The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-08-03

visit 10 the British Courts is thus described IN
recent letter from London by the correspondent Of the
Trenton Emporum,-a gentleman Of the New jersey
bar:
have spent much time and been greatly interested,
in the Courts Of Justice Those at Doctors Com
mons are not now in session, but have visited the
halls and public Offices, and been delighted win the
perfect order, system and accuracy, with when the
public business is done. For example, was admit
ted by special favor visit from an American la"
yer being rare to the vault annexed 10 the PrerogaNe
office, where all the wills and papers relating TO tesla
since the year 1900 kept and 50 perfect was
the system Of dockeling, indexing and arranging the
papers that the chief clerk satisfied me that ~ I'VE
minutes he could lay his hand on any paper h'ed IN
the office within the last five centuries aud he de-
clared TO me- that original paper had been lost
IL is vault Of immense extent-ffe proof and bomb
proof and entered by any but those whose es-
pecial business II is, except IN some Iare cases, such
as the visit OF stranger Of the cloth nom ioreign
country
The House Of Lords, which has been sitting as a
Court of Appeals every morning; the Courts of
Queens Bench Common Pleas, Exchequer, and
Old Bailey, which sit regularly have generally ter
minated my daily rambles. | have been much
disappointed in the size and style Of the rooms IN
which the Lords and the Courts OF Westminster
Hall hold their sit,ings. The House of Lords
should Judge not than sixty by thirty feet,
plainly furnished throughout, and with very meagre
accommodations for the bar small lobby Is set
on one emu ny a pam ralinR, tioSs's Wv
room, and at this railing bar the advocate stands,
or rather leans, while addressing their Lordshlps-
On chair by his side making an occasional note
on his knees his inksland on the loor al his ieet'
sits the opposing counsel. The sersean,-atarms
occupies second chair in one corner-the chalf
OF the advocate who is speaking is occupied by
some weary spectator two three reporters SIT on
the floor, writing out the agument with their note
books in their laps and the little squad OF unoccuped
bar and spectators lean against the wall or SIT
lnnf hp liar Int ha ont X,
long table before him. sits Lord Chancellor Cotten-
ham, fine pory looking man, the picture OF patience
and equanimlty; on one side OF the table sits me
Clerk the other side lounging on one bench with
his feet stretched out another, is Lord Brougham,
in dress and manners plain plain can be, but
sharply watching the argument and frequently per
picking the advocate by short and abrupt converse
iional remarks two or three peers stroll about the
house, read their letters, amuse themselves with the
coloquies between the advocate and Brougham-but
manliesty pay no attention TO the merits OF the case
And this far as have SEEN is fair sample OF the
House of Lords sitting Court of Appeal IN the
last resort in the Kingdom il is proper however to
say, that both the House of Lords and the House OF
Commons hold their sings in temporary building
hastily put up for the purpose when The old Paria
ment House burned, and that magnificent build
ing is being erected for their accommodation, at the
foot of Westminster bridge, which, II is supposed VIII
take several years yet to complete.
In Westminster Hail. OF rather in rooms entered
from the Hail. the Courts Of Queens Bench
Common Pleas Exchequer, and Courts of Chanceiy
The occupied by these Courts all very small
no one of them as large the Supreme Court room
at Trenton, and very plainly furnished, The Judges
sit upon elevated cushioned bench against the wall
each with desk before him The Clerks table &C.
cupies the space Immediately in 'front.' and the Bar
cupy circular seats rising one above another with
narrow desks before them
Such ofthese required by the profess
sion used by spectators In the Courts where jury
trials held the jury box the left and the wit
nesses box on the right of the bench. The witness
box constructed like old fashioned pulpit, elevated
high the judges, and the Counsel while examin-
ing the witness always stands He has the questions
TO be put in the examination in chief on his brief and
merely notes there the substance of his answer. The
animation is always bref, and directly 10 the
point. The briefs prepared with great care and
the time and labor of getting through cause is con-
se1uently greatly economical. Two or three impor
OF fact generally disposed of in
single sitting, which occupies ordinarily from ten in
the morning 10 five in the afternoon, and sometimes
longer.
In Doctors Commons, the profession wear the col
legiate gown Of scarlet--in the Courts of law the
black silk gown is universally worn the Judges Of the
Queens Bench wear light blue gowns-and all the
members of the Courts practitioners, judges, and
clerks, wigs. The costume whole, is rather
awkward in appearance
have listened attentively to the arguments ofCoun
sci in the House of Lords and in several of the Courts
and heard Lord John Russell address the electors of
London in BIshopgae street the other day-and have
been invariably disappointed. The legal arguments
have heard have been ordinary in their character-and
Lord Rnssells below mediocrity not that il
wanted good sense but that it delivered in lame
hating, stammering way hardly pardopable in pro-
fessed public speaker much less in leader of House
of Parliament.