New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-28
LORD CoLERIDGE.
WHY RADICALS FORGAvE HIM FOR nm.
ING PEER-wHAr THE JUDGES
AND BAR THOUGHT OF HIM
WHAT MANNER OF MAN
HE WAS OFF THE
BENCH.

|
BENCH.
London. June M
| 1t was always a question why men SPOKE ~
Lord Colerldge with so many qualifications Pa.
| haps the question answers itself; II It does No,
there would have to be so many qualifications
| 10 the answer also that the matter might r.
come too complicated for the human understand
Ing You have known him in America ana
there, no doubt. you saw the best side OF hin
He would have every nducement to show N.
| best SIDE and none to show that which was Lac.
| than the best
| But those Of his countrymen who did not liz.
him used to question the sincerity Of his char.
acter. They did 1t on grounds which, II stafea
in black and white, appear insufficient I VIII
take one He was a Radical and he accepted /.
| Peeraga. But II we are to condemn all the
Radicals who have accepted Peerages all m.
| docks in all the English courts will not ho,d
them. nor all the Judges be enough to pronounce
sentence on them. OF course 1t is Radical
| organ which supplies the excuse for this Der.
| Torrance. 1t was when he made Chief
Justice Of the Common Pleas that he was raised
| TO the Peerage and 'inasmuch as he was COM
| PEELED to leave the House Of Commons he might
not unnaturally desire to remain in Parliament
That is but far-fetched excuse and perhaps
| not a very genuine one But II Is interesting
to find 1t In columns where day by day the
| trumpet sounds before which the walls OF Mr.
| Gladstone's "gilded chamber" are expected to
fall fiat.
| The truth is that. with one conspicuous e..
ception, Lord Coleridge's most distinguished
| predecessors had been Peers. and he wished,
! naturally enough, TO stand on a level with them
| and not be a conspicuous exception. The excep-
ton was the brilliant judge whom Lord Co.erdgs
succeeded as Lord Chief Justice Of England,
Sir Alexander Cockburn; a man whom Ameri.
| cans have no cause to love or 10 spare. Sir
| Alexander Cockburn was not made Peer,
| though he wished 20 be. Certain domestic cir.
| cumstances stood in the way. The Queen re-
| fused her consent. He was good enough TO be
Lord Chief Justice and administer justice and
rule over the chief court Of the kingdom; not
| good enough to sit In the hereditary chamber.
| The point OF view is unusual. II would be more
correct to say that the appointing authorities.
or the deciding authorities. were not TIE same.
The Queen regarded her assent 10 the nomination
| OF a Lord Chief Justice as technical; II was
| ministerial act But she may and does refuse
| OF her own motion and for her own reasons
| 10 make a Peer OF the United Kingdom
Lord Coleridge liked the dignity and social
| splendor Of the Peerage. He always cared for
! the embroideries OF life. One Of his eulogso
SAYS that he had been not only Radical Dut
| pronounced Republican. ITO whom all distinctions
except those Of intellect and character had been
subjects OF mockery and ridicule." do not KNOW
whether that is 20 or not, nor whether. in fact
the pronounced Republican does ridicule all dis
tinct,ons except those Of intellect and character
=. l,hl NJ
learning in the law have been called In question.
Il will be useful 10 what his colleagues ON
the bench say on that point The Master OF the
Rolls has pronounced his eulogy. and with MIN
Mr.. Justice Hawkins. Sir Francis Jenne' and sew
eral members of the Bar beginning with the
Solicitor-General. who IL an official representative
OF the Bar The euogies are copous anectioha'e'
considered and ample on all sides but one Not
ono Of these experts even at a moment when feel
ing sometimes gets the better Of judgment, Ven-
lures 10 describe the man who has just ceasedtooe
Lord Chief Justice OF England as great lawyer
Almost every other tribute they pay him, cheer-
fully and fully. This one they withhold Lofd
Esher who as Master OF the Rolls ranks next
after the Lord Chief Justice, describes Lord Coe-
ridge as ar advocate OF the very nrst class IhaI
OF course. Is a very different thing. He dwels
on that. and on other qualities. but not on hs
learning In the law.
One Justice Lord Esher does him In connection
with the Tichborne case There have been TWO
opinions about Lord Coerdge's conduct OF tnat
cause He was then Sir John Coleridge. and At
tornev-Censral II used 10 be said that his
clients always Intended Mr.. Hawkins 10 lead
now Mr. Justice Hawkins-and especially 10
cross-examine the Claimant Mr.. Hawkins had
great reputation as a cross-eXamlner' Mt Oo'e'
ridge less reputation. But when Mr.. Coleruss
was made Attorney General he became senior 70
Mr. Hawkins and entitled TO lead. and 10 manage
the case as he thought lit in court Whe'her
from this circumstance or from some other p'e'.
udice. II was the fashion the time 70 speak OF
Sir John Coleridges cross-examination OF Arthur
Orion as a failure Lord Esher sets that right
He says:
7 never doubted that II was that cross-exam-
nation. and that cross-examination aiohe M" ~
broke down that which no evidence coua nav
broken down. and which had an effect 'hat u.
speech OF any kind would have had II Was ma
cross-examination. so subtle ana so con HIauds
which broke down one OF the cleveresl Iaus
ever invented a fraud maintained by man =.
unequalled nerve and Of vast natural taieh', nc
wretched man. the Claimant II was tha' CrU
examination administered as II was not pow.
fully but subtly, which. without the man kho"
ing IT, exposed the falsehoods he told ana ieu ~
his complete breakdown That cross-examlhauo,s
which venture 10 say was INV ili'''
thing ever done by an advocate In our ule' ""'
conducted by the late Lord Chief Justice.
Lord Colerdge himself 1 imagine would ha''
welcomed that piece OF testimony to his pro,e'-
sonal powers more joyfully and gratefuHy Ian
almost any other For II he ~ TO be rememoere'A
connection with any one incident OF his career
otherwise than as Lord Chief Justice II VIII ~
as leading counsel for the Tichborne ueie"e
And no man cares TO have the greatest snee
piece OF v'crk he has ever done thought III o'
But there stops Lord Eshers eulogy ""a' ~
saws beyond that relates to Lord Coe''use'
natural powers not 20 his requirements III ''e
law He speaks OF his colleague as holuihs ~.
own on the Bench He even calls nm d s'e''
Judge But hc plainly means that he was ''''A