Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1824-08-18
FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS spY.
TEE Law DEGRADED AND LAWYER;
FILTERED.

| FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS SpY.
TEE Law DEGRADED AND LAWYERS
FILTERED.
In the wise system of Divine Providence,
every thing has an appropriate station. The
planets have their appointed course. and al
ways move in their own orbit. The brutes,
that were created to live in the water, and
those, that were made to dwell on the lanl,
kaow their element, and remain where the
God OF nature placed them. Man has lis
| proper sphere and place OF operation" tst
locus una cuique suuS;' - but, restless in the
! situation assigned him, he frequently quits his
PrOrince and his duties, and descends to live
and act like brute. Angels would rise 70
gods, and become demons. Proud man aspires
10 what he cannot be, and sinks lover than .
reptile. These unnatural and forbidden chan
ges, for the most part, end in loss ofhappiness
reputation, and property. The prosperous
tailor first becomes merchant, and then banh
Tupt. The thriving and respectable husband
man is TOO much elated with his possessions
and gains quietly 10 persevcre in his sure AMI
happy state-leaves his agriculture for nret
chandase and, at last, finds poverty and con-
Tempt. Some pragInatic colonel or pedantit
Squire tancics he has too much legal science
and oratorical powers TO follow the ordinary
pursuits of life, and that il is his duty not t.
conceal such SHINING parts, but climb up high
er, that his lustre may blaze out, and his great
ness appear. The regular bred lawyer mutt
be DETAINED, that ".Nature's journcyn,ean may
gam name for sound judgment and learning,
and the queries of the inquisitive vulgar are
solved for the small fee of a glass of toddy |.
Here is the origin of most Of the heart burn
ings, and of the petty but ceratious itigations.
that infest and disturb society. Both school.
master and surveyor,
'sThe village all declar'd no W much he knew !;
Twas certain he could write and cypher too;n
"And the wonder is, that one small head can
carry all he knows.'' With the aid of igno-
rance and passion, he can persuade his satsl-
ItteS to make malicious complaints and insti-
tute groundless actions, and induce respond
ents and debtors TO make defence against the
most meritorious claims; and, in the end, urge
a debtor TO go to gaol and defraud his creditor,
rather than do what is fully in his power to
perform, and what would be perfectly satislac-
tory TO the lenient and generous creditor.
shall now enumerate few instances where
IN the legal profession suffer an encroachment
from the drariciOus and the prqgnsatical.
How many persons, to save one dollar. have
employed such bunglers and ignorant scriven-
ors TO give legal form to their last Will and
Testament, that the intention of the testator
either could not be discovered, or if discover
ed, it could not be effyctuated by the rules OF
law. Fifty or hundred dollars, has been OK.
pended to find out the legal sense, and deter
mine what distribution shall be made to the
devisers aTd legatees designated in the Will,
because the cheap draughtsman was incompe-
tent to his undertaking. This, in the language
OF the proverb, is saving at the SpoiIand losing
at the 6uRg-hole.
" A Deed cannot bind party sealing IT, I'M
less 1t contains words expressive of the nten-
ton to be bound; and where to conveyance
OF land by husband, the wife aiExes her sig
nature and seal, her name not being otherwise
mentioned in the deed, it does no, bar her OF
her right Of dover in the alienated premises. y
Many deeds it is believed, might be found on
record, wheIc the wife has so signed, and the
grantees are securely reposing in the technical
ability OF the conveyancer, and suppose the
woman las actually relinquished her right to
dover. Deeds are written and acknowledge
ed, as they should be, for fifty cents, yet TIE
prejudiced and the rich parsimonious men will
buy their blanks, or sometimes beg them Of an
attorney, and obtain beside little legal in.
formation gratis, write their own deeds. and
SO save all but seventeen cents for the ac-
acknowledgement, or get some illitcratc Justice
to do all for twenty-five cents. Parties have
a right to appear and act in person i'll their ow,
concerns IN courts, but when the Tlotire is
known, and the manner in which they attempt
to initiate the lawyer is seem Spectdtuna Gd-
nlaSst TaSuno tenc0tis ansici - can YOU refrain
from laughter at the caricature and truly gro.
tesque representation? There is an arbitration
got up, almost about nothing it is true but to
employ lawyers will be expensive; therefore
the boated blusterer gladly embraces this CD
portunity Gin his own cause) to display his
splendid talents, and to let people know that
he can plead and argue as we'll as lawyers. He
begins with Peroration-then, being quito
exhausted, he stops short, and calls and ex-
amines the winesses-then thinks to have
, them sworn, and last Of all opens the case !!
II 1t all comes out, what mighty consequence
is it, which end comes foremost? and besides
the lawyers fee is saved and celebrity acquir.
: ed! This is " ecery man his oWn lagyer'' with
witness, While these economical self-com.
placent managers are telling how the jury once
decided in similar case, and what their ''Si,
Oracle? said was law-When thus 'sthey one
} their lips, let no dog bark.''
:" The thing that hath been, it is that which
shall be; and that which is done is that which
shall be done and there is.no new thing I'M.
der the sun. Is there any thing whereof II
may be said, sec, this is gew it hath been al.
ready of old Time, which was before us. SHALL
therefore, transcribe, with small variation
part OF the preface to Sheppard's Touch.
stone, (written. more than ii century ago. a:
extremely opposite 10 the subject ofths essay
1t has point and pith which all may feel
correct legal learning must be of great inn
portance, considering withai the mischief arts
ing every where by the rash adventures Of
sundry ignorant men that NEEDLE so much in
these wclghty matters, there being now almost
IN every parish an unlearncd, and yet conf
dent, pregmalical attorney, or lawless scriv-
ener, that may perhaps have some law books
IN their houses, but never read more law than