Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-12-27
The following extract from tho Law In,sli..

The following extract from tho Law JMsli.,
gencor, will show the disadvantage, 10 ind sid.
uals and the public, OF the unnatural p. iiats
which exits against lawyers. Mir. Angel las
clearly proved in The article that FLOWS. sn,.e
Of the evils which .hose ios,ile feelings aa,s
eniai'ed upon those who ~eutCi.s ~ thcri.
Effect IF Prejudice against Lau5e,s
DRAFTING AND ~ExrcuT IoN az hiLLs.-
IL Is too often taken tor %erauted. shat afaN "T
is never F-riec' m his calling mill lie Is ratti.
in The arls Of Imposition aud cincane. ard ilaj,
at best, ho is morning. beyond l, gu!eiua qui!em
cautus ct cantor JOimhfaram. Tho no;Inn
IS as discreuitablc 10 The feelings and ,iioce-
standing Of those who entertain 1t, as. II IL un-
just with regard TO The preiensious # hal lass
of persons against whom lie prejcd., . is d.
rected Was it only said, ~ a,uong lawyers
there are too frequently 10 lie fuund such as
are disqualified FOR tier profession ; ard 9th
ers, whose integrity is ne,ts unbiem..hed xs h
should be, no one will probably deny that po.
siiion. But the snne reproaci unfortunately
attaches to all pursuits, not even excepting the
sacred one of The clergy. And it u ouid be
quite rs rational to denouncc the litter. is a
body, because they occasionally aGo. d in
stances of imTieiy, as il; is TO conclude, that al!
lawyers arc corr,YA, because there arc sCn.e Cf
thcln, who have been gully of tnailIse,ics.
That there have leen ignorant art d sloErxt
lawyers, has never been denied. Bot TO decide
upon airy picture Ivy llc IT, pcffeci!urs MhicI,
| appear in the back ground, Ill out ref.icnce
TO the paris " Lich arc boid!, and ttiliisnii;
displayed in the fore eroond can only DO n.
triiiuted 10 a state of feeling, which Ia say tho
lt asst OF It. amounts 10 an absolute prc-Gettr-
mination 10 deny every exhibition OF merit and
uy.alf,n.o nvoNAr r.ei NLs n:
eaiens has England been compelled 10 ac-
knowledge TO her Cokcs-hcr Iiales- h,r
Mansiields, and her Ellenbnrouehs! And