The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-15 00:00:00

TIMES.—If there ever was & judicial appointment
which might have been expected to pass as of course, and
against which: not a voice, even of the most furious par-
tisan, could have been raised, we should have pronounced
it a fortnight ago to be that of Sir Frederick Pollock to
the vacant Chief Barony of the Exchequer. An At-
torney-General is appointed upon the clear, though tacit
understanding, that unless circumstances arise during his
tenure of office which betray his manifest unfitnaes for
the station of a chief Judge, he shall be promoted tot that
place on the first opportunity. It often happens that
the leading advocate of the day, whose services the Go-
vernment have:found it necessary to secure as Attorney-
General, from the bent of his mind or the keenaeee of
his Folitics is, or is thought to be, peculiarly unfitted
for judicial employment. He has, nevertheless, been al-
ways appointed. On the present occasion no 'well. diffi-
culty. exists. In legal knowledge, in tempt, discretion,
and integrity, Sir F. Pollock is eminently—nay, com-
pered With many law officers of the Crown, perhaps un-
usually, fitted for the office of judge ; and his tinitbreu
conduct in the obnoxious office which he has occupied
during a somewhat trying crisis Will be acknowledged to
furnish no ordinary guarantee against the partisanship
which is sometimes to be feared from a promOted At-
torney-General. A Whig Contemporary, has been
pleased, with a creditable desire of making mis-
chief if possible, to discover the extreme impolicy and
impropriety of not conferring the vacant appointment on
one of the existing puisne judges, and. has paid Baron
Parke—of whet* in kis-judicial capacity, it is impossible
to speak too highly—the compliment of selecting him as
a person foolish enough to take Offenae, if *the ordinary
rules of promotion are not suspended in his fatour.
Now, the immediate practical question appears to us to
lie in a nutshell. It is necessary fur the public service
that the office of Attorney-General should be ably filled.
This has to be paid for; and part of the payment is the
reversion of the great legal offices. The prospect of
these enables the Crown to command, as it ought to do,
the services of die great lawyers of the day. The
prospect of these is their inducement to incur the risk
and the sacrifice which are often consequent on the se-
ceptauce of this office. There is no doubt that Sir F.
Pollock, upon this understanding—not indeed reduced
to writing, signed or sealed, but distinctly recognised
both by the Minister who nominated him and the pro-
fession from which he was chosen—did actually sacrifice
a great part of his income arising from circuit practice
in the interval between his resignation of office in 1835
and the accession of the present Ministers to power. In
honour and equity, though not in law, the case is simply
one of contract. The Attorney-General has performed
his engagement to the public—it now rests with the
public to perform theirs to him. Any, attempt to evade
its performance on the plea of a supposed inconvenience
to one of the contracting parties would be mere
fraud. The bargain, if it was a bad one, should have
been protested against when it was concluded; it is too
late to complain now that we are called upon to act upon
it. We are not of those who think that the nation
is made to be swindled, or that the same care, atten-
tion, and economy are not to be required from public as
from private servants. But neither do we consider that
the nation is privileged to swindle. The people through
their Government have the capacity of involving them-
selves in every species of direct and indirect engagement.
Without such a capacity, the body politic could not exist
for a month. By the acts and engagements of their
agent, the people must abide ; and among such engage-
ments must be reckoned all those various understandings,
tacit or express, by whiCh the public business is carried
on. It is not enough to show that the bargain might
have been more conveniently, or providently, or advan-
tageously struck. It has been concluded by authorised
parties. Unless fraud or collusion can be shown, it is
binding, and we must perform it in the shape in which
our, representatives have fixed it upon upon us. Sir F.
Pollock is likely to make a very good Chief Baron, and
it is therefore factious as well as dishonett to oppose his
elevation to that office. But were his qualifications far
less satisfactory than they are, it would still be ene of.
those many cases where public honour would require
sorne sacrifice of public to private interests. Mean-
while, however, it mast not be forgotten that the ques-
tion whether this is a good mode of paying Attor-.
ney-Generals is still an open one ; and here we are in-
clined to agree with our Contemporary that it is not..
