The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-01-25
English Judgeships.

ID connection With tho letter oH this page
from Henry Day, ESD, tie foIloa lily facts
are Interesting
Mr.. Justice Hammer, who has just been
appointed to succeed Lord Penzauce a.
Judge If the English Probate and Divorce
Court, b. the youngest Judge on the bench.
Ht never took silk, as 10 Is termed -t. e.,
was called within the inner bar As z Queens
counsel but was raised direct from hyiu. a
stufi-gown barrister to a seat on The bench.
He will be the third Judge appointed to the
Court Of Probate and divorce since It's i'll
stitutIon, III 1875.
The salary attached to this Office il the
same as that Of the ordinary JUDGES So,
900 year-with retiring pension IF So,
400 after fifteen years service. The posi-
ton is difficult and ar,luous, but the temp
tation TO take the post is that the Judge ul
this court is an autoCrat. and Is always ai,-
pointed member oi the Privy Council.
has more patronage al bis disposal than all
thc rest Of The Judges put together When
the English probate system was remodel
led, IN 1883. the various ancient courts
both civil and ecclesiastical. for proving
NIlls, were, at a stroke, supcrccded NY the
Court vi Pcubate. ANA IN their stead forty
district regIstrIcs" established over the
country, At large towns where wills are
proved. A new will must now be proved
within the district in which the trst4tur
died ar at the principal registry Il London.
I The judge of the court appoints all uf
these registrars, both in town and country.
and m tins way has patronage u the extent
! IF about $50. 900 year.
la former days the judges suid their Ia-
tronaga, and the first Lord Elleuhpr.u-h Va
paid $500 600 for the reversjun of the place
of clerk 0f the King Bench tie declined
tins offer, and gave the appointment To hs
SON, who died two years ago having held
the office worth about SO 600 a wear
about forty years. The story IS well known
of how his father heard of the vacancy
I when out Oh horseback Immediately dis
mounted told his groom w hold his horse.
and taking pencil from his pocket, wrote
! his son appointment On ascrao of paper. the
I groom being witness and the saddle serving
as a table. Then he mounted ana rode
/ comfortably home, secure of splendid
provision for his son even il BE- should Llm-
self lie thrown and killed on the spot.
Y Neaaly all the great legal sIIIecIres III
y A4ii-itiifA dit HbN Ettt-- UIE lfit Ntl. ST
remains in the shape Of two officers worth
nearly $50, 600 year, which have been
I held for about fifty years by an old clergy
man whe has nothing On earth TO do Ia IT,
! turn save To sign his name in receipt. This
venerable ecclesiastic, to whom such an
amazing share of legal loaves and fishes
have fallen, is Mr. Thuriow, uepnew ot
/ the celebrated Lord Chancellor of the time
the school companion Of Cowper. tu whom
there is such frequent allusion in the poet
letters. To feather the nest Of his family
VAS an object which Thurlow never lost
/ sight Of. When he asked for the bishop
ric Of Durham, the great pecuniary prize u
the British bench If bishops, and then
worth Sl3O, 900 year, George the Third
said Anything else, my lord but the
bishopric of Durham has always been be-
slowed on gentlemen of high family and
position. Then Sire. said Thurlow,
II asa 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