In 1006 it was Sir Edward's intention virtually to desert the Bar in favour of complete absorption in political activity, but owing to difterfences with his party on the subject of Protection, he applied for. the Chiltern Hundreds in the early part of 1906 and ceased to be a Member: of Parliament. This was the second time he had retired rather than alter hhis political convictions. The frst time was in 1900 when he held very decided and unpopular views on the subject of the Boer War. He therofore turned again to the Law with nabated energy, picked "up the threads and staged is come-back s0 successfully that he practically regained his former position at the Bar. Th 1911 he was briefed in an im= portant ease to lead three other sills and two juniors, the silks being. Int Astbury, Inter a Judge," Me. a mere, later Recorder of Liverpool, and Mr. F. E, Smith, later, as. the Earl of Birkenhend, Lord Chancellor.
appeared in his fast case in May 1914, in which he held a four-Agure brit and! in which 17 counsel were engaged, the case being one in whic! various employees and directors. of Liptons Ltd. were charged under the Prevention of Corruptions Act with conspiring to give money to army emeers to show favour to Liptons fu the matter of army catering contracts, Most interesting accounts of the part played by Sir Edward in them are given of the Staunton ease (better known as the Pongo Murder), the Baccarat case, the trial of Ade-laid Bartio't, the trict of the de-tee tives in. connection with the Benson Turt Frauds, and: nany more, and his connection with others, og. the Oscar Wilde ease, Parnell, the Jameson Raid ease, ete, are' also" dealt with.
None to Touch tim Sir Edward was not only a. fine forensic advocate of the old school, but he was one of the frst speakers of his day, and many of his political speeches Were triumphs not only per= sonal but for his party. He got his first real chance at the Bar in the Staunton case, when the peroration fof his speech' in defence of Patrick "The Bayard by sheer grit, determination, hard work and ability, entirely unaided, which enabled him to be called to the Bar in the first place. Sir Edward was one of the great Victorians, and made a unique place for himself during the last quarter of the last century. That he did not achieve the highest judicial honours as a member of ihe judiciary was not from lack of opportunity. In 1886 he acted as Solicitor General under the Conservative Government, and in 1897 was offered the Mastership of the Rolls, which he refused. To Sir Edward, the Bar for the greater part of his career was only, in his view, fan essential preliminary to. polities ana subsidiary thereto. There Is no doubt that he could have risen to great heights in the political world, Dut fate was against him, and this, added to the fact that hehad great indeponcence of mind and was never willing to abate one iota of his political beliefs to benefit his own career, robbed him of his just rewards. He was always willing to. make' the Areatest sacrifices of position and money rather than abandon his con vietion, however unpopular they
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.