New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-02
LORD RUSSELL OF KILLOWEN
SOMETHING CONCERNING THE LOlqD
CHIEF JUSTICE OF ENGLAND. WHO
WILL SOON VISIT AMERICA.

Before many days have passed the Lord CHER
Justice of England will be on his way to this
country. and for the space OF month the peo-
pie Of America will have the opportunity OF com
pairing the eloauence Of their own orators with
that Of the man who IL celebrated as the most
brilliant and persuasive member Of the legal
profession of Great Britain. 1t Is hardly neces-
sary to say that he is an Irishman; for IN no
other nationality could be found so happy com
bination Of defamation and gesture Of eloquence
and acting. Of force Of logic and graceful triv-
iality. Like his fellow countryman. Lord Dur
FERN. he conveys at first the impression that
he has kissed the Blarney Stone Of his native
isle, and one starts with the determination TO
regard his utterances as mere clever piece OF
oratory. But when one sees his eye resting
upon him with somewhat innocent, chiidiike
expression; when one hears his siivery voice the
exquisitey modulated tones of which lnsnuate
and persuade his auditors of the fervor or MS
convictions; when, above all, one finds his words
literally trembling with emOon-"tears In the
voice" as the French say-one loses sight Of the
point where the acting ends and the true feel
ing begins
on such groundwork as this he builds up MS
case, phrase by phrase. argument after argu-
ment until by force Of reasoning, Of picturesque
ries all present with him and everything before
him It Is only when it is all over when time Is
found for sober reflection and when the intox-
icaton OF the moment has spent its force. that
one begins to ask whether. after all, the great
orator really meant all that he said whether his
imprisoned appeals to the heart were not mere
stage play; whether one has not permitted ones
self TO be lured by clever defamation into the
temporary belief that wrong is right and right
wrong 1t is this reaction which so frequently
ensues In the minds Of most of his hearers that
has proved the only drawback in what has other
wise been the most successful career at the Eng
lsh Bar.
A STURDY RADICAL.
Lord Russell comes to this country with every
recommendation in his favor. Besides being a
shining light of the legal profession, he Is con-
spcuous as a sportsman, and up TO the date OF his
elevation to the Bench was the standing counsel
to the Jockey Club. lie is intimate friend OF
Mr. Gladstone a strong Home Ruler, and 50
sturdy Radical that when created Lord Chief
Justice Of the realm he declined TO accept the
hereditary Barony offered to him. declaring that
ne was perfectly content with the life Peerage
which he had been compelled to accept as a men,
Der Of the Court of Appeal. that he was averse
to the principle of hereditary legislation and that
for himself He has at heart the welfare of the |
laboring classes, and Of his pet schemes Is |
one for the more equal distribution Of working |
people in districts where their efforts attain
profitable results
Lord Russell is an Ulster Catholic. being the |
first member OF his creed to hold the office Of Lord
Chief Justice Of England since the days Of the |
Reformation. He comes from specially gifted |
family To his uncle. the Rev. Father Russell. |
belongs the credit Of the conversion Of Cardinal |
Newman to the Church Of Rome; the Cardinal |
In his Apologize pro Vita Sua' describing DR.. |
Russell as the dear friend to whom under |
Heaven am indebted for my conversion" Lord |
Russelrs brother. Father Matt" Russell. Of the |
Order OF Jesuits. is the editor Of that lively and |
Father Matt" is the very antithess of the ordi- |
nary conception Of the willy Jesuit. Simple, |
frank. unselfsh. he is never so happy-earned !
and able though he be-as when he Is devoting |
himself to his labOrs as missionary priest |
among the poor.
Originally intended for solicitor, the present J
Lord Chief Justic, like 50 many other distin- |
gushed men in Great Britain. began his career !
as reporter for the press in the gallery Of the
House of Commons, devoting his spare time to |
reading for the bar, to which he ultimately |
admitted at the close of the fties his first brief
OF any importance being that known the cee- !
brated Yelverton case. The latter evidently has
left great impression on his mind for when on |
being appointed a Justice of the Court of !
Appeal he was called upon to select title. he !
decided To commemorate this Yeverton suit by |
adding the name Of Killowen. SO intimately as |
sociated with the affair. to his title of Lord
Russell.
The Yelverton suit is one Of the most sensa-
tlonal and romantic OF modern times. Lord Aver |
more or Major Yelverton. as ne then, having !
been badly wounded while serving with the