The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-02-21
sharp Passages Eetwcen Judge ana
Counsel.

Keen aud cutting words, or even
trifiing inciyilites. INDUCED IN at the
expense of counsel, have sometimes met
with swift retribution. Pluhket was
once engaged in case, when towards
the end of the afternoon, Ii became a
question whether the court should pro-
ceed or adjourn till the next day. Plum
ket expressed his Willingness 10 go on
if the jury would ''set." ''Sit, sir,
sit" said the presiding judge, mot
set hens SET" II thank you, my
lord" said Plunket. The case pro-
ceeded, and presently the Judge had
occasion TO observe that If that were
the case he feared the action would not
''lay." '.Lie, my lord, lie, " exclaimed
the barrister, ''not lay hens lay" ''If
you don't stop your coughing, sir,
said testy and irritable judge, "I'll
fine you hundred pounds" ''l'll give
your lordship two hundred If you can
stop it for me-" was the ready reply.
Curran was once addressing q jury,
when the judge, who was thought to be
antagonistic to his client, intimated.his
dissent from the arguments advanced
by shake of his head. 81 see gentle
men, - said Curran, 81 see the motion
of his lordship's head. Persons unac-
quainted with his lordship would be
apt to think this implied difference
of opinion, but be assured, gentlemen,
this is not the case. When you know
his lordship as well as / do, it will be
unnecessary to tell you that when he
shakes his head there really is nothing
in it.n On another occasion Curran
was pleading before Fitzgibbon, the
Irish chancellor, with whom he was on
terms of any ything but friendship. The
chancellor, with the distinct purpose,
as it would seem, of insulting the ad-
vocate, brought with him on the bench
large Newfoundland dog, to which
be devoted great deal of his attention
while Curran was addressing q very
elaborate argument to him. At very
material point in the speech the judge
turned quite away, and seemed to be
wholly engrossed with his dog. Cur
ran ceased to speak. $50 on, 90 ON,
Mr.. Curran, said the Chancellor. "Oh.
l beg q thousand pardons, my lords, y
said the witty barrister, II really was
under the impression that your lord
ships were in consultation" But per-
haps the most crushing rejoinder ever
flung back in return for an insult from
the bench was that which this same
advocate hurled at Judge Robinson.
Judge Robinson is described as
man of sour and cynical disposition,
who has been raised to the bench-so,
at least, it was commonly believed
simply because he had written in favor
of the government of his day a num-
Der of pamphlets remarkable for
nothing but their servile and ran
corous scurrility. At. time when
Curran was only just rising into no
tice, and while he was yet poor and
struggling man, this Judge ventured
upon sneering joke, which, small
though it was, but for Curran's ready
wit and scathing eloquence, might
have done him irreparable injury.
Speaking of some opinion of counsel
on the opposite side, Curran saId he
had consulted all his books and could
not find a single case in which the
principle in dispute was thus estab-
lished. "That may be, Mr.. Curran,"
sneered the judge, "but sup
pose your law library is rather
limited" Curran eyed the heartless
toady for moment, and then broke
forth with this noble retaliation: "It
Is very true, my lord, that am poor,
and this circumstance has certainly
rather curtailed my library. NJ book $
are not numerous, but they are select,
and 1 hope have been perused with
proper dispositions. l have prepared
myself for this high profession rather
by the study of few good books than
by the composition of great many bad
ones. am not ashamed of my pow
erty, but l should be ashamed OF my
wealth If l could stoop to acquire it by
serVility and corruption. If rise not
to rank, shall at least be honest; and
should ever cease to be so, many an
example shows me that an ill-acquired
elevation, by making me the more con-
spicuous, can only make me the more
universally and notoriously contempti-
ble."