The understanding unquestionably exists, and, existing,
should be observed ; but we are quite ready to believe
that it is a mischievous understanding, and should be
avoided for the future. Very different requisites are
meeeesary for an Attorney-General and a Chief Justice.
ThAr fluency, plausibility, and resource—the ability to
concentrate attention on an adverSary's weak point, and
to divert it from his own—nay, the very zealous and
earnest energy which gave lustre to the advocate, may
be worse than useless on the bench. And it is notorious,
in fact, that the most skilful counsel do not make the
most eminent judges. This single fact is almost suf-
ficient argument against the continuance of a practice
which confines the Chief Judgeships to those who3e
posiaion at the head of the bar has compelled the Ministry
to select them for the office of Attorney-General. We,
perceive, however, in the columns of a Ministerial Con-.
temporary, a sentence which, if it is to be taken as an
exponent of Ministerial principles, furnishes a still
stronger argument against perpetuating this connexion.
Our Contemporary, ,not content with predicting the:
aTeedy elevation of Mr. Kelly into the place of Sir W.
Follett, proceeds, somewhat prematurely, to speculate on
the event of Mr. Kelly's second promotion or demise :
" Mr. Stuart Wortley," says our Contemporary, "is not
an unlikely successor to Mr. Kelly, provided the latter
remain in office long enough to enable Mr. Wortley to
acquire sufficient length of standing in the profession to
warrant his elevation to so distinguished and responsi-
ble a station. As 'the son of Lord Wharncliffee
and also as an able and eloquent advocate,
and possessed of rapidly increasing legal know-
ledge, and one . of the most rising leaders on the'
Northern Circuit, he has 'undoubtedly strong claims."
Now this paragraph looks very much like a clumsy at-
tempt to prepare the public mind for a job. We mean
no disrespect to Mr. Stuart Wortley, but what are his
qualifications? We gather from his panegyrist's ac-
count, that his " standing in his profession" is insuffi-
cient—that his legal knowledge can only be said to be
" rapidly increasing"—and that he is not the leader of
his circuit. He is also called "an able and eloquent
advocate"—words, of course, of which lie may share the
credit with many others of his brethren. These are
merits of an ambiguous kind, and can hardly be consi-
dered to constitute " undoubtedly strong claims" upon
an office which, according to present practice, is to lead
almost directly to the highest position on the Bench.
But the Government .paper enumerates one other clear,
definite,. and tangible claim which he possesses on the
patronage of the Ministry, " as the son of Lord Wharn
chile." Is this a fair statement of the principles on
which Sir R. Peel proposes to dispense his legal pa-
tronage? If not, we have nothing to say, except that
' our Contemporary is as foolish as ever. If it is, we
must beg for a speedy extinction of a system of eti-
quette which will outdo the worst precedents of bad
times, in extending to the Bench itself—the citadel, as
it ought to be, of British liberties—the most corrupt
principles of political patronage. It is bad that a rising
young barrister should be appointed Attorney-General,
but it is unbearable that he should be promoted to the
Chief Justiceship, avowedly because be is the son of a
Peer and a Cabinet Minister:
GLOBE.—If the Tory press be a type of the Tory
party, there exists at the present moment pretty con-
siderable commotion in its ranks. Lord Abinger's death

having caused a vacancy in the Chiefship of the: Court
of Exchequer, the changes in the official positions of
the law advisers of the Crown has placed the post
of Solicitor-General at the disposal of the Government.
The door of promotion being thus opened, every Tory
lawyer who has managed to get into the House of
Commons is pressing his claims upon the Minister; and
every imaginable and far fetChed reason is adduced by
the journal of the party which adopts one or other of the
expectants to show how much more strong are his
claims to the distinction than those of his competitors.
Mr. Fitzroy Kelly, Mr. Thesiger, the Hon. J. S.
Wortley, and Mr. Godson, has each his backer in the
Tory press, and, of course, his supporters among the
Tory party. The Government can make but one of
these Hon. and Learned Gentlemen Solicitor-General ;
and, of course, three of them must remain as they are.
