Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-04-06

manence, and where the whole ground of moral in,
tercourse Is Iuick-sand, alike dangerous to the
cautious and the unthinking But in the freest ma
ton OF antiquity, where the field of eloauence was
unbounded, and the orator shared Jointly with tho
warrior In the garlands which admira tom Joined
VIVA gratitude, wcavcs for the great and the Offices
Vi, P"'riotisn assigns to tho wise, il long be-
'ole me c'rii'ons obtained much distinction. Tuly
makes 1t topic of grave disputation i'm his DE Ora.
toTe' whether the study of civil law be m essential
part OF the education of an orator: and thoucb tho
person through whom he speaks espouscs the afir-
natVe, the ingenius Antonius zealousIy maintains
the negative; and III tru;h, such was the profcssed
opinion OF the latter, though We are told tb,, bo
concealed very extensive knowledge of law under
an affected contempt for it, in order to b,n;sh f
me MINDS OF ms audience that dis,ru,; which i, nj
ways felt towards disciplined, plea,ler Jpd.,a
the au'hor seems to favour the study Tor the same
reason tna' nc recommends geography or music to
me orator, which is, that he ought TO know evcry
thing. In the Grafton for NTurena he s,vs ~,
me PROGRESSION OF the law has neither dignity nor mill
ity enough TO be road to the consu;shn. tb,, -,
concerns are tri,ing and that it is almost sole1v
fences. " 80"
The jursconsul, was left TO settle The ,c,, die.
puts about private property or the breaches of hc
u''Cpai coae, while the orator challenged to him.
Se' 'e erres and Ca;iiines. agains, whom to b,u,
ms forensic and senatorial weapons. Unshackled
oy VAIN aud disgusting forms, and iusn;r;,ca INV ,h
magnitude of his cause, his sentiments M, ,i rn
dnct Of Sordii gan but the sincere cbullitiops or -,
,i"isnaht soul; ms heart and his genius alike with
hnuiin majesty dila;inc, take within their emhr,cc
"e sraha principles which pervade the whole mo-
iai Woii the irresistible foe of crime and the pod
like friend of misfortune, he sees his n;nin, co,,
revive beneath his hand the widow with Tho ,,l
i"ihcss oil fuii breast, and the orphan with ,b.
grateful tear OF JOY, wait at his doors This cha,
racicr IS indeed the noblest of ideal creations
he science which he processes is the carthI,, ;,n,
OlprI
oil God; science not unlike those ;emo,,, of cloud
whch the sun fancii,l'y frames, when seitiuq thc
eye, as piesccs deeper and deeper discerns sill
o''5u'ehi9 glory ana where ITS VISION is bounded
'ie i,ca'ea fancy commences its flight ard adventu-
feuS'y advancing, stays not til it aliphts in III.
cmpyrcnni. In the latter DAYS of Romc nhon
authority was added to the PRINCIPLES of the civil
Law ana comparative des;loiism rendered tire ora,o,
:, ,''e's sophist, much moro respect was paid to
t'is iah!hian' anu tlpians. How insignificant the
oeS'oi NOW IS in some countries in Europc Is vol
Ano"n Iii 'he ieerst government there, that of Bril-
tain lis weigh; is greatest; and in our own IL ,l..
hohoPoiacs the talents, and consequently the no.
hourS. The latter circumstance obviously res,,,s
i'o NE sPiit OF our government, which makes cIo
iuehce the master principle but il may s,rnrisc -.
