New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-03-09
THE ALEXANDRA CASE-ANOTMEH
MI DDLR.

Neutrality case. Heretofore the Lord Chief
Baron of the Court Of Exchequer has been max
ing all exhibition Of himself as fighting judge,
and one whose law was limited to poor under
standing Of Webster's Dictionary. Now we
have the exhibition Of the Lord Chief Justice Of
the Queens Bench, and all his associates, with
one exception, as being at variance with the
Court of Exchequer, three Judges of tho Com
mon Pleas and the Crown lawyers, about the
right Of appeal in this much belaborcd and
neyer.to- be.rightly- settled Alexandra case. 1t
would seem as if nobody in England whose
business it was TO attend 10 such things knows
how to get o law-question settled in their high
est Judicial tribunals. Even the British Minis
try, who have been setting this prosecution in
motion, and who have been pushing it on with
all the talent and influence that they could
bring to bear upon it, for the sake of casing and
tightening their diplomatic policy and to con-
vince the American Government of their fair
minded intentions, seem as likely as any body
else to get no response from the judicial oraces.
! Our readers are aware, FROM the English news
brought US three or four days ago, that the
Court of Ezchequer Chamber, which is an appel
late court from the Court Of Erehequer, has de-
cided-four judges against thrce-that the ap-
peal was wrongly taken from the Judgment OF
the Court Of Exchequer, aud that $50 far as the
appellate court is concerned), the judgment
must stand that had been entered in the court
below, viz, in favor of the Defendants. 1t will
DO remembered further, that the statement was
made, that the case will now 60 to tho House
OF Lords for final decision. IL should unfortu-
nately make part Of this same statement that
there is the greatest chance in the world, that
the House of Lords will throw out the appeal. as
the Court Of E1chequer Chamber have done,
and so, after year or moro of judicial ponder
ing not particle Of law will come out of the
great Alexandra case, for tho settlement of in
temational difficulties.
| Here IL what The London Times--certainly
not a swift witness in our favor-says in It's ed.
itorial Of February 8, in view of the probability
of such result
Such mi.carrias. such should prove to be- would
deserve the Of fraud were tho re.u Of design be
ING result Of oversight, would be Ies dgraoefu but
| no, lees deporsbe."
| And again, in tho same editorial:
Here is q matter Of the greatest importance
which would remind unfrisndy critics OF the by which
tho Alabama slipped through the hands Of Custom Hous.
oeer. Such of this great would be pro
fouaily unsalssc,oy to all who are Interested In It."
Well-we have to say in coincidence with our
English friends--who is ~ blame for this result
but Lord Chief Baron Pollock, who made such
a display Of incompetency and partisan one
sidcdness at the jury trial, and then of quibbling
and quarreling about signing Il fair bill Of excep.
tons lie certainly had some motive for max
ing such an expose Of himself in refusing TO let
things take their ordinary course by q bill Of
exceptions. And at this distance, it looks much
more like disposition to hold back his instruc-
ton a. to "equip, furnish, I'll out, or arm all
meaning precisely tho same thing" or his actual
want of instruction what they DID mean, from
tho review Of the appellate tribunals, than
the wish which he says he cnterf aimed, 10 give
a wider opportunity to discuss his rulings on
better proof of this than that when the Bench
Of the Court of Exchequer pronounced its final
Judgment, there was no other Gliusion 70 this
celebrated Webster-Dictionay proposition Of
tho Chief Baron's, then Baron Channels quiet
remark: This, we now understand tho Chiei
Baron to Say that he did hot do i. o., declare
that tho four words all meant precisely the same
thingl, but only oppressed las opinion that they
did"
Perhaps the writer in The Times. while look
l.