74 Lord Brougham's Local Judicature Bill. produce of the Manuscripts was 1 1 59l. 9s. 6d. ; of the books 675l. 10s. 6d. LOCAL JUDICature Bill. The following letter was addressed, in July last, by Mr. William Tooke, of London, solicitor, to Mr. Brougham, now Lord Chancellor, on the subject of his proposed measure for the establishment of Local Courts. Having been read at meetings of the Law Societies, both in London and the country, and its contents being frequently adverted to in professional circles, it has been thought desirable, by giving it additional publicity, to invite general attention to the important change of system involved in its operation. "DEAR SIR,-I have carefully read and re-read your Local Jurisdiction bill and abstract, with a view to draw the account of fees by way of schedule, as desired; but have been unable to do so on a scale of any in the least degree adequate remuneration for any practitioner of liberal education, and desirous of holding a decent situation and honest character in society. "Under this aspect, I cannot but consider your measure as calculated to become the greatest civil scourge ever inflicted on this country, by creating an indefinite and universal appetite for litigation, with no other break or interval in the exercise of it, than the halcyon month of August. This immediate effect of the act will be industriously promoted and extended with corresponding energy by an accession to the profession in increased numbers, of that class of practitioners designated as pettifoggers, whom to discountenance and extinguish has been a primary object with all the best and leading solicitors of the present day. "It appears to me utterly inconsistent with the avowed purposes of the Common Law Commission-the repeal of the Law Taxes the appointment of additional Judges the intended laying open of the Court of Exchequer and the facilities afforded in practice in the superior Courts—thus at once to withdraw from them two-thirds at least of their ordinary business, subjecting it to a new and experimental tribunal, and superseding much of the labour derived from the elaborate machinery of Westminster Hall, with no compensating reduction in the expense of working it. "Although personally, after a drudgery of thirty years, much withdrawn from active practice, and meditating at no distant day entire secession from it, I feel too much sense of gratitude, and, 1 hope, a laudable esprit du corps in favour of an employment which has afforded me the means for competence and independence, to be altogether insensible to the degradation to which the profession of an Attorney will be reduced by the operation of your proposed new bill, which, I repeat, will necessarily bring into (Jan. action a large class of low practitioners, who, having no fair means of adequate remuneration, must and will resort to trick, if not to fraud, to supply the deficiency of profit, no reasonable allowances for which (in keeping with the general purview of the bill) will afford a return for the education, skill, and attention the conduct of the business of the Local Courts will require. "While on this subject, it is with great regret I would allude to the tenor of your speech as reported in the Times on the occasion of your giving notice of your plan ; you in it assumed a tone of unmeasured contempt for the Attorneys, imputing to them in the aggregate, and without exception, gross ignorance and the most selfish motives, while you at the same time, in equally unmeasured terms, lauded the Bar as aetuated by the highest, noblest, and most liberal principles, with a possible exception of one in a hundred as not quite perfect. "Both positions, to your knowledge and mine, are equally unfounded; for while, as regards one of them, I can name a Frere, a Swain, a Freshfield, a Vizard, a Teesdale, and an Amory, with scores of others of equal claim to confidence and respect, and a fair promise of succession to them from a large body of liberally educated, intelligent articled Clerks, now deriving improved instruction from the Law Lectures at the University of London, I could, in contravention of your other position, name scores of Barristers influenced by the most sordid motives, and seeking and promoting multiplication of fees with the most heartless rapacity. "If I could for a moment think it possible that the Local Jurisdiction Bill could pass into a law, in anything like its present shape, I should observe on the preposterous amount of salary to the Judge of 2000l. per annum ; thus constituting a valuable object of ministerial patronage and borough influence, like a Welsh Judgeship, rather than having the direct view of getting some useful plodding man for the situation, as is the case in the County Palatine Court at Preston, where Mr. Addison, for 400l. per annum, does as much, and as well, as can be expected from any County Judge. "The total absence of qualification for the office of Registrar is fraught with liability to abuse; some son or nephew of the Judge will hold it in sinecure, and the duties will be performed by the Clerk, who will make it pay better than is in the contemplation of the Act. "The Registrar, to give knowlege, experience, and efficiency in the conduct of the business, ought to be an Attorney of at least five years certificated