THE " ESQUIRE " QUESTION.
TO THE EDITOR OF TUE SPECTATOR.
SIR—The public appear to he ignorant of the importance of this subject, and the benefit the Magistrates in Petty Sessions are rendering to their fellow- subjects by a rigid scrutiny into these claims ; and in the apparent absurdity of settling what to superficial observers is a mere question of precedence or per- sonal vanity, it is forgotten that these decisions affect the administration of public justice. These questions are raised on the annual revision of the Jury-list; and if a householder can get his own return of " esquire " or " merchant" admitted, he is relieved from the duties of a petty juror, and reserved for the easy and profitable duties of a special juror, receiving a guinea for his attendance upon every Special Jury cause. 1 do not propose going into the merits of the Special Jury system ; but so long as it remains a system, it is desirable that it should be made as efficient as possible. Lord ELLENBOROUGH said that a Special Jury of London merchants was the most satisfactory tribunal in the world ; and while the "custom of merchants" is recognized as part of our law, the importance of having our Special Juries composed of competent persons is indisputable. lf, therefore, wine-merchants, (retail wine-dealers,) corn-merchants, (corn-chandlers,) coal- merchants, (retail coal-dealers,) are to be allowed to return themselves in the lists without question, the Sheriff at once places them on the Special Jury list as "merchants," in company with the "esquires "; a large proportion of whom, have just as much a right to the title of "esquire," as their wives have. It is doubtless much more agreeable to attend at Westminster Hall for one day only as a special juror, than for a week as a petty juror, and to receive a guinea for each cause is more satisfactory than " the thanks of the country "; but the interest of the public requires that these lists should be most rigorously scrutinized ; and the Justices are only doing their duty in sifting the claims of these self-styled " esquires " and merchants.
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