We know net how many more there may be who think
themselves supremely qualified for the post, and whose
merits ought therefore to, be perceived and rewarded by
the Minister. That the heart-burnings and resent-
ments consequent upon disappointment will be nume-
rous and pungent, there can be no doubt. To render
the path somewhat more smooth to one or ether of these
aspirants to the vacant post, some very ingenious expo
dients have been devised. Among others it has been
suggested that the Chiefship. of the Exchequer should be
conferred on one of the puisne Barons, and thus post-
pone
blish'
or wholly set aside, Sir F. Pollock's clguniostaed by prescription, to the vacant Chief Judgeship.
To this very ingenious mode of getting rid of
the difficulty, we think strong objections exist.
-
We admit the excellent qualities which two of
the Learned Puisne Barone of the Exchequer Court
have displayed in their judicial functions. It
would'
be difficult to name two judges whose conduct on
and especially when
the bench—whether administering the justice
~of the
country in the civil or criminal cours-;--has so eminently
entitled them to the confidence of the profession and to
the gratitude of their country, as Mr. Baron Parke and
Mr. Baron. Rolfe have exemplified. There is, however,
this strong objection to raising the Puisne Judges to the
Chiefship ; it would subject them to the suspicion of
pberoiplvisige,diedvailepegraturdaatetytsettfdrieit—aeulsltiiennfgoofr Crown
rpTegalcases;ihstala po:
majestyre ecoarf:
1. leaning to
ty
the peosechtion. for thkopeiliose
redotnutending them-
selves to the Ministry of the daylor promotion. Thus
twilh"eoulladwb,earaised
th
againstu r thea ty influencecy
fo on
ud
lu4c
upon
ofpeo n the
th e Judges,
m id s
the independence of the Judges would be endangered.
ai
nu
deases
conduct which
o in-
the
w salutary
ui
climirlished. By being suspected
of him it; eves jt3 wt iu 1
tile prerogatives of

the Crown were brought into collision ' with real or
imaginary popular rights,• . the. Judges would bede-
?rived of their now universally-conceded respect, and
justice would be divested -of a- part of its terrors.
Thus society would lose a portion ef. the protection
which is essential to its safety. By exposing their
impartiality to peri!, by agitating them with hopes
of advancement to superier . office from the fa--
your of the Government, the independence of the Judges
would be shaken in popular opinion. Preserve the
Judges from all inducement to please the Government of
the day by the slightest relax-a:hill oc-, or devia!ion from,
the rigid clairne ofjustice, and theiroffice will he respected
by the netien. Leave the Judges anything to hope or
fear from the Ministry of the immediately dey an. they
,
are brought down toa level with the influences which ope:
rate upon men in the ordinary walks of life, and their
high office is in danger of perversion to the political de-
se ens of 'Ministers, instead of its functions being kept sa-
cred from their approaCh.-- Of Sir F. Pollock's fitness to
sue:Ned to the office of Lord. Chief -Itaiou,. we have
already expressed a favourable: opinion. No Attorney-
general of his party ever she Wed: himself so little dis-
posed to usie the prerogatives of his office with severity i
as he has done. The very defects which have mili-
tated ngainet his acquiring the same extent of popula- ,
rity, as an advoeate, to which so ale of his Contempora-
ries have attained, will render him better suited to
the duties of the Bench. Perhaps it will hold good,
as a general rule, that a barrister who has had an
extensive practice at nisi prigs—a practice which is
obtained and preserved by eloquence and , tact. in
addressing juries—has generally failed to sustain
the judicial office with the same 'efficiency as men
of less. celebrity. The man -of fewest words is
generally the man of closest thoughte while eloquence
at the bar has, in many instances, degenerated
int) garrulity on the bench,e,Sir William Follett's state
of health is, we regret to etitte, most fearfully impaited.
