The Sun.
London, England, 1849-08-27 00:00:00

ettentatt 'nut

(.0:71)N, MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 1849.

From the Dublin Gazette of Friday it appears that
the Right Honourable JOHN RICHARDS, one of the
Barons of her MAJESTY'S Court of Exchequer in Ire-
land, and MONTIFORD LONGFIELD, Esq., Q.C.,
Professor of Law in Trinity College, Dublin, have
been duly sworn in as two of the three Commis-
sioners under the Act 12th and 13th VICTORIA, cap.
77, for the sale of encumbered estates in Ireland
'I heir able coadjutor CHARLES JAMES HARGREAVES,
Esq., the eminent English conveyancer, will be
sworn in on a future occasion. It is satis-
factory to find that the vast powers con-
ferred by this most important statute have
been confided to men of honour, experience, and pro-
found learning, whose very names afford the most
perfect guarantee that the Act will be carried into
execution in strict accordance with its spirit and
meaning, that its extensive provisions will not
be frittered away by useless and expensive precau-
tions that would practically neutralize its beneficial
effects, and render it worse than useless ; neither will
there be any rash or wild administration calculated
to render this most salutary law a dangerous experiment.
Its enactments will only be brought into operation
when it is clearly established that it will be for the
benefit of all parties concerned, as well of the inheri-
tors and creditors of the encumbered estates as of the
public generally, that they should be resorted to; and
when that is the case :no absurd quibble or over-
caution will be suffered to impede its progress or
defeat its efficacy.
Baron RICHARDS, the first Commissioner, is
not only peculiarly qualified for the duties of the sta-
tion, but he possessed claims upon thelrish Government
that have been too long disregarded, and could not
again be overlooked. His great experience as an
equity lawyer had pointed him out as a fitting candi-
date for the highest judicial appointment in the gift
of the Irish Government; but his reasonable expec-
tations were repeatedly disappointed, and he was
looked upon in Ireland as affording a striking illus-
tration of Whig ingratitude. Sprung from a family
of high respectability, which, had for a long period
been settled in the county of Wexford, his father had
risen to the highest distinction as a surgeon in the Irish
metropolis, where he realised a large professional in-
come. His sou, the subject of the present notice, had
been called to the Lar at an early age. In a short
time he got into very considerable business, and, what
was at that time very unusual, almost entirely re-
stricted to cases in equity. In the:Rolls' Court his
services were eagerly sought after. His thorough
knowledge of Chancery practice, his calm and gen-
tlemanly deportment, his admirable "court manner,"
secured him a brief in almost every case of importance
argued in that Court, and he speedily acquired
among that shrewd body, the Irish solicitors, the
cognomen of "Rolls' Richards"—a sufficient,indica-
tion of the position he then occupied. He was for
many years in legal parlance the recognised
." leader"
of the Court, where all questions connected with the
management of estates under the jurisdiction of
Chancery, and the distributicn of the funds obtained
by sales under the Court, were disposed of. It was not,
however, in questions of practice that he was alone
sought after; his sound practical knowledge of
" real property law" rendered his advocacy peculiarly
valuable in the most intricate and difficult points that
c.one before the equity tribunals of his country.
Ifis high and varied attainments as a lawyer, as
well as his consistent and earnest advocacy of Liberal
principles, pointed him out as one of the earliest
recipients of the patronage cf the Whig Government.
Shortly after Lord MELBOURNE became Prime
Minister, Mr. RICHARDS, then a Queen's Counsel in
first-class business, was offered the distinguished and
lucrative app int ment of an Indian judgeship. This
Mr. RIC HARM willingly accepted, being anxious to en-
joy the otium cum dignitate which he had so honourably
earned, and also to escape the cares and turmoils of
political life. His desires in this respect were not,
however, destined to be gratified. immediately before
the time fixed on for his departure to assume the
duties of his situation the office of Solicitor General
became vacant by the elevation of the Right Hon.
LOUIS PERRIN to the judicial bench, and the promo-
tion of the late lamented Sir MICHAEL 01LOGHLEN to
the Attorney- Generalship. The vacant office was
tendered to Mr. RICHARDS, and at first re-
fused. He was unwilling to relinquish the
judgeship to which he had been appointed,
which was peculiarly acceptable to him, and every
preparation for which had been already completed.
Every persuasion was resorted to in order to induce
him to change his resolution, and he was only pre-
vailed upon to do so upon the earnest solicitation of
Lord NORMANDY, who felt the importance of securing
his services as one of the law officers of the Crown.
lie, however, at length consented, although very
reluctlaroly, and it was generally acknowledged that
h e had made a great sacrifice, that should be taken
into account at a fitting time. When Sir
MICHAEL OTOODLEN was appointed a Baron
of the Court of Exchequer, Mr. RICHARDS became
Attorney-Gene ral, Sergeant "Noire being made
Solicitor-General, in accordance with the well known
rule of the then Government, that one of the law-
officers should be a Protestant and the other a Roman
Catholic. While filling this situation Sir WILLIAM
AI ACM All ON, the then Master of the Rolls, died, and

Mr. Iticnauns would have been entitled, according
to the well known etiquette of the profession, to
the refusal of the vacant office. Contrary to all pre-
cedent, however, it si as offered to, and accepted
by, Sir MICHAEL OTOGIILEN. Mr. RICHARDS was
justly indignant at this most unaccountable slight.
lie remonstrated warmly at the insult, which was
the more unjustifiable when his previous sacrifices
were taken into account. He tendered his resigna-