ALABAMA CLAIMS. 87 



made Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas 

 in 1856, and of the Queen s Bench in 1859, which 

 place he still fills. 



He presided for sixteen years in the common-law 

 courts of England without being raised to the peer 

 age. It is unnecessary to speculate on the reasons 

 for this unusual, if not unprecedented fact. 



His political career dates from his zealous defense 

 of Lord Palmerston in the affair of the notorious 

 David Pacifico. This person was aa adventurer of 

 doubtful nationality and of bad character, in whose 

 behalf the navy of Great Britain, under Lord Paliner- 

 ston s direction, seized the Piraeus, captured Greek 

 merchant- vessels, and threatened Athens. The ground 

 of claim was alleged destruction of property by a mob. 

 Pacifico claimed, according to the official statement of 

 the case by the British Government, 4916 on ac 

 count of furniture and other personal effects, which 

 he originally stated at only 5000 francs, and 26,618 

 16s. 8d. on account of papers. It is very doubtful 

 whether the claim was a proper subject of interna 

 tional reclamation. But, after a three months block 

 ade, Greece submitted to pay 5000, of which 4720 

 was either falsehood or consequential damages ; and 

 afterward, on examination of the case in Lisbon, a 

 commission awarded the petty sum of 150 in full 

 satisfaction of the pretended loss of 26,618, induced 

 perhaps by political reasons rather than by conviction 

 of any rights of Pacifico. 



The conduct of Lord Palmerston and the British 

 Government in this affair nearly involved Great Brit- 



