Punch: Punch (38.1860)

| February 4, I860.] PUNCH. OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI, 53

SCOTCHING THE BANKRUPTCY SNAKE.

The Scotch enjoy the reputation of being a loug-headed people, but
in the article of conscience they seem singularly short. With the
“Scotch system” of banking, as exemplified not long since in the
] broken Western Bank, our commercial readers doubtlessly are pretty
well familiar; and we are willing to believe that their familiarity, with
a not less doubtlessness, has been productive of contempt. If, now
appears that the “ Scotch system ” which has been applied to bank-
ruptcy is fully as contemptible as that applied to banks. Defaulting
English tradesmen make use of this Scotch system as a means of
| getting comfortably free of all their creditors, and taking quiet sights
at those who wish to see them safe in quod. As soon as business
| blackguards find our soil too hot to hold them, they coolly start away
to Scotland for a change of air, and find the Northern climate most
refreshing to their pockets. Directly they begin to feel shaky in their
' credit, they pack up their portmanteaus for a journeying due North,
and don’t think of coming back till they are quite set on their legs
| again.

With reference to this system, the Times last week informed us j
| that—

“ The trade of the Scotch lawyers in getting English bankrupts quietly out of all
their difficulties is still said to be increasing, the decision of the judges at Edinburgh
a few months back, which virtually dispensed with the necessity for the parties to
be so designated as to insure their identification by their distant creditors, having
greatly smoothed all such operations. Go long as the sj stem is tolerated, it will
scarcely be necessary for the Government to trouble themselves by proposing any
j measure of bankruptcy reform in this country.”

The writer of this makes a most judicious choice of words when he
speaks of the Scotch “trade” of getting scoundrels out of difficulties.
A lawyer’s business usually is spoken of as his “ profession,” but when
he does things unprofessional another term should be applied to it. As
'in the law’s eye the assistant in a crime must share the penalty, so an
j attorney who assists in a dishonourable system for the purpose of
j -assisting swindlers out of punishment, ought in justice to be viewed as
j a dishonest trader.

As Scotchmen always stick together, especially in trade, of course
we cannot hope that the Edinburgh judges will alter their decision,

while the Edinburgh lawyers daily fatten on its faults. It remains,
therefore, we think, for the English judges now at once to lay their
wigs together, and devise some means of checking the move of their
Scotch brethren, which is moving all our bankrupts to take tickets for
the North. If this “ Scotch system” continue, Scotland will be looked
on as a refuge for our rascals, and a sanctuary or safety-place for t hose
who swindle us in trade. In fact Edinburgh now is the Gretna Green
of commerce, and is repaired to by all our runaways in debt.

If an English law be passed to check “the trade of Scotch lawyers ”
of which the Times, and every honest tradesman, so complains, we
suppose we shall hear talk about “Another Scottish Grievance,” and
he threatened with (at, least) Annihilation in revenge. Sandiemox
McLevi will tear his blue bag into bits, and make oath that for each
shred he’ll have a pound of English gold, by way of compensation for
his injured legal rights; and his example will be followed hv all the
Scottish Jew-attorneys, who, being noted to the world as the sharpest,
sharps in Christendom, are not likely to submit to be laid flat without
a fight for it.

Save us from Such Friends !

A Weak-minded you'ng man whom we should much enjoy to kick,
but cau’t just yet afford to pay a lawyer for that luxury, observed last
night, in our bearing, that he considered rifle-shooting a very vulgar
exercise, inasmuch as those who practised it were so often taking
sights

Omission at the Opening of Parliament.

(From the Court Circular.)

A Carriage drawn by six piebald horses, containing Mr. Punch.

OMENS OE FREE-TRADE.

According to a common superstition the present of a knife is
unlucky. The consent of the French to take our hardware assures us,
however, that, friendship will be created, and not love cut, by the
knives which Mr. Roebuck’s constituents will send them.