James Adair (serjeant)
Encyclopedia
James Adair, KS
(died 21 July 1798) was an Irish
serjeant-at-law
.
He was admitted to Peterhouse, Cambridge
, and took a B.A.
in 1764, and M.A.
in 1767. He was educated in law and in due course called to the bar by the society of Lincoln's Inn
. In the early part of the reign of George III he was ranked among the advocates of the popular side; in 1771, he was employed as counsel in the famous case of the House of Commons
against the printers of "Letters of Junius" and in this and other instances gave so much satisfaction to the citizens, that, on the death of Glynn
, he was elected Recorder of London, a post he held until 1789.
In 1774, he took the degree of serjeant, and afterwards confined his practice chiefly to the Common Plea
s, in which court,—upon his promotion to be a king's serjeant (1782),—he for some years took the lead. On the rupture of the Whigs
after the French revolution
, he attached himself to the moderate party of Burke
's division and in 1794 was one of the counsel for the crown against Hardy
, Tooke
, and others, but had no very active part assigned him. In April, 1788 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
In 1796, he led against the crown, with Erskine
as his junior, in defence of Stone, accused of treason, but acquitted. At different times he held a seat in Parliament, having been Member of Parliament
(MP) for Cockermouth
from 1775 to 1780, and from 1793 until his death was member for Higham Ferrers
. He also was counsel to the Board of Ordnance
, and Chief Justice of Chester. His manner as a speaker was somewhat coarse, but it was impressive; he had great copiousness and fluency of delivery, and his powers of reasoning were of the highest order.
He died suddenly at his house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, on 21 July 1798. He was buried at Bunhill Fields
burying ground.
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
(died 21 July 1798) was an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
serjeant-at-law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
.
He was admitted to Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the oldest college of the University, having been founded in 1284 by Hugo de Balsham, Bishop of Ely...
, and took a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1764, and M.A.
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
in 1767. He was educated in law and in due course called to the bar by the society of Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
. In the early part of the reign of George III he was ranked among the advocates of the popular side; in 1771, he was employed as counsel in the famous case of the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
against the printers of "Letters of Junius" and in this and other instances gave so much satisfaction to the citizens, that, on the death of Glynn
John Glynn
John Glynn SL of Glynn was an English lawyer and Member of Parliament. Glynn was born to an ancient family of Cornish gentry. He inherited his father's estate in Glynn, Cornwall upon the deaths of his elder brother and his nephew....
, he was elected Recorder of London, a post he held until 1789.
In 1774, he took the degree of serjeant, and afterwards confined his practice chiefly to the Common Plea
Court of Common Pleas (England)
The Court of Common Pleas, or Common Bench, was a common law court in the English legal system that covered "common pleas"; actions between subject and subject, which did not concern the king. Created in the late 12th to early 13th century after splitting from the Exchequer of Pleas, the Common...
s, in which court,—upon his promotion to be a king's serjeant (1782),—he for some years took the lead. On the rupture of the Whigs
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
after the French revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, he attached himself to the moderate party of Burke
Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke PC was an Irish statesman, author, orator, political theorist and philosopher who, after moving to England, served for many years in the House of Commons of Great Britain as a member of the Whig party....
's division and in 1794 was one of the counsel for the crown against Hardy
Thomas Hardy (political reformer)
Thomas Hardy was an early Radical, the founder and also the first Secretary of the London Corresponding Society....
, Tooke
John Horne Tooke
John Horne Tooke was an English politician and philologist.-Early life and work:He was born in Newport Street, Long Acre, Westminster, the third son of John Horne, a poulterer in Newport Market. As a youth at Eton College, Tooke described his father to friends as a "turkey merchant"...
, and others, but had no very active part assigned him. In April, 1788 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
In 1796, he led against the crown, with Erskine
Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine
Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine KT PC KC was a British lawyer and politician. He served as Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom between 1806 and 1807 in the Ministry of All the Talents.-Background and childhood:...
as his junior, in defence of Stone, accused of treason, but acquitted. At different times he held a seat in Parliament, having been Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Cockermouth
Cockermouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Cockermouth was the name of a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England in 1295, and again from 1641, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. It was a parliamentary borough represented by two...
from 1775 to 1780, and from 1793 until his death was member for Higham Ferrers
Higham Ferrers (UK Parliament constituency)
Higham Ferrers was a parliamentary borough in Northamptonshire, which was represented in the House of Commons from 1558 until 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act...
. He also was counsel to the Board of Ordnance
Board of Ordnance
The Board of Ordnance was a British government body responsible for the supply of armaments and munitions to the Royal Navy and British Army. It was also responsible for providing artillery trains for armies and maintaining coastal fortresses and, later, management of the artillery and engineer...
, and Chief Justice of Chester. His manner as a speaker was somewhat coarse, but it was impressive; he had great copiousness and fluency of delivery, and his powers of reasoning were of the highest order.
He died suddenly at his house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, on 21 July 1798. He was buried at Bunhill Fields
Bunhill Fields
Bunhill Fields is a cemetery in the London Borough of Islington, north of the City of London, and managed by the City of London Corporation. It is about 4 hectares in extent, although historically was much larger....
burying ground.
Works
Adair was author of several tracts.- Thoughts on the Dismission of Officers for their Conduct in Parliament (1764)
- Observations on the Power of Alienation in the Crown (1768)
- Discussions of the Law of Libels (1785)