James Charles Mathew

“ They speedily divided between them the mercantile business of the circuit. In commercial cases, where rights mainly depended on written evidence, Russell's knowledge of business and of the law enabled him to go straight to the point and get through a long list with great smoothness and rapidity. But where there was a conflict of evidence, his style of advocacy was open to criticism and complaint. He was not a pleasant antagonist. Occasionally his opponents were made to feel a personal pressure fatal to the harmony which is a tradition of the bar. ”

“ When he entered parliament the national cause was represented in the House of Commons by a small minority of the Irish members. It was not till the franchise was lowered by the act of 1884, and as many as eighty-five members were returned from Ireland to support the demand for an Irish parliament, that he pledged himself, together with the majority of liberals, to the policy of home rule. But he was always a firm supporter of the Irish cause ; and before the alliance between Gladstone and Parnell he spoke constantly in Irish debates and voted usually with the national party. ”

“ The school days of Charles Russell are described in the petition for his articles, presented to the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland in 1848. He was for a short time at a diocesan seminary at Belfast, then for two years at a private school in Newry, finally for one year at St. Vincent's College, Castleknock. The records of his school career are scanty. They show that he was a hard-working boy, of more than average attainments, but there is nothing to indicate that he displayed any brilliant qualities. ”

“ In 1883 he delivered a long speech in the debate on the address, complaining that the legitimate demands for the redress of Irish grievances were disregarded ; and in 1884 he spoke in support of an inquiry into the Maamtrasna trials. He took little part in debates not connected with Ireland. In 1883 he spoke in favour of a bill for creating a court of criminal appeal, contending that the interference of the home secretary with the sentences of judges was unconstitutional; and during the same parliament he supported the granting of state aid to voluntary schools. ”

“ His activity and energy followed him in his pursuit of recreation, and, if bent upon a project, he was careless of fatigue and labour. He was large-minded in his views of men and things, and his intimate friends included those who differed widely from him and each other in station, politics, and religion. ”

“ The cross-examination of many of the Irish witnesses called by the attorney-general devolved upon Russell, and was conducted under great difficulty and with great success. He had no notice of the order in which they would appear, and had little information about them. Yet it was said that few witnesses left the box without being successfully attacked and disparaged. His famous speech for the defence occupied six days, and was concluded on 12 April 1889. ”

“ He was the elder son of Arthur Russell (1785–1845) and Margaret, daughter of Matthew Mullin and widow of John Hamill, a merchant of Belfast. The Russells were of an old stock long settled in the county of Down. The family had clung to the ancient faith, and, like others, had suffered from the persecutions of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Arthur Russell died in 1845, and the care of his young family devolved upon their clever mother and their paternal uncle, Dr. Charles William Russell [q. v.] ”

“ He never attended the chambers of a pleader. The common law procedure acts had struck a blow at technicalities which that class of practitioner did not long survive. He found time to write for newspapers and magazines, and contributed a weekly letter on current politics to the Dublin 'Nation.' In Trinity term 1858 he presented himself for examination for the studentship founded by the Inns of Court. Though unsuccessful he was awarded a certificate of honour. On 10 Aug. 1858 he was married to Ellen, eldest daughter of Joseph Stevenson Mulholland, M.D., of Belfast. ”

“ Carter, one of the counsel for the United States, and was supported by an address of great length and ingenuity. The arbitrators were invited to apply to the question of pelagic sealing what were called ' principles of right,' viz., those rules upon which civilised nations ought to be agreed. This, it was said, was international law. This contention was combated with vigour, and necessarily with great labour, by Russell and Sir R.W T ebster, the former speaking for eleven and the latter for five days. ”