On Friday week the House of Commons, on the Motion
of Mr. Swift MacNeill, discussed the recent conduct of Mr. Justice Grantham. Mr. MacNeill declared that the Judge had allowed political prejudice to bias his judgment, and by his action bad lowered the dignity of the Bench and weakened the public belief in the impartiality of the Judicature. Mr. Buckmaster, the Liberal Member for Cambridge, in a very moderate and statesmanlike speech, maintained that Mr. Justice Grantham's action, though unwise and undignified, was not corrupt, and deprecated any attempt of the House to censure it. He was followed by the Attorney-Genera!, who pointed out that the facts of the case would not admit of the punishment of removal, which was the proper remedy; and that no minor penalty could be justified. Mr. Justice Grantham had not been guilty of misconduct in the serious sense, and it was most undesirable that he should continue on the Bench under the censure of Parliament. Mr. Balfour and the Prime Minister followed in the same strain, and ultimately the Motion was withdrawn. In our opinion, the House of Commons have behaved wisely in the matter, though we
regret that the Motion should ever have been introduced. Mr. Justice Grantham is senior Puisne Judge, and will no doubt soon seek the rest which he has amply earned.
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