Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-12-07

Mr. Justice Hammer, who has just been APP
pointed 10 succeed Lord Penzance as Judge Of
the English probate and divorce court, is the
youngest judge on the bench. He never took
silk" as it is tcrmed-i. G., was called within
the inner bar rs Il queens COunSel-but was
raised direct from being 4 stutt-gown harrister
TO seat on the beuch. He will be the third
judge appointed to the court of probate and
divorce since its institution in 1853.
The salary attached TO this office is the same
as that OF the Ordinary jud9es-S25,OOO year
with Il retiring pension OF SlI 900 after fifteen
years service. The position is difficult and
arduous, but the temptation 10 take the post is
that the Judge of this court is an autocrat, and
is always appointed member Of the rriYy
council, and has more patronage at his disposal
than all the rest Of the judges put together.
When the Euglish probate system was remod-
eed in 1858, the various ancient courts, both
civil and ecclesiastical, for proving wills, were
at stoke superseded by the court of probate,
and in their stead forty district regiStries"
established over the country, at large towns
where wills are provided. A new will muStnow
he proved within the district IN which the tesla
tor died, or at the principal registry in London.
The judge OF The court appoints all these regis
trars, both in town and country, and in this
way has patronage 10 the extent OF about $780,
Geo a wear.
In former days the judges sold their patron
age, and the first Lord scarborough was offered
100000 for the reyerslon OF the place of clerk
Of the kings bench. He declined this offer,
and gave the appointment to his son, who
died two years ago, having held the
office - worth $4,000 a year about forty
years The story Is well known of how his
father heard of the vacancy when out riding
horseback, Immediately dismUunted, told his
groom TO hold his horse, and taking 4 pencil
from his pocket wrote his sons appointment on
a scrap Of paper the giOom being witness and
the saddle serving as table, Then he mounted
and rode Comfortably home, Secure of a SPLEEN
did provision Tor his son, even if he should him
self be thrown and killed on the spot.
Nearly all the great legal snecUes in England
are now gone, but the greatest yet remains in
the shape Of two offices worth nearly 100000 a
year, which have been held for about fifty years
by an old clergyman, who has had nothing on
earth to do in return save to sign his name in
receipt This venerable eccleSiaSuc TO whom
sucn an amazing share Of legal loaves and
fishes have fallen, is a Mr.. Thurlow, nephew Of
the celebrated lord ch1sc3or OF the time, the
school companion of Cowper, to whom there is
such frequent allusiUn in that poets letters. TO
feather the nest Of his family was an object
which fhurlow never lost sight of When he
asked for The bShopric of Durham, the great
pecuniary prize of the British bench of bishops,
and then worth S150,000 a 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 Ihurow, 81 ask it for the
brother Of the lord high chancellor of England"
And the king had to give in,
Sales Of offices are now and long have been
completely at an end, and the judicial bench is
utterly free from all suspicion Of completely in
such proceedings.
Mr. Justice Hanneus successor az puisne
judge is Mr. Archibald, brother oil the British
consul general at this port.-Ne,c York Ereaing
Post