Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1896 — England’s Tribunals. [ARTICLE]

England’s Tribunals.

The most ancient court- in England, says an exchange,is that of the king’s bench. The great Alfred sat Upon its seat of Justice, and foilowbig monarchies copied ids example, .until' the busy functions of the reigning sovereign nnd his office was delegated to his representatives, the’judges.'• The other venerable <;ourt, lhe court of chancery, is almost as old; as tbe king’s bench. One thousand.years after Alfred’s accession, the Judicature act of 1871 destroyed tbe Independence of these two courts, and made them a part of five departments, the remaining three being the cotnmpn pleas, the exchequer and the probate, divorce and admiralty divisions. * At the bend of these departments is the supreme legal official of the law of Great Britain and Ireland, the lord high chancellor. He is. appointed by the crown ui>on the motion of the premier of the realm, and changes office with his political party. He sits upon the wolsack, the presiding officer’s chair in the house of lords, and is also a member of the privy council and the chief Judge of the appellate tribunals. Next In rank is tile lord chief Justice of England, whb -rules In the queen’s bench division,-and after him comes the master of the rolls, who presides over the conrt of appeals. Lord Halsbury is the ford chancellor, Lord Kusee 11 of Killowen 1& the chief Justice, and Lord Esher is tjbe master of the rolls, and he will be ’the last Judge to hold that tlme-hoirt>red title; it dies with him. Among the,wearem of the Judicial ermine, the |ate- Chief Justice Coleridge wrtfc'Couspkaous for his liberal views, since liberalism is not a prevalent creed witk judges in England. His elocution, . beautiful voice and distinguished presence, Ida lucid exiHjaitlon, social brilliancy and wide reading gave him a better title to fame than Disraeli, the past master of caustic phraseology, was Inclined to allow him. The latter gentleman once spoke of him as “silver-tongued mediocrity.’*