The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-02 00:00:00

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR

IRELAND.
it would appear that the Attorney-General—or, fo speak
safely, the gentleman who was Attorney-General for Ire-
land three days ago—ls determined that the world shall not forget
the unseemly want of temper which characterised his earlier pro.
ceedings in the great repeal case. Matters were ginning to go
on a little more smoothly. Those who were inxions for the
cause of justice, and for the integrity of the British empire, were
just congratulating themselves that Mr. Smith was really doing his
work like a gentleman and a lawyer, when, lo ! the ttunder.clap
of yesterday comes down upon us. Under the very nose of 1011.
bottomed justice herself-1n the, very atmosphere of law and equity
—with Judges above--attornies below—Queen's Counsel arounl
—his brief before—his junior behind him—the Queen's Attor.
ney.General, wig, silk-gown, and all, electrifies the embodies jus-
tice of Ireland by insisting on the satisfaction of shooting at the
counsel for the traversers. Our ultra-Ministerial Contemporaries
seem to think this rather fine, and in the tone of a well.
dressed young gentleman who puts his back to the fire, pulls
up his col!ar, and "confesses" to some sixteen cardinal virtues,
inform us that Mr. Smith acted, perhaps, immorally, certainly
illegally, but at any rate, they do flatter themselves, like a gentle.
man. For ourselves, in this ludicrous and disgraceful affair wa
find it difficult to say whether the scandal or the absurdity predo.
urinates. Can this "gentleman," we are tempted to ask, know
what he is, where he is, what he professes, what he is paid for,
what is the weight of the obligation which rests on his shoulders—
that he dares to postpone the interests of his country, which has
employed him, the character of his party, the success of his cause,
to the satisfaction of avenging a trumpery insult offered him by a
still more trumpery opponent? Here is the great demagogue of
the day on his trial—the cause of civil Government itself at stake,
as one party says—" a nation dragged to the bar of the Queen's
Bench," as the other ejaculates—Europe looking on to sea
what happens— the majesty of the law ire extremts —twelve
honest jurymen all gaping attention to the engrossing
argument when the Attorney-General— the advocate of law.
and order, and government—diverts the course of proceedings by
"an appeal to the Court cif twelve paces," by challenging Mr.
Fitzgibbon. Derogatory words had been spoken of the three
Crown Counsel, which the Attorney-General (on the principle, see
suppose, of " seniares prieres'') thought it decoreus to " take ttp."
The Attorney-General, " with an unusually stern expression of
countenance" discharged at Mr. Fitzgibbon a three.sornered note,
Mr. Fitzgibbon, three-cornered note in hand, elbowed his way
across the Court, thumped, stamped, vibrated, shook his wig, and,
taking nothing by his move but a severe " Nothing could justify
you, Sir !" sat down in wrath unappeased and unappeas-
able. But then enter the Dii majorum variant—the
Judges of the Court. Mr. Fitzgibbon throws himself
upon their protection, and so tells , the . Attorney..
General that he is not the man to be bullied into
an apology. Mr. Moore; with a feeling which doet him credit,
beseeches the belligerents not to be in a hurry. The ,Court re-
monstrates—the AttOrney-General withdraws—Mr. Fitzgibbon ex.
plains. Mr. Moore keeps continually pulling the tails of Mr.
Fitzgibbon's coat, lest he should say the wrong thing as well as
the right. The Attorney-General is content, and Mr. Fitzgibbon
proceeds in his address to the jury. And this is an Irish trial!
This is the way in which an Irish Attorney-General vindicates the
law! Above all, this is the mode iu which an Irish Court enter
tains such a specimen of truly Irish legal argument! The Court
was perfectly " satisfied, and hoped there would be no more about
it"—only anxious, as it would seem, not to interfere unduly with
the excited feelings of the "jontlemen :"
" We are reluctant to give an intimation of the strong opinion
we entertain as to the impropriety of what has taken place in Court,
willing to make allowance for those heated feelings which, when
called forth, frequently carry gentlemen beyond the limits which
their cooler judgments would forbid them to pass."

