The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-31
SIR JOHN COLERIDGE.
How England's Lord Chief JUS
tice Got His Position.
BY NO MEANS A GREAT LAWYER.
But He Is One of the Most Ornamental
Figures On the Bench-Too Much
of Society Man.

| Coleridge family, Samuel TAYLOR Cole
ridge, author of the Rhine of the Ancient
| Mariner" and other works of rare poetical
! genius, occupied very humble position
! socially, and during great part of bis life
| was actually dependant upon friends for
| subsistence. He never succeeded in any,
thing he undertook, and though he gained
a vast reputation by his writings, he died
In utter poverty. Yet he had brains
enough to have filed any position, and If
he had been lawyer instead of a poet
and philosopher, and had not been stupe-
| he'd with opium half his time, he would
assuredly have risen to the highest place.
| The more respectable members of his FAM
| lily were ashamed of him when he was
alive; but they benefited greatly by his
fame after he was dead and, though per-
haps, they would not care to acknowledge
Ii, much of the success in life which they
| have achieved is due to their connection
with him. The wealth and rank and
power which fortune has layished on them
are In strange contrast to the lifelong
misery and humiliation of their shiftess.
but immortal kinsman With only small
share of his ability, they combined what
he did not possess at all, the art OF getting
on. The result is that they are now one of
the most distinguished families in Eng
land, especially in the legal and clerical
world. They are all men of undoubted
capacity. but there is a certain calculating
selhshness about them which goes against
them in the public estimation. The lord
chief justice has shown this even more in
what he has refused than in what he
has obtained; and his is a striking in
stance of knowing how to wait. If he had
been man of less cautious or of less pa
tlent ambition, he would never have been
where be Is.
The Coleridges are an old west country
family. and all their fortunes are con-
nected with that part of England which
has produced so many men of brilliant
talents. Ottery st. Mary, the Devonshire
village where the poet was born, his father
being the rector, is also the birthplace of
the chief justice. When. the latter came
into the world in 1921, however, the family
mad already achieved q pretty good posi-
ton, and he was carefully educated with
view to prominent public career. He was
sent to Elton and Oxford, where he chose his
friends from among the most aristocratic
OF his associates, and he made very good
name for himself by hard work and sound
scholarship. He went to Baliol college,
but he had scarcely taken his B. A. degree
before he was elected to fellowship at
Exeter college. the great resort of west of
England men. This is substantial dis
tlnction, tor it carries with it an income of
5000 year for life, with other benefits,
provided the fellow does not marry. These
tellowships were established before the
reformation, and were intended for the
support OF scholarly men studying for
the church; and, as the clergy in
those days might not marry, the fellow
forfeited his privileges and emoIuments if
he took wife. To this day many men re-
main unmarried all their life for the sake
OF the income and the snug quarters at
tached to a college fellowship. Young
Colerldge, however, having taken the NJ
A. degree, and got all there was to be got
out OF the university, made what seemed
then very good marriage for him, gave
up his fellowship, was called to the bar
and went on the Western circuit, where, of
course, his family influence was of great
assistance to him. He became before long
the most prominent barrister in that part of
England and made great deal of money.
AS soon as he had reached position of
independence an q become queens counsel
"a distinction which practically debars
Its holder from pleading any cause except
as leader, and is, therefore, only accepted
by men already at the top of the profess
sion-he turned his attention 10 politics.
Exeter, the capital of his native country,
gave him seat in parliament, which
he held for eight years. and only left
to take his seat on the bench. He
was Liberal in politics and was one of
Mr.. Gladstone's tavorite lawyers. He
owes his advancement, in fact, in great
measure n, to the only glaring job that Mr..
Gladstone can fairly be charged with.
When the Gladstone ministry was formed
in 1868. Coleridge was made solictor-gen-
eral and received knighthood while Sir
Robert Collier was attorney-general Now
there is no comparison between these two
positions IN point of material or prospec-
tive advantages. The attorney-general-
ship is worth 100000 a year, or more.
and there is an unwritten law that the
attorney-general has the refusal of
any judgeship that falls vacant dur
ing his term of office. Sir Robert
Golfers claims on the party were
much stronger than Sir John Coleridge's,
and ne therefore got the superior post.
Mr.. Gladstone, however, found way to
satisfy both of them. A new court of ap-
peal, called the judicial department of the
prlvy council, was created about this time,
the appointments to which are very highly
paid and very dignified and coveted. The
law declared that no man should be APP
not previously been a Judge. In short, the
Judicial department of the privy council
was intended to consist of old and ex-
perienced judges-the very elite of the
bench, far removed from the strife of the
courts. Sir Robert Collier, of course had
never been a Judge He was still bar
rister in full practice. So what did Mr..
Gladstone do? He appointed Sir Robert
Collier a judge, and then, the bare letter
OF the law having been complied with, he
Immediately elevated him TO the judicial
department Of the privy council. At the
same time he made Sir John Coleridge at
torney general. There was tremendous
outcry against this audacious exercise of
power, and il gave the ministry severe
shake at the time. Luckily, however. Sir
Robert Collier proved iirst-rate Judge.
and what was really a gross JOB turned out
an excellent appointment. After that
everything went Sir John Coleridge's way.
lie had not been a month in Office as at
torney general when Sir Cresswell Cress-
well, the first judge of the divorce court,
died. This was a fine position with a
salary of $4,000 for life, and other per
quisites, and most men in Sir John Col
ridges place would have jumped at il.
But he knew better. He promptly de-
clined it. Two years later Lord Romilly
resigned the mastership of the rolls. and
again one OF the most coveted posts
was at Sir John Coleridge's refusal.
He hesitated long time over this;
but again he took the bold course and de-
clined 1t. There is rule in England that
II once man accepts a judgeship of any
court he must not look for promotion in
case of better position afterw ards falling
vacant. This removes the judges from all
political influence, because they have moth
ing TO hope for, or TO fear, from any gov
pFsVnf GFf n "a ~