ALABAMA CLAIMS. ST 



made Chief Justice of tlie Court of Common Pleas 

 ill 185G, and of the Queen's Bench in 1S50, uhich 

 place he still fills. 



lie 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. 



Ilis political career dates from hiS zealous defense 

 of Lord Palmerston in the affair ('f the notorious 

 David Pacifico. This person ■was an adventurer of 

 doubtful nationality and of bad character, in whose 

 behalf the navy of Great Pritain, under Lord Palmer- 

 ston's direction, seized the Piranis, captured Greek 

 merchant- vessels, and threatened Athens. The ground 

 of claim was alleged destruction of ])roperty by a mob. 

 Pacitico claimed, according to the official statement of 

 the case by the British Government, £4010 on ac- 

 count of furniture and other personal effects, which 

 he originally stated at only 5000 francs, and £20,018 

 lO^f. S<'/. on account of papers. It is very douljtful 

 Avhether 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 cither 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 £20,018, 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- 



