92 THE TREATY OF WASIIINGTOX. 



guage as to render it scarcely intelligible. Mr. Jus- 

 tice Blackburn reiDlied, reiterating in temperate lan- 

 guage Lis statement that the Chief Justice Lad ex- 

 pressly assented to the legal doctrine of tLe cLarge, 

 and Lis colleagues, Justices Mellor, LusL, and Han- 

 nen, gave no support to tLe denial made by tLe CLief 

 Justice. 



TLe qualities of cLaracter exLibited in tLis inci- 

 dent were tLe occasion at tLe time of unfavorable 

 commentary on tLe part of tLe BritisL Press and 

 public. 



Sir Alexander Cockburn Lad seemed, on superfi- 

 cial view, a fit person to take part in tLe important 

 duties committed to tLe Tribunal of Arbitration. He 

 carried tLitLer tLe prestige of judicial rank, as tLe 

 Lead of one of tLe most venerable courts of Europe. 

 And Le was tliorouo-L master of tLe laniruao-e in 

 wLicL tLe discussions of tLe Tribunal were con- 

 ducted. 



But, unfortunately, it would seem tLat neitLer tLe 

 original constitution of Lis mind, nor tLe studies, pur- 

 suits, or Labits of Lis life. Lad fitted Lim for calm, im- 

 partial, judicial examination of great questions of 

 public law. TLe same traits of confused tLougLt, 

 equivocation in matters of law, tendency to declama- 

 tory denunciation of adversary opinions, wLicli pro- 

 voked and justified tLe criticisms of Mr. Finlason, 

 Mr. GatLorne Hardy, and otLers, and wLicL prompt- 

 ed conflict witli Mr. Justice Blackburn, reappeared 

 in more vivid colors at Geneva. 



Of tLe offensive singularities of Lis deportment as 



