Judge Baldwin has left of record the witty reply of Jo Heyfron, an
Irish lawyer, to a Mississippi judge. The judge, having rendered a
very ridiculous decision in a cause in which Heyfron was engaged, the
latter slowly arose as if to address the Court. The judge,
exceedingly pompous and a poor lawyer withal, in imperative tone
said: "Take your seat, Mr. Heyfron; you have practised at this
bar long enough to know that when this Court renders a decision,
its wisdom can only be called in question in a higher Court."
"If Your Honor plase," replied Jo in deprecatory tone, "far be
it from me to impugn in the slightest degray the wisdom of Your
Honor's decision. I only designed to rade a few lines from the
book I hold in my hand, in order that Your Honor might parsave _how
profoundly aignorant Sir William Blackstone was upon this subject!"_
It is difficult, at this day, to realize that such scenes could
ever have been enacted in an English Court, as were not infrequent
during the era embracing the celebrated "State Trials." While one
of these was in progress, and Curran in the midst of his argument,
the judge contemptuously turned his back upon the advocate, and
began fondling a favorite dog at his side. The argument was at once
suspended. "Proceed, sir," were the words which at length broke
the stillness that had fallen upon the vast assemblage. "Ah!"
exclaimed Curran, "I was only waiting for Your Lordship _to conclude
your consultation with your learned associate!"_