Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-02-12

tongue of venom to tie court Chitfinch who Was &C
custoned act As broker in Infamous Of m
than kind, lent his aid. He had conducted many
and many political nrgues, but he assnredly
never rendered more scandal1us service 10 his master
than when he introduced 1efireys to Whitehall The
renegade found patron in the obinrate and
vengeful James but was always regarded with scurn
and disgust bv Charles. whose faults great they
wee had no affinity with iasJence and cruelty. That
man." said The king .-haS no learning. sense no
manners and more impudrnce than carted street
walkers Work to be done. however, which
could be trusted to who reverenced law. or was
sensible Of shame; and thus Jeffreys age which
barriser thinks himself fortunate if he i employed p
lead important cause was made Chief jus ice Of the
Kings Bench.
His enemies could not deny that he possessed some
Of the qualities Of great Judge. His legal knowledge, in
deed was merely such lie picked uplnpracce Of no
very high kind; but he had of those happily cJntilu
ted inielects which, abyrnths of sopbsry and
through masses Of immaera facts, 90, straight 10 the
true point. vi his intellect however. he had seldom The
full Even in civil causes lis malevoent and despite
temper perpeiually disoTdereI his Judgment To enter
his court enter the den Of wild beast, which
none could tame and which was as likely to rage by
caresse as BY attacks. He frequently poured forth
plaintiffs. and defendants torrents Of frantic abuse inter
mixed with Uatls and His looks and tones had
inspired terror when he merely young advocate
struggling into practice Now that he wa Ihe head Of
the most formidable tribunal in the realm. there were few
indeed who did trenble before him. Even when he
was sober. his violence was sufficiently frghtfu hut
IN general, his overclouded and his evil
passions stimulated by the fumes Of ntoxcaion Ills
evenings ordinarily given to revery People, who
saw him only lis bottle. would have supposed him TO
be GROSS indeed. but social and good hunored He
was constantly surrounded Nh such ocasions 81 buuons
selected for the most part, from among tile ves pef,g-
gers who practlSed before him These men hanteed and
abused each 0lLer for his entertainment III Joined in
Their rbad talk, sang catches with them and when his
head grew hot, Rugged and kissed them III an ecsacy
drunken fundness But. though wine seemed 10 soften
his heart. the effect few hours later was very different
tie often came to the Judgment seat, having kent the
court waiting long and Yet having hut haf siap cf hs
debauch, his cheeks fire. Ills eyes staring like those of
maniac. When he was in this state his boon cornpan
ions OF The preceding night, if they were WISE kept out
Of his way, for the recollection Of the familiarity 10
which he had admitted them nfllned his maIirnitv
and ne was sure TO take every0ppunliy Of oyarwhelm-
lng Them with eXecrat0n and lnvecve. Not the least
odlous q his many peculiartes the pleasure which
he took in publicly browbeating ana morfyinr those.
whom in his fits of maudn tenderness he lad encour-
/ aged 10 presume IN his favor
1he services, which the government had expected
from him, We're performed, not merely without fnchng
out eagerly and trnmpnanty. His first exploit was tie
Judicial murder OF Agernon sidney. What followed was
IN perfect harmony with this beginning. Respectable
Tories amented the disgrace which Me harbaritv ard
lndecency Of 50 great tunct0nary brought mon The
administration Of Justice but the excesses whIG, G1pd
such with horror were titles to the esteem Of James
Jeleys, therefore, after the death Of Charles obtained
seat II the cabinet aid the Ieerage This last honor
was Signal mark of royal appreciation; r, since tile
the Judicial system Of the realm had been rem0lled in
the 10Th century, Chief Justice has been lord of par
lament.