New-York tribune., 1901-10-27
Mr.. Shepard instead OF passing on the authority
TO one Of his own cronies? Dear Mr.. Cochran!
What should do without him?
AN OLD STORY.

| AN OLD SIUhT.
1t happened in the year 1770. The English
! ministry under the lead of the Duke of Grafton
! was in the full career of the tyranny and cor
ruption which marked the persecution of Wilkes,
| fired the protests of Burke and Chatham called
forth the invectves of Junius and finally precip-
itated the American Revolution. SO reckleSsly
did the coterie in the Kings confidence carry
out their policy that finally some Of the min
listers themselves revolted at the wrongs they
were compelled TO be responsible for. Lord
CRANKY, brave soldier, threw up the COM
mand of the army, declaring that his past SER
vices TO the ministry in Parliament for the in
vason of popular rights was the greatest mis-
fortune of his life. Lord Chancellor Camden
resigned, saying that he had accepted the great
seal fully intending never to be led into courses
which he could not approve; but experience had
taught him that he had overrated his own inde-
pendence. Often had he hung his head in coun-
cil and showed in his countenance a dissent
which it would have been useless TO express in
words: but the time had come when he must
speak out
Grafton saw ruin staring him in the face The
greatest lawyer in England had refused longer
to countenance his vicious course. Unless he
could I'LL the vacant place with some man Of
high distinction and respectable character his
ministry would certainly fall. Dunning. whom
Chatham had made Solicitor General refused
a promotion which would have made him lend
himself as n prop TO bad government. Sir
Eardley WilmOt, the Chief Justice Of the Com
mon Pleas, refused to be Lord Chancellor for
such a purpose. and Lord Mansfield declined to
become the defender of the fOllies of Grafton
and the jobs of Sandwich. Only one lawyer
in that class remained. He was Charles Yorke,
a son of the great Lord Hardwcke. Yorke.
however, belonged to the opposition, had worked
for reform and had held office under Rocking
ham. He was one of the intimates of that group
Of statesmen who stood out so long and bravely
against the reckless and suicidal policy of
George III and his favorites Grafton ap-
preached him and found the weak spot in his
nature. 1t was his overweaning ambition for
the woolsack. "He lived on brambles as long
as somebody else was Lord Chancellor" Dis
interested patriotism had not paid. His war
on the corrupt men in power did not seem likely
10 result In their overthrow. and even If his
party did come into office he saw he would have
10 yield precedence to Camden, the new acces-
sion and the popular hero. He was not strong
enough 10 endure the temptation. He struggled.
Supported by the advice and even sympathy in
his trial of his old associates he at first refused
the bait, then nibbled, then surrendered and
lent his name and talents to men he despsed
10 make respectable body he had opposed as
a disgrace TO his country and an oppressor OF it's
people.
Nevertheless, Charles Yorke was n sensitive
gentleman Vanity and ambition could make
him traitor, but he could not endure the silent
reprOaches of his brothers and intimate friends.
or the voiced condemnation Of others who had
counted on his fathfuness. He worried him
self into fever, took TO his bed, refused 10 let
the great seal be affixed 10 his new patent of
nobility, expressing the wish that that symbol
of his dearly purchased office should be no
longer in his custody and, II has been sus-
pected, laid violent hands upon himself. On
Wednesday, January Il. 177O lie became Lord
Chancellor. On Saturday. January 90, he died
Trevelyan, who tells the story in The Early
History of Charles James Fox" says: Into
"the precise manner of his death history which
"has been deservedly indulgent 10 him. has for
borne curiOusly 10 inquire It Is enough that
''he could not endure the shame OF having
"stooped to that which for two generations
'after him was done with unabashed front by
"some OF the most celebrated statesmen whose
names are inscribed on the roll OF our chan
"cellors"
Times have changed since 1910, as Trevelyan
says, and not only in England but in America,
where the honors of the bar and of politics are
not lord chancellorships Men still crook the
pregnant hinges Of the knee TO powers which
they were sure their pride OF citizenship and
their reverence 10 the Almighty would never let
them bow before. Men still turn from fighting
politicians who. they say, disgrace the country
and lend themselves respectable masks to
cover the hunt of those politicians for continued
power But, unlike Charles Yorke, they find the
ermIne a perfect cure for all the ills of con-
science. Like the statesmen OF two generations
after him. they can become the servants of what
they say is evil with unabashed front