The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-21

1900; was Fellow of wahham College, wnere
was first class in classics and second IN mathe,
matics, In 1913, having taken hrs degree OF
he was elected vinerian Fellow. He was called to
Queens Counsel in 1870; was Solicitor General
from December, 1852, TIL November, 1885, and A.
torney General rom that date TIL March, 1883;
ONCE Of Vice Chancellor OF the County
Of his career he held q prominent position at the
edged as It's head. He sat In the House OF Com
1869, when he was elected for %overhampton. Ii
politics he was liberal, being an advocate for
rates. He was commissioned Lord Chancellor
q o. England IN the year 1851 and he'd me once
Some OF his political opponents regarded 1t as q
failure but 1t was remarkable nevertheless. His
appearance In Parliament, previous to his call to
the woolsacK, was specially described one year
since N the following words
"On the right OF the Lord Chancellors seat, and
with his back TO the public galleries, there some
times rises In debate now man who, when he oc-
cupled the place, made the woolsack seem the seat
stout, forid, handsome man, with closely shaven
face rather fat cheeks, and smooth, shiny fore.
head He is nearly bald but IS otherwise wen
age. He is man Of sanity or perhaps
oily, eXpressonzso ike sleek and hand
with eyes half closed and look OF benignant humll.
iy His voice Is naturally acrid In Its Tone but he
meekness that they carry a suggestion g Of self.
abasement and sanctty IN every syllable. He has
hardly spoken a sentence when q laugh
Of laugh with which men greet an
ill.natured gibe which yet they cannot help ap.
opens his mouth but to squirt some little spray OF
venom or vitrio on somebody Every sentence
tells, and every sentence stings. When the
speaker has something peculiarly bitter and per-
sOnal to say he nearly closes his eyes, subdues his
voice to It's bandcst tone and SO shapes
the expression of his mouth that it seems
would not melt in It, TINS is Lord Westbury, once
Lord Chancellor, twice Attorney General, known
at the par and in the House OF Commons as
Richard Bethel, one OF the ablest lawyers in Eng
land. and perhaps the most advanced OF all our law
tellect, owner. OF great head, cold heart and
an adversary, LORD wesibury is a per.
too clever at 1t, for he Is always tempted to dis
pay his talent and IT has ALWAYS made him enc
mics. His bitter sayings are constantly being told
counted one OF our prime fencers In political sar
casm. attacked him once IN the House oil Com
mons, but was made nothing OF IN few minutes.
Half dozen words blandly edged out between the
corners OF Bethell's mouth made even Disraeli
chancellor he entered the House of Lords, West,
bury was once heavily assaed by the late Lord
Derby, the tory leader ONestbury, OF course, was
liberal), who was the great orator and gladiator
Of his party. But Westbury did, with hall-cOsed
eyes and aspect OF medieval saint pour out such
a food OF corrosive acid over the tory chief
and his followers that these latter would
not SIT patiently under 1t, and the House
of Lords became positively tumultuous.
Lord Westbury, however, Is under sort of
cloud. People say all manner OF things about his
private ie; there was faint OF Partially or more
than Partially in some OF his appointments when
he held the office OF Lord Chancellor, and in fact
the House OF Lords actually pa sed vote OF CEN
sure on his conduct and compelled him to resign
the place. There were excuses Tor him; he was
dragged nIO discreditable course by
deav0ring to uphold worthless scamp,
one Of his sons; but the censure OF
the House of Lords closed his career. He is old
now, and, doubtless disappointed. Few people like
him many have ut all times detested him. He
was always unsparing, and public opinion did not
spare him when perhaps there was much to be
pleaded on mis- behalf EVIL report almost always
pursues, him, even now that he Is old. His lnteg-
rity, his moral character, his dealings with his fam
lily, with his friends. with his servants-everything
about him has been dfsparaged by hostile
opinion, except his intellect, his knowledge OF
law and his over OF sarcasm. He has probably
the greatest intellectual force of any lawyer who
has made way IN Parliament In my time; Tor
Bethel, like Sir Rounded Palmer, brought INTO the
House q fame already won at the bar. and fully
sustained in Parliament the repute he had earned
in no