The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-09

and for some time a~ftorward President OF tn
Council. offered Henry Reeve the place o
Clerk Of the Appeals to the judicial Committed
OF the Privy Council. OF the practice Of Eng
lish laws or English courts Reeve knew moth,
ing. but the Judicial Committee OF the Councl
is an anomalous tribunal that hears colonia
appeals. which often have to tie decided by
Indian law. Civil law. French law. Dutch law
Brahmanic law. Mohammedan law and Bud
dhist law. Reeves acquaintance with Romar
Jurisprudence rendered him better qualified
for tho most than is many Il great English
lawyer who would find no use for his
knowledge Of the law Of real property
it was. ~ course, no part OF the clerk :
duty to form any opinion OF the merits
Of cases. or to study them for that purpose il
was needful FOR him, however. to understand
their nature in order to provide for their hearing
by com petont mon. There is no doubt that h.
discharged his duties with a great deal Of intclli-
gence and tact. In July. 1870. Reeve. who had
been introduced hy Greville to Barnes. the
editor Of the Tines. began to write leaders for
that paper. At that time it seemed probable
enough that France and England would GO to
war over the Eastern question. THE views |
supported, says Reeve. in his journal. were
those OF Lord Holland and Lord Clarendon,
who thought that n success in Syria would ls
too dearly purchased by n quarrel with France. ~
In the autumn OF the same year he visited
Paris and saw a good deal OF the dominant
statesmen. having been requested. apparently,
BY Lord I.ansdowne to write to him about the
state " things in the French capital In a
letter written early in October. 1870. Reeve
points out that his position is an anomalous
and difficult on" am not sure that your lord
ship. 10 whose Judgment in these mat
fnra plnlI nlVara -,.., .,,.atf,lu
and gratefully defer. will not think it
II dangerous one. | cannot but feel.
however. on thu other hand. that r am honorct
with the confidence Of tho most influential
members OF the French cabinet: that | am
All mated Nv no object on earth but the main
tenaEcc u peace. and that. ~ | am too insig-
nihcant "A person to speak 10 them in anything
bu. the language OF private friendship. SO my
observations have a chancrOf doing some good
here. without compromisin. any one in lug
land. \ letter addressed to his mother at
about IN" same time ]evirccs a degree OF self
assertion which was but natural to u young
man Of % who saw himself. by a singular train
Of circumstances placed IN Il position to dis
turh or maintain the equilibrium Of Europe
Il am over hea! and oars in the great business
Of this crisis. Here ! meet with nothing but
sense. moderation and good will from England
| receive nothing but fresh instances Of
desperate folly and violence. VI. Theirs Is
everything | could wish. and | am in the
most constant communication with him. a. well
as with Cousin and Nivien. We shall fail, hut
not without a vigorous and honest struggle.
Even the news from Beyruut has been received
here with tolerable calmncSs. | arrived, for
t%lnatcly. at the same instant. andI was able TO
check the Cohte-coup Of that blow Int the
next will hn fatal. II had hall the influence
over the Cabinet at home which I have here
peace would he preserved: but. in Downing
street nobody has any influence hut the devil. =
Al The same time. Reeve testified that tho in
ternal situation Of Franco in the autumn Of
1870 excited even more dread than the chance
OF war. between war and an anarchical rev.
oluiion The former is. al least. preferable. The
winter will be troubled blood will be shed in the
streets and we NAV have war under aRgravat-
ing circumstances in the spring. At that point
my sympathy with France ceas"s; the DAY the
E"volufion makes another stride /. for one.
am ready to the wac policy Of
Pitt' In a letter written some months later.
after a second so!oUrn in Paris, Reeve records
that. upon the whole. my visit leaves a most
melancholy impression. The dissolution Of
parties. the raucOr u enmities. the absence OF
political convictions or II courage 10 avow
them. the excess vi luxury and the Violence Of
d 'dIse eNci'eHlehla if-ar' 20 me TO auglr moth
ing but the worst for the country. No man f.
respected. No Government is permanent. And,
with al! my liking for the people. there
is an absence OF truth and upright
ness. which convinces me that no serious
o" solid relations can ever unite the
policy 81 England with that OF France. The
avenues to power are rhokcd with adventurers
strugglinG" for the shattered prize. Tho nc-
cursed past throws its shame and terror over
the future. and there is nothing great left in
the nation but its splendid wees and defects.
Iocquevllle himself says that. as nothing re-
mains TO them but their national pride. that
being shaken. they must fall below the average
level ot mankind" II there was ground for
this prediction in 1871. how much more
foundation is THERE for it now.