The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-21 00:00:00

THE I NISH BAR.

MEETING OF THE IRISH LAW STUDENTS
IN LONDON.

A meeting of the Irish law students at present in
London, was held in the Crown and Anchor Tavern on
Tuesday evening last, for the purpose of taking into
consideration the provisions of " a Bill to amend the
Laws regulating the admission of Barristers in Ireland,"
introduced into Parliament by Sir Valentine Blake.
The Chair was taken at eight o'clock by Mr. F. L. Smith.
The CHAIRMAN having explained the objects of the

meeting,
Mr. M. J. MARTYN, who was requested to act as Se-
cretary, said that the Committee of Irish Law Students
in London, of which he was a member, totally disap-
proved of the measure introduced by Sir Valentine
Blake. They had determined to oppose it in every
stage ; and, with that view, a petition was prepared
for presentation to the House of Commons, pointing out
the monstrous anomalies and absurdities of the Bill ;
and at the same time praying a modification of the pre-
sent system. The Committee had deputed him (Mr.
Martyn) and the Chairman to wait on Sir Valentine
Blake, to remonstrate with him, and to ascertain from
what source he had received instructions to bring in such
a measure, but they were unable to obtain any clue to
the originators of the matter, Sir Valentine Blake
having only stated that he had received instructions
from a " number of law students." It was obvious
that the present system was absurd in the extreme.
No doubt advantages might be derived from students
coming over to London, but there should be no compul-
sion—it should be optional; and if theywere to be obliged
to keep terms in London, they should be obliged to avail
themselves of those advantages which it was said they
could have there. Nothing could be more absurd—no-
thing more unreasonable—than the provision of the Bill
now under consideration of the House of Commons,
that eight years were necessary to enable men to ac-
complish in Ireland what might be done in England in
three years. The statutes by which the present system
was regulated were passed at a period when the practice
of the Irish Courts did not afford students the means of
qualifying themselves for their profession, and at a
time, too, when other motives beside made it appear po-
litic to compel Irish students to resort to English Inns
of Court; but the necessity for these laws had long ceased
to exist—the Irish Courts now affording every means
for a complete tlegal education, the Irish bar
being as eminent for learning and ability, and the Irish
Judges being, according to the admission of all parties,
as distinguished for their decisions as their brethren
in England.—(Hear, hear.) In addition to all that,
the continuance of the present system stamped the
Irish bar with an unjust mark of inferiority, which their
legal acquirements and character in no degree warranted;
and it exacted from the Irish students nearly double
the amount of fees and stamp duties payable by those
whose intention it was to be called to the English bar ;
for that there was no advantage conferred upon the Irish
student, except forsooth the privilege of going into a
pleader or conveyancer's chambers, for which he was
again victimised. That profession, like all others, re-
quired a certain amount of protection ; it was not sought
to annihilate that protection ; it was not desired to
increase the facilities, nor was it requisite to increase
the restrictions, in order to meet the views of those who
were in favour of an abolition of the present system, but
the object was to rediodel the existing system, and sub-
stitute in its stead one less remarkable for antiquated
absurdity, and one which would be calculated to confer
advantages upon the body at large.
The CHAIRMAN regretted that time did not permit the
London Committee to await the reply to communica-
tions despatched to the law students in Ireland, whose
co-operation it was desirable to have, in order the more
effectually to oppose the present bill. It was unnecessary
for him to expose the absurdities of the present system,
as every law student was sensible of them. the Bill now
under consideration-of the House, while it pretended to
remove the abuses of which they complained, had only
the effect of perpetuating, if not aggravating, them under
another form. The Chairman then entered into the de-
tails of the bill itself, and in a very able and eloquent
manner elucidated its injustice, contradictions, and
absurdities.
Mr. MARTYN then brought forward the petition which,
protesting against Sir V. Blake's Bill, prayed that the
Legislature should repeal the Acts of 33d Hen. VIII. and
11th Elizabeth, and that it should be enacted in their
stead that all fit persons should be hereafter permitted
to practice as barristers in Ireland, who had graduated
at one of the Universities of Great Britain or Ireland,
and who had entered as Irish students any of the Inns
of Court of Great Britain or Ireland, and served therein
twelve terms, who, not having graduated as, any Univer-
sity, should have, in lieu thereof, paid as an equivalent
such additional amount of fees and served such additional
number of terms as to the Legislature might seem fit;
and further that the right of all students, now in any
stage of their course of preparation fur the Irish bar,
should not be affected by any alteration of the present
system.
Mr. WHITE expressed his entire concurrence in the
observations which had been made, and his approbation
of the petition, which was calculated to convey the
opinions and meet the views of the Irish law students in
general; he had therefore much pleasure in moving that
it be adopted, and entrusted for presentation to the
Right Hon. Frederick Shaw, and that the Right Hon.
the Lord Mayor of Dublin, the Solicitor-General for
Ireland, and other Irish Members, should be requested
to support its prayer.
Mr. DEARING having seconded the resolution,
Mr. DUGGAN moved as an amendment, that Sir V,
.Blake should be remonstrated with, and the objection-
nble nature of his Bill pointed out to him by a deputation
appointed for that purpose, before any petition should
'be adopted or presented to Parliament upon the subject
«)t* it.