standing, and strictly debarred from practising directly or indirectly. "The Summary Jurisdiction of the Judge over the Attorneys exceeds that of the su perior Jurisdiction, and the power of mulet- There has been lately placed in Henry the 75 statue of the Duke de Montpensier, brother of Louis Philip, King of the French. This statue was executed by Westmacott, by command of Louis Philip, when Duke of Orleans, and last in England. The Duke died in this country in 1807, aged 32, and his funeral is described in our vol. LXXVII. p. 584. The work consists simply of the statue of the Prince, recumbent, on a low table tomb. He is vested in the royal robes, with a coronet encircling his head; his righthand, which rests on his breast, holding a missal; the arms of Orleans, issuing from rich foliage, terminate the base. ANTIQUARIAN RESEARCHES. SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES. surer, in the chair. The Secretary concluded the reading of Mr. Woodward's paper, descriptive of Roman stations, camps, and roads, in the county of Norfolk, and the various antiqui ties found in or near them. Jan. 20. Henry Hallam, Esq. V.P. in the chair. John Richards, Esq. jun. of Reading, was elected Fellow. Two papers were read: the first, "Historical Notices of the great Bell-Tower belonging to the Abbey of Bury St. Ed mund's," by John Gage, Esq. Director. In the course of this a very curious indenture was introduced, by which the Abbot and Convent in 9 Hen. VI. covenanted with a mason that he and his assistant should for the next seven years devote their labours to the bell-tower; that during that time, in addition to their yearly wages, they should be fed in the hall of the monastery; and yearly receive a dress, the master that of a gentleman, and the assistant that of a yeoman. It was added that the former, when not engaged at his work, should give his attendance to the Abbat as one of his gentlemen. The second paper was a communication by Frederick Madden, Esq. F.S.A. from the Addit. MSS. in the British Museum,-a Nar rative of the reception of King Henry the Eighth and Queen Katherine Howard, at Lincoln, on their progress to York, in 1541. It was apparently written by a herald, and gives an interesting description of the ceremonial of their proceeding to Lincoln minster. It was during this visit, according to Hall, that the Queen was first observed to give improper encouragement to Thomas Culpeper. ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. Sir G. Staunton, Bart. in the chair. A communication was read from Mr. Mackenzie Beverley, on the zodiac of Dendera, The object of this essay was to ana lyse Mr. Bentley's treatise on the same subject. The writer is of opinion that Mr. Bentley's drawings are incorrect, and his reasoning fallacious. Mr. Beverley contends that the zodiac of Dendera is neither a Roman nor an Egyptian calendar, but an Egyptian planisphere. He does not consider its date older than 150 B. C., and thus assumes the French savans to be wrong, as well as Mr. Bentley. Sir W. Ouseley in the chair. Two papers were read; the first was an account, by Lieut. Rowlandson, of a celebrated Arabic work, called the Ichwan oos Suffa, principally from the famous Syrian historian, Mar Gregorius Abul Faraj. This work is said to owe its existence to a society of seven learned Arabs, and to have formed one of at least fifty treatises on various branches of science, of which, including the present, only three now remain. It is a moral treatise, in the shape of an allegorical picture of human life. The second paper comprised a description of the marriage ceremonies of the Hindoos. It stated that every man among them should have his daughter married by the time she is nine years of age; and that her marriage should on no account be deferred beyond her tenth year. The bridegroom should be at least three or four years older, and of the same caste. These ceremonies are conducted with more or less of magnificence, as suits the rank and means of the parties; but they frequently expend such immense sums on the marriage of their children, that the parents themselves are reduced to poverty and distress. ROMAN POTTERY, In making a grave lately in St. Pancras church-yard, Chichester, at the depth of five feet was found a piece of fine red Samian pottery, eight inches by seven, being part of a circular basin of nine inches diameter. Mr. King, the possessor, who has been collecting for twenty years pottery of this kind found in that city, has met with fragments of the same pattern, but in such small pieces as to be unable until now to make out the fanciful ornaments of the Romanized Britons. The following he describes as all in relievo; the first border consists of twenty tablets with a tassel between each, resting on a zigzag border, to which are appended five festooned fringed semi-circles with tassels between; in the semi-circle of the first and second are a swan in each, in the next a star, and in the two last a dolphin in each; next follows a foliated border of nearly one undred leaves wreathed round the basiu, SELECT THINK NOT OF ME. THINK not of me! in time long past At drear midnight, is known to bloom- Fell, like a blighted fruit, to earth. The shatter'd tow'r by lightning riv'n, What skill of architect can rear? And from the heart if love be driv'n, What charm can bid it reappear? This cheek, the wrinkles on this brow, Evince the pow'r the tyrant sway'd; And Love, like all seducers, now Deserts the ruin he has made. B. THE GIANTS OF ST. DUNSTAN'S. Horat.Epist. x. lib. 1.