New-York tribune., 1877-05-05
ANGLO-AMERICAN TOPICS.
ANOTHER SPEECH BYrlR. PIERREPoNT.

A DINNER WITH THE FIsnMoNGERs-A CURIOUS
LEGAL CAsF-ENGusu TIrLFs-rIiE SUNDAY
QUESIION-TEXT OF DIsRAELTS MAIDEN SPEECH.
[FRoA TiIB REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF riE fidbUhE'l
LONDON, April 10.-Mr. Pieucpont has been dining
with the FshmOugers; the most renowned per-
haps. of those ancient companies of London which
keep mp great halls and from time to time give
dinners IN them 10 distinguished guests. The health
of the American Minister was proposed in the usual
friendly way, and the American Minister responded
with that humorous intention which has become
habit with him. 1t appears to be adopted from
sense of duty He expressed his conviction of the
great value of dinners in general, of tins dinner IN
particular, and of the Fishmongrrs Company who
had asked him TO this dinner lie had been many
times in this country he remarked, but had never
been able to learn much about il until he was
invited out TO dinner. But now, having been
TO great many dinners, he had learned much
respecting the feelings of Englishmen and their
ideas on law, government. social life, morals
and religion. ! am not quite sure whether we ats 10
take this seriously not IL appears that the tiSl-
mongers thought it a good joke, and laughed. Mr.
PeTepoG then told them he had never till
that night understood why 50 much Importance was
attached 10 the Fishery question. So long as he was
in the Cabinet, he had not got beyond the notion
that fishing was an amusement for boys and ldle
men. He now perceived that fishing was the most
profitable business that man could engage in, that
IL led To great honoB and great wealth. that 1t sent
members to Parliament. enabled men to live in sump-
uous halls dine in the greatest luxury, and 10 have
the very first men of the country associates and
guests lie further promised To tell his countrymcn
about this and further, (which would much surprise
them" that every single dealer in fish whom he met
i'm England. without exception, was cultured gou-
tcman, with fine address courteous, hospitabe, and
that he gave a. fine dinners could be found in tho
world. lLaughtrr.I I'm conclusion he thanked the
company for their kindness to a stranger. lChecrsl
There no great harm IN all this. II amused the
company, but il IL moo, perhaps, quite the KIND OF
aficr-dnncr speech which Englishmen expect from
Foreign Minister.
A recent remark of mine about the American Le-
CATION here seems to have been misunderstood. An
American critic observes that ! want Mr. Pierre
points salary raised because he lives in shabby
gentccl" style. slid nothing of the kind I said
that "A Minister who had no other means than his
salary must live in II style which, considering the
social duties imposed on him and the style other
Ministers kept up Woud be called shabby. | was
by no means referring 20 Mr. Pcugpont. Writing
for Americans, did not think il necessary to say
that Mr. Ierrcpont WIS understood to possess nm
ample private fortune ! supposed that was known,
and meant 10 say that it was the possession Of
such means and not his salary which enabled
him 10 1--we as hc does. have no knowl-
cdge on the subject beyond what oycry
body else has. But 1t is PLAN that Nr. Picrfepont
takes Il view of his position which leads HIM to
desire that the American Minister should surround
himself with something of tho splcndor which the
representatives. Of other great countries maintain.
Doing II, he must spend at least twice his salary
That is his own affair, except so fFas he lays his
g. l.. q Inn tsf.,rtt
ing rc work fer less than nothing, and by trying
TO employ in their behalf, at his own expense, those
social influences which, all the world over, are 80
powerful in diplomatic affairs Mr.. Motley did the
same thing. once moro commend the fact 10 thos"
osprauts for Office who believe that foreign mis-
sion properly kept up is n source Of profit to its
holder II is not and il cannot be on any salary
now paid by our Government.
The lawyers have started Il new riddle: when - n
iustcc not n iusticcl II is the recent elevation OF
Mr. Hawkins 10 the bench which has gwen rise 10
the difficulty. he va, appointed to the ENchcqucr
Division of the High Court of Jus.icc-to what used
10 be- that is the Court of ENcboqucr Now the Judges
of the Court of EXchequcr have always been called
not Justices but liarons-a title which se'den says
was given 10 them because they were ancieniy
made of such as were EJrOns Of the Kingdom. lhcn
came an odd admixture for the judges, being in fact
of loil-hayc long been called Mr.. ~ well as Baron;
and this although they have another and higher
title for their knighihood. If Mr. Iawkinss app
pojntment had followed the regular course he would
bavc bccn called Mr.. Baron Hawkins. But there
has been some hitch about the matter; 1t does not
oppa?r what. lie is on the bench, and sta IN the
ENchequcr Division, and yet is not a Baron. Not
being a Baron hc was referred 10 on Tuesday by
counsel as Mr.. Justice Hawkins, whercupon the
Lord Chief Baron broke out: Please address the
learned judgc by his proper title. lie Is not Mr
Justice Hawkins any more than j am Lord Cmcl
,rstie. and rs vet we are not allowed TO call him
Nr. Baron. lie is therefore, Sir Henry Hawkins"
So Ear good. But next day in the Queens Bench
Division. Mr. Prentice, q. G., obeying the hctnm
of the Lord Chief Baron Of the EXchcquer, spoke OF
a case as having been tried last Saturday before
sir Henry Hawkins TO this Mr.. Justice Mellor
at once took exception protesting against the use oi
such a title, and declaring that every judecds JUS
tice. and should be- so styled by virtue of his Office
Mr. Prentice said he thought too, but it had been
rnled otherwise the day before in the EXcheqner.
Then MFR. .Jnstice Mcllor: Was it so7 do not un-
dcrstond such a crotchetw This quite takes ones
breath away. What are we coming TO when aJudgc
Of the Queens Bench permits himself to call the de-
cision Of the Lord Chief Baron of the ENchequer a
crotchetl Moreover the Lord Chief Baron ~ Old
and irritable and it is possible that he IN his turn
may to-day have hard word to ilinR ut MIR. JUS
tice Melor The spectacle of the Judges OF En-
Gland sauabbling about the title OF one OF their own
members il certainly not calculated to add anything
TO the majesty Of the law. Meantime II VIII De nlf
Henry Hawkins in one court and Mr.. Justice iIaw-
kns in another; and the Chief-Justice of the Com
mon Pleas may perhaps require him to be called IN
that tribunal by a third name; the Master Of the
Rolls may prefer fourth; and 50 on till chaos comes
again.
THIS matter Of titles is I need not say, serious