The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-10 00:00:00

GREECE.

The Journal de Smyrne contains the following intelli-
gence from Napoli, dated the 18th of August :—" The
clemency shown by King Otho to Colocotrom and Kolio-
pulos, who were condemned to death by the tribunal at
Napoli, far from inspiring the adherents of those rebels
with a feeling of gratitude, excited in them a degree of
confidence, which manifested itself in a fresh attempt to
overthrow the Government. Two nephews of the par-
doned traitors, Mitros Plaputa and Nikitas Zerbini,
joined by all the partisans of the Government of Capo
d'lstrias, who were known in Greece by the name
of Napists, have contrived a plot, which has broken
out at the same time at three points of the Pe-
ninsula,—viz., at Andritzena, Popeubza, and a village
near Megalopolis ; all the intriguers and vagabonds
in the country hastened to join the standard of the insur-
rection. Happily, the number of the rebels was small, not-
withstanding their intrigues and efforts of all kinds to aug-
ment their party, and the measures taken by the Govern-
ment with equal promptitude and energy, sufficed to defeat
the treasonable projects of the rebels. Divisions of the
gendarmes, which had proceeded from different points, at-
tacked and dispersed the rebels without difficulty, and took
several prisoners, among whom are said to be D. Kallerqi,
D. Tzokris, Sacheropulos, Nikitas, &c. ; they have
_been brought to Napoli, and are confined partly
in Itschkeale, and partly in Burgi ; and it is to be hoped
that the Government will not again commit the fault of
letting the trial be so long protracted, and that no second
Polyzoides will be President of the Tribunal. This con-
spiracy, like the preceding, took for its pretext the defence
of religion, which the Government, it alleged, was continu-
ally attacking ; but the real object was to overturn the ex-
isting order of things, to throw the power into the bands of
the Napists, and set Colocotroni and Koliopulos at
liberty. The insurgents hoped that the pretext of re-
ligion would draw many discontented persons from their
duty, but they were disappointed. A great number
of Roumeliots took arms to repulse the rebels, and
several Capit.ani who distinguished themselves in the long
struggle for independence, among whom is the brave
Colonel Grivas, have voluntarily offered their services to
the Regency. Kolios Piaputas, who modestly assumed the
title of Governor-General of the kingdom, has been obliged
to retreat to Elis, abandoned by all his partisans, and
closely pursued by a detachment of Gendarmes. The
rebels have been likewise defeated at every other point, and
order is every where restored.
The Austrian Observer says, "the latest news which
we have received direct from ✓Napoli, and which is of the
date of the sth of September, confirms the entire suppression
of the insurrection in the Peloponnesus. The main
body of the rebels from 1,000 to 1,200 strong, was attacked,
defeated, and dispeised, by the Roumeliots under Grivas, on
the 2I st of August, at the village of Sole, near Karitene.
Seine days later, one of the principal leaders of the insur-
rection, named Grizzali, who had concealed himself in a
cave near Pfari, was arrested and delivered up by the
country people. It is hoped that the other instigators of
the insurrection, who, since their defeat, are wandering
singly about the country, will experience a similar fate."
VIENNA SEPT. 29.—Five per Cent. Metalliques, 9914 ; Four
per Cent. Ditto, 90%; Bank Shares, 1232.—Allgcmeine Zeitung,
Oct. 4.

MEMOIR OF SIR JOHN LEACH.

