13 JANUARY 1883, Page 13

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE MILES PLATTING CASE.

1 TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR...1

you permit me to notice briefly a few errors in the correspondence published by you on the above subject last Saturday 1. Mr. Portal speaks of the judgment in" Martin v. Ma,ckono- chie " as " declared by Chief Baron Pollock to have been founded on policy, not on law." Such a statement was made by Chief Baron Kelly about the judgment in " Ridsdale v. Clifton." But nothing like it has ever been publicly attributed to Sir F. Pollock.

2. Mr. Portal also says that "John Hampden resisted the illegal decisions of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in his day." Now, there was no Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in his day. And Hampden's case was tried not by the Privy Council, but by the twelve Common-law Judges.

3. Mr. Portal also avers that the Bishop of Manchester has " never tired of proclaiming that they " (Mr. Green and his friends) " were bad citizens who posed as martyrs." The Bishop once used these expressions in a manner which seemed to apply them to Mr. Green. But he afterwards said he had not in- tended so to apply them.

4. " F. S. L." tells us that the patronage of the living of Bordesley " rests with a body of Evangelical Trustees." The patron of Bordesley is the Vicar of Aston.—I am, Sir, &c.,