Mr. MARTYN stated, that ho should be most anxious to
-act with the utmost courtesy towards Sir Valentine
•Blake, but the course suggested by the proposer of the
amendment, was totally unnecessary, as Sir Valentine
Blake had been apprised immediately after the first
reading of this Bill of the evils which existed in the pre-
sent system, and of the remedies calculated to remove
them. The Hon. Baronet had then an opportunity to act
'von those suggestions, but he did not seem to regard
them; it appeared he was solely influenced by the repre-
sentations of some nameless individual or some few un-
:known persons, who had the audacity to impose upon
-him by representing the opinions of the body of the law
students at large, manifestly without any authority
whatever.—The amendment was withdrawn.
A discussion then arose as to the Member who should
be requested to present the petition, but it was ultimately
'greed upon that Mr. Sergeant Murphy (Member fur
Cork) should be requested to present it, and that a de-
putation from that meeting should be appointed to wait
upon Mr. O'Connell, Mr. Shaw, and other Irish Mem-
bers, for the purpose of securing their opposition to the
Bill.

Mr. DILLox having been called to the Chair,
Mr. O'Dwyca said he was convinced that that meet-
;niiand the Irish law students in general, felt deeply
ebted to Mr. Smyth for his indefatigable zeal to pro-
mote their interests. lle had therefore great pleasure
in proposing a vote of thanks to him. The proposition
was unanimously adopted, and the meeting then ad-
[The second reading of the Bill above alluded to was
moved by Sir Valentine Blake last night in the House
of Commons, and negatived without a division.]

DECISION IN THE CASE OF THE
FRENCH POST-OFFICE AGAINST VIVIER,
ONE OF THE COURIERS OF THE LONDON
MORNING PAPERS•

/3011L01NE, APRIL 19.-7 his case, which excited so much
interest on Wednesday last, and attracted such a crowd of spec-
tators, on account of the great orator who pleaded the defence,
has just been decided against the Courier. It appears this
cause has, at the same time, excited the most unprecedented
severity in the conduct and judgment of the French authori-
ties, as regards the carrying of letters, &c., for, independent
of ;he condemnation of the Courier, to pay a fine of 150 f.
(about 61.) the same penalty has been inflicted upon an English
lady who arrived by the mail packet on the 3d inst. Two
letters having been found in her pocket-bock. Capt. Wing-
field, of the Emerald, London steamer, was also fined the same
sum for brining a letter directed to a ship-broker, who is the
agent in Boulogne to the Commercial Steam-packet Company.
It i, highly important this severity sh Lc ma. known to
the public, to prevent such serious con,tquenees tu lire nulbe-
runs English who are now beginning to come to Boulogne, Br.c.