The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-30 00:00:00

MR. JUDGE BLAC4J3URA•

We are not surprised to find that the appoint-
ment of Mr. Colin Blackburn to a puisne judgeship
has given rise not only to much criticism but to
much misrepresentation. Our contemporary—well
informed on most subjects—too frequently, 'we re-
gret to say, falls into grievous error when it con-
descends to echo the loose and idle gossip of the
robing-room. According to the Times Mr. Colin
Blackburn is a gentleman totally unknown at the
bar, who owes his promotion exclusively to the cir-
cumstance that he was born on the same. side of the
Tweed as the Lord Chancellor. Nepotisin is not
directly insinuated, but a foolish national prejudice
is alleged as the probable cause which. induced
Lord Campbell to select the learned gentleman.
Here we may observe that in this United
Kingdom separate nationality has never been
considered a bar to promotion. In recent times
Lord Campbell, a Scotchman, and Lord
St. Leon ards, an Englishman, have held the
office of -Irish Lord Chancellor. At the present
moment the merits and learning of Ireland are re-
presented on the English bench by four judges—.
Mr. Baron Martin, Mr. Justice Willes, Mr. Justice
Hill, and Mr. Baron Watson ; and we have in the
Court of Chancery one learned Vice-C
Sir John Stuart, who is a Scotchman. The offence
of separate nationality is one which we hope Mr.
Colin Blackburn, in such good company, will
manage to survive. But " who is Mr. Colin Black-
burn ?" is the question which the Times requires
to be categorically answered. We will apply our-
selves to the task of supplying the information
which our contemporary seeks. Mr. Colin Black-
burn was called to the bar in the year 1838, and
therefore has been in practice for the space of
twenty-one years. This fact was stated by the
Times—the only particle of truthful text sur-
rounded by a large margin of error. Mr: Black-
burn, as the colleague of Mr. Ellis, has for several
years discharged with industry and ability the im-
portant duties of reporter in the Court of:Queen's
Bench. As a member of the Northern Circuit:he
has had large business, chiefly in commercial cases,
and we may say that at Liverpool his name has
long stood first amongst the long list of „barristers
in whom the merchants of that. great mart have
confidence. Actions about shipping, bills of ex-
change, &c., involving difficult and unattractive
points of law, are not the cases which bring the
advocate prominently before the public. Asian may
be the best case lawyer that ever lived, he may com-
mand the respect and esteem of the judges and of
the profession, and yet his name may be CO,
paratively unknown M
to the general public.
It is the ready and fluent speaker—the man who,
by his eloquence, can wring verdicts from reluctant
juries—who stands best with the public. But that
Mr. Colin Blackburn is not so unknown, even in
London, as the Times supposes, may be proved from
the columns of the Times itself. On the sth of last
May our contemporary published a report of the
case of Hickie v. Rodocanachi, which was heard in
the Exchequer before the Lord Chief Baron, Mr.
Baron Martin, Mr. Baron Bramwell, and Mr.
Baron Channell. The report states—" The case
was fully and elaborately argued by Mr. Bovill
(with whom was Mr. F. M. White) for the plain-
tiffs, and Mr. Colin Blackburn (with whom was
Mr. Wilde) for the defendant. The Lord Chief
Baron said that the Court would take time to con-
sider their judgment; but he would take the pre-
sent opportunity of saying—an opinion in which
all his learned brethren con curred—that it was
seldom the Court had an opportunity of listening
to such able arguments as they had heard from the
learned counsel on both sides." It is therefore quite
clear, though the learned gentleman may be-un-
known " to the usher of the court," that his learn-
ing and abilities are fully appreciated by at least
four able and distinguished judges. Mr. Colin
Blackburn owes his promotion not to that absurd
feeling of nationality which the Times suggests,
but to his undoubted merits. It is understood tha,
he was recommended to the Lord Chancellor:for
the appointment on the ground of his learnt-
ing and acquirements as an aecomplished,
commercial lawyer, although he may have no claim.
to the fame and reputation of the more brilliantand
superficial advocate, whose success in addressing a
jury affords no real or secure test of capacity for
judicial office. In this great commercial country it
is obviously a matter of the highest importance that
the common law judges should possess not only a
competent but an ample, knowledge of the laws
which regulate the various relations of trade. Mr.
Colin Blackburn possesses this knowledge in an.
eminent degree, and the selection of the learned
gentleman, instead of being attributed to the most
unworthy motives, ought in reality to be considered
as an evidence on the part of the Lord Chancellor
of his desire to place " the right man in the right
place," without regard either_te political opinions
or Parliamentary services.—Morning Post.