The Sun.
London, England, 1827-05-25 00:00:00

ever expects uniformityeof opinion upon all, or
even any one of the great questions of State
policy, expects that which never can nor will
arrive. It has certainly.been the object of Mr.
Canning's Administration, though in, the face
of many difficulties interposed by his colleagues,
to liberalize (if we may use the expression) the
measures of Government, to open a more gene-
rous system of intercourse with strangers, and to
disallow the hereditary pretensions of .fainily
pride at 'lame. It has been his fortune singly and
Individually, with some spirit and no little skill,
to drive away the flock of harpies, who, in
their own persons, or those of their fathers, had
fastened their beaks and talons in the body of
the State for upwards of 60 years. 'Whoever
considers that the grandfather of a Minister,
happily now no more, and his surviving brother,
was a ragged Scotchman—(a Scotchman !
what reflections that single word calls up in our
minds !)—was a ragged Scotchman, carrying a
pack, and that since the pack was laid down,
the family has had really no other trade but that
of statesmen—with some leases, we believe, pro-
cured in that character, from the Dry-salter's
Company, in London ;—whoever, we say, con-
siders these circumstances, and views the wealth
and connexions of the family at this day, may
conceive the rate at which this unhappy country
has been plundered, and how the plunderers
have been protected by their numbers and union.
It has been, we say, Mr. Canning's fortune to
drive off the harpies, who still, however, hover
round, and keep the body on which they had
fastened in view. Let Mr. Canning continue,
and develope yet farther his present liberal system
of policy. Let him foster genius and promote
talent ; and if it be the effect of increased intel-
ligence, diffused knowledge, and expanded
mind, to create indifference to the great question
of Parliamentary Reform, none will have a
right to complain—none can complain—the
question will have been lost in a legitimate man-
ner in the court of reason. If, on the contrary,
it be the effect of a higher degree of public
knowledge, and a more uncontroulled communic a-
tionand expression of public opinion, to evince more
clearly the necessity of reform, as a protection
against the recurrence of abuses, neither the present
nor any future Mr. Canning when the present shall
be laid low, can prevent the question from being
carried;—from being carried silently and tranquilly,
step by step, as the conviction of its utility is im-
parted to greater multitudes. So that, at any rate,
we come to this conclusion—that it cannot be un-
fair for both parties, retaining at present their fixed
opinions, to unite in communicating to the nation
those enlarged principles of thought and action which
must ultimately decide between them. They make
an appeal to an impartial umpire. The reformers
never had so fair an opportunity of making them-
selves heard; the anti-reformer: could never urge
their doctrines under less suspicion of corrupt mu-
tivee ; but, to begin with the most perilous and con-
tested question of 574 enlightened system of policy,
and to pursue the minor objects of the system after-
wards,—nay, to make the immediate adoption of the
treat question the condition of joining in the promo-
L.: -. the subordinate measures, however useful,
77eun be preposterous and absurd. Lord Lane-
down, a statesman above suspicion, has judged more
wisely—has pursued a more rational order : and we
have no doubt that Lord Grey will, on fuller consi-
deration, accede to the same course.—lbid.
We yesterday offered some observations on the
subject of Law Reform, a wide field in this
country. The great encouragement, as we en-
deavoured to ee.hew, for men of talents in the learn-
ed profession to exert themselves for the public
good, is the conscionsness that that public can
appreciate their labours. It is of the utmost im-
portance that men of education should bestow
their attention on law, for intelligence in Lay-
men will not only act as a stimulus to the noble
minded in the profession, but operate as re-
restraint on those who are strangers to higher
considerations. We know of nothing more mss-
chievous in the way of repressing the exertions
of the well• meaning, than that levelling dispo-
sition which indulges in indiscriminate censure,
refuses to acknowledge merit, and to pay the
just tribute to honourable intentions. The love
of applause is a powerful incentive to noble ac-
tions, and he who endeavours to withhold it
when due, is one of the worst enemies of his
kind. We have been led into these remarks, by
the perusal of a Report which has just appeared
in Edinburgh, on the subject of the Jury Court,
entitled, " Report to the Right Hon. the Lord
Chief Commissioner, and other Judges of the
Jury Court, by Thomas Guthrie Wright, Esq.,
Auditor of that Court." This production is
highly creditable to the Lord Chief Commis-
sioner, who appears to be actuated by the
soundest and most liberal views. The experi-
ment of Jury Trials in Scotland, has been
attended with many difficulties. With a view to '
the improvement of the procedure, the Lord
Chief Commissioner, on the sth October last,
instructed Mr. Guthrie Wright to repair to Lon-
don, for the sake of pursuing inquiries on the I
spot, as to various points of English practice.
Mr. Weight, in his Report, which is dated 12th
January, 1827, states, " that he had communi-
cations with several Gentlemen of eminence in
l
the profession of the Law in London," on the
subject of his instruceions, and that the present
Solicitor-General (Sir N. C. Tindal) strongly '
recommended it to him " to communicate with
Henry Brougham, Esq. M.P. on the subject,
as being not only a lawyer of great eminence and
talents, whose opinion on all such matters is
worthy of the greatest attention ; but, as being
peculierly fitted to give advice on this point,
from his acquaintance with Scotch Law, and the
forms of proceedings in our Courts. The Re-
porter stecordiagJy
ss the waited on Mr. Brougham,
points on which lie was
and explained to hi
desirous of obtaining ;,information ; and his
opinion on the subject in vestion entirely
coincided with that expressed by the So-
licitor-General, and others. The warm zeal and
interest which that Gentleman has taken in thC
matter, as well as the ability and sound philoso-
pi;ical view which he has taken of the subject,
will he seen from a long letter which the Re-
porter has had the honour of receiving from him,
and which he considers it his duty to lay before
the Judges 531 the Appendix." The letter of Mr.
Broughaies, which has thus been laid before the
public under. the countenance ofthe Scotch Autho-
rities, is highly deserving of the notice of the public
in both parts of he ;island, as furnishing an
admirable criticism on &r.veral important points
me
of English English practice, and conieifling so
men,dations, which, if attended to, wonid lead to
the mo.'s important results, We wish our limits
would allo' us to insert the document at present
at full length ; but though we nay flo so on a
future day, we 4An only lay extracts from it at
present before our reglers. Mr. Brougham cau-
tions the Scotch 4434461 danger which would
result from the introititction of the English plea
of general issue taken hyitself,-and of ctIT gene-
Yal forms of action The great objects ought
always to be," he says, " to compel parties to
as much as possible of their several casesl
zirCla to face of the pleadings, and tp make that
disclosure es early as possible in the proceedings,