A correspondence has been published between the Lord Chief Justice,
Sir A. Cockburn, and Mr. Beales, late Revising Barrister for the county of Middlesex, containing the former's reasons for not reappointing Mr. Beales this year to the place, and the latter's criticism on the Lord Chief Justice's views. Both letters are exceedingly courteous and good. The Lord Chief Justice of course explains that while he has perfect confidence in Mr. Beales' strict judicial impartiality, he thinks it undesirable for the public that any one who plunges hotly into the very.thick of partizan politics should ,hold the judicial scales between the parties,—not because it is difficult to hold them fairly, but be- cause it is difficult for the public to believe that he holds them
perfectly fairly when they see him identified with very strong parties and strong views. Mr. Beales replies like a gentleman. He reminds the Lord Chief Justice that he had repeatedly been -complimented by both parties on his perfect fairness, and thinks that some complaint against him could alone have warranted his removal. But the Lord Chief Justice is obviously right. If it had come to such a complaint, Mr. Beaks would have been placed in a very painful situation, and the confidence of the public would have received a shock whether the complaint was just or not. It would have been wisest for Mr. Beales to resign, or decline reappointment, on finding himself compelled to take a -very prominent part in a hot party struggle.
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