The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-14 00:00:00

NEW PEERS.

We understand that it is the intention of her
Majesty—of course, on the recommendation of her
Ministers—to confer the dignity of the Peerage on
two eminent lawyers the Lord Justice General
M'Neill and Sir Hugh Cairns. The necessity of
providing for the appellate jurisdiction of the House
of Lords, which the increasing legal business of the
country makes every year more important and more
onerous, is the object of these promotions.
There is, indeed, at present no lack of Law
Lords in the House. Indeed so large a number
of men raised to the Peerage for their legal
abilities were never congregated there before.
There are no less than four ex-Chancellors--
Lords Brougham, St. Leonard; Cranworth, and
Westbury ; and there are, besides these, Lord
Wensleydale, a distinguished common lawyer, and
Lord Kingsdown, a man of consummate legal
knowledge, together with the actual Lord Chan-
cellor and the Master of the Rolls. Yet it would
seem that the business of the Appellate Court
is likely to stand still for want of an adequate
number of Judges. The days are gone by when Lord
Eldon could sit with two non-legal Peers, and con"
centrate the whole authority of the House as a Court
of Law in his own person. The public and the pro-
fession are not content unless at least three Peergi
learned in the law and in the full vigour of their
understanding attend. To furnish such a tribunal
there ought to be at least four or five Law Lords
accustomed to take part in the business of the
house. But, though there are at present eight 0';
them, the greater part are not available for judicial
business. Lord Brougham is 88 years old, Lords
St. Leonard's and Wensleydale are very little
younger, and these three have ceased to attend ar
peals. Lord Kingsdown's health is infirm, and the
country has lost his services both in..the House "'
Lords and in the Privy Council. Lord Westbury
is, it is understood, abort to go abroad again. 030
,
Master of the Rolls cannot attend, and the Lord
Chancellor is often required in his own Court. Itt
thus appears that for the present session, Avbel
as
there is a large number of appeals, many of them. °f
old standing, we have only one Law Lord who h
full time to devote himself to the judicial busioe',is
of the house, and that is Lord Cranworth,
himself 77 years of age. If even the Lord CII3
cellor join him the house will be a very incomplete
tribunal.
In this dilemma the Government have deter
mined to raise to the Peerage two eminent lawiect
of their own party. The Right Hon. Dunes
d
M'Neill was Solicitor-General for Scotland durl„
7
Sir Robert Peel's short Administration in 1834-
h has
was Lord Advocate from 1842 to 1816, and -e ny
been Lord Justice-General since 1852. As s° res3rag
Scotch cases are brought before the House a IF ye
it is but reasonable that a Scotch lawyer shouldh;fr.
a seat in the House, and we have no doubt that ,010..
NPNeill is eminently fitted for such an 11°!ders
But here, again, we have the old evil which re"
or
the House inefficient, in spite of so many Pr o .0.
sti
tions. It is enough to say that the Lord ja 73
General was born in 1794, and is consequelitliYana
years of age. If his Peerage be a reward, I.°)._ei legal
good ; but if it be conferred to increase
strength of the House, we may regret that 00
lity is likely to last but a very few session s• such
Peerage of Sir Hugh Cairns is free from any still
objection. The new Lord Justice of
Appeal ve'
young, and brings his faculties in their full to
to the business of the House. Should ho be ableouit4t
Dices to the
shpoalrve illi
timells,unocideonutbt,
renfmdr
country.--Times., corimthpeordtuantitesec