-Ad Fuscam Aristiam. The Giants, late of St. Dunstan's, Fleet-street, to Queen Elizabeth, still there resident. YOU, tarrying in your noisy street, Old dingy Bess! we rustics greet; Since, though we show such variation In this one taste-of situation, In other matters more than we The Siam twins can scarce agree. Fraternal souls! when one says Nay, The other yields; and so with Yea. Like turtles which have long carest, And coo'd, are we; you keep the nest, While we by murmuring streamlets rove, By mossy rock, and shady grove. "How can we live?" you ask; and plain We "More than live, we reign, From that same day we left the crowd Of pleasures you extol so loud : Like college tutors, just got free From daily feasts and luxury, answer, We order barn-door fowls, and swear If wrong it be (as who can doubt?) [Jan. with a zigzag thread over and under; close to and beneath this border is represented a lion combating a wild boar, both in a salient position and facing each other, the drawing and character very spirited; and, in order to repeat this combat in another part of the pottery, ornaments of bulrushes are interposed, on which are standing small birds admirably delineated; the embellishments finish by a sharp and rich border of the chain ornament, connected by a display of fine chevron work. POETRY. A happier spot you ne'er could mark To show our change breeds no displeasure, 1831.] [.77 ] HISTORICAL CHRONICLE. FOREIGN NEW S. NETHERLANDS. The Protocol of the conferences between the Plenipotentiaries in London, has been communicated to the Provisional Government of Belgium. It declares, that "The events of the last four months have unhappily demonstrated that the perfect and complete amalgamation which the Powers desire to effect between Holland and Belgium had not been obtained; that it would henceforth be impossible to effect it; that therefore the very object of the union of Belgium with Holland is destroyed, and that it now becomes indispensable to have recourse to other arrangements to accomplish the intentions which the union in question was designed to carry into exeeution." The Protocol then declares that new arrangements are necessary; but the contracting parties assert that these arrangements cannot affect in any manner the rights which the King of the Netherlands and the German Confederation exercise over the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. In reply to this communication from the Allied Powers, the President and Members of the Diplomatic Committee of Belgium say, that their Commissioners sent to London are invested with full powers to treat; but, although they admit that Belgium has duties to perform towards Europe, they deny that they have any obligations imposed on them through treaties with the Netherlands in which they took no part, and they insist that they can have neither independence, peace, nor security without the possession of Luxembourg, and the immediate and uncontrolled right of navigating the Scheldt. The Representatives of the Five great Powers at London have decided that the navigation of the Scheldt should be free from the 20th of January; and that the Belgians should refrain from hostilities. RUSSIA AND POLAND. A Manifesto has been published by the Emperor of Russia, in which, after speaking of "the peace and prosperity" which Poland enjoyed under his government, he proceeds to observe, that "the troops of these credulous men, though struck with fear of approaching chastisement, dare to think of victory for some moments, and to propose conditions to their legitimate masters." These conditions are fiercely rejected by the Autocrat, who declares that he can crush the rebels in one battle, and that his troops are already assembling for this purpose. The Emperor received the Polish deputies very drily, referred them to his Manifesto, and said "he would allow Poland until the 1st of March to reflect on its contents." He says that if he should be driven to the last extremity, Warsaw will be destroyed, and Poland incorporated with the Russian empire. The menacing attitude of Russia seems to increase the courage of the Poles. The arming of all Poland is proceeding with the greatest activity. For some time past the Poles, who had become Russians, Austrians, or Prussians in consequence of previous events, have repaired to Warsaw in great numbers, and are animated with an excellent spirit. The palatinate of Lublin (Russian Poland) has sent an offer of 50,000 men. Count Zamouski is equipping a regiment at his own expense. There are in the army 12,000 men who served under Napoleon, and 300 officers who have the decoration of the Legion of Honour. The 4th regiment of the line, which so much distinguished itself on the first day of the revolution, has set out for the frontiers. They requested their Colonel, before they marched, to lead them to the fortifications which the townspeople were raising. Having arrived there, they formed a square, knelt on the ground, and swore not to fire a single shot, and not to attack the Russians except with bayonets, and to kill