arrow Carlisle Patriot arrow 19 July 1844 arrow 19 July 1844 Lord Eldon's Legal Success
19 July 1844 Lord Eldon's Legal Success Print E-mail



       A certain solitary case, which he argued in Roll's Court in 1788, was
about to be heard on appeal in the House of Lords.

       In that case he had urged a point not only not suggested in his brief,
but entirely discountenanced by the solicitor. The Master of the Rolls
decided against him. His own client disapproved of the appeal, which was the act of
another party. Mr. SCOTT was desired to state to the Lords that his solicitor
'consented.' He insisted on re-stating his point. The solicitor smiled, but
allowed him to do so. It could not make things worse than they were already. he
should, however, have no better fee than one guinea.

       Behold! Lord THURLOW listened very earnestly - took three days to
consider - reversed the decree of the Roll's Court solely on Mr. SCOTT's 
argument; and this decision of Lord THURLOW has regulated all similar questions since
that day, March 4, 1788.

       This was the case of 'ACKROYD v. SMITHSON.' Lord ELDON's account
concludes this: - "As I left the Hall, a respectable solicitor of the name of
FORSTER came up and touched me on the shoulder, and said 'Young man, your bread and
butter is cut for life.'"

                    -Quarterly Review.
 
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