The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-01-14
A Trick Of 0ladstone's.

| Ibere Is no DOUBT that Mr. Glad8tOp
has been guilty of trick equal in audacit.
York. I will relate the circumstances O.
briefly as can. Heretofore the legal mem
bers of the Privy Council have attended
to the judicial matters brought before then
without compensation, precisely as the
House Of Lords acts as the court of last
resort. The business having greatly acct
INFLATED, it was felt that the Right Honor.
able gentlemen ought not to be taxed sc
heavily, and during the last Parliament-in
| fact no longer ago than last August-an act
was passed, at the instance Of the Govern
ment itself. creating Judicial Bench in
should receive regular salaries like all other
judges.
1t was expressly provided in this act
that the persons who should occupy these
important positions should be selected from
the existing Judges of the Superior Courts
the reasons for this is obvious:: The new
Court is Court of Appeal only, and the
members comprising it should not only be
able lawyers but also experienced judges,
practically familiar with the judicial
routine, and publicly recognized as sound
and well. trained administrations of the law.
Those first appointed to the new bench
were undoubtedly men of this stamp, and
their selection gave universal satisfaction.
But, all of q sudden, it was announced that
the then Attorney General, Sir Robert Col
lier, had been selected to ELL the last va
cancy. Everybody stared, but presumed
that there was some mistake.
Sir Robert Collier, most excellent man
and able lawyer, was of no higher rank than
that of Queens Counsel, and even while
Attorney General, was still engaged in
private practice at the bar. It could not
be possible, it was thought, that even Mr..
Gladstone, with all his andacity, would
RI Ia hOtSs tho anirit md "a
letter of the new act, and thrust his COL
leagues into the supreme post over the
heads Of all the other Judges. But We
were not long left in doubt. The manner
in which Mr.. Gladstone got over the diff
Guilty and accomplished his end was this !:
He first appointed Sir Robert Collier to q
Judgeship in the Court of Common Pleas,
and the next day transferred him to the
bench of the new court.
Such bare-faced evasion Of the pro-
visions OF the act, You may we'll imagine,
produced the profOundest surprise, to
which, when all the facts became known,
succeeded the deepest indignation. Even
Lord Chief Justice of England felt called
upon to send to MIR. Gladstone an elaborate
protest, couched in the plainest and sever
eat terms, and in SO doing he only acted as
the mouth piece Of the entire legal profess
sion. But Mr.. Gladstone was impervious
alike to remonstrance or rebnke, and the
appointment has been fully carried out
How Sir Robert Collier can possibly have
the face to retain his seat under such cir
cumstances is puzzle to all who know hin,
personally, and the only conclusion we can
come to is that he, hitherto an honest and
honorable man, has had his IDEAS of honor
and honesty sadly perverted during his
official association with the Premier. There
is no doubt that the matter will be formally
| brought to the notice of Parliament soon
after the session commences. and imagine
that Mr.. Gladstone will find it difficult to
give satisfactory reasons for what be has
done.-Cor. Chicago Journal.