... ... Bar of England, its Ethics, Fees, and Arrogance Revolting Licence of Barristers Fees and Absenteeism of Counsel ... ... ... ... Mockery of Equity Reform Examples of Chancery Suits ... Rich and Poor under the Laws Salaries, Pensions, and Emoluments of Judicial Classes Increase of Barristers and Attorneys General Conclusions on Law Reform Conflicting Interpretations of its Powers by Lord John Russell and Sir Robert Peel Obstructions they offer to Good Government Regal Functions exercised by the Ministry ... Board of Control Lord Lieutenancy of Ireland Salaries of Government Officers Pensions resigned and disallowed Reflections on the Pension Roll ... ... Pensions Granted under Queen Victoria Pensions for Literature and Science Classification of Placemen College and Private Tutors Origin of the "Cramming" System Examination for Degrees ... The Black Book of England. REFORM OF THE LAWS. Attempts at Law Reform-State of the Statute and Common Law-Practicability of Codification-Defects and Abuses of the Criminal LawFees of Courts of Justice, Legal Sinecures, and Compensations-The Bar, its Ethics, Fees, and Arrogance-Legal Obstructions to the Sale and Improvement of Estates-Prinogeniture, Entails, and Mortmain Act-Chancery Delays and Expenses-The Rich and the Poor under the Laws-Salaries, Pensions, Fees, and Emoluments of Judicial Officers and other Officers of the Courts of Law and Equity-Six Clerks' Act and Compensations-General Conclusions on Law Reform. THE reforms of constitutional governments are mostly dilatory and inefficient from respect to existing rights and usages. A revolutionary movement, or a despotism, is less scrupulous; and for this reason, if it take a beneficial direction, is more successful in effecting organic changes. This discrepancy of action accounts for the backwardness of England in many needful ameliorations. Our reforms of national grievances have been within the limits of the constitution; everything gained for the people has been battled for, and mostly paid for at its full compensatory price. Ere abuses could be reformed they had to be redeemed, and those who profited by them conciliated by a full appraisement of their interests. Hence the slow progress of reformation, and hence the existence of the anomalous fact, that our public institutions-civil, ecclesiastical, and educational-do, in the main, present more of the crudities of a past age than B |