The Sun.
London, England, 1827-05-29 00:00:00

the high character of the Judges affords a secu-
rity against the wanton exercise of the power
Which they arrogate to themselves. But the
Coroners throughout the country belong to a
class of men, country attorneys, most of whom
would laugh at those who should suppose them
c:Table of being ever actuated by elevated feel-
ings—of men who, if ever they had any princi-
ple, have lost it in the pettifogging practices in
which they have passed their lives. Were it not
that in all cases of violent or sudden deaths
there is generally a strong disposition in the
Jury to inquire into all the circumstances calcu-
lated to throw light on them, which disposition
generally affords a security to the public against
such corrupt attempts to screen murderers as
were lately brought to light in a county border-
ing on Wales, where a Coroner and packed
Jury would have allowed a husband who made
away with his wife to escape, had not the facts
transpired through a Reporter who was present
--were it not, we say, for the presence of a
Jury, we should say, that the institution of Co-
roner would be worse than useless.—lt is not
denied that in general publicity would be benefi-
cial, and indeed, when no light can be obtained
as to the cause of death which forms the subject of
inquiry, it is obvious that the more extensive the
publicity, the greater the chance of supplying the
deficiency. We are so used to the benefits accru-
ing from the publicity of Coroner's Inquests in po-
pulous places in this country, that we are in some
degree disqualified from estimating the real value of
them. But let us transport ourselves for a moment
to the Morgue at Paris, where two or three dead
bodies are generally to be found exposed. In this
country it very seldom happens that a (loath cannot
be accounted for; but in numberless instances, no

light is thrown on the manner in which the indi►i-
duals exposed in the Morgue came by their deaths.
Now, is it to be supposed, that if the public atten-
tion were drawn through such vehicles as Newspa-
pers to the appearance of the body, the articles
found on it, the place where it was found, and a
number of other particulars, that the disclosure
would not frequently lead to the obtaining further
information and to the detection of crime ? No
one who reflects a moment can doubt then that pub-
licity is often of the utmost importance, especially
in large overgrown capitals. Lord Tenterden states
and states truly, that there are cases in which se-
crecy is necessary (though secrecy and a Jury sound
oddly together) ; that it may be necessary that the
suspected person should not, in that early stage, be
informed of the suspicions entertained against him;
that a discretion must, therefore, be vested in the
Coroner to determine whom to exclude and whom
to admit. This, however, though it amounts to a
protection of the Lancashire Coroi,er, and is pro-
bably as much as he cares for, by no means justifies
the particular act complained of. The Judges say
we will protect Coroners in all cases, but they do
not say that publicity is in all cases an evil. The
Lancashire Coroner, however, wished to have the
power of exclusion in all cases, on the ground that
publicity in all cases was an evil. It was the cir-
cumstance of a Reporter being present at all that
moved his gall. He did not pretend to say that
there were any circumstances in the particular case
that demanded secrecy. We fear the decision of
the Court of King's Bench will have a tendency to
do much mischief, inasmuch as the decision will
operate to deteriorate still farther a class of men,
who, even in Blackstone's time, had become ob-
noxious to the country.--Morning Chronicle.

The proposition for separating the Bankruptcy
cases from the jurisdiction of the Court of
Chancery resolves itself into this simple question
—Whether a harvest of fees amounting to up-
wards of 30,000/. a-year, with corresponding
patronage, is to remain attached to the Court of
Chancery or not ? In order to try what it really
is that causes the resistance among the lawyers
• in Parliament to this proposition, let the fees be
abolished, and then it will be seen whether Mr.
Michael Angelo Taylor will any longer find it as
difficult a matter to sever the bankruptcy cases
from the Court of Chancery as to prevent the
river Thames from falling into the sea. There
ire few barristers of any ambition and success
who do not look forward to the possession of the
Great Seal at one day or other ; and, therefore,
such persons, naturally enough, are adverse to
.any plan of reform in the Court that would have
the effect of causing a material diminution of the
.emoluments mid patronage of office. When the
Whigs, indeed, appeared hopeless of ever getting
into power, the barristers who had enlisted in
their ranks could afford to call for the reform of
a system, the " good things" of which did
not seem likely ever to fall to their lot ; but
now that there is a chance of high judicial
situations, and even the Woolsack itself be-
coming Whig-property, the reforming bar-
risters consider the system which they repro-
bated before in the most unmeasured terms,
as too sacred a thing to be touched by the profane
hands of innovation. But let the fees be swept
away, and Mr. Taylor or Mr. Harvey may erect a
separate Court for Bankruptcy cases in whatever
part of the King's dominions they please, without
rueeting with any interruption from the aspirants for
the reversion of the Chancellorship. If we would
consult for the administration of justice on its purest
principles, there ought to be no such thing as fees
In Courts of Law. The King's Courts ought to
have no officers who were not paid such salaries as
might be an adequate remuneration for their services
to the public, out of the public money. They ought
not to have an interest in litigation and the delays of
law. This is not a question as to individuals, but
one of principle. Much has been said of the talents
of the present Lord Chancellor, and we readily sub-
scribe to tha most favourable opinion of his abilities,
as well as of his intentions; but we would give him

credit for powers absolutely superhuman, it we were
to suppose it possible that his personal exertions
could obviate the detects inherent in the system over
which he presides. We would be lendiny ourselves
to a fallacy to tell the public that any man was equal
to such a task. Our respect for Lord Lyndhurst's
character, is, perhaps, more sincere than that of
many who flatter him with this notion, but it will
be found that nothing but the Legislature can make
the Court of Chancery as efficient in its operations,
as it is extensive in its power.—Morning Herald.

Horned cattle were in high request at the
spring fair of l3allinasloe. The show of stock
was not so large as on former occasions, but nc,t
a single beast remained unsold, and heifers car-
ried in many instances 81. to 141. a bead.

SERIOUS ACCIDENT.— On Saturday last, a
young lad, in the village of Laurieston, had a
live adder given to him, which he put into a
small box, and repeatedly took it out with his
bare hand, to exhibit to the curious natives. His
caution abating as be grew familiar with his ye-
nemous prisoner, he happened at length to lay
hold of the reptile rather roughly by the tail,
when it bit him between the finger and thumb of
his right hand, and, ere it was shaken off, bad
sheathed its fangs deeply among the blood-ves-
sels. Nothing was done for the unfortunate suf-
ferer till all the usual symptoms of intense pain,
and livid and rapid swelling, showed that the
poison had spread its virulence to the shoulder,
the whole arm exhibiting a monstrous thickness.
As the weather has not let been very warm, and
the animal was not of the largest size, the patient
escaped the result that appeared fatally to threa-
ten his temerity, and is, we understand, gradually
recoverhig,.....calecNnian Mercury,