The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-12-11
English :BuSageships.

from the New York Evening Post.
Mr.. Justice Hammer, who has just been
appointed to succeed Lord PenZance a.
Judge CT the English Probate and Divorce
Court, Is the Youngest judge on the bench.
He never "took sill" rs il is termrd--'. e.,
was called within the inner bar az Queens
counsel-but was raised direct from being
u stuf-gown barTister to a sent on the bench.
He vii! be the third judge appointed to the
Court Of Probate and Divorce since its insti-
tuition In 1853.
The salary attached to this Office is the
same us that of the ordinary judges-S25, 900
ycar-with retiring pension of SIT 800
after fifteen years. service. The position is
difficult and arduous, but the temptation to
take the post is that the judge Of this court
is IN autocrut, and Is always appointed a
member of the privy council, and has mozsa
patronage at his disposal than all the rest OF
the Judges put together. When the English
probate system was remodelled, tn 1858, the
various ancient courts, both civil and cccle-
siastical, for proving wills, were at stroke
superseded by the Court Of Probate, and IN
their stead forty "district registries" estab-
lished over the country at large towns, where
wills are proved. A new will must now be
proved within the district In which the tes-
tator died, or In the principal registry in
London. The Judge Of the court appoints
NIL these registrars, both in town and coun-
try, aud In this way has patronage to the eX-
sent of about S35O,O00 year.
In former days the. judges sold their
patronage, and the first Lord Peterborough
was offered $500, 900 for the reversion Of the
place of clerk Of the Kings bench. He de-
clined this offer, and gave the appointment to
his SON, who died two years ago, having held
the 0tfce-worth $35, 900 4 year-about forty
years. The story is we'll kuown of how his
iatber heard OF the vacancy when out riding
on horseback; Immediately dismounted;
told his groom to hold bis horse, and taking
nIcntil from his pocket wrote his sons ap-
pointmcnt on scrip Of paper, the groom
being witness and the saddle serving as table.
Then he mounted and rode comfortably
home, secure Of splendid provision for his
con even Ii be should himself he thrown and
killed on the spot.
ReaTly all the great legal sineeures in Eng
land sre now gone, but the greatest yet
remains In the shape of two offices worth
nearly SEC, 900 year, which have been held
for about fifty years by all old clergyman
who his had nothing on earth TO do in rt,-
turn save to sign his receipt. This venera-
bic ecclesiastic TO whom such an AmuZiDg
Share of legal loayes and fishes have fallen is
Mr.. Tburlow, nephew of the Lord Chan.
cellor Of the time, the school, companion OF
Cowper. 10 whom there Is such frequent
allusion in that poets letters. To feather
The nest Of his family was an objec,
which Thurlow never lost sight of. When
he asked for the bishopric OF Durham,
the great pecuniary prize of the British
bench Of bishops, aud then worth 800, 900 q
year. George the Third said. Anything
else, my Lord; but the bishopric of Durham
has always been bestowed on gentlemen OF
high family and position" "Then, Sire"
said ThurIow, - ask it for the brother OF
the Lord High Chancellor Of England" and
The hinS lad 10 give IN. Sales Of Office are
now and long have been completely at an
end, and the judicial bench is utterly free
from all suspicion of completely in such pro-
eeedngs. Air. Justice Hannen's successor
IN pulSne judge Is Mr.. Archibald, brother of
TIE British consul-general VI this port.