The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-03-26

occupy. In fact it is a bid for something
in the future, which will add to or make
position and office higher and better than
that which they hold, and which will
pass from them.
This principle is conspicuously set
forth in the life and conduct of Sir
Francis Bacon When as lawyer, as
an officer of the crown, and as Judge
and chancellor he was seeker after Of
fee He subscribed to all the arbitrary
power of the king. He prosecuted the
noble Exsex, who had exerted himself to
elevate Bacon to high office. He says to
his friend: BY no means be you per-
stiaded to interpOse yourself either by
word or letter in any case depending in
any court of justice. If it should pre-
vail, it perverts justice; but if the judge
be so just and of such courage as he
ought to be, as not to be inclined there
by; yet it always leaves a faint of sus-
picion behind it. Like Ovid, he saw and
approved the right, and yet the wrong
pursued. He took brides and offices and
titles freely bestowed upon him, and
amassed great wealth, for thrift followed
fawning. He became lord chancellor of
England. But the day of reckoning
came at last. A greater power than
royalty was abroad in the land, and be-
coming conscious of itself, it disclosed
that the lord chancellor had accepted
large sums of money from litigants in
cases that were depending before him.
1t was a pitiful end OF a great career,
the just and equitable doom of all intel
lect when it is divorced from conscience.
IF, therefore
Parties allure thee, think how Bacon
shined,
The wisest, brightest, meanest of man
kind
What a contrast is shown in the life
and character of Sir Eward Coke, who
was great lawyer and great judge.
He gave himself entirely and unreserv-
eddy to the study of the law, and left his
visible and everlasting impress upon it.
He became chief justice of the court of
common pleas, and subsequently chief
justice of the court of kings bench. In
this position the sterling traits of his
character became apparent. The judge
ships were held at the pleasure of the
king, and disagreement with him upon
any matter which affected the royal pre-
rogative involved the possibility of sum-
mary dismissal from the judicial Office.
But Coke never permitted selfish re-
gard for his own interest to interfere
with the performance of a public duty.
When upon the suggestion of Arch
bishop Bancroft the king claimed for
himself the right of Judging whatever
cause he pleased in his own person, free
from all risk of prohibition or appeal"
Coke denied his right to do SO, and
quoted from Bracton: The king ought
ma to be under any man, but is under
God and the law" Finally in a case of
ecclesiastical preferment, Coke with the
of his associate Judges, de-
c1ined to delay the decision of the case
at the command of the king until he
might express to them his views con-
corning it, and rendered judgment. The
Judges were summoned before the king
10 explain their conduct, and were un-
mercifully scolded by him for their dis
obedience All Of them were bullied into
making acknowledgements, except Coke.
Being asked what he would do in case
where the kings prerogative was in
volved, he said: when the case hap
pens / shall do that which shall be fit
for judge to do. Can we not stop and
ask the question, is there no outside in
auences, political or otherwise, that has
an influence on judges? Their own con-
duct must be an answer to this question.
J. D. ROACH.
Mansfield, La, March 10, 1908.
AND HNMAN WIRE