486 
improve, because he would not invite the attorneys to dinner, or 
dance with their daughters. Whether Campbell was a dancing man, 
or whether he danced with attorneys 5 daughters, I know not. But 
it is clear that he took a better and a more lawyer-like plan of gain- 
ing the favour of their papas than either dancing or dining. He 
published a series of Beports of Cases decided at Nisi Prius between 
1809 and 1816, which was not only in itself very valuable, and 
established his reputation as a lawyer, but which specially interested 
the body of solicitors, as the work contained for the first time the 
names of the attorneys who had got up each case. He had thus very 
early a great connection with the solicitors, and came into a lucra- 
tive and immense business. He soon became leader on the Oxford 
Circuit. In 1827 he obtained a silk gown. In 1830 he came into 
Parliament for Stafford. In 1832, was Solicitor-General in the 
Melbourne Ministry, and was returned to Parliament for Dudley. 
In 1834, he became Attorney-General on the retirement of Sir Wil- 
liam Horne, but lost his seat for Dudley. On Mr Jeffrey’s eleva- 
tion to the Scottish Bench, and consequent retirement from the re- 
presentation of Edinburgh, Sir John Campbell was returned as one 
of our city members, and sat till 1841.* Several very important 
cases in the common law-courts occurred whilst he was Attorney- 
General, in which he had to take a prominent part. One of his 
most conspicuous efforts was his defence of Lord Melbourne, the 
prime-minister, in the action brought by Mr Norton. Campbell’s 
defence was considered so masterly, and the gaining the cause so 
important to the stability of the administration, that when Camp- 
bell entered the House of Commons the evening of the trial, he was 
generally and loudly cheered by the members on the ministerial 
side of the House, as a testimony to his skill in managing the case, 
and his ingenuity in cross-examining the adverse witnesses. At 
this period many law appointments had to be made, but Sir John 
Campbell still continued Attorney- General. A purpose of bringing 
* Sir John Campbell, whilst a member of the House of Commons, did good 
service to the country by promoting at all times the cause of legal reforms. 
He introduced two very important bills which are known by his name. One 
for the protection of proprietors of newspapers who had inserted libels with- 
out malice of purpose, and having made due apologies. The other for the 
protection of persons against malicious arrest for debts which were not due. 
The latter arose out of a famous case of arrest, and great hardship, of the Duke 
of Caduval on a false affidavit. 
