New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-25

however,
although he had brought from Oxford, and Sill
retains. an enthusiasm for John Henry Newman
IL Is odd that one of the surviving sparks OF Mr.
Gladstone's old Toryism should be ian affection
for close boroughsr but Sir Francis relates that
"only the other day. after MIR. Gladstone had
been making a speech at Chester In support OF
the candidacy Of Mr.. Lawley now Lord wen
lock he said to the orator: "h you are so am-
ious to have young men in the House OF Con-
mons. why did you Liberals abolish the rotten
boroughs?n He answered with some heat
abolish the rotten boroughs What do you mean
Why, was the last man in either House OF far-
lament who has ventured to utter WORD IN their
bchalf!o The close borough system according
TO the opinion of Sir Francis, was one OF the
happicst arrangements of "alas, the old britlsh
Constitution y; and he deeply laments that 1t can
now never be restored. even by Mr. Uladstone'
1t is easy enough to shake state 10 pieces puo
to rebuild it is a difficult affair In the various
stages of the Reform movement both Mr. uiad-
stone and Mr. Disraeh opposed comforting the
franchise upon the civil servants Of the Govern
ment Sir Francis belonged to this class In virtue
of his appointment as Receiver General OF Gus
TOMS and once when a reform bill was about 10
be brought in he asked Mr. Gladstone Il say
among other roughs, are you going to leu me nave
n vote now p The answer was made with I'M
expected heat and earnestncss: Never until
universal suffrage Is reached never, with my con-
sent shall civil servant 60 to the poll
The miscellaneous anecdotes scattered through
the book are generally Of pleasant character
and there is not a fragment Of scandalous or
malicious gossip. story about Sir Robert feei
is told on the authority of Peel himself. Whilst
he was Irish Secretary he asked to examine
some bows at one Of the National School eX-
bibitions "TeIl me-" said he what was The
reason why Moses left the land Of Egypt p The
first class could not answer, but little fellow be-
hind them cried out 81 know, your honor ana
was called to the front Now them" SAID feel.
tell us all about it." "Pleasc yer honor he shoo
q Peeler" 1t was in reference TO Peers ponce
that the anarchist proclamation appeared chalIed
On all the walls of London, mo Peel no new po-
lice, no nothing"
few good stories have been saved from Or
Francis's brief exT erience at the bar James Al
Ian Park was a worthy old judge, a great believer
in special providences and extremely eccentric.
lie was in the habit Of talking aloud to himself
without knowing it
In one case that came before HIM the prisoner
was accused of stealing some faggots, and Park.
ON the Bench was heard to mutter something 10
this effect that he did not quite see his way 10
IL verdict, one faggot being as Like anotrer laggoI
as one egg Is like another egg. The o'nck- cared
barrister retained for the defence caught phese
murmurin,s from above and instantly MADE use
of them Now, witness" he cried out, you
swear to those faggots how dare you DO such
thing i? Is not one faggOt as like another laegot
rs one egg is like another eggP' Immediately
the Judge, who though a good man had certainly
no claim to be an angel rushed in without any
PROPER apprehensions "Stop the case" he shouted.
stop it at once the coincidence is quite miracu-
lous | VOW to God that the very same thought
in the very same words passed through my mind
only few seconds ago. Heaven has inberfered
TO shield an innocent Gentlemen OF The
Jury, you will acquit the prisoner" But my
lord" interposcd the prosecuting counsel, your
lordship is under msconcepblon. on uo"h'
Mr. Richards. sit down at once there can have
been no misconceF ton this trial must not go on
say again gentlemen of the Jury, you Will acqnt
the prisoner without delay" The enemies Of rrov-
idence were finally silenced and the aggot stealer
went home, perhaps to the public house. reJolc-
ing that he had been tried by such a judge
Judge of another sort was Baron Parke. He
had an encounter with Sergeant Maule tafter-
ward Baron Of the EXchcqucr. man who could
not be snubbed with IMMUNITY. Maule seemed TO
he wasting time in a case, when the Judge remon-
| strated "Come come. Brother Maule. can't you
ret on little faster? / must be at Stafford TO
night any lord. 1 should be most happy to
oblige your lordshp. but you see lust al present
| | Am not Brother Maule but John Robinson CIV
| inc his clients name, who has not the least
| wish that your lor6ship should get to Stafford to-
| night in POINT of fact he does not care straw
whether your lordship ever gets to Stafford al all
| Samuel Warren. the author of the "Diary OF a
| Late Physician" of the barristers whose
acquaintance Sir Francis made on the Northern
Circuit lie was a respectable but not an entirely
successful lawyer, and he had some
foibles at that time which he after
ward outgrew He com. lained to brill
| Ir;cb
victim of secret enemies. Enemies - cried
| Murphy God bless my soul, you've no enemies
hut yourself and you wouldn't be half bad fellow
| il YOU were not such q id vaporng jackass"
Sir Francis informs that he wrote these
| "reminiscences" two years ago. In sending
them to the press ne cannot forbear putting upon
record his opinion of certain recent transactions.
and especially his sorrowful condemnation of the
course of Mr. Gladstone in relation TO Ireland Long
ago he ceased to have any political sympathies
with his old friend. and Of late there has been
some personal estrangement between them also
With the following lament we may close ac-
count of a work which even those who dissent
most earnestly from the writer's political juds
ments will find fair in temper and agreeable in
substance.
IL is extremely painful to me that have to
struggle with continually increasing dislike &c
Mr. Gladstone statesman and continually
deepen n dstrust Of his character as man Old
associations and old recollections fcht hard
against my present instinct, 50 that my heart is
filed with mixed feelinqs Of angry amazemcnt
anl Of genuine sorrow. If. indeed. Mr. Gladstone
should turn out to be what many think him,
really great statesman and not what L n w con
slider him. parliamentary rhetorician, liable tC
be tossed about from side TO the other by
every gust of impulse if hereafter he is able T.
say triumphantly, Look round and Judge me by
the result" will read my recantaton' not only
with readiness but with real pleasure. The re
newal Of our youthful affection before die would
be as welcome 30 me as the freshness of some un
ext ected fountain to a solitary traveller toilin1
through the desert. but such a fountain do no