The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-12-19 00:00:00

No. 4.

creased value of the metal

Answer.—Of course; and hence 79 golden sovereigns
bought in October the same security for the annual pay-
ment of three golden pounds, which it required 98 pounds
to buy in January.

5. " The whole of the phenomena referred to are resol -
nto a scarcity; not of currency, but of capital."—Man-

Answer.—On the contrary, it was the scarcity of cur-
rency, which had gone out of the country in October,
which caused the loss of the capital which had existed in

January. It was a scarcity of currency in October, which
rendered Exchequer-bills and the bulk of the mercantile
securities of the country unavailable, and compelled men
of the most undoubted wealth to sacrifice their property
to meet the engagements they had been led into by a
previous excess of currency, shown by low rates of dis-
counts. Finally, it was a want of currency (gold) which
in October compelled Me Bank itself to pay in paper.

LICENS

AND LENGTHINESS OF TONGUE OF I
THE HUSH BAR.

The decorous demeanour observed in the law courts of
Great Britain, during the trial of issues of the most ex-
citing character, has been the admiration of all foreigners
who have visited them ; and has gone far to impress upon
the hearts of the British people that respect for the deci-
sions of those courts, which is the foundation of the peace
and order which they enjoy. In the sister country,
however, any trial of importance must have its scene,
either consisting of a squabble between some member of
the bar with the judge, a squabble between opposing
counsel, or an exciting speech by one or other. In
lengthiness of speech, too, the Irish barrister seems to
pride himself, rather than in lucidness, or in bringing to
bear the result of legal study and forensic acumen. An
Englishman, who has just witnessed the calmness and
urbanity with which the important business of the present
session has been carried on in our own courts, would be
disagreeably surprised at such a scene as the following,
occurring at a sitting of the Nisi Prius Court in Dublin,
during a case, which is reported as "an unusually tedious
and dull" one. A witness has deposed to writing a
letter, and has been cross-examined by Mr. McDonagh,
after which the report of the trial says :
"A warm discussion then took place between Messrs.
i)l'Donagh and Whiteside, the former maintaining that the
witness had stated that she wrote the letter after the conversa-
tion about the costs, and Mr. Whiteside contending that that
was not the witness's answer, and that it should not thus be
taken down by the court.
" The Chief Baron—You are both very irregular.
"Mr. Whiteside (warmly)—lt is very easy for the judge to
say that, but it is the duty of the counsel to his client to see
that the evidence be correctly taken.

ship to tal

" Mr. Vitzgerald asked his lon
!quent answer to Mr. Whiteside
" The Chief Baron—No. I wil

he witness's su

ith reference to the costs.'

"Mr. Whiteside—l claim a matter of strict justice. That is
not the answer of the witness. That I aver, on the faith of a
barrister. That letter was written in reference to the deed,
and the witness did not say she wrote it in reference to the
conversation about costs.
"The Chief Baron—All that may be true, and you can have
it explained on re-examination.
" Mr. Whiteside was proceeding to repeat what he alleged
the witness to have stated, when
"The Chief Baron interposing said—l cannot take what the
witness said from you.

Whiteside(wi

reat warmth'.

I will tell you, my lord,

what I Sc

,
be my duty. lam too old at the liar io be pre:
vented speaking, and I don't like to be interrupted every in-
stant. I have some little position in my profession, and I can
gain no fame by wrangling in such cases. I believe my repu-
tation rests on higher claims.

"The Chief Baron—l must tell you that I will not hear you
or any person whom I consider to be irregular."

A.Tioiher scene took place. during the hearing of the

same trial, exemplifying' the lengthiness of tonne of the
Irish bar. Six o'clock having arrived, " the jury," we
are told, "manifested some impatience, and requested to
know whether Mr. Fitzgibbon," who was addressing them
for the defendant, " would soon finish ;" and the learned
counsel replied that he must occupy their attention for a
considerable time longer. Mr. Fitzgerald observed that
" he had to reply, so that it was impossible for the case
to finish that night." Of course, Mr. Fitzgerald knew
from experience that his tongue, once set a-going, pos-
sessed the character of the celebrated steam leg. His
opponent, Mr. Fitzgibbon, however, pleaded consideration
for his own tongue's infirmities ; and " requested that he
would not be called upon to finish his speech until
morning." After a warm altercation between the learned
counsel and the judge, in which the former asserted his
right to speak as he liked and as long as he liked, without
being interfered with, the court, in despair, adjourned.
The proceedings were resumed next day; and the jury,
having retired some time, said that there was no possi-
bility of their coming to an agreement. Of course, they
were conglomerated, the flood of talk and the contention
to which they had been compelled to listen having lasted
three days !

EXTRAORDINARY DESPATCH.—TiIe new barque 'Sa-
gittarius, of Dartmouth, Joseph Love, commander, sailed
from that port on the 13th September, for Odessa, with a
general cargo, and arrived at Falmouth the 16th of this
month, with a cargo of wheat—thus :oerforming the
voyages out and home in the unprecedented short space
of ninety-four days.