The New York herald., 1872-03-04
E N g L A N D.
The Collier Debate in the House Of Lords-Pro-
posed Vote of Censure on the Government
Defeat Of the Motion-A Marrow Es-
oare-America's Influence
on English Politics.


this question are as follows:-The various colonies
Of Great Britain have a right to appeal from their
own courts TO . superior court here; and this final
court OF appel Is known as the judicial Committee
Of the Privy Council The appeals from the colonies
are not rare; the appeal OF Court was singularly
weak in number, and the consequence was that the
business or the Court was IN scandalous and hope
less state OF arrear, some appeals having to Inc
over for years. To remedy this state OF things an
act was brought In and passed In the last ses-
sion OF Parliamen: 10 increase the number
Of the appeal judges. The act, IN settling
the qusldcati0ns OF those to be appointed enacted
that "sny persons appointed to act under the pro-
visions OF this act as members OF the SAID Judicial
Comm'tfee must be specially qualified iolows
that rs to say must at the date OF their appoint
ment be or have been judges or one OF Majesy's
Superior Courts at Westminster &c.
Your readers Will from this clause that before
becoming member OF the Judicial Committee 1t
was necessary to have been Judge. The object OF
ihis clause Is variousy understood; but the inter-
probation generally accepted tnar, as the iunc.
uons of this Court are very important, it was
deemed advisable that person OF mature expe-
rience should be selected and the qualification CT
having been Judge was supposed TO be
the best guarantee OF this maturity OF eX-
perience. This being the general opinion, the
public was startled some three months ago
10 hear that the government had appointed
Sir Robert Collier to the committee. Sir Robert
Collier was then Attorney General. He had ac-
c0rdlngly, never been judge The government,
70 meet the difficulty, appointed Sir K. Collier TO u
Judgeshlp l0r q few days., and having been made q
Judge for lew days, he was ali at once, transferred
10 the committee. AT once cry was raised against
this 'cOl0rabe evasion (as 1t caied) of an act
ol Parliament--an evasion the more reprehenslble,
AZ the act was so recent anu as IL had passed
by the very government which accused OF
violating H. The press, OF almost every shade
Electloneering speeches were full OF t. The Times
thundered, the fdH Mad sneered, ana the Lord
letter on the subject. This letter produced The
greatest excitement, as an interference with po-
utcal aiiaIrS by member OF the Judicial corps is
almost unknown IN tins country. Scarcely a voice
was raised In defence OF the ministry, and 1t
sure to be turned out this question. just at the
moment when farltanenJ was about to open It's
doors, and the ministry about, as everybody
thought 10 get their 'walklng paper,'' the ..Ala-
Daina" question arose and The ministry saved.
NOBODY was willing to take governments INTO his
hands when the government had such hard work
The question was brought before The House OF
Lords last night by the Earl OF Stann0pe, VINO pro-
posed the following resolution:-
That this House has with regret the by
relative tie Judicial of the rry oonn
G Of psVn e % @ Of nc s SIR R9Se @ Collier
" the judicial Committee were acts at variance
spirit and intention of the statute and OF evil example
exercise OF Judicial patronage
pass over the speech OF Lord S.anhope and that
Of Lord Portman, because, III effect tney but repeat
wnat nave Already SAID by way OF preface. me
speech OF the Marquis OF Salisbury was. as usual
bitter ana sarcastic, ana gave some very hard hits.
TINS passage IN particular Will be of interest TO
y0ur readerS:-"Ihe noble LORD who spoke second
talked OF resignation. IL may be disadvantage TO
this House that Its cenSureS followed by the
resignation OF government; out IN other respects 1t
II an advantage, for there would be some difficulty
IN determining the resignation OF the government
now. President Lincoln used to say you ought
change horses when you were crossing sIream l
would add tnat you ought not 10 do so wncn your
are trying 10 get them Out. Ii would serious
matter II censure OF TINS KIND ere to be followed
by the resignation OF government at tins Juncture
and cannot but look upon 1t rs advantage that
IN the working OF our constl iutlon proceedings OF
this kind visited with heavy censlire anu set
snail not be necessary to take the whole machne-
~ Of government to pieces IN order tnat 1t should
The speecn, however, which has attracted most
attention, Is that OF the Duke OF Argyle. give Ils
Upon this speech of His Grace OF Argyle, there IT,
30 FAR as can see, bur one opinion. Everybody re.
CARDS ~ as alike insoIent imprudent ;tld undgni.
lied. IL proves now pugnaclous and sciiforgeiiing
even an English n0beman ana Minister can ne on
occasions, ana Is but one oi the lnaay Instances
III which .he noble Duke has dlspla Jed an inloler-
able amount oi seii-assertive lmpudencc ana insO
Lord wesrtury came next, and in a speech of
what may De termed bland severity tore the Lord
chancellor ana the Premier 10 pieces TIE speech
0l me Lord chancellor III his deeace was long,
nest and effective. Lord Hatnerley enjoys high
reputauon; a,snen regard INN as a religious, thor
ou2nly honest and nlgh-mnded gentleman and
when he defended himself rom any thing Ike per-
sonal or interested motives IN the selection OF sir
kooert Collier approving cheers came IRON botn
sides 0f the mousse. But as every speaker declared
TINS was not the point At issue; nobody denied the
honesty oI the LORD Chancellor nobody denied the
htnes- OF Sir Robert Collier. What was denied was
Inc advisa0lliy Of violating the spirit while auherlng
10 the letter OF recently passed law, ana TINS
charge the Lord CnanceliOr generally be-
leved not to have fairly met. Lord
CaIrns-a North Of Ireland man, VINO, after q Dri
nant career at the bar and III the House OF Com
mons, became Lord Chancellor, under Mr.. DsraelI's
adiflnstration-Daue an effective reply To Lord
anu, To the surprise OF everybody, resulted VIC
tory Tor tbe government the numbers being Tor the
government 81 and for the vote Oi ceusnre 81.
ihe whoIe secret oil tins unex pected result Is the
Stale Oi the Alabama question. Wnatever feeling
Oiier people may nave 10 those who drew up The
ought 10 receive lair share ol gratitude Tor they
nave saved MN and MS government from certain
ueeat 20 long as Brother Jonatuan's little bill re-
lnains outstanding nobody anxious take up The
land.
The Caller scandaI--Pc-iiion of she luke ot
Argytl-'CIap-Trap Ru5b.sh';-->ir Airxan-
der Coclshurn's Progest.
From the Pall Mall Gazete1
lt VIII astOn.sh no reader oil The debate en- the !
CoIner scandal that the terms III Llcn Duke OF
Argyll pernitled himself speak Of the Lord Chief
justice nave excited "a deep amt general feeling Of
III England the judicial bench has earned |
ior tse more respect nan any oner institution In
Tue country anu that when Minister makes u |
keisohai attack upon a Judge for dolng what his
places himself IN position rom which If ne ~ |
wrong, nc Il not at all likely to escape with. |
Out strohS condemnation. 1t Is not often tnnt |
tne Term ,a Arrogance can oe applied TO Ministers