We, for our parts, entertain no such overwhelming reluctance .
Mr. Smith may be—it appears to be on all bands admitted that he
is—a gentleman—a man of honour—a sound lawyer. But, reluc-
tant or not reluctant, we feel bound to say, that a person so wholly
unable to command his temper, that in the very crisis of a trial,
and such a trial, he cannot help giving his and his employer's
enemy the triumph of such an expose( as we have recorded, is
plainly unfitted/or the responsible and difficult situation in which he
finds himself. Even if such a strange escapade is of a nature to find
favour with the Irish people, as it seems to have found mercy from
the Court, it still remains a degradation to a court of justice—an
immoral, illegal, uncivilised exhibition with which no people smelt
to be indulged.

" Curio. I love thee Well ;
But never more be °Seer of mine."

Mr. Smith • remains, no doubt, an excellent advocate in a real
action or an ordinary prosecution fbr burglary; but preserve the
public fivm such an Attorney-General. Our notice of this wild
affair would ►e Imperfect without a abort reference to the sequel,
as it appears in to-day's paper. The solemn pacification which
took effect—as of record, we suppose—under the high sanction of
the Court, is not enough for Mr. Fitzgibbon. " I am," he is
good enough to inform them, "an ardent man in a high degree—
too much so, I must confess, but I cannot help it any more than I
can help sleeping (I);" and eo, with characteristic impetuosity, be
hastens to repeat his regrets. Mr. Fitzgibbon fatnents--deplores.
Mr. Fitzgibbon "cannot say he is satisfied with what took place
yesterday." Mr: Fitzgibbon "Is not satisfied, bemuse
he thinks that justice was not done to the . Attorney.
General as a lawyer and as a gentleman. Hew con-
siderate of Mr. Fitzgibbon! "He placed himself," adds
Mr. Fitzgibbon, "in a moment of irritation, in a false position,
which did not or ought not to belong to him." " I am'n ;t satis.
tied, because I felt, and still feel, that what I said pressed upon a
temper which cannot be helped by the Attorney-General no mere
Man the air he breathes." Charity itself I—forgiving, candid,
generous, enduring charity! But it reminds us a little of a well.
known Joe Miller. " Ma'am," said a countrywoman of ours to
a sharp Frenchwoman, " I hear you go about saying I'm a fool In
" Oh, que non, Madame !" was the apologetic reply. " I never.
never say thing so impoli. I have Oka hard it say." Mr. Fitz.
gibbon's balm has much the same healing quality as that furnishea
by the Frenchwoman. It is very good of him—extrtmely so—to
apologise; but It might have been thought to show better taste if
he had done so for himself alone, and " not fbr the Attorney-Gene.
ral. We certainly do not envy Mr. Smith his " false position,''
from which kis unaided alerts will not soon extricate bias. We
have only to hope, for his own sake, that be has learnt to write
no more three-cornered notes; for ours, that he will not have oc.
Cation to do so in the service of the public.—Tines.

THE THEATRES.

DRURY-LANE,

Her Majesty and Prince Albert, attended by a numerous suite,
honoured Drury-lane Theatre with their presence last evening. The
performance selected for this auspicious occasion consisted of Balfe's
opera, the " Bohemian Girl," and the Pantomime. Her Majesty
frequently testified her approbation of the music, and expressed her-
self delighted with several of the melodies which are intersper ed
throughout the opera. The ebullitions of loyalty were both loud and
frequent, • even to the interruption of the performances; hut
these were checked by the sudden departure of her Majesty
at the close of the opera. Her Majesty and the Prince.
however, re-entered the • box at the commencement of the panto-
mimel and this re-appearance excited the audience to a fresh explo-
sion of cries for " God save the Queen." At length her Majesty
acceded to the cordial manifestations, and came forward to bow her
acknowledgments to the vast crowds who thronged every portion of
the theatre. Her Majesty and the Prince laughed heartily at Payne's
Impersonation of Carlotta Grist, and retired shortly after the sana-
tory display. lier Majesty appeared in excellent health and spirits,
and did not seem at all affected by her fatigue at the opening of the
Parliament.