Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 02.pdf/530

The Highest Courts of Law in New Hampshire.

485

Judge Smith was a young man of thirty The elections in 1874 resulted in a vic years; but his mind was thoroughly disci tory for the Democrats for the first time in plined and matured. He quickly proved nearly twenty years, and the managers of that he was possessed of great learning and that party at once set about bench-making. reasoning powers, and the bench suffered a When the Legislature convened, a judiciary positive loss when ill-health compelled his bill was brought in and passed, and the resignation after a few years of service. It Supreme Judicial Court went the way of its is a matter of public congratulation that his predecessors. The new law created two health was restored, thus sparing him for courts, — the name of the higher being

those brilliant suc "The Superior Court cesses that have uni of Judicature," while formly attended him the lower again took at the bar. It will not the name of "The Cir be disparaging to the cuit Court." After present faculty of the considerable difficulty Harvard Law School in persuading lawyers to predict that Judge to accept the new Smith, in his new po honors, Governor sition of Story Profes Weston at last named sor, will add lustre to Edmund L. Cushing the annals of the as Chief, and William school and fame to S. Ladd and Isaac W. his own high char Smith as associates, acter. of the upper court, and Politics had long William L. Foster as been rigorously ap Chief, and Edward D. plied to judicial ap Rand and Clinton W. pointments, and the Stanley as associates, bench was wholly of the lower or Circuit partisan, to the dis Court. Judge Cushing had been prominent grace of the State; but this bigotry was in the councils of his broken by the eleva party, and entertained AI.OKZO P. CARPENTER tion of two Democrats decided opinions on — William S. Ladd the political questions and Ellery A. Hibbard — to the Supreme of the day; but his legal attainments were large, and his career on the bench was use Judicial Court, and then began that cus tom, which has since obtained, of dividing ful and honorable. Aside from his learning the bench between the two political parties. in his profession, he was a ripe scholar in These judges remained members of the polite literature, and an hour with him was court but a few years, though the former always to be remembered. His taste for became one of the justices of the new music was almost a passion, and for many court established in 1874. Judge Ladd is years he presided at the organ of his village one of the strongest lawyers in the State, church. It must have been a novel sight and his practice is highly remunerative. to behold the learned and venerable ChiefHe is now the reporter of the decisions, Justice — his white locks falling on his coat — his work commencing with Volume 59 — bending and swaying over the key-board of pianos and organs. Upon the demolition of the New Hampshire Reports. 64