Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-11-14
The Fall OF Bacon.

: May :, 1921. The fall Of Bacon,
Lord High Chancellor Of England, on
this memorable day, brought With it no
concentrated or sensational scene in
NS<Salinster Hall, and yet the world
ngfe's that ii was a spectacle for both
Angels and mon. AS an event it was
melancholy enough, but as Il trial it
WAS thout the pr, II of the o end
er. . hen summoned to the bar, he
sent his con esSion in his stead. When
personally sought, he could only say:
''lt is my act, my hand, my heart. Oh,
my lords. spare Il broken rccd.n When
the sentence was given he lay sick in
his bed. 1t was the anguish of Il great
mind working death to Il mean spirit.
He had reached the goal OF what
81 to such q II as he. an made ,uate
ambition. He had reached it through
his genius as o lawS er, an orator and u
statesman. But he had reached it also
shrough his crouching arts as a cour-
tier. he lowered it. even in his own
mind, by the means which lie employed
10 get it. high as it intriusically was
as an O ice in the state, Ne was equal
to q higher in the service OF the world.
and yet he could he tempted by its
empty d gnity and emolument in ss,ch
t. service us that of King James. He
could lay aside the pageant of his
thoughts for the pomp of this position.
What has been called the most exquis-
ttcly constructed intellect ever gwen to
man could yet be led aside by q .udg-
mcnt and perception SO weak as TO
zee meaning and glory IN show and
sham. The reflection OF his strange in
trinity is apparent in the very record
OF his imposing induction into his
place. A letter OF the time avs ..To
The Hail, besides his own r%ctinue, did
accompany him all the lords of his
Maiesty's Council and others, with
ell knights and gentlemen that could
get horses and foot Cloths '.He was
accompanied says Cha nbcrla!n, ..by
most OF the mob lily, with other gal
lants to the number OF moe than two
hundred horses, besides judges and the
inns Of Court. Both queen
and prince sent all their following. and
his other friends did their best to honor
him" When he had< 'arrived at his
place, he made a speech to the multi
tGde who had been attracted to the
Hall. This might have done for the
first day, and might we'll haze been a
spontaneous testimony OF the public
pleasure at the elevation of one already
so illuStrou but he enjoyed, he de-
sired it too much himself how unlike
Sir l homas hlore in the self-same DO
sitlon under Il greater and more SNOWY
king!-fo for he tried to keep up this
splendid STATE, "eNceeding all his pre-
dcccssors in the bravery and multitude
Of his ser, ants" The real grandeur
OF his otlice-w what an incon@ru!t; in
in the author of the Essays that he
did not see it!-was in its purity. not
its pomp; and it was IN trying to MAIN
tain its pomp instead Of lis purity that
he fell.
Ii he did not rise to this concep-
ton. the people did; il lie was daz led
by his oWn display, the people were
not. 1t was one OF .hc tremendous
events OF the time that their mortal
IS nsc was equal to his overthrow.
VI hen the NJ impeuched him rs
the uar OF the Lords, it was the revolt
OF the people rot so much at what he
had done as ~ the bribery and corrup-
tion which FLIED the court Of the Ainr,
The keeper OF whose conscience he was.
hen his own conscience WAS set free
by this eI} ~"ltennent, he said: Il was
the busiest ";.dg e that WAS in England
these fifty years; but it was the busiest
censnre iii Parliament that was there
these two hundred years. That was
III" very point to which the public SEN
tinr7lt had risen. and 1t caught him
wnere he ought Not to have been. His
had made him the scapcmoat
OF tie ing. when his @ catncss ought
I" lia'r made him the sacr !icing pres,
for tiic people, He Gro chcd beneath
til" charge, not only from :ilnidity and
conscious guilt. but 1T the earnest de
sn Of tie frightened despot--fri4ht-
tned - al altitude of the Commons