New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-02-24
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE THURSDAY FEBRUARY a. 1859.

THAT he Mercer couE be charged reitbey win
immortality nor with criminalriy-ani thar b"
"(Msedo pald) much doubted If there was any
"nlacslify in the sale Of the shenhshiP u thers
WAS, the law could of coUrse, settle II" 10
cspsure Mercers appointment was to censure HIM
sell. he said. and he would h'miy oppose Mr..
Fol,, motion. "He Mercer had tried 10 good
faith 70 ascertain the legality of the transaction
"snd II would b. q very mean tbIDe IN hlm Mac
"donald) 10 sacrifice bun, Knowing him 70 De
innocent"
During the discussion an oh man IN The oppo-
sition eide of the House, about two IN the MORN
lDg got up snd chsrgej the Government Win
aciing so SO 10 render It Of little consequences
what the laws were: that they were oOntioually
broken and dsregarded With entire IMMUNITY; that
in Canada judeeships, sberitiships, ali sorts OF
Offices were bought and sold ss openly as cattle ars
bought and sold in Toronto market; that be was
ready TO prove this If be were SLOWED Comat-
tee; that large sums had been paid, and heavy
notes Of hand given for other sherifships, some 81
which he named and gave the details; that coec
torships of the customs had also been purchased.
and he named two members then on the floor be-
side him as being among the guilty. He told OF
udeeship then in the market; reminded the House
of an $500 year bargain for the sherltshlp of
Glepcarry. and Of Judge Bedarcs bonus when b.
made way for Judge Aylwin, also asking who was
TO profit by the filling up of the vacant sherifship
of Middlesex. He affirmed his readiness To prove
that not only are worthless, ignorant, unfit men
placed on the bench, but that county court judges
DO thriving business in the sale of clerkships of
tie division courts; that when offices are not bar
tered or sold for resdy cash, they are regularly
used to buy up the votes of members OF the Legs
lature; and this, too, he sand be was prepared 10
prove before n special committee. The sherlts
fees had been heavily increased by statute, and
we're very oppressive, but that this was done TO
render Offices in the gift of the Executive influential
against the peoples liberties; that sherihs ought
not 10 be appointed for lfe and that the introduce
ton here OF these vile practices, which urged on
the French revolution, would surely be attended
with danger to the public tranquility.
The majority would hear no more. AL sorts OF
noises drow ned the members obnoxious argument;
roosters crowed-songs were sung-boots credked
there was stamping, yelling hootlng, screaming,
whistllng and the galleries were cleared, the doors
closed, and the vote soon taken, when ST. Drum
mond, afterwsrd Mr.. Browns Attorney General,
East, and Mr.. Laberge his Solicitor-General, were
found to be absent.
The pleadings before the Judges occupied the
period from June lsst till that they have deci-
ded that the sale of Offices connected with the adj
mnistration of justice is illegal-which everybody
knew quite well before though the practice seemtd
to indicate the contrary. After all the expense
and trouble taken to make an example of Mercer
sented very recently To the Legislature prayer by
24C0 persons, that Mercer might be- allowed tn
keep his office, fraud, purchase and all!
No essay on government here could so well eA'
plain its true character as variations like the above.
A Mr. Spence got into the Legislature IN 1854; he
was from Ireland; had kept school in the States
and here, and would 90 through thick and thin
with any party; he was at once made Postmaster
General; the people soon turned him out OF the
Assembly, and the Governor promptly punished
them by giving him the collectorship of Toronto,
worth over $1,000 year. There was also Dir.
j. G. Morrison in the Executive Council; Niagara
had turned him of-Peel refused hlm-Ontaro
put him into minority Of 775-Oxford rejected
him, and forthwith Sir +. Head and his Govern
ment created new Office, worth perhaps 81 1000
year, and conferred it upon the rejected candidate
Last night, Mr.. Simpson of the Assembly one OF
MERGERS suretes, and late Collector Of Customs at
niagara which office he is accused of selling, tried
TO gets bill into the Legislature to set at nsught
oil the Courts have done, and enable Mercer TO tri-
umph I'm his iniquity. j. Ill.