The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-06-11
A BRAVE LAWYER,


The royal manliness found fire.
quently in the English character
has never been more perfectly de-
lineated than it was last week in
the speech made in the notable
"Baccarat' case by Sir Edward
Clark on behalf of the plaintiff,
Sir William Gordon Cumming.
The plaintiffs barrister is also So
icitor General, an Office in the gift
of the crown. It may we'll be sup
posed that it would not advance
that official in the estimation of the
royal family to make a severe at
tack on the Prince of Wales, who
was the ''bright, particular STAR in
the coterie of genteel gamblers
concerned in the law suit. The
personal presence in court of His
Royal Highness, and his testimony
in the case, were thrown in aid of
the defendants. The action was
brought by Baronet Cumming,
against the parties defending for
alleging that he had cheated in the
game in which the Prince was the
''banker." In explaining why the
plaintiff had signed certain pa
per Sir Edward Clark said, as he
looked straight at the future King
of England:
lit Was to save the Prince of Wales.
Among the mass of the people it Is
known that club or inn could be pros
ecuted for playing baccarat, and in a
great part of the community there WAS
u feeling that this unhappy incident
ought never to have been allowed to
have become known, because the cir
cumstances weie those which were ut
variance with the feeling, with the con-
science of the people. Then there was
the strange aud subtle influence OF
royalty, aud Sir William Gordon Cum
ming's action in signing that docu-
ment was due to tue influence which
has adorned history and which has
made many a knight do all unknightly
and dishonest deed to save his king,
because he gave his honor as freely rs
lie would have given his life for the in
terests of the dynasty or to conceal the
foibles of prince. The document WAS
signed by Sir William in order to save
the Prince of Wales from scandal. The
motto of Sir Williams race is, with
out fear" He came into the witness
box without fear, confident of \ verdict
which would wipe this stain from his
noble record of service with his gal
liant regiment Of brave soldiers"
The solicitor general then said slow
ly tO the jury:
mischief which has been done, and it
may be too late to save the reputation
Of some people mentioned in this case,
but it is not too late for you to pre-
vent the completion of the sacrifice Of
this gallant rfficpr.''
At another point of his speech
the eloquent advocate referred to
the threat that his client would be
removed from his command in the
army, and added defantly:
II wish to say in unmistakable
terms that it would be impossible for
the authorities to do any such thing
and to leave on that list the names Of
Field Marshal, the Prince Of Wales,
aud Gen. Owen Williams"
Apart from the question whether
this brave barrister had, or had not
the right side of the case, all must
admit that he had the courage of
the faithful advocate, and that the
frown of royalty did not deter him
from what he considered his duty.
No doubt there is vast amount OF
unprincipled flunkeyism, which
fawns upon royalty without regard
to the merit of it's cause, but in the
veins Of the gentry and the COM
monalty of England there has come
through the centuries fine rill OF
heroic blood which still dares to
speak out plainly in the face OF
vicious princes. For fidelity tc
his client this great English bar.