Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-04-01
Successor of the Late Lord
Herschell on the Anglo
American Commission.
Noted Career of this Distin-
guished Irishman, Eng
lands First Lawyer.
He Is the First Catholic Lord
Chief Justice Since the
Reformation.
ESTEEMED IN THE UNITED STATES.

Lord Russell of Killowen, the Lord
Chief Justice of England, has been APP
pointed successor to Lord Herschell on
the Anglo-American Commission. This
is the commission which has been in
session in Washington endeavoring to
settle a number of disputed matters be-
tween England and the United States,
particularly regarding Canada.
Lord Russel's appointment satisfies
everybody except perhaps counsel in the
Queens Bench Division of the High
Court OF Justice, who would not like to
be deprived of their strongest Judge;
otherwise Lord Russell's qualifications
for the high position are unimpeachable.
He is not only one of the first English
lawyers, but, as he showed when he was
counsel for Great Britain during the ses-
sions of the Behring Sea Commission in
1893, he is also one of the greatest living
authorities on international jurispru-
dence. Probably the fact that he is bet
ter known and highly esteemed by the
members of his own profession in the
United States than any other T. iglish
lawyer or Judge would weigh with her
Majesty's Government in making the
selection.
1t may be recolIected that Lord Russell
when in Parliament was all ardent Liberal
and follower of Mr.. Gladstone, and con-
sequently a vehement opponent of most
members of the present Unionist Con
sentative Cabinet
Lord Russell is an Irishman, the eldest
son of Arthur Russell of Newry and Sea
field house, on the shore of Carlingford
bay. He comes of famous Irish family.
who have given several members to re-
ligious life. One of his brothers is
Matthews Russell, well-known Irish
1 Jusuit, and sister of his superioress in a
convent, died short time ago in Cali
fornia.
Lord Russell was born in 1888 under
the shelter of the Killowen mountains.
and spent his early years climbing their
sides or sporting on the bay or cultivat-
ing the good will of the peasantry of the
neighborhood. After obtaining his de-
gree at Trinity College, Russell started
his professional career as solicitor in Bel
fast, but soon left the country of his birth
and established himself in London at
Lincoln's Inn. He was made Queens
Counsel in 1872. The early years of his
married life were passed at Kensington
in comparative poverty. In the absence
of legal labor the young solicitor occu-
pied his hours in press work at 1he House
of Commons.
Mr.. Russell entered Parliament as a
member from Dundalk and served in the
Liberal interest from 1880 to 1885. He was
returned the following year as member
from Hackney. He served as Attorney
General in both Gladstone administra-
tons and was knighted in 1886. On the
death of Lord Bowen, in 1894, Sir Charles
Russell was appointed Lord of Appeals
in Ordinary, with life peerage, and in
July of the same year succeeded Cole
ridge as Chief Justice.
Mr.. Russell was English counsel in the
United States fisheries arbitration settle
ment in Paris. He defended Mrs. May
brick in the trial of August, 1889. In the
Colin-Campbell divorce suit Russell dis
played his powers as a forensic tactician
of unequaled ability. But the greatest
triumph in a career filled with triumphs
was the mastery vindication of the Irish
leaders in the trial of Parnell and his as
sociates against the London Times. He
is the first Catholic Lord Chief Justice
since the reformation and the first Irish
man who ever reached that Office in
England.
Throughout his career he has never
lost an opportunity for singing the praises
of the land of his birth.
my lords, have not spoken merely
as an advocate; l have spoken for the
land of my birth" Thus did he begin
the impressive peroration of his brilliant
six days speech before the Parnell Com
mission, which Lord Hammer, in COM
plimentary note addressed to Sir Charles
upon its conclusion, described as "a
great speech worthy of great occa-
sion."
AS speaker Sir Charles Russell is al
most without rival at the English bar
He has been the only orator in courts
who puts a certain amount of dramatic
force into his speeches. His dramatic
power could be observd not alone in his
effective gestures and Shakespearean quo
tations, but also in the manner in which
he held his beloved eyeglasses, used his
reverend snuff-box and hourished his
bandanns handkerchief at the end of
each clear argument. The tones of his
voice tinged with slight brogue, added
to the pleasure of listening to him, and
his mobile countenance, yielding to every
emotion that animated the speaker, in
creased his power over jury.