Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 07.pdf/459

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
422
The Green Bag.

tice by the success with which he put down one occasion the Duke of Grafton, stung into Sir Fletcher Norton, then the bully of the indignation by Thurlow's observations, com bar, in the case of Luke Robinson v. the mented on his plebeian origin. The sequel Earl of Winchilsea, a chance conversation is well told by Mr. Fox (English Judges, p. with an attorney in a debating-club, which 662), quoting from Butler's Reminiscences. procured him a brief in the Douglas Peer "His lordship rose from the woolsack and age case, is the circumstance to which his advanced slowly to the place from which rise is generally attributed. In 1768, Thur- the Chancellor generally addresses the house, low, who had taken then fixing upon the silk six years before, Duke a look of lower became member for ing indignation, T am Tamworth. In 1770, amazed,' he said, ' at he was made Solici His Grace's speech. tor-General. In the The noble Duke can following year he was not look before him, appointed Attorneybehind him, or on General. The lead cither side of him, ing cases that he con without seeing some ducted, or assisted in noble peer who owes conducting, as Law his seat in this house Officer of the Crown, to his successful ex were the prosecutions ertions in the profess of Almon, Woodfull, ion to which I belong. and Miller, for pub Docs he not feel that lishing Junius' letter it is as honorable to to the King, of the owe it to these as to Duchess of Kingston being the accident of for bigamy, and of an accident? To all Horne Tooke (who these noble lords the ever afterwards bore language of the noble towards him a male Duke is as applicable volent and unfounded and as insulting as hatred) for libel. In it is to myself. But I don't fear to stand 1 778, Thurlow, raised lord ca1rns, single and alone. No to the peerage as Baron Thurlow of Ashfield, succeeded Lord one venerates the peerage more than I do. Bathurst as Chancellor, and held this office But, m)- lords, I must say that the peerage till his double dealings with the opposition solicited me, not I the peerage. Nay more, compelled Pitt to insist on his removal. Ik- 1 can say, and will say, that as a peer of died on September 12, 1806, at Brighton, Parliament, as Speaker of this honorable and was buried in the Temple Church, in house, as Keeper of the Great Seal, as guar London. For some time after his entrance dian of His Majesty's conscience, as Lord High Chancellor of England, nay even in into the House of Lords, Thurlow was re garded by his brother peers with overt that character alone in which this noble antipathy, partly as a novns homo, it may be, Duke would think it an affront to be con but chiefly because of the insolence, brutality sidered, but which character none can deny and frequency of his attacks upon them. On me, as a man, I am at this moment as res