The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-23 00:00:00

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
STANDARD.—The silence (so proper in their po-
sition) which the Members of the House of Lords have
hitherto observed upon the subject of the State trials in
Ireland; is, it appears, about to be interrupeed by the
Marquis of Lansdowne and the Marquis of Clanricarde,
who have given notice of motions referring to the trials
in question for this day week. The public has been
long aware that the convicted traversers have given no-
tice of applying for a writ of error, resting upon those
verycircumstWes which, as it appears, are to institute
the ground of the motions of the two Noble Marquises ;
but a writ of error from the Court of Queen's Bench in
Ireland passes immediately into the House of Lords,
and the effect of the motions of Lords Lansdowne
and Clanricarde will be to anticipate a judicial deci •
sion of the House by an extra judicial debate
and judgment—a proceeding which is, to say
the least of it, somewhat irregular and un-
usual. It may be, that the absurd project of a writ of
error has been abandoned, and that the Noble Lords in
question have been let into the secret. If such is the
case, however, we must think that this secret ought to be
kept no longer, for surely it were an ill precedent
for the Appellate Court of the empire to take volun-
tarily and irregularly into consideration a process
in an inferior Court, without an assurance
that the process was not to. come regularly before it, in
the form of an appeal. In other respects there is every
reason to rejoice that a question which has been so
much obscured by falsehood and calumny as the State
prosecution in Ireland has been, shall be submitted to
investigation by a body comprising so many able and
learned men rs the House of Lords ; a body, too,
which can claim the assistance of the fifteen judges of
England. We know what the result of such an investi-
gation must be (for it is impossible that Lords Lans-
downe and Clanricarde can be allowed to have the whole -
game to themselves) ; and if the effect of the premature
movement be to revive, a fortnight before sentence, in
more lively force, a sense of the deep criminality of the
convicts, they will have to blame none but their own
officious friends.

GLOBF.—The Bill for " Improving the Practice of
the Ecclesiastical Courts of England and Wales," which
Lord Lyndhurst has originated in the House of Lords,
gave rise last evening to a rather animated discussion,
previously to its being read a second time. The
loyal Commission, whiclr was issued in 1829 for in-
quiring into the constitution and practice of these odious
Courts, may be regarded as the first blow struck at their
existence. The discussions which have arisen upon
the different Bills that have been framed for the
purpose of improving their practice and remedying
their abuses—although the measures have, from various
causes, been withdrawn—have had the effect of

drawing attention to the monstrous injustice in-
flicted by these tribunals. They owe their continued
existence to the concealment and deep secresy which
they succeeded in keeping up. The invasion of
their retirement, by means of the inquiry to which
their proceedings were subjected, and the persevering
attempts to drag them forth into light—resisted, as those
efforts have been,. by those who have an interest
in preserving and perpetuating as many of their abuses
as is possible—these agitations and collisions will be
beneficial in their immediate and remote results. They
will secure a diminution of the abuses so long com-

plained of—a partial cleansing of the Augean-stable.
Preparatory to the sweeping flood being let in, which
shall purify the jurisprudence of the country from these
anomalous and oppressive jurisdictions which, to the
reproach of everything spiritual, are distinguished by
the appellation of Spiritual Courts, it is something
gained to have the nuisance abated. For these
reasons we congratulate the country upon the in-
troduction of Lord Lyndhurst's Bill. The Noble
and Learned Lord, it will be seen, adheres to the mea-
sure as it was originally proposed ; and thus demon-
strates the difficulties with which " a strong Govern-
ment" has to contend, when it applies itself to the re-
moval of abuses in which the Church has a pecuniary
interest. There can be no question but that any Go-
vernment,
if left to itself, unfettered by the Eccle-
siastical influence which invariably busies itself in
such matters,. would gladly assimilate the jurisprudence
of the country on all subjects relating •to • the pro-
perty and liberty of the subject, to one uniform mode
.of administration. This, however, is an attempt too
dangerous to be made on a large scale. The State may
nibble at the outworks., but must not venture to assail
the citadel. The Courts Peculiar are to be abolished.
The Arches' and Prerogative Courts . in the provinces of
Canterbury and York are to be consolidated. This is
something—a small instalment of the whole, which will
certainly be demanded, and obtained, at no distant day.
The Diocesan Courts are to be retained. The reasons
assigned by Lord Lyndhurst for their preservation
are worthy of notice. Antiquity is their sole recom-
mendation. Lord Cottenham expressed his dissatisfac-
tion with the Bill as it stood. His Lordship com-
mented, with great force of argument, and with some
severity of language, on the constitution and practice
of the Ecclesiastical Courts as they now exist ; and
showed the insufficiency of the remedy sought to
be applied for their improvement. In this he was
ably supported by Lord Campbell ; and also by Lord
Brougham, who gave an amusing historical sketch of
the opposition with which Lord Grey's Government
was assailed upon attempting to carry out the
recommendations of the Commissions of Inquiry.
To the speeches of these Noble and Learned Lords,
and to that of the Bishop of •London, we can only
generally refer as well deserving of careful perusal.
The Right Reverend Prelate's remarks we regard as
valuable inasmuch as they concede several of the objec-
tions which are urged against these courts. The Bishop
admits that the opposition which would be raised against
any attempt to remove them, is the principal object to
their being abolished. This, from such a quarter, is
gratifying, for the candour displayed and for the en-
couragement afforded to hope for their eventual removal.
The adhesion of Lord Lyndhurst to the law of
bona notabilia, as it now stands, is, however, in our view,
the most glaring defect in his measure, and for which we
cannot discover the shadow of an argument. We take his
Lordship's own statement as the best exemplification of
the mischiefs which result from the law, and the folly of
allowing them to remain unremoved and undiminished.
In order to regulate and preserve evidence of the
succession to personal property (and, for certain reasons
with which lawyers are familiar, but which are not easily
understood by the rest of mankind, land is frequently
treated in this respect as personality) by testament,
or intestacy, certain legal. ceremonies are re-
quired. It is 'necessary to prove, the will in the
one case ; . and, in the other, to take out letters
of administration in the proper Ecclesiastical Court.
If there were one general court in the Metropolis,
for the whole of England and Wales, there wonld be no

