Lives of Eminent British Lawyers (Volume 2) (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1841. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... many colours--a mere sick man's dream, without coherence, without order--a wild chaos of jarring and heterogeneous principles, which would deviate farther and farther from harmony. Yet the prevention of this state is the crime with which our judges are charged. O tempora, O mores To what are we come at last " On Mr. Sergeant Glynn's motion for a committee to inquire into the administration of criminal justice, * when the character of Lord Mansfield and the proceedings of the king's bench in matters of libel were severely arraigned, the solicitor-general spoke with much vehemence against the motion. "If," said he, "we allow every pitiful patriot thus to insult us with ridiculous accusations, without making him pay forfeit for his temerity, we shall be eternally pestered with the humming and buzzing of these stingless wasps. Though they cannot wound or poison, they can tease and vex. * * * * I hope we shall now handle them so roughly, as to make this the last of such audacious attempts." In defending the current doctrine as to libels, the solicitor-general did not hesitate to lay down one of the most extraordinary positions ever heard from the mouth of an English lawyer, and which, if established, would lay the liberties of the country prostrate at the feet of the government. "If," said he, " we even suppose the jury sufficiently enlightened to unravel those knotty points, yet there remains an insuperable objection. In state libels their passions are frequently so much engaged, that they may justly be considered as parties concerned against the crown." As if twelve men, chosen indifferently from among the people, were less likely to administer impartial justice than one man or than four men appointed by the crown In the violent debates which took place in 1771r on th...