Punch (7.1844)

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

25

P. S. I can't come on Monday, and I don't like patt de foie gras.
Why, in the name of mercy, should geese be treated as you describe ?
They never accept other geese's bills.

IRISH STATE TRIALS.

Proceedings in Error before the House of Lords.

Their Lordships met at 10 o'clock on Thursday morning, for the
purpose of hearing the arguments in this case ; and counsel having been
called in, a discussion arose as to the best means of saving time.

The Lord Chancellor observed that they had only got four days, and
it would be desirable to make the most of them. If the case could not be
disposed of, the traversers must remain in prison.

Lord Brougham saw the necessity of saving time. He remembered a
story told by a certain peer in their Lordships' House—a peer who might
not be in the recollection cf all their Lordships, but some of their Lord-
ships might, perhaps, remember the circumstance.

Lord Campbell thought that if time was an object, his noble and
learned friend was taking a very strange mode of saving it.

Lord Brougham replied that he always saved time when he talked, but
the noble and learned Lord (Campbell) never spoke without wasting time.

The Lord Chancellor was anxious that some arrangement should, if
possible, be entered into to save time. • There were seven counsel who
might all claim to be heard for the seven traversers.

Sir Thomas Wilde said it would be impossible for him to shorten his
address. lie had a duty to perform to his client, and that duty he would
discharge.

The Lord Chancellor. But suppose your client is kept in prison
because your speeches take so long a time that it becomes impossible to j
give judgment until the term of the sentence has expired.

Sir Thomas Wilde repeated that his speech must be delivered. He !
had a duty to perform.

Lord Brougham. What have you got to say, Mr. Hill ?

Mr. Hill. I shall want a clear day, at least, my Lords.

Lord Brougham. Surely, Mr. Peacock, what you have to urge ought
not to occupy many minutes.

Mr. Peacock observed that he should require an entire morning.

A counsel, whose name we could not learn, here rose, and said he
should like a week. The rest of the learned gentleman's speech was
drowned in a general shout of " Oh !" and he was pulled down furiously
by Mr. Fitzroy Kelly and Mr. Sergeant Murphy.

Lord Brougham. You will be entitled to a reply. Mr. Attorney,
what do you mean to do ?

Sir W. Follett. I shall certainly claim the reply.

Mr. Fitzroy Kelly said he should expect to be heard in reply.

Lord Brougham. Then we shall have seven replies, unless we save one
in the person of Mr. Peacock.

Mr. Peacock said he should wish to reply.

The Lord Chancellor. What do you mean to do, Mr. Hill ?

Mr. M. D. Hill. All I can, my Lord. {A laugh.) If the other
counsel reply, I shall certainly reply also.

The learned counsel, whose name we could not learn, intimated that he
should expect to be heard in rejoinder as well as in reply.

Lord Brougham. Good gracious, man, what are you thinking about !

The learned counsel observed, lie had a right to speak in mitigation.

Lord Brougham. You are now speaking in aggravation.

Sergeant Murphy here muffled the mouth of the learned counsel
with his brief-bag ; and

Sir Thomas Wilde commenced his address, for which we refer to the
papers of the day, showing the numerous interruptions and episodes it
was interspersed with.

A POST OFFICE pik.
The Stamford Mercury states that a day or two since a gooseberry pio
was sent through the Post-office. For the sake of those who ate it, we
hope that Sir James had no finger in it, the Home Secretary having, just
now, not the cleanest of hands.

THE POLITICAL PECKSNIFF.

We have heard that Mr. Charles Dickens is about to apply to the
Court of Chancery for an injunction to prevent Sir Robert Peel conti-
nuing any longer to personate, in his capacity of Premier, the character
of mr.PECKSN'iFF.as delineated in Martin Chuzzlewit, that chai'acter being
copyright. We hope this rumour is unfounded, as the injunction would
certainly be refused. Sir Robert Peel is in a condition to prove that
the part in question has been enacted by him for a long series of years,
and was so, long befoi-e any of Mr. Dickens's works appeared ; in short,
that he, Sir Robert Peel, is the original Pecksniff.

"AN ENGLISHMAN'S HOUSE IS HIS CASTLE."

The truth of this soul-delighting saw was beautifully illustrated, two
or three days ago, in a court off Gulston Street, Whitechapel. A poor
man, named Leeson, owed Is. 6d. for rent; yes, he was one week in
arrear, having before been punctual with his eighteenpence. His land-
lord, named Martin—may seraphs harp the syllables !—forced the room-
door off the hinges—dragged a girl of fifteen by the hair of her head from
the bed, then her brother, a boy of seven—and, lastly, removed an infant,
which he placed on the ground outside the door ! The poor girl had
prepared some food for the babe, which the merciful Martin, in the
fullness of his powers of distraint, refused to let her have. One Lyons,
a Jew broker, dwelling at 4, George Court, Stoney Lane (an apt address).
Houndsditch, then left the following document, which was handed in to
Mr. Norton, of Lambeth Street :—f Rent, 3s. ; levy, 3s.; and man in
possession, 2s. Gd., making altogether 8s. 6c/., though all that was due was
one week's rent, Is. 6rf." What a luxurious thing is English law, even
when it visits the hovels of the poor ! For eighteenpence debt, law asks
seven shillings costs ! Mr. Norton, however, sent word to the land-
lord and the Jew that they must immediately restore the goods free of
expense. He had better have sent his warrant for their apprehension
for the assault, and punished them accordingly. However, Leeson may,
as a Briton, have this satisfaction : his house is his castle, so long as his
landlord and a Jew broker refrain from breaking into it.