each other sooner than surrender. GERMANY. The Elector of Hesse has given a constitution to his subjects. The following are some of its provisions :-The rights of the Jews are to be regulated by law; no exclusive privileges for commerce or manufactures are to be benceforth granted; the press and book trade are to be entirely free; all misdemeanours to be settled by law; the secresy of letters to be inviolate; no one is to be prosecuted for the expression of simple opinions; every one capable of bearing arms is declared to owe his services to his country in case of necessity; no appointment to office in the state is to be confirmed till the candidate shall have been found worthy; and no office is hereafter to be given in reversion. SWITZERLAND. The peasantry of Basle, commanded, it is said by some officers of the late French Royal Guard, have taken up arms against the government of the canton. It is stated that there were in the city 20,000 men resolved to oppose them. [ 78 ] DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES. IRELAND. We apprehend that Ireland is rapidly approaching to a crisis which must speedily end either in convulsion, as the inevitable consequence of agitation, or the removal by prompt measures of the agitators. The treachery of O'Connell and his party is now manifest, and is admitted by the warmest advocates of Catholic emancipation. When that question was originally urged, it was put forward as the anchor of the vessel. Emancipation, which has strengthened O'Connell's hands, is used as an instrument of fresh disturbance; and with a perfidy which disentitles him to the confidence even of bis own sycophants, he now presses onward to a dissolution of the bond that unites these islands. The Marquis of Anglesey, however, proceeds with commendable firmness in his measures of vigour for the prevention of rebellion in Ireland. He has issued several proclamations for the purpose of suppressing seditious meetings under the auspices of O'Connell and his supporters. On the 8th January a proclamation was issued, suppressing a new society, called "The General Association of Ireland, for the prevention of unlawful meetings, and for the protection and exercise of the sacred right of petitioning for the redress of grievances." On the 10th another proclamation was issued, the object of which was to root out the hot-bed of sedition at Home's Hotel, where, under the specious appellation of public break fasts, the most mischievous schemes had been devised, and language nothing short of treasonous, constantly put forth, to inflame the public mind. Finally, the Marquis of Anglesey issued a proclamation, the effect of which was to prevent all associations for the purpose of furthering Mr. O'Connell's projects for revolutionising Ireland; and the magistrates of Dublin, acting with vigour, dispersed a Committee, which had met to arrange the proceedings of a meeting for the repeal of the Union. On the 18th of Jan. Mr. O'Connell was arrested by the Chief Constable of police, on a warrant granted by Ald. Darley, for having attended a meeting in the Parliamentary Intelligence office, and another at Hayes's Hotel, Dawson-street, which meetings had been probibited by the proclamations of the Lord Lieutenant. Mr. O'Connell, having been conducted into the Board-room, the informations were read to him. A long and a very angry discussion ensued between the magistrates and Mr. O'Connell, [Jan, which terminated by Mr. O'Connell INTELLIGENCE FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. The Special Commission.—In our Supplementary Number we have noticed the appointment of the Special Commission for the trial of rioters and incendiaries in the southern counties. In Wilts, Berks, Hants, Dorset, Bucks, &c. where the trials have been brought to a close, great numbers have been convicted of breaking machinery, and robbing individuals of their property. Several are to be banished, some for ever, and some for terms of years; others are doomed to various periods of imprisonment and hard labour; several have been discharged on their own recognizances, and others without being put on their trial. The most praiseworthy forbearance has, throughout, been manifested by the legal advisers of the Crown, in abstaining from pressing the prosecution in cases where any palliative circumstances were found, and where the misguided parties acted without deliberation, motive, or malice, and with a total ignorance of the dreadful consequences, immediate or remote, of the acts committed, The scene at Salisbury, on passing sentence on the prisoners, was of the most afflicting character.-On the 9th of Jan. judgment of death was recorded against twenty-three prisoners, for the destruction of a papermachine in Buckinghamshire.--The commission for the county of Dorset closed on the 11th, when sentence of death was recorded against three for extorting money, and two for robbery; four were sentenced to seven years' transportation for destroying machinery, two to one year, and two to three months' hard labour. Fourteen were acquitted on similar charges; and eight were ordered to enter into their own recognizances of 501. each, charged with extorting money. At the Norwich Sessions forty-five prisoners were convicted of machinebreaking and rioting. Three were |