Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1863-02-27

tpoiOBlHtS iOf the usutphuohs VI blNVoLN
affords no reason that they are right;
since every age Of tyranny has had great
er lawyers than either of them. who we're
equally the tools Of Unauthorized and ty-'
rannical power.
Lord Chancellor ELLEsMERE is one IL
lustrious example. 1t is said of him by
one Of his Successors in that great office,
that he always supported the king in his
pretensionr 20 arbitrary pQyerl never ina
single instance checking the excesses Of
prerogative---even going so far as to claim
for royal proclamation the force and et-
feet of law of parliament. While he
was yet in office case arose in the highest
court of the kingdom before the twelve
Judges. An order came forbidding fur
ther proceeding with until the kings ada
vice should be taken upon a matter touch
ing his prerogative. The judges answer
ed, in irritiag, that the order was contrary
to their oaths, and they must proceed in
the cause They were summoned before
the king; denounced by him; and all
dropped on their knees Only one, Lord
COKE, maintained that the delay was
against their oaths. Lord BACON, Attor-
lney General, and ELLEsMERE were both
there, "eminent and distinguished law
yers," assisting the king in his degrade
ton of the highest Judicial tribunal in the
country, by their arguments and advice.
And when the question was again put to
the twelve judges whether in a case before
them, in which his majesty conceived his
"power or profit to be concerned" /" they
would stay proceedings in order to consult
him. the illustrious and learned gentlemen,
with one single and glorious exception,
submissively said they toould, and acknowl-
edged it to be their duty to do so. As
HALLAM says, having made "a show of
withstanding the court, they behaved hke
cOwardly rebels who surrender at the first
discharge of the cannon, and prosituted
their integrity and their fame through
dread of losing their offices, or rather,
perhaps of mourning the unmerciful and
ruinous penalties of the Star Chamber.
But Lord COKE said that he would do his
duty as a judge when the question came
before him and would give no better an
swer. He was Immediately discharged
from his high Office. The other eminent
lawyers " were retained
Here we have at one period of time
eleven Judges. Lord Chancellor, and Il,
eminent a genius as BACON, all panderinl
) to the very worst tyranny, and surrender
) ing the liberties of the people upon tn,
behest of tyrsnt--some of them vii
) lingly and zealously, in the hope of speedy
ptomotion; and others through abiec
: cowardice and a servile nature We shal
:, pursue these examples no farther to-day
1t is no argument, then, to be address
ed to an intelligent man that he shall sur
y, render his opinions to the judgment o
{ some lawyer. We can all read the consti
= tuition Of our country. Wehsve inherit
ct a great many notions of liberty, am
many Of us know osr rights tolerabl
well. But we cannot look into the heart
lof such men as STANsBERRY and EwINo
We may know them to be eminent = 70
learning but we cannot youch for thei
political honesty. And if we trust oui
selves to their guidance, who knows bu
q that like ELuEsMERE, BAcoN, and til
= Judges, and like many lawyers Of late
, days, they may not sell us ont to some ty
rant for a seat in the Cabinet, an Attorne
J Generalship,or the successorship to TANE,
= now eighty-fonr years of age. Let |
!, stand by our rights notwithstanding the,
= lawyers,
~ The Democracy OF ButIer COuH
,g ,lsau ~ Moving.
lef Ameeiing of the Democracy Of Madisl
I, Il Township, Butler County, Ohio, was held
Madison House, on the 10Th day Of Februa
r 1868, to form Democratic Club" for I
" uurpose aiding in the preservation of I