr.
Sergeant Cox suggested that in cases of intestacy, land
should pass as personalty now passes under the Statute of
Distributions. Having the power to give it otherwise by
his will, if the owner omits to make a will it may be
reasonably presumed that he has preferred the provision
made by the law. The learned serjeant likewise
suggested a remedy for the difficulties attendant upOn the
transfer of real property away from the power of
charging land with oilier claims than those of the owner
and occupier. He proposed to give an absolute power to
any person entitled to the possession of real estate as
owner, to discharge it from all incumbrances whatever at
any time on payment of the full value, to be assessed by
direction of the Court of Chancery, into court for the
benefit of the persons entitled, whether present or prospec-
tive, together with all the costs attending the• process ;
adopting, in fact, for all owners or purchasers the course
now pursued with land taken for railways or public
improvements.

The Education Department had the Endowed Schools
Act again under consideration. The Ladies Conference
sat under the presidency of Lady Bowring.

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS.

ELECTIONEERING ITEMS.

The suggestion first made in the Star, that Mr.
Stuart Mill should be invited to come forward as the
Liberal candidate for the Glasgow and Aberdeen
Universities, seems likely to be adopted. The Scot-
tish Universities Union, which is composed of MOM-
hers of the Scottish Universities resident chiefly in
London, has promptly declared in favour of Mr.
Mill. . The Union is composed largely of medical
graduates, and. the last election shewed that its
members form a very powerful element in the
constituency. Mr. Mill's candidature was brought
forward by Dr. Prosser James at a meeting last
week, and at an adjourned meeting on Saturday it
was resolved unanimously to invite Mr. Mill to come
forward. On the other hand, the North British Mail
states that at a meeting of the Liberal electors at
Glasgow, it was resolved. to ask ➢ir. Smith, of Jordan-
hill, to allow himself to be nominated as candidate
for the vacancy, and that he has expressed his
willingness to accede to their request. Sir William
Thomson, who was spoken of as a possible candidate,
is among the supporters of Mr. Smith. Mr. Gordon
has intimated. that he is ready to fight the contest in
the Conservative interest.
In the event of Dr. Lyon Playfair being appointed
Master of the Mint, the Liberal London members of
the Edinburgh and St. Andrew's Universities have
already determined to bring forward Dr. Prosser
James. This gentleman was a candidate last year,
but retired. in order that the party' should not be
divided.
A Waterford paper announces the acceptance of the
office of Commissioner of Fisheries by Mr. Blake, one
of the members for the city, and his consequent re-
tirement from parliamentary life.

MR. CAMPBELL, ➢i.P.

The member for the Stirling Burghs has been
delivering the customary review of parliamentary
matters to his constituents. Mr. Campbell is very
melancholy, as all light-minded Scotch members
ought to be, over the fate of the Scotch Education
Bill. Ile, however, draws an important lesson from
the treatment which this unhappy measure exverienced
in the House of Lords. There is to be an Education
Bill next year. If the Liberal Government wishes it
to be successful, they must introduce it in the Lower
House. If it gets to the Upper it will, Mr. Campbell
thinks, be so " transmogrified "—as, indeed, all mea-
sures are—that its authors will be unable to recognise
it. The member for the Stirling Burghs suggests
compulsory education —national, unsectarian, and
supported by rates. He likewise believes in the eco-
nomical policy of the Government,, but would prefer
retrenchment through uprooting jobbery, sinecures,
and waste from high places to retrenchment through
turning off a few clerks and workmen.