that while the civilians of ren,,bIic,, u "
contemplate, the civilians of republican Ar,cr;c,
SHOULD rule the State; it is the consequence of hov
ihs no Character among answering TO the orator
q uh'iquity. Our lawysrs the only men who
20
say thai III the present OF things they no on,
pest statesmen, but if ever another class ehouId
diise VI men OF great minds and enlarged cdura,ion
VIII Il iaudable ambition Of public honor without
e"cui'oefihs themselves with those letters which
men put on ny devotiDg themselves To ,r,, ,roe,-
'ioh "ia'eVcr; without the narrowing and even de-
morahzing effect which attend the hnbi,uo1 r.o of
,ie forms Oh oiice-n word, men of the mould cf
my the younger, Burke and Randolph; then the
p'".ssSion OF law would find more legitimate field
a. -. uc exclusive consideration of meum and tucum
heaii"hic, cnbodyi.g, il does nearly all tho
talent CT The land, it is vitay mnor,, -, ,L,, :,
should DE pure III its character. A great deal NJ
cehSufe ana ran!ery, not altogether unm,rited too
| mas Oeen drawn upon its moral character bv f,v,
"iechcs VINO mere polluted it, and will forever seek
conceal their baseness by exercising il sec,,d,,p
or.c"' in wig and gown But in America and Bri-
taih' at present. the great body of the profession &c
worthy of all esteem "
Lac preceding train Of ideas, as we'll as the fol-
lowing were excited, by casting our eve lately ever
1uhiuas celebrated remarks OH LAWYERS ,,,bo,r to
mated sincerely for Lord MansGeld's saLo GA.
practical profession" says he, "thc stndr IF ,ho
law law requires but moderate portion of abilities
The learning of plcader is USUALLY an n IareI
VIM Ills integrity The indiso Eliminate defence of
iiSn. ana wrong, contracts the understandpc
wniie 1t corrupts the heart. Sub!ety is soon mis-
:" taken for wisdom, and impunty for virtue pas
ing oy as much OF this as is said in Spleen as we'll
oe oe'norahzing effects of making the form as i'm
aS the SUBSTANCE, there is another Drnt rre
f"teo, winch involves the great objection 10 the
profession with good men-fhe iudjScr;n,;t ~
je'sce % TtSt and acrong, guilt and inuorcuce r.,
an ioVocWe conscientiousy assist one man in tear
iiS itoil ahothcr what he is convinced he cannot
justly cIaim iof linn, screen from Justice ono
whom he knows TO be guilty? The bar with its cha
racteristic readiness, will show YOU yarious re,soTs
OF expectancy, why the unjust as well as tho ;,
@io"ia DE defended, but II is not often that tho mo-
i"i''y Oh Su'h a thing has been maintained IN the
court OF Conscience. 1t would doubtless ou;e, tho
OF advocates, not little to be satisfied
OF this. We are not Jesuit enough to undertake N
40 IL ehtheIy' hut may not justification be present
"ilc VIII cover the greater part of the ground
ih'eea' IL authority were enough many of the most
desperate might find shelter under Cicero Iic inc
lihes it thoroughly though not without hestation.
ana bringing up the gravcst of the Stoics as his au
tuoity VT is, says he, the duty of the iudoc n
ioio* inc truth, but the patron may also defend
" what is plausible. though ii be wrong, (;uJ;co.
e9' SeHipef lncausiS Verum seoul; patroni nonnun-
quaih Veiesinhe: etiam 81 minus sit verum de-
ienderc DE OF. l.. p Our idea is, thai tho
sphere of morality is not so extended. But rho do.
fence OF the unjust or the guilty to certain dcoree
Is perfectly right; beyond that il is jniuuitous We
VIII take Tor illustration criminal case and in .be
rSt place, what is the duty of patron or advocate
Ii Is not, surely, to stand up unbusincv and nssc
Qat the accused did not commit the cr.,c ALLEGED.
70 ADVANCE sentiments not his own, to give tn la,ve
constructions not authorized by his own iudpn,ent
or 10 justify acts which he knows are f1api,ious u,
the eye o tine law; all this is surely immoral and
no necessity no desire oi cnlarging the bounds of
The profession, justify an honourabic man in -c
sorting to ut. But he may do much, even for =
wretch OF unqualified guilt il is his duty in such q
case to silt the testimony thorourh1v. and aiIon
uonc to be received which is not legitimate To sec
that the law is cxpoundcd with perfect fairness ~,
the prosecution; to deprecate spirit of rci,,l;oo -