The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-10-29
HEBREW GENIUS.
Intellectual Triumph OF J.. p. Benja-
min, the New Rival OF Disraelt.

Intellectual Triumph OF y. p. Benta-
min, the New Rlvn OF Disraeli.
1t was announced by '~cablegram" that j. 2.
Benjamin, Confederate secretary of State and
minister Of war, at the instance Of the Lord
Chancellor, ~(Hathaway,l has been raised to
the rank OF Queens counsel, the leaders of the
English bar. The London Standard says:
We trust there are none of Mr.. Benjamin's
former co-patrlots and competitors In the
courts of the United States who will not re.
joice TO hear that their comrade has achieved
success In his new career, and is once more
restored to o position not unworthy of his
talents and Industry, however far below that
which he might have held, and did once hold, In
his native land. Benjamin Is now an old man,
but as an English barrister he Is probably the
Youngest That ever appeared In q silk gown.
Twenty years ago, at the age of forty, M was
among the foremost pleaders OF the Unlleu
States. and represented Louisiana In the Fec,
eral Senate. Ten years ago he had resigned
that position Oh the secession OF his STATE, anu
was first secretary of war and then secIe1ary
of Slate In the government Of the 1li-fateo con
fedpracy. In The former post 1t was his mis-,
fortune to be officially responsible for eVlls anu
disasters which NO resources at hls omma9
could avert-to have, under the supreme I'll.
rection of a chief, whose special aptltuoe q
experieace were those OF o war minister, 10
maintain without money. Wltn0uC snips, VIII,
out artillery, with scanty supplies OF arms ana
and very Inadequate numbers, a
life and death struggle against the overwhelm-
ing power of the North. Bis Vindtcatlon
lies in the TACT that 1t took four years to
crush the Confederate States. As secre-
tary Of State and director OF the foreign po-
Iicy Of the government. he was confessedly as
as the circumstances permitted.
= : 1oce h f,1l IS ptnhrnnnd uant tho GnDfpd-
crate Government into banishmeht, aud the
capture of the President hually dissolved 1t.
Mr.. BENJAMIN was fortunate to escape Into
exile-a ruined man, Q great lawyer, a man OF
fortune and psRition In his native land, late
first minister Of an incipient commonwealth,
had to begin life again at the age OF hfty.
FIVE in o foreign country, and Wltnons any OF
the advantages Of fortune, Interest or con-
which he had won In the course Ola
long and laborious career. Most men would
have sunk into despair and apathy, finding
their own fortunes and the hopes oftheir eouE-
ruined by the same blow, and compelled at
80 advanced an age to start again with all the
difficulties of youth, but without the strength
and spirits of youth to conquer them. MOI
O few would have been simply stunned
by the depth Of the fall. Not 80 with
Mr.. BENJAMIN. The late frat minister OF bis
recommended life as q law student;
the leading lawyer began again to learn the
laws of another country. He was called to
the bar after q years study-a becoming and
rightful concession to his years and learning,
but one which. % Mr.. Benjamin would be the
first to acknowledge, scarcely any bar but That
of England would have made In favor OF the
and an exile. Still the former leader
had to take rank as the junior of juniors; and
In that position 1t is very difficult for q barrls-
ter to obtain lucrative or important business,
seeing that the etiquette of the bar places the
lead In every case In the hands Of the senior
counsel engaged, and that the Juniors work
Is at once the least distinguished, tbs worst
BENJAMIN had but this one Incidental advan-
tage, that the close OF the war had entalled
certain suits between the United States Gov
eminent and the agents Of the Confederacy
In Europe, and In some OF these he was
retained by the latter, and the conduct
of. the cause left In his hands. Such q mar
needed only an opportunity OF proving his
quality. Mr.. Benjamin forced solicitors to
recognize him as one of the best lawyers al
the common law bar; bis professional brethren
treated him with generous respect and con-
sideration, and within six years from bis adj
mission to the bar, he has achieved a position
of which the rank now bestowed Is but the
formal sanction and acknowledgment. Never
theless, we give Lord Hathaway credit for a
lust and graceful act, as we give credit to the
bar for their prompt decision to call Mr.. Ben
jamin after O years study, waving all technl-
cal rules and usages In his favor. He had such
fare as good will and courtesy would give to a
and nothing more. The Victory he
has achieved ia due to no favor or Interest,
but purely and simply to his unquesti0nable
superiority as an English lawyer, after but
seven years spent In England.