Star.
London, England, 1814-05-03 00:00:00

constitution. It was the duty of every man to assist
in the detection and reform of these abuses. "He
should confine himself to the proceedings by mesne
process, and of those in the cases of trover said bat-
tery, the verdict might be either for the !defendant •
or not, so much as the expence and imprisonment
previously imposed. Notwithstanding this, a man
might be immediately imprisoned, however innocent,
at the sole discretion of the plaintiff. The plaintiff
was at any time permitted to make an affidavit of the
debt, and on this alone throw the defendant into pri-
son, which was in other words permitting him to be
judge io his own cause, and resigning the scales of
justice into the hands of prejudice and passion. This
position his Lordship illustrated by several interesting
instances. Another grievance also was, that the
plaintiff was not obliged to declare before the end of
the term following that on which the writ was re-
turned, so that five months more might elapse before
the cause could be bnought to trial, and during all
this time the defendant, however just his cause, was
suffering imprisoemeiit, and could have no compen-
sation, unless he could chew that his imprisonment
proceeded from malice. A person leaving the coun-
try for instance, and going to America, might wreck
vengeance on any man in this land of liberty, by
taking an oath that be was owing him 10 or 413,
and thereby subjecting him, for many months, to
hardships and privations unknown to the greatest
villains, suffering penal confinement for their crimes,
and to which persons were not subjected that were
suspected of the most atrocious offences. A late Act
Clad pa,sse4 raising the slim from ten to fifteen pounds,
but this was no advantage, as these rascally attor-
nies could easily raise a few pounds or a few shillings
to the sum required. Would their Lordships thus
allow•a salutary Act to be evaded by fraud and chi-
;Very- By allowing this, there could be no sense
and ne utility in the proceeding. It often happened
that the defendant and the plaintiff were at last in
the same prison, because, if the plaintiff was un-
able to pay the costs, the attorney would send him to
keep the defendant .company, after having first set
them by the ears. His Lordship sheaved besides from
the report, that out of five hundred and twenty cre-
'elitors, not more than forty-five had been able to pay
a shilling of the debt, and of these twenty-two could
Only pay a trifle more than the expence. His Lord-
Ship also took a view of the extravagant expence of a
apunging-house, and wishe.Lto hear the opinito of a
Learned Lord present (Elleilborougli). 01 the law-
yers he was sure the Noble and Learned Lord on the
woolsack would not say a word in their favour—
lauzk.) A lawyees bill had sometimes eight and
even twelve counts, which were each of then, but
one, perhaps a fiction ; of this he gave an instance
that had come within his own knowledge, of an actor-
aoy making twelve counts, in a case of stealing a pair
of leather breeches, none of which, except one, were
any thing like the truth, ft r saying whicn, the attor-
;ley told his Lordship he knew nothing of law,—
This was reckoned a very clever attorney, so far
as cleverness consists in a man's taking money out of
other peoples pc ckets and putting it into his own. He
complained also of die mode by which causes were
brought into (,oust, that had legally no cognizance
of them, by the introduction of mere fictions. Mr.
brook Watson, once Lord Mayor of London, had
lost a kg in the West Indies by a shark ; on one oc-
casion, when he was inveighing severely against law-
yers, an attorney present asked a thend, " What
made the worthy Alderman such an enemy to law-
yers r' " Why," says his friend, " Don't you see
that he has already lost one leg by the sharks." It
was better to begin reform at the head than at the
tail, and he called oo their Lordships therefore, whose
accidental birth had placed them at the head, to com-
mence this reform, and abolish for ever the unjust I
practice of mesne process, as inconsistent with the
rights of Magna Plana, which proved that nobody
should be imprisoned unless by the lawful judgment
of his peers, or the law of the land, which knew of no
mesne process. The object of his first Bill, therefore,
was to put an end to all prec:Adaigs by mesne pro-
cess ; which was read a first, and ordered to bt read
a second time.
His second Bill was, for the better protection of
poor debtors, against petty-fogging attornies, and
had for its object that no expence should be included
as part of the original debt. This Bill was also read
a first time, and ordered to be read a second.
• These dill*, he misted, if carried, would destroy
the great facility of swindling ;- and, if deify were car-
ried, he was sure that all the swindlers about town
would meet in one of the squares. and hens him (his
Lordship) in effigy—(4 L,80.)
susPrimom OF 110111T!LITIE4.
Lord LIVERPOOL, by the command a his
Royal Highness the Prince Regent, laid on the table
a copy of the convention betweeti the allies and the
government of France for the suspension of hostilities ;
as also a copy of the treaty•Of concert and subsidy be-
tween this country ar.d the allies.
NORWAY.
Lord GREY moved that there be laid before the
House a copy of all orders given to the officers of
eruizers or squadrons on the coast of Norway ; also,
an account of the sums paid to the government of
sweden, and the number of troops it had brought into
the field ; with the time at which the island of Gua-
deloupe had been actually ceded to that government.
These papers were accordingly ordered, and are in-
-Melded ai preparatory to a motion on the subject of
. tiorvay, of which the Noble Earl gave notice tor to-
ooryow ;!'night.—Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Tits Committee of the whole House on the Election Exiences
Bill was, oo the motion of Mr. pooGLA.s, postponed du Than-
*ay next.
Ccatioshaps inelosore Bill was ordered to be read p se-
cond time on this day si; months.
The Cordage Bill was read a third time and passed.
The Gas bight and Coke Company BM was read a second
tbse, and ordyrtd to be compiled.
be third reaetng of the Cambridge Cam' MU was postponed.
Sir J. NEWPORT stated that k was no above smooth since
be bid moved fur returns of certain Fees received by Judges,
Mere of Gyro, kr.. sad not este had yet found its way to the
Table of the How. Hs siamid ear move, therefore, that Re-
turns be made t 9 the NM order forthwith.
. tUtillakat PlUe
Sir W. cuRTII, niuyt,d the wood reading of tbl4
Mr t. MONCK wiled the Has. Barton had explained the
oteare sad etwsat of the duties to be Oil brevearil/2 acc4ll.ll
to this au, jaa how fsc they were different hew thee, ass*
levisti_l?y loran. Aga, '
Sir w.C1.310.. 11, obaer,„A
front vortansouth to Loodtm. It'lli...ry7tiolYr-t:tbat.l4ttuteTh'e'rsebowullisdnploy":o:
Sannate, and it was tau, ~—"•11 40610 enter, except

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