The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-07-11 00:00:00

I as they were quite uncalled for by the 'Measure before
the House. Mr. Canning confessed Maisel( totally un-
acquainted with the merits of the elite; and Air. Wethe-
rell, with all Imaginable gravity, &ter:mined—aye, that
be did—" nut to give any opinior at present."
Recurring to the measure,we agree with Mr. Brougham,
that it is strange." 'tis passing strange," that the Lord
Chancellor should be so constantly trying his band at
what he calls legal reforms, and amendments, and yet
that lie has never remedied, nor attempted to nmedy,
one abuse, or the shadow of an abuse, in the Court over
which he has presided so many years, and in which all
the evils that are separately to he found in all other
Courts, are congregated into one fatal focus, and com-
bine to wither the hopes, and blast the interests of all
who are subjected to its influence. It resembles
the cave in the fable, into which whoever entered in
the pride of health, and bloom of youth, no mat-
ter• how short a period they remained, returned
shrivelled as if with years, and loaded with all the in-
firmities of age. The Chancellor is always looking about
for some one to help him in the discharge of his duties;
which is a constant confession that he is inadequate, in
his opinion, to the duties he bas to discharge. The plain
question is, why does he notresign? Learned, wise, and
amiable as he is, there are in kogland, " five hundred
good as he." But then the salary, and the fees—he finds
no difficulty in taking them; and why should he resign
while he can discharge this molt important duty to his
own satisfaction? to 1813, (said Mr. Brougham) his
language was, " I want a journeyman Chancellor, that 1
6, may get to the House of Lords:—and in 1823, I want a
journeyman Speaker, that I may get to the Court of
" Chancery:" Sir James Mansfield, when urged in his
age to resign his judgeship, used to reply, .that he
could sit upon his horse; and while he could do
that, he was quite sure he could sit upon the Bench.
We do not know whether the Chancellor is a horseman,
Or not; but it would seem that he was gradually prepar-
ing himself with a whole levy of journeymen, upon whose
shoulders he may sit, while they do all the work. He
has got a journeyman Chancellor, in the Court of Chan-
eery. He is to have a journeyman Speaker in the House
of Lords, to determine Scotch Appeals, the most trouble
some part of the business of Appeals. This will soon be •
precedent for another journeyman to hear English
Appeals. Then, as the Chancellor's infirmities
increase upon him, he may ask for a journey.
man Keeper of the Lunatics under his paternal awe
thority;—a journeyman Guardian for all the pretty young
ladies, who, by playing their pretty pranks, encroach
upon the time of the Lord Chancellor—a journeyman
Superintendant of the Bankruptcy business—a journey-
man Hearer of theatrical disputes—in sbort,he may soon
have a journeyman for every separate branch of his avo-
cations :—and then, as the business will be all provided
for, at the public expence, he may close his long and
illustrious , by introducing a Bill to reward his la-
bours, by making the salary of the Lord Chancellor, and
the fees of the Court of Chancery, hereditary in his fa-
mily! That is the sort of blessing which the country
generally receives from " eminent lawyers !" and though
this would be rather "a big blessing," let it be remem-
bered it would come from the hands of " the most emi.
neat of all the eminent." ,Ask the Attorney-General ifl
he does not think so?

Mr. Hume moved for certain papers relative to the
conduct of Sir T. Maitland, in reference to the quarantine
laws at Malta. It appears that Sir Thomas has had a
medical beard, which was complaisant enough not to
insist upon the observance of the quarantine laws " on
the part of the Governor," and that, in consequence, the
Maltese trade had so:f2rell, by the refusal of other ports
to admit their vessels, as they had not at Malta conform.
ed to the regulations deemed necessary by the maritime
states; of the Mediterranean to prevent infection. The
Maltese therefore called for a strict board of health, that
should not allow the regulations to be evaded, even to
accommodate a Governor. Since we have read Dr•
Maclean's treatise on this subject, we have great
doubts u healer the whole system of the quarantine
laws ought not to be abolished, and something less em
barrassing to trade, less expensive, less contradictory to
all known principles, and more efficacious as to the object
in view were adopted. The common sense of the case
is certainly with Dr. Maclean. Granted that the plague
is a highly infectious disorder, It is barbarous to compel
the whole of a ship's crew to remain in contact with it,
when an individual on board happens to be infected.
This, if the cootagionists are right, is absolutely mur-
dering the poor creatures, by imprisoning them within
the reach of its influence. On the contrary, if it is only
incidentally contagion% the confinement on board a close
vessel is the most likely means of contributing to its
extension. Roomy hospitals, free air, and the improved
diet which might be obtained on shore, would be the
better treatment. But all that is old, must be deemed
good in this period. The dark ages are about to be
forced upon the world again ; and a precious world it
will be., if the Holy Alliance should prevail.

THE STATESMAN '

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drama at Seville; it is too 'evident that Genera Moral*
wait a party to the expected arrangement; aad his open
,defection is the consequence of this disappointment,
It cannot be denied that this deepens the gloom that
hangs about the success of the Spanish Liberals ;—bet
Mina, Villa Camps, Lopez Banos, and others, are still
faithful; and the Cortes would do well to invite adven-
turers from every quarter of the world to join the Spa
nisi; bands,who are stillin arms against the French. Bet.,
ter that Spain should fall into any bands than into these
of France. Better would it be to recal the Moors, than
to suffer the French liltrasto dictate the terms of a
slavish sulunission. As the circle narrows roond the de
voted friends of the liberty of Spain, the anxiety en-
creases as to the mode in which they .will finally acquit
themselves. The virtue of the Homan Urutna, and the
Greek Aristides is expected from them. Nothing but
the resignation of the one to bear, and the courage of
the other to strike, can confer upon them the meed of
immortality which their conduct hitherto has led the
world to believe they deserve.