The Highest Courts of Law in New Hampshire. At the left of the Chief is Isaac W. Smith, one of the real laborers of the law. He was once a prominent political factor, but since his elevation to the court politics have been forgotten, and he gives his days and nights to his professional duties. Judge Smith is a slim, delicate man, with the nervous air and stooping posture of the thorough stu dent. He is a trustee of Dartmouth, and between his duties there and his work on the bench, he has no time for " soul invit ing," as Walt Whitman calls it. Lewis W. Clark is one of the most charm ing judges to be found in any court. Cool, patient, and courteous, he is the ideal nisi prius justice, and his coming is always hailed with gladness. He has a splendid mind, and knows how to use it. As Attor ney-General he gained great laurels, which are kept green by his service on the bench. Alonzo P. Carpenter is a pale, studious man, yet one of the most vigorous and original thinkers either on the bench or at the bar. He was long one of the leaders of Grafton County, and he came to the bench a widely read and thoroughly equipped law yer. Unlike Judge Doe, Judge Carpenter is a reading man outside of law, and a critic of literature, — French and Latin, as well as English. He is an encyclopedia of reading, and may easily be considered the scholar of the court. But his legal acumen is high, and he is not afraid to use it in dissenting from his associates. It is re lated of Judge Carpenter, that when the leaders of the two parties were trying to divide the judgeships equally, they were always troubled by the odd number seven. There might be three Republicans and as many Democrats, but what about the seventh judge. At last Harry Bingham, the venerable sage of Granite State Jacksonianism, broke the puzzle by suggesting Car penter, whom he declared was n't anything in politics. Whether this is true or not, it is certain that, unlike most of the judges, he had not been prominent in party coun
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cils. Smith, Blodgett, Bingham, Clark, and Allen had been Senators or Representa tives, or had held lucrative offices as reward for party service. In 1889 Williams Col lege conferred the degree of LL.D. upon Judge Carpenter. Isaac N. Blodgett comes from a distin guished family, both in law and in politics. His brother Caleb is on the Superior bench of Massachusetts, and a cousin is a United States Senator from New Jersey. Judge Blodgett is a neatly dressed and good-look ing judge, who adds credit to the bench both by his bright mind and painstaking work. George A. Bingham, of Littleton, is the junior judge in appointment, but not in years, for his services at the bar have been long and varied. The firm of Bingham & Aldrich was one of the most famous in the State, having a large clientage and poli tical influence as well. The present ChiefJustice of the District of Columbia is a brother of Judge Bingham, as is also the distinguished Harry Bingham of political renown. The Attorney-General of New Hampshire is Daniel Barnard, of Franklin, who is not only a good jurist, but one of the most pop ular and lovable lawyers in the State. He has an unruffled disposition, is kindly in the treatment of witnesses, yet a skilful crossexaminer, who manages to discover all he wants. As an after-dinner speaker the Attorney-General has few equals; and it is on these occasions that he shows that deli cate wit and humor that contribute so much to the making of his professional life agreeable and engaging. The Supreme Court of New Hampshire is a hard-working court; and under the leadership of its Chief the judges continue to maintain the high standard set by their distinguished predecessors, who bestowed on the New Hampshire judiciary a name so lasting as to endure forever in the his tory of American jurisprudence.
