The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-06-01

Philpot Currsn had 10 contend" He WA
born of humble parents, near Cork, In
1850. In his bcyhood, at school, and In
the Four Courts Of Dublin. his natural
timidity and narvouaneAa, combined with
an impediment in his speech, gained for him
the title of Stuttsfing Jack Curran.
He was called 70 the bar in 1776. Like
DemOsthsAes, he overcame his affection,
and earned q lasting fame As foFensic and
parliamentary orator. In attempting to
read some extracts from his first brief, how
ever, the document fell from his hands, and
but for the aid of kind hearted barrister,
who read them, Curran would have failed
to ever state his case.
Not long after this, an incident brought
out an exhibition of that genius which nan.
dered him alike q terror TO the bench and
bar. Lord Robertson, one Of the presiding
judges, was very unpopular, both an q man
and jurist. He had undertaken to edit an
edition of Blackstone, but being afraid Of
the criticisms Of the press, he amply gave
it the title Of 90 Blackstone's Commentaries,
by q Member of the Irish Bar" Soon
after the work appeared Curran was plead
ing q case before his lordship, When the
judge interrupted him and said
Gentlemen of the jury, the learned
counsel has mistaken the law of this case.
To this Curran tartly replied, " If his
lordship says so, the etiquette of the court
demands that l submit, though neither the
statute nor common law of the country
should sanction his opinion But it is my
duty and privilege, too, to inform you, gen
tlemen of the jury, that have never seen
the Law 50 interpreted in any book Of my
library"
Lord Robertson sneeringly retorted,
50 Perhaps your library is rather ANAL, Mr..
Curran."
81 admit, said Mr. c., that my libra
ry is smah, but have always found it more
profitable to read good books than to pub
lish bad ones, which their very authors and
editors are ashamed to own"
Sir" said the judge, "you are forget
ting the dignity Of the Judicial character
Speaking Of Dignity, promptly replied
Curan, your lordship reminds me of a
book / have read / refer to Tristan
Shandy. If your lordship has read it, you
will remember that the Irish Buffer Roche,
ON engaging in q squabble, lent his coat to
by-stander. After the fight had ended,
he discovered that he had got good beat
ing and lost his coat into the bargain.
Your lordship can apply the illustration.
Sir, said the judge, very petulantly,
:" if you say another word, III commit
you"
= If you do, my lord" was the cool re-
ply, both you and 1 shall have the pleas
ure of rejecting that am not the worst
Laing your lordship has committed"
Curran entered the Irish parliament
about 1875. His eloquence shone an bright
ly in conversation, as upon the floor Of the
House, and was only equAled by his wit and
sarcasm. 1t was an expression Of Byron
that Curran spoke more poetry than any
man had ever written. This admiration
the Irishman did not fully reciprocate. He
constantly objected to Byron's moody
egotism rs the great drawback to his poetry
Amy subject" said Curran, "but that
eternal one of self / weary Of knowing
once q month the state of any mans hopes
or fears, rights or wrongs. would as soon
read a register of the weather, the barom-
etcr up 30 many inches to day, and down
30 many inches tomorrow. feel skeptic-
lam all over me at the sight of agonies on
paper things that come a. regular and no
tOrious a. the full of the moon. The truth
is, his lordship weeps for the press, and
wipes his eyes with the public"
In the Irish parliament, when once mer-
cilessly exposing the corruption Of certain
placamen, he spoke of them as neither toll
ing nor spinning, "but they are Arrayed
like Solomon in his glory"
At another time Curran uttered q SEN
tence which may be applied at this time,
49, 49,
whose path to power had lain through
trsachery to Ireland, he used the following
strong figure
"Those foundlings Of fortune, over
whelmed in the torrent of corruption at an
early period, lay ut the bottom like drowned
bodies, while sOundness or sanity remained
in them. At length, becoming buoyant by
putrefaction, they rose a. they rotted, and
fioated to the surface of the polluted stream,
where they were drifted along, the objectl
of terror, and contagion, and abomination.
The corruptionists Of hundred years age
were probably not 70 scientific a. those Oi
the present day.
Many stories Of his wit are related.
Lundy Foot, who became celebrated ~
having made large fortune in the tobacco
trade, set up q carriage, and asked Curran
for Latin motto" QLsd rides, suggested
the irrepressible wag.
Being told that . very slovenly and Stin-
" lawyer had started for the continent
with shirt and guinea, Curran remarked
He'K not change either till he comes
back"
He was cross-examining witness. my
lord, my lord" cried the fellow to thG
judge, II can't answer yon little gentle
man he's putting me in such doldrum.
"A doldrum Mr.. Curran, what doe
he mean by doldrum r. asked Lord Avon
more.
"Oh, my lord, it's very common com
plant with persons Of this sort. II il
merely confusion Of the head, arising from
a corruption Of the heart"
Once when he was arguing for the defenc'
in State trial, the Judge shook his heae
IN doubt or denial at one of his points. "a
nee, gentlemen" said Curran to the Jury
see the motion Of his lordship's head
Common observers might imagine it i'm
piled . difference Of opinion but they
would be mistaken. 1t is merely acciden
tai. Believe me, gentlemen, if you remain
here many days, you will yourselves per
ceive that when his lordship shakes hi
head, there is nothing in it ''
Curran was one Of the most brillian
hghts Of his day, notwithstanding the diff
6culties which beset him at the threshholC
OF his career. After earning an imPerish
able reputation, he finally paid the nAtur
al debt Of all humanity, dying in LondoE
in 1917.