The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-07-22

The Lord CnnnceIIor scandal.

From the N. Y. Commercial Advertiser.
The vote of censure passed by the Eng.
fish Parliament on the Lord Chancellor Tor
corrupt practices in the appointments to
offices st his disposal, Is q noble vindica-
ton of the purity of ficisl life, which is
not without a moral TO our American
statesmen and office, holders. The facts,
as disclosed 10 the debates in Parliament
and in the Investigations upon the subject
would, perhaps, be only considered as a re-
gulsr smart operation by the members Of
the New York Municipality, the Albany
lobbyists, and the Washington wire-pull-
ers. But, the Knglish people, whatever
may be their faults of government, do not
tolerate even the appearance of corruption
in their public men, and it is to be hoped
that we may soon initiate their example in
this respect.
1t appears that Mr.. Richard Bethel, the
eldest son of Lord Westbury, the Lord
chancellor of England, is q very fast gen.
tleman. He bets st horse races, keeps loose
company, neglects his business, which is
that Of a lawyer, and has contrived to in-
volve himself heavily in debts from which
he has been relieved by his family five or
six times. The fact that ne is married and
has q family of six children appears to have
exercised no restraining influence over this
middle aged scspe-grsce, who has contrived
to bring his father down TO ruin. The sin
of the father appears to be that of Eli, in
lending q too ready ear to the suggestions
of his unworthy son.
In the Edmunds csse,it appears that Mr..
Edmunds was a reader in the House of
Lords, with q handsome salary and very
little to do. He originally procured the
Office in a msnnsr thai reflects no little dis
credit on the brother of Lord Brougham.
who secured him the appointment. Serious
charges of looseness in accounts, to put it
in the mildest way, having been preferred
against Mr.. Edmunds, the Lord Chancellor
in plsce of investigating the matter as 1t
was his duty to do, permitted that gentle
man 70 resign, and even procured him q
pension of eight hundred pounds q year
This transaction was induced by the infu-
ence of Mr.. Richard Bethel for money con-
siderations, of which, however, the Lord
Chancellor does not appear TO have been
cognizsnt.
But the most serious charge against the
Lord Chancellor wss il relation 10 the
Leeds Bankruptcy Court. In this affair
there does not seem to be q single extenus-
ting circumstances He appointed his son,
"whose conduct" he says, twas q disgrace
and source of infinite sorrow to him for ten
years" TO a RegIstsrship in the Leeds Court
of Bankruptcy. But this was not all. He
made room for him by removing Mr..
Wilde, the former incumbent, against
whom serious charges of corrupt practices
had been preferred, and permitted him to
retire on s peusTUrr, -L-5- f-
the sc~spe-grsce son, who, it was proved,
actually received g bride for exercising his
influence with his father in procuring for
Wilde a retiring pension On ssham plea OF
i'll health. Another csse was that of Mr..
WEIGH, d lawyer, on the Northern Circuit,
who was desirous Of obtaining a public sp-
pointment, and laid out his money so ju-
diciously with Mr.. Richard Bethel that he
procured a handsome appointment from
the Lord Chancellor. Mr., Bethel received
about twelve hundred pounds for his sor-
vices, and r clergyman, the Rev. MIR.
Harding, was the go-between in the stfa II.
In the E1munds case, the Lord Chancel-
lor appointed another son, Mr.. Slinsgby
Bethel, TO the vacancy created by the re.
firing pensioner.
These transactions, with others, coming
to the notice of the public press, gradually
created an expression of opinion that at
tracted the attention of Parliament. The
matter wss investigated and charges made
fully proved, with the most aggravsting
details. The result was that on the 81 OF
July the House Of Commons passed a vote
of censure "for lsxity of practice md q
want of caution in regard TO the public in
terests in ssnctioning the grant of retiring
pensions TO public officers against whom
grave charges are pendiDp. which, in the
opinion of the House, are calculated 10
discredit the administration of this great
officer" The Lord Chancellor, of course,
promptly resigned, and the Queen, On the
advice of Lord Pslmerston, accepted the
resignation.
This action of the House of Commons
is Endorsed by public opinion in Bngland.
TIE disgrace OF the highest otfi.isl in the
kingdom is very kOenly fell; but is very
properly regarded IS a minor matter in
comparison with the shame of permitting
high official misconduct to pass %unpunish-
ed. 1t does not yet appear whether the
Lord Chancellor will be impesched. Prob
ably the disgrace which nov attaches TO
him will be regarded rs a sufficient pun
ishment. This Is the first time in the his
tory of England, since the time of the
great Lord Bacon, that any charges have
been presented against a Lord Chancellor.
That famous philosopher was equally open
to the highest and most corrupt motives
that can influence the mind of man.. lie
was sentenced to pay a fine Of thirty thou
sand pounds ard TO suffer two years i'm
~prisonment. The latter part OF the SEN
tencs WAS RENTED.