The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1882-08-19
JUDAH p. BENJAMIN.
An Ex-Confederate Cabinet Member Now
Leader OF the English Bar.

A London letter to the Atlanta ga.
Constitution says: al doubt il there is
at the South one man familiar with his
country's history who is not proud of
the career Of Judah p. Benjamin. In
inquiring for his chambers, learned
from a Middle Temple barrister that
Mr.. Benjamin was regarded to-day as
the greatest lawyer at the English bar.
He is in court all day till 4 o'clock in
the afternoon, then until 7.so he re-
ceives the solicitors in his chambers.-
After this he goes home to dine at his
club in the West End. His only leisure
is on Sunday and an occasional evening.
Short Of stature, thick-set, with a
strong, bright eye, he is man Of SIM
pie, natural manner, relating his adven-
lures, successes and reverses with the
charming ease, grace and naturalness,
mingled with subtle playfulness, of a
good reconteur. He said, in talking Of
his adventures after the fall of Richmond,
that the Confederate government left
Richmond, in a body. He and Mr..
Davis were together on their way to the
trans. Mississippi department, and Mr..
Davis left the party to meet his wife
en- route, and il was in her camp that
he was captured. The Federals did not
know that Mr.. Davis was in the wagon
train which was transporting Mrs. Davis
and friend, and only approached curl
ously to see what it ment. Mr.. Benja-
min continued his journey alone, and,
hearing Of the capture Of Mr.. Davis,
gave away his saddle and bride, and,
securing an old tree, threw over il
sheepskin, and under an alias, playing
farmer, at length reached the Gulf coast.
Here he took small boat, and, coast
ing around until arriving at a point
near Key West, he embarked in a small
sail boat, open and without deck, for
Nassau. Here the small, quaini-look-
ing, black and bright eyes glistened as
this remarkable man related how, when
the Gulf stream almost carried them ont
into the open sea when battling against
head wind and out OF sight Of land
for one hundred miles was the distance
and "with one bushel Of raw sweet
potatoes to feed three men - when,
almost without hope, at the last moment
the wind changed, filed their small sail,
carried them within sight OF the light
house, and enabled them to effect
landing just at the extreme northern
poin; Of the Bahamas. He landed in
England in September, IS6s.-
In June, 1866, he was admitted TO prac-
tice at the English bar His admission
was granted by the benchers Of Lin
coins Inn in six months instead Of three
years, as the rules require, on the ground
that he was an old member OF the bar
of a country governed under the system
of the common law, and the fact that
he was political exile He published
his Benjamin on Sales" in 1868, hav-
ing, in the intervening years, supported
himself and his family by writing lead.
ing articles for the newspapers. The
first year he made about $500, the
next year about 600, and in the
fourth year, he said, my income was
&I,ooo. II rapidly increased after
that. At the present rate of Mr.. Ben
jamin's income he will, in few years
If he is not now-be the possessor Of vast
wealth. MY hook gave me my prac-
iice, and now, wonderful to relate, !
have, he said, upon looking over my
cases just one-half Of them from the
realm Il. e., the whole OF England, Scot
land and lreland) before the House Of
Lords on appeal. Mr.. Benjamin's
daughter has married French officer
OF the staff, and his wife and daughter
live in Paris"