Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 02.pdf/522

The Highest Courts of Law in New Hampshire.

477

public men exceeded him in that peculiar to preside at the trial of all civil cases, and temperament that sees the ideal. His ad at all criminal trials except murder and dresses are masterpieces of learning, and his treason. The effect of this was to put more mind was so receptive, and its richness so work on the Superior Court; but it simpli full, that he taught whenever he talked. fied practice, and was generally well re Although he lived among a school of states ceived by practitioners. It so happened men such as John Quincy Adams, Calhoun, that the lawyer who prepared this bill was Webster, Clay, and Benton, he was fully Joel Parker, who had been a member of the their equal in those cold powers of reason Legislature from Keene, and had labored

and logic that always hard to bring about characterize lofty in a change in the judi tellects. In debate ciary; and he now he was pre-eminently quite unexpectedly powerful; and his par found himself ap ticipation in the fa pointed to help in carrying out the mous contest over the Foot resolution gained provisions of his law, for him the sobriquet and to test their ef ficacy. of "the Rock of the Democracy." Judge Like so many of Woodbury died in New Hampshire's em inent judges, Joel Par 1851. ker went on the bench The places on the New Hampshire while comparatively a bench made vacant young man. When by the withdrawal of his townsman, Gov Bell and Woodbury ernor Dinsmoor, of were filled by Samuel fered him a seat on the Green and John Har Superior Court of Ju ris. They were care dicature, Mr. Parker ful and industrious had attained his thirtylawyers, but laid no eighth year; but his claim to brilliancy. professional career IRA PERLEY. The Superior Court had made his name widely known, and the was now reasonably secure from political overthrow, inasmuch appointment gave satisfaction to all. Judge as the old Republican party, under the new Parker held this office till 1838, — a period appellation of Democratic, had intrenched of five years, — when Chief-Justice Wil itself in every school-district throughout the liam M. Richardson died, and he immedi State, beyond the power of the Whigs to ately became his successor. Judge Parker's dislodge it. Thus the administration of law opinions are contained in thirteen volumes went along smoothly and uneventfully till a of the New Hampshire Reports, from the few years later, when a lawyer came upon sixth to the eighteenth inclusive; and in the bench who was destined to give it a those days, when judges were reporters as well, the industry and painstaking of this world-wide reputation. The Court of Common Pleas established judge may be seen in the extraordinary by the Act of 18 16 was abolished in 1832, number of opinions that he prepared. Dur when a law was passed allowing one justice ing the period that he sat as one of our 63