difficulty ; nor, perhaps, if there were one in each
county town for the entire county. But wills and
intestacies, being matters of spiritual cognizance, the
familiar division of sheriffs and their counties must
not be followed, but that of bishops and their dio-
ceses. An executor, or administrator, must make him-
self acquainted with the division of England into
dioceses ; for if it should be discovered, subsequently
to taking out the grant, that there were bona notabilia
above the value of five pounds in any other' diocese than
that in which the grant was taken out, the will must be
proved over again in the courts there, and fees must
be paid there also. And this process must be re-
newed upon the discovery of goods or moneys in any
other diocese, how often soever the discovery may be
repeated! Every Bishop is privileged to require a fresh
probate to be taken out, at the same expense as the
first! And this annoying. machinery, falsely called the
administration of justice, is to be retained!

PIMLICO PHILANTHROPIC SOCIETY.—On Thursday
the third annual meeting of the donorsand subscribers to this
Society was held at the rooms, 48, Grosvenor-place. J.
Emmerson Tennant, Esq., M.P., took the chair. The Report,
which was afterwards read, stated that within the last twelve
weeks only 700 families had been relieved with 510 41b.
loaves, 11 tons 7 cwt. of coals, 3,576 pounds of potatoes, and
besides a sum of money given 36 blankets had been lent to
various poor families.
THE LAST CAMPAIGN IN AFFGHANISTAN.—The
narrative which has just been given to the world by Lieut.
Greenwood, of the 31st Regiment, describing the late
triumphant campaign in Affghanistan under General Pollock,
will excite great interest and curiosity, and scarcely less
among general than among military readers. No personal
account has hitherto reached the public of that tremendous
retribution which so speedily followed the treacheries and
disasters of 1841 in Caubul ; and tile terrible particulars of
that retribution as here recorded will be read with an avidity
only second to that which awaited the narratives of Lady
Sale and Lieut. Eyre—to which this of Lieut. Greenwood
forms an almost necessary sequel and companion. The author
speaks as an actor in, and an eye-witness of, ahnost everT-
thing he relates; and his narrative being written in the plain
off-hand language of a soldier, carries with it those unfailing
evidences of truth and authenticity, for the absence of which,
in cases of this nature, the graces of style and the charms of
fine writing arc poor substitutes.
THE HAIR.--Of the numerous compounds con-
stantly announced for promoting the growth or reproduc-
tion of the hair, few survive, even in name, beyond a very
limited period; whilst " Rowland's Macassar Oil," with a
reputation unparalleled, is still on the increase' in public es-
timation. The singular virtues of this successful invention
for restoring, preserving, and beautifying the human hair,
are too well known and appreciated to need much comment.
.The very facts of the high and distinguished patronage it
enjoys, its general use in all countries, together with nu-
merous testimonials constantly received in its favour, are au-
thorities which stamp its superior excellence and title over all
attempts of a similar nature. Being universally preferred,
its consequent great demand excites the cupidity of un-
principled shopkeepers, who vend the most spurious trash as
the "genuine' Macassar Oil : whereas the genuine article is
wholly the invention and property of A. Rowland and Son,
and the amalgamation of its costly exotic materials renders
abortive any attempt to discover its component parts—thus
proving the imposition of all other articles bearing the title
of " Macassar Oil." The genuine • article has the words.
" Rowland's Macassar Oil" on the wrapper.—All others are
fraudulent counterfeits: •