The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-07 00:00:00

4 Miellin 4I '.-4111)
lior

LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1850.

The Solicitor-General of lingland is proving him-
self eminently worthy of the name he inherits. The
mantle of Sir SAMIIRL ROMILLY, one of the most
eminent of our legal reformers, has descended on no
unworthy shoulders. His son is, indeed, following
in the track upon which his illustrious father had
entered, and there is every reason to hope that he will
live to accomplish all that his progenitor had antici-
pated, but which, unfortunately, he was not spared
sufficiently long to carry into practical operation.
The enormous; difficulties which have hitherto beset
the paths of those who endeavoured to cleanse the
Augean stables of the law, and to remove the mass
of rubbish and unsightly excrescences that have
sprung up during successive ages, rendering
what should be a blessing and a benefit
a curse and grievance, of the utmost mag-
nitude, have been so fully detailed by Lord
BROUGEIAM, in his great speech in the House of
Lords, on the 12th May, 1848, and more recently in
his admirable letter to Sir J. GRAHAM, that it is unne-
cessary here to recur to matters such as must be fa-
miliar to every person who has bestowed the slightest
eonsideration-on the subject. Mr. THOMAS TURNER
A'BECKITT and other efficient labourers have also
toiled in the vineyard ; but still many serious abuses
Lave been suffered to prevail which, it might have
been supposed, needed only to be mentioned to ensure
the much-required alterations. The Legislature has,
until lately, appeared unwilling to grapple with the
existing evils, or to sanction measures sufficiently ex-
tensive to remove all just grounds of complaint on the
part of the suitors and the public generally.
The great success, however, which has already
attended the Act of last session for facilitating- the
sale and transfer of encumbered estates in Ireland,
lias manifestly encouraged the author of that great
and much-required amelioration of the law to proceed
vigorously in his course. In that statesmanlike and
comprehensive law he departed widely from the
beaten track, and produced a measure suited to the
real exigency of the case, and not fettered and re-
stricted by the inveterate prognostics and limited
views of mere lawyers. He proved how cheaply
• expeditiously matters could be transacted
oefore a new tribunal, and with improved machinery,
which in the olden time would have required a delay
of many years, and the expenditure of a fortune.
We have already alluded to proceedings in re the
Portarlington estates, before the Commissioners, as
affording the best practical illustration of the bene-
ficial working of the new law. In that case an
estate producing a clear rental of 32,0001. per annum,
and encumbered to the extent of 660,0001. sterling,
or thereabouts, was directel to be sold within a few
(not more than six or seven) weeks from the time of
filing the original petition, and at an outlay not ex-
ceeding the costs of a contested motion. This
extraordinary result attracted the attention
cf all who, unfortunately for themselves,
had any experience of the working of an equity suit,
and the harassing and wearisome delays and inordi-
nate expenditure previously inseparable therefrom ;
and an anxious desire was excited that a law so bene-
ficial in its eabte should be extended to the utmost
degree practicable in its operation, The practice of
the other tribunals, as well of the Court of Chancery
as the three superior courts of common law, required
extensive alterations 'in tnany respects, and it was
manifest that the eminent lawyer, who hal already
aehieved so •great a triumph, was expected to
direct his most earnest attention to the removal
NEWSlWRlSrimpediments and obstructions that were
1173—, .• • • in the way of suitors for justice
' '------fr". '-ratill'-=\ ; , ordinary tribunals of the country.
44.ieitf;.0rree-,..: - ' ':a yesterday introduced into the House
...lel, = • -.. rsT7llll will more than satisfy the most sanguine
0 ,i- asiticipsttiv, s. They were eminently worthy of the
\z
I'l ' e hig&asraMendations bestowed upon them and their
xi. learacs author ficei all sides of the House, from