The Hall of Four Courts.
513
uncertainty are minimized, and the court's In the election petitions of last year, in jurisdiction availed of to its fullest extent. which the Macdermot was feed for the AntiNowhere are the rules so well observed; but Parnellites, his zeal eclipsed all others. This the nice customs of Equity courtesy to the alone would prove him the most earnest of present Master, and he is at no time so Irishmen. Any man may be a good patriot, happy as when proving the sweet reason but it takes a real enthusiast to make a good ableness of the methods of his court. But mercenary. he is not much given to moralizing; this In his cross-examination there is no sub and an almost total lack of humor aid him terfuge or trickery. He hunts for a clew to in getting through the truth, and having more work than most ~ 1 found it, follows it up of his predecessors like a sleuth-hound to and any living Irish the end. Questions are rained judge. The Macdermot, as on the witness with the prefix implies, is marvellous quickness, head of an ancient and although the method be not pretty Sligo family, and a prince of Irish blood. and lacks finesse, it is usually very effective. He may be said to be In his manner to the the first of the line judges he is bold al who for some time most to a fault; few had anything but his men would hazard name in proof of his some of the remarks claim to princely dig and suggestions which nity. For most of come from the At the estate had van torney-General in the ished until the Attor heat of battle. ney-General won it The Macdermot be back by his exertions came a Q. C. in 1877, at the bar. He was and having passed called in 1862, and for THE RIGHT HON. THE MACDERMOT, Q. c. through several minor a long time was one Attorney-General. appointments, was of the most hard work made Crown Prosecu ing of juniors. Even now, when success has brought with it tor for the County of Dublin. He became freedom from drudgery and a superfluity of Solicitor-General to Mr. Gladstone (for he is "devils," no man gets up the points of his a Home Ruler as well as a Roman Catholic) case as the Macdermot does. His knowl in 1885. On the Premier's return to office edge of the law of evidence is supreme, and last August the Macdermot got one step his persistence in fighting a point so long as higher in a career which will without doubt he has left a legal leg to stand on is a by end on the bench. Charles Hare Hemphill, Solicitor-General, word in the courts. This persistence doubt less arises not only from the man's innate is a barrister of nearly fifty years' standing, energy, but from a certain hot-blooded en having been called in 1845. He entered thusiasm which teaches him to make his Trinity College as a scholar in 1842, and client's case his own, and to feel that if jus proceeded to his B. A. in 1844. His has therefore been a long life, and one of tardy tice be not done him the heavens will fall.