(Abridged from the Legal Observer.)
Sir John Leach was, at the time of his death, one
of the best judges on the bench, having preceded in
his appointment most of his learned brethren. He was
of humble, though respectable parentage, and received
little from his relations but a plain education. He.
was born at Bedford in 1760, where his father was a
tradesman ; he was one of several sons, and he, as
well as his brothers, was intended to remain in that
grade in society. We have understood that one of
his brothers (who was afterwards appointed his prin-
cipal secretary, as Master of the Rolls) was an enter-
prising man of business, having obtained a patent for
making lace, which he brought to great perfection.
John Leach was educated at the Grammar School at
Bedford, and placed in the office of Sir Robert Tay-
lor, the eminent architect, to whose business he ap-
lied himself with great attention and perseverance.
His not continuing in this profession has been attri-
buted to accident ; it is said, that being engaged as a
poll clerk at a contested election at his native town, he
attracted the attention of Mr. Piggott (afterwards Sir
Arthur Piggott), who was engaged as counsel. He
was so struck by young Leach's energy and acute-
ness, that he advised him to study the law. This
is, however, one of those semi-dramatic inci-
dents which are generally thrust into the bio-
graphy of eminent men. We believe the fact to
have been, that in the office of Sir Robert Taylor he
met, as a co-pupil, the late Mr. Samuel Pepys Cocke-
rel!, and on that gentleman commencing business for
himself, he requested the assistance of his friend ; and
it was owing mainly to Mr. Cockcrell's recommenda-
tion and encouragement that Mr. Leach commenced
the study of the law. Be this as it may, he entered
himself at the Middle Temple on the 26th of January,
1785, and became the pupil of that eminent draughts-
man and Judge Sir W. Alexander, then in great prac-
ice as a junior equity counsel.
In Hilary Term, 1790, he was called to the bar by
lat society, and chose the Home Circuit and Surrey
He soon obtained considerable practice in
.iese courts, and was distinguished for his neat, accu-
rate, and forcible speeches—his pleasing and lucid
statements of cases. The first important matter in
which he was retained as counsel was the Seaford election,
both at the election and the subsequent petition against
it, which was his first connexion with that borough,
which he afterwards represented in Parliament. It is
here also observable, that Sir John Leach is: another
instance of a person being successful in his profession.
although called to the bar after the usual period of
life, he being thirty years of age before he obtained
that degree.
In 1800 he thought it prudent to relinquish all
common law business, and confine himself to equity
practice ; and although this important step did not at
once meet full encouragement, no very long period
elapsed ere he became extensively employed. He was
particularly celebrated for his able and correct plead-
ings in equity ; they are in fact the foundation of many
of the private MS. collections now in the profession.
Some of them, marked J. L., have been printed in the
collection by Mr. Van Heythuysen, and they have
long been valued and followed by the practising equity
draughtsmen of the present day. In court he rose ra-
pidly into eminence, combining very considerable
with great powers of arranging and condensing
facts. His speeches always enforced attention, being
clear, precise, and nervous. He contended often, pre-
eminently even, with Sir Samuel Romilly, and was ge-
nerally preferred to Sir Anthony Hart, to both of
whom he was constantly opposed, more especially when
he became King's Counsel. His temper was warm and
irritable, and he was frequently involved in personal
altercation with the advocate to whom he was opposed.
•His talents as a speaker not only secured his employ-
ment in the Equity Courts, but gained him considera-
ble business at the Cockpit, more particularly on West
India appeals. He was, moreover, distinguished for
his despatch and powers of disposing of his business.
In politics, although he never took a very active
part, he was a Whig, and was early introduced to the
leaders of that party—Mr. Fox, Mr. Sheridan,
and others.
In 1807 he took a more distinguished stand both
in his profession and before the public. He was one
of the many eminent lawyers introduced into Parlia-
ment by a rotten borough. He had ever since 1792
been more cr less connected with Seaford (now en-
tombed in Schedule Aof the Reform Act). In 1705
he had been elected Recorder, and having resided anti
purchased property in the place, he had by degrees
obtained sufficient influence. in the borough to return
• both of its members in the general elections in 1806
and 1807, in opposition to Mr. Ellis, of Esher-park,
mho .had returned the members at the general elections
of 1796 and 1802.
In the election in 1807 Mr. Leach was returned for
that borough, together with Mr. G. liibbea, and
voted with the Whig' Administration. It was in
Hilary Term in this year also that he obtained a
patent of precedency—a d;Ninction which be well de-
served, both by his talents anJ the extent of his .busi-
ness. The usual compliment of Lseing made a bendier
of his society followed this promotion. In 1810 he
received the honorary degree of Doctor. of Laws from
the University of Oxford, on the installation of Lord
Grenville as Chancellor.
The arduous duties of a leading counsel in the
Court of Chancery now devolved on Mr. Leach,
which, however, he was fully qualified to perform; but
they probablyrevented his takinc, a very
11: politics. He did not speak oftcen in the House of
active prt

Sessions.