The Sun.
London, England, 1818-12-15 00:00:00

LORD ELLENBOROUGIL

• However convinced. we may be of our inability
to do justice to • the high legal character, to the
Splendid abilities, and the varied acquirements, of
the late Lord ELLENBoLtoUGH, we are yet unwil-
ling to let such a man pass from among us with-
out attempting, at least, to pay him that tribute
of respect to which he is so eminently entitled,
We are the more anxious to endeavour to dis-
charge this duty, because it has become a part of
the almost avowed system, of the regular tactics,
of those who are incessantly assailing our vener-
able Constitution, to depreciate exalted worth,
411(1 to represent every man in high station
as au object deserving either of contempt or of
hat red.

. Lord ELLENBOROUGH entered the Profession of
the Law with peculiar advantages—Nature had
bestowed upon him extraordinary talents, and
*hey were cultivated by the best education this
Country could afford ; his station in life was high,
and he devoted himself to the Law, not as to a trade
by which he might make money, but as' to a libe-
ral Profession, which would lead to rank, to dig-
nitY, and to honour. Although the Bar was un-
"nunonly rich in talent when be was called, be
fiery
soon soon obtained a considerable share of busi-
ness, particularly on th-e Northern Circuit, on
"'licit he conducted every cause of iwpoitance,
frntn the time he attained the rank of King's
Counsel till he finally quitted it, on being ap-
Pointed Attorney• General. In London his busi-
ness was not at first so great—Messrs. BEAR-
".OVT, ERSKINE, and MINGAY, were at that time
The leaders in the King's Bench, and they were
not men easily to be superseded ; but the Trial of
4lr• HASTINGS gave Lord .ELLENBOROUGH a no-
"'le opportunity of displaying his great powers,
tua most fully did he avail himself of it. A brief for
'he defendant in that great cause was, it is well
1140%vn, offered to Mr. ERSKINE, which he de-
clined, and Mr. HASTINGS was then advised, most
fortunately for himself, to solicit the professional
assistance of Mr. LAW. A more important, a
11.1(4e -difficult cause never was submitted to the
investigation of a human Tribunal ; it extended
aver the transactions of years—it involved not only
Me general pOlicy, but all the details and ramifi-
tatinns of the Government of a mighty Empire.
To Mr. LAW the subject was entirely new, while
he great Leader of the Impeachment, Mr. BURKE,
Ire spent no- inconsiderable portion of. his
'ie in penetrating into the obscurity in
Ilhich at that time Indian affairs were studiously,
perhaps, involved. When the Trial commenced,
LAW had to contend against such a concen-
gat.
1°I) of abilities as has perhaps never been
11:1".ailed. The impassioned zeal, the almost
endless information, the sublime eloquence of
t • Buttite, the powerful, vehement, and logical
eBv"ing of Mr. Fox, the pointed brilliancy,
it nd highly finished declamation of Mr. SHERIDAN,
_
d
the subtle, metaphysical acuteness of Mr.
•Nnnam, would have overwhelmed any man
*hn,
Was not possessed of powers of the highest'j
vttler- That 'Trial established the character of
1.11.• LA*, and within a few years after its ter-
itlination he gose to the highest honours of his
Profession.

In 1801, during the administration of Mr. AD-.
bcill'l6'rON„ Ml'. LAW W 3.3 appointed Attorney-
toeriti, without having previously filled the in.
;.,1.44 one of Solicitor-General ; and in April
'(l2, he vas elevated to the rank of Chief Justice
1.7 the Court of King's Bench, and created Lord
fLL"Boaouox. Upon the formation of the
'lthoinistration of Lord GRENYILLE and Mr. Fox
1806 his Lordship became a Member of the
L.abioet ; and during the same Administration,
4'4 Lordship, 'and Lords SPENCER, GRENVILLE,
:41 ERSKINE, were selected by his Majesty to
liliv”iigate the Charges which were preferred
144rtIst the Princess of WALES. After the (Haw-
ilt4 of that Administration, his Lordship took
14 active part in politics, but be continued till,
4tiolunner to discharge the arduous and most
1440tiou duties of his high office with diligence,
11)Partiality, and ability, which have never been
411PNesed.
is
4,1 t not to be expected that in times of
licen-
tishess and faction the character of the Chief
tariiitioal Judge of the Kingdom will escape the
i
"J'Thy of the profligate and tte seditious ; Lord
110„”1131D, Lord KENYON, and Lord ELLENRO-
th have been assailed by the invectives of
wiuse whose evil, propensities they restrained, or
crimes use
, they punished ; but those Noble.
tiles."t's must have found ample compensation in
aPProval of their own consciences, and in the
tste
em. veneration, and gratitude of all good men.
N
of fe ,
g' holy unequal we are to give a character
144 LordILLLENROROUGH, but we trust that sonic
tll be found to do justice to the memory of
.Itid °I the most able, enlightened, and impartial
44 that ever sat is the King's Bench.