The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-12-04 00:00:00

SHARE IN A BURIAL SOCIETY.

John Skeleton.—l claim for a life interest in buildings be-
logging to a burial society in Resurrection-place.
Barr►ster.—Let me understand you, sir. What do you get a
year clear of all charges ?
Skeleton (apparently puzzled.)—l have a beneficial interest
in the property, sir; after my death a sum of money will be
allowed to my family by the society for my burial.
Barrister.—This may be called a post mortem interest; but I
do not see how it can confer the franchise on the living. It is
decidbdly a bad vote. Mr. Skeleton, you had better amend your
claim, and send it to the overseer next year chiselled on a grave-
stone: it will then partake of the nature of reality.

Barrister.—Did you serve Isaac Slender with a notice of
objection?
Witness.—Yes, sir.
Barrister• —ldow ?

Witness.—By leaving it with his tenant's wife.
Ist Liberal Agent.—l submit to the court this is bad service.
Conservative Agent.—On the other hand, I contend it is
good, for husband and wife are but one.
2d Liberal Agent.—Non constat that she is the wife of the
tenant because she was in his house.

Barrister.—We cannot be so strict as to rcquire proof of mar-
riage. The fact of their living together establishes a sufficient
prima facie case.
3d Liberal Agent.—The object of the reform act is to create
as many voters as possible. Any clause under which a voter
can by possibility be disfranchised must be construed strictly.
The wife does nut satisfy the words of the statute—" tenant in
possession."
Conservative Agent.—But man and wife are in pari materia
. .

4th Liberal Agent (who had been brought from another court
to argue the question.)—l have the honour to appear before yen,
and feel it my duty to urge upon you that exprextio luaus ex-
cludit ali.rura—tbat the word tenant does not include two per-
sons—that consequently the service is bad, the husband being
de facto et de jure, the tenant in possession.
Barrister.—This case has been argued with great ingenuity
by the gentlemen on both sides, who have brought their classi-
cal attainments to bear on the subject, but I really. do not see
how I can decide it otherwise than against the service.

SHARK IN A BURIAL GROUND.
Barrister (addressing a rosy-faced, plump-looking gentleman.)
—Pray, sir, are you a tory?
Ephraim Tomtstone (looking most cadaverous) answers to
his name.

sarrister.—Now explain to me how the annual value is
shown. _

Tombstone.—The land is conveyed to trustees ; but they have
nothing further to do with it, nor has any body else, except the
shareholders. We sell graves and tombstones, and on payment
of fees we open graves.
Barristers.—You are a public company.
Conservative Agent.—lf it could be shown that the sharel.
holders are resurrectionists, there would be some pretence for
arguing that the profits arise from or out of land, but the profits
are like those of any trading company.
Tombstone.—We are not resurrectionists. _

Barrister.—Then your case fulls to the ground.

John Tallow (name called.)
Tombstone.—l appear for him. He is a trustee of the burial
ground, which is valuable for building purposes. lam prepared
to prove the value.
Barrister.—Wilt you build among the graves?—(with sur-
prise.)
Liberal Agent.—The sale of a grave only confers a right of
depositing bodies which are of a perishable nature, and speedily
become mingled with the earth.
Barrister.—lt is useless to proceed further; you before proved
that the trustees had no power over the laud.

Titus Threadpaper:—(name called.)
Tomhstone.—l appear for_him. He is the registrar.
Barrister.—Surely you do not claim for him;' you put him
w
out olcourt by your on evidenee.—Manchaster Courier.

A DISTINCTION.—A gentleman discharged his coachman for
overturning him in his carriage on his road home from a dinner
party. The man next morning craved pardon by acknowledging
his fault. "1 had certainly drunk too much, Sir,l said he; '• but
was not rery drunk, and gentlemen, you know, sometimes yet
drunk."—" Why, replied the master, (the Hon. 8.C., renown-
ed for the smartness of kis answers,) " I don't say you were
very drunk for a gentleman, but you were d—d drunk for a
coachman, so get about yuur business."