New-York tribune., 1881-07-19

at the reside, at the kneading troughs, loud outcry
went FORTH voice of many to sounded an aarum
The State IL said, prey the Pobber IL was
declared that jobbers had seized vast and
costly public works that lax and vena practices had
uncovered the canals aud that obscene birds
had swooped down the harvest to gorge Themselves
on every side with plunder and spoation There was
too much truth in it, The proclaimed need OF
the hour only for public agents but for
formers who should be "ugly honest" That, remem-
ber the phrase The people listened and believed
The sccptre OF power placed hands chosen amid
loud acclams chosen amid loud promises that griev-
be redressed, that missing millions were
to be restored the pillaged treasury millions TO
be recovered from fraudulent contractors The new Ex-
ecutive establishment composed of those consplcu-
ousy chosen for services IN this regard
In this action alone said the learned counsel,
$5S2, 900 was to be recovered, and " this was to
"be the forerunner of recovcries beyond the
dreams of avarce." But the people were de-
feated, though the courts lent attentive ear.n
Shortly it turned out that the end had not
"come," and /" the case now became the pioneer
to counter-theories more startling and original
than untcrriied craftsmanship or zeal Rad
"ever conceived" "Now comes to the fore
professional enterprise and dash to display
before the astonished gaze of the bar the la
/" tent possibilities and hidden riches of judicial
proceedings" BY the entry of judgment for
costs and damages the people were fined over
one hundred thousand dollars, fer their rash
" ness and fatuity in commencing this ill-starred
"and ignominious litigation" "Ths, so far, :"
exclaimed the learned counsel, is the bright
beginning and the bitter end of a halcyon and
VoclferOus proceeding"
Having then " come more narrowly" to the
discussion of the questions which "behoOved
him here" the learned counsel, after dcclaring 2
that there was not the like of this proceeding
in all the throbbing activities of hundred
| years in the great Commonwealth" proceeded
| to notice, in his concluding remarks the really
| unjust criticisms passed upon the Attorney
General. This he did as follows:
1t has been among the vicisstudes Of this somewhat
public litigation that the present law officer Of State
has been bufeted with somewhat OF lawlessncss and
disregard both of truth and decorun. He made this
supuation-properly made il made it in accordance
with the statute made it the only alternative
repetition of vastly expensive trial, which he knew
would never result in bearing the fruit required
| he knew 1t would be impossible to prove upon
subsequent trial facts which had been deemed
sine qa0 in the aspect the
sumed Therefore he made the stipulation, con-
scenti0usly Of course, in Innocent harmless igno-
rance OF any of the latent possibilities OF such a
stipulation unfoldcd; supposing tnat he
|
with torpedo he male IL In order that he might take
the judgment OF the highest tribunal of the land and
that think was act upon which no just, ccfens
bic, criticism could be pas ed but he has been made
II mark for the arrows OF many who have
| bended their bows him. Yet so care.
| full did he wish to he, that exercising
what deem very bad judgment / must say in his
selection, he wanted to surnmon TO his side of
professional brethren, who might only share with
him the small nodicum responsibility that there might
llff-. rls a.. .l.
tious and trnthsa insinuation that in some way OF
other he had been in sympathy with. in lenty
WITH the interests OF somebody concerned in this case
! 1t was rather for this reason and In the
prcsunptuous hope Of being assist yosr honors
materially III unders anding this that his
side, as shOuld have liked professional brother "a
come TO my side had been gbbo ted fer nothing at the
crossroads OF public condemnation. in order that il
might be fulfilled should be spoken by somebody the
prophet that there is nothing valuable nothing $,
honest, nothing void of offence i'll these times that il
should not be- dragged through the hurricane ana The
surleit OF inire and detestable accusation
This the bright beginning. this the bitter
end, of an Grafton surely halcyon and probably
vociiorous. Who is there that will not wonder
that Il man of such gifts should consent to be
| gibbctcd for nothing-or next to nothing-at
the crossroads 81 politics, instead of dcvotine
his powers to making rccoveries for his clients
| beyond the dreams of avarice. Ii is easy "a
imag ginc with what surprise and awe the high
court at Albany must have listened to this adj
! dress, having made ready for it in innocent
! halmlt ignorance, not surprising that they
were to he treated to Greek fire, or the Torpedo
and the Whale. With what admiration must they
have observed the learned counsel while he
| gracefully wreathed about the dry facts of the
law the gentle whirlwimd of his fancy, now
plunginS into the loltiest abySSes of legal learn
ing, now scaling the profoundcst heights of
forensic cloqucnce, dragging at each remove Il
| icngthening chain of metaphor more startling
| and original than untcrrihed craftsmanship had
ever conceived before in all the throbhng activ-
tiles of hundred years and finally disappear
| ing in the tornado and the superllaity of his
own mate Chless rhetoric.
| The late Primate believes lie still lives. Dead
and doesn't know il.