The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-28
~ LIZ MAnaulsE Dr: FoNTENoY.

cIR WILLIAM GRANTHAM. Who Who Tor
the second time in his official
~ earee' has been subjected to
grave rcbuke in Parliament for
the indeeency Of his political parti-
sanship displayed on the bench OF the
supreme Court, Premier Asquith going
IN the House 81 Commons that the
government intended TO carefully con-
slider The best way OF dealing with
VIVA, was happlly.. a unique situation
IN the British judiciary, liz man OF
most unfortunate temperament OF the
most inconceivablc indiscrction az
speech, wholly lacking in a sense of
vain.
Judges. no matter. TO what politioai
party they owe their appointment on
the bench. are quite as celebrated in
England as the members OF tic SUI
preme Court Of the United States for
their absence Of party spirit. In fact
80 unblemished is the reputation o,
this respect that, with the sanction
or Parliament, and with the approval
OF the people, they are intrustcd with
the duty Of determining. without the
assistance OF juries. questions OF cleo
toral bribery and of contested lcgiSla-
tive elections
The only Judge who in modern times
mas shown pronounced political bias
Is Sir William tirantham, who has
been the object OF denunciauons Oh
the part OF Parliament, OF tho bar. or
the press. and Of the public in gen
eral in this connection. I have only TO
recall his conduct In presiding over
the election trials OF Rodmin and OF
Yarmouth. There is nothing that his
cSregiouS vanity and his recls!essncss
OF speech does not lead him TO talk
about when holding court. from UNI
friendly remarks concerning the ply
sicai and even tho intellectual cond1-
ton OF his colleagues on the bench to
his inquiry Of husband who in the
witness box was testifying to the dis
obedience Of his wife. Why on earth
didn't you box her ears?" The one
thing In his favor is his fondness for
horses and when he prcsides at the
Old Bailey, in London, a mild sensa-
ton is created IN the city by his ar
rival, top-booted and white brecched,
on splendid hunter, which he steers
through the traffic with amazing skill.
AS to his vanity. no more amusing
assumption OF an ancestry to which
he was not entitled In the Pirates
OF PenZance." Gilbert makes someb ody
say: II have bought this estate and
the chanel on 1t. In the chapel there
are ancestors. Whatever Is in tho
chapel is mine. Therefore they arc
tic situations recalled by the action
OF Sir William Grantham. The family
TO which he belongs Is OF Sussex. and
OF extremely modern origin, the learned
to achieve distinction, most OF the
other Sussex Granthams having been
either enin petty traders r ad farmers or peas
there was in Lincoln a very ancient
and arstocratic family Of the name
of Grantham. which figures extensive
~ In the old annals Of the county OF
Lincoln In some way Sir William
ascertained this, as we'll as the fact
that the family in question, which had
become extinct in the reign Of Charles
H.. had left several memorials, notably
a large alabaster altar tomb. bearing
the date of 1919. with recumbent eff-
gies Of Sir Thomas and Lady Grant
ham, in St, Thomas's Church at Lin
coin, and a stained glass window bear
ing the date 1867. illustrating the ar
! mortal bearings Of the old-time Grant
hams OF Lincoln, in the parish church
at Gothic. Sir William managed to
glass window, without, however, going
through the requisite legal procedure
Of procuring what is known as fac
nlty" from the Diocesan OF Lincoln or
from the ecclesiastical comm ssioners
Then he had both the window and the>
tomb conveyed to his country place at
Barcombc, in Sussex, and secured the
! church there 10 SGT UP over the altar
the stained glass window from Gothic.
and later on to accord 4 place in the
church for the tomb.
When Sir William was first knight
ed. on his elevation to the bench. near
| ~ a quarter Of a century ago, and OBJ
| tanned from the Royal College OF Her.
| corded tho motto Of Forward" But
| since he has secured the stained glass
Windows from Gothic. and has set 1t
| up in the parish church at Barcombe,
l lie has quite naturally adopted. in lieu