We were the first to make theeannouncement,
_which we
did a few days since in an leticle "On the Parliamen-
tary Elections consequent upon Lord Abinger's death:"
The grounds which then existed' for the apprehensions
we expressed are by no meant diminished. It is, there-
fore, highly probable that a positive prohibition will be im-
posed upoh him by his medical advisers, against his at-
tempting aneeprofessional'exerilons for a considerable
time to come. This may prevent his obtaining' the
Attorney-Generalship ; arid induce the Government to
substitute some other learned gettleman of their party,
whose physical powers ate enqre equal, to the constant
official and Parliamentariduties which the principal
law officer of the Crown: is called upon to perform.
Mr. F. Kelly's direct implication in the memorable
Ipswich election, for which his agents were committed
to Newgate by the Speaker's warrants, and he, with
his colleague, unseated, is now revived. There was,
doubtless, much to condenin in that transaction. Most
bitterly has Mr. Kelly deplored his having entangled
himself in the meshes of that net of' corruption which
the Ipswich Tories have invariably spread at every
.contested eleetion, and in which they have - caught
many. Once entangled in the .toils, it was difficult to
get extricated. Mr. Kelly became the victim of the
system, since considerably checked by the new election •
laws. In fair party fight we would still encounter Mr.
Kelly with the • same uncompromising hostility with
which we have encountered him. But we will not join
in an attempt to place a ban upon any man's professional
hopes, -for 'an offence committed long since in the heat
. of a contested Parliamentary election—in which, though
the bribery was-rank, it was sanctioned by a too prevail-
ing practice, since happily checked by legislative enact-
ment. Mr. Kelly is a sound lawyer and an able advocate,
As *Tory mustle appointed to the vacant post, we would
pay homage at the shrine of the acknowledged professional
attainments, and persevering industry, for which Mr.
Kelly is distinguished. We think Mr. Kelly is immea
:nimbly superior to those whoee pretensions are put forth
to push •aside his. We have -said so on a former occa-
sion ; and have seen no reasen'tn change our views on
the subject. After all, the serious illness of Sir William
Follett may alter the relative positions of the rival
claimants ; and thus materially change the controversy
which has arisen upon the question.
STANDARD.—The Gazette of last night states
that the amount of bullion in the Bank of England on
the 30th of last month amounted to the large sum of six-
teen millions, three hundred and twenty-two thousand
pounds sterling. This, then, is the present financial
position of the country—the revenue having improved at
the rate of more than four millions in the year ;
.the
Three per Cent. Consols are half per cent. above par.
Sixteen millions three hundred and twenty-two thousand
pounds in gold and silver in the cellars of the _Bank of
England ! Such, in brief, is the compte rende of Sir
•Robert Peel's thirty-one months' administration of
the financial affairs of the. country, which, on pass-
big into his hands, presented nothing but a bot-
tomless . deficiency. The public will, we are sure,
pronounce justly upon the merit or. demerit of
the change, and upon the degree of gratitude or
of resentment due to its )tethor—hut let no man
'expect perfect unanimity:,. The discovery that
.every proof has two faces, which may be pre-
sented according as humour or interest shall direct,
is as old, at least, as Aristotle, who, in his "Treatise of
Rhetoric," gives precise instructions how to proceed
in the case. You can, upon the same evidence, prove ,
the mild man a coward, and the coward a mild man,
according to your purpose; the thief an enter-
prising
tellow, and the .enterprising man a thief ;
the cheerful man a sensualist, and the sensualist
merely a genial person; the patriot an incendiary, and
the incendiary a patriot; and so on. This is perfectly
• well understood by thousands,who never read 'Aristotle,
and it is indeed the staple artifice of vulgar journalists
and vulgar orators. The improvement in the public
revenue, and in the price ,
.of the public securities,
• would seem unpromising subjects for this kind of mis-
representation, but they -have nevertheless been
pressed to serve as proofs of national ruin, and we
' have little doubt that a like use will be made of the
enormous s
houl d
say
that accumulationthe cry o r
~ gold
Go
for
tind Threesilv per silver in
etnlie
Bank cellars. Waiting for this, we shall.. at present
merely observe that the amount of bullion in hand
is a reasonable security against any present dan-
ger from the Whig-Radical cry, " Go for Gold,"
should it be raised now- as it was raised in 11132.
Judging from the state of the markets respectively,
Consols," would suggest a demand more dcul c t tt.
o
answer. The remaks that we have already offered
upon the general proofs of the increased and in-
creasing capital in the country have, of course,
drawn upon us a world of censure from those
. who are resolved to be discontented with everything,
but more especially indignant at everything in which her
Majesty's present Ministers may seem to be actors. We
. ptarwhr
ehae
what'
te.onwunt
eres odwl
didcoedor
throughout—theresduas under
i l tel hhni
aso
ntgs
epe
drr oli"aea
onch
tsdht
ebosyupa
truoi
rgbpafsa
croe g
usrt
evo imronyfge
arguments
t thrhsooooswi
nef ei
wtsvhrehear
oi, -
affect to answer.

MAMOMET ALI'S DISPERSION ,OF HIS HAIIESt.—
About three years since, the Paella's health declined, and he
resorted to the advice of his physicians. . . . He soon
afterwards resolved to reduce his harem, and to dispose of the
supernumerary inmates of it among the officers of his court
and army. In pursuance of this design he ordered. all the
unmarried men who were of sufficient merit and rank to re-
ceive this token of his favour, to assemble at an appointed
hour in the garden of one of his palaces. They were advised
of his gracious intentions, and properly arrayed for the mode
of procedure which had been chosen as most favourable to a
judicious selection of husbands for the fair brides. The old
lady who had the care of the harem, from a position where
she-was concealed from view, examined the physiognomy and
port of each of the assembled bachelors, and, without further
ceremony, wrote down the name of the lady whom she
thought best suited to a man.of such developments. The
assembly was then dismissed, and each man, ou going to his
house, received his bride. The honour was not without its
disadvantages ; since if it should unaccountably happen' that
a man was not exactly snited in his new wife, he was de-
prived of the distinguishing privileges of other Mussulmans.
He had taken her for better or for worse, as no prudent
.cour-
tier would incur the displeasure of the Paella by divorcing
wife received under such circumstances.
an
married to the
now only three wives, who are elderly women, and have little
influence over him. . . . The women
courtiers were not his principal wives, but properlynarr
concu-
bines ; always inferior to those who enjoy the dignity of wife.
• These, among other prerogatives, have the management of
The mother of Ibrahim
the younger women of the harem.
Pacha was retained. Mahommed Ali 'gave a liberal dower
with each of the discarded woinen.—Foreign and Colonial
Quarterly.
.n _
Arid LING.--
We have often thought that the amuse-
ment of angling has been too much despised by those who
are not anglers themselves. If all the pleasure of the par.
:e oft consisted in dragging a fish to the shore, or in watching
a float, to see it go underwater, we might join in the ridi-
cule which has been bestowed, on " the brethren of the,
rod and line. The pleasure of angling, however, takes a
much wider range ; and we are convinced that the mere
act of fishing is only a secondary consideration with
.those who join with it &fetidness for the charms of na-•
ture, The enjoyment of air and exercise, as the
angler pursues his course through flowery meadows
and fields covered with herds and flocks, listening
to the unseen lark; or watching the varied move-:
meats of the swallows, as they glide around him in
every direction, have charms which add a relish to his
walk, and harmonise with every kindly feeling of his
heart. Nor is this all. A reflective angler will devip
many useful lessons of instruction from the visible objects
of creation which surround him ; all of which serxe to
prove the infinitsiperfection and unbounded benevolence
of the great Creator.—Jesse's Scenes and Tales of
Country Life.
ANTI-MaidTgunaw.—There were no fewer than
couples appeared at the altar of Hymen, on Sunday,
Monday, and Tuesday last, at the Collegiate Church, Man -
cheater, and who, on that occasions, took sash other for
"better and for worse."
OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL, LONDON.—Since the Oph-
thalmic Hospital, I%toorfields, was opened (1805), they have
had at that institution 162,914 patients ; educated 1.454 phy-
sicians and surgeons ; and sent medicines to 50,000 distant
petieAte. The ophthalmia was.-imported by the troops re-
turning from the eitpedition tc Egypt, and has spread over a
great part of these kingdomS, with little prospect of the dis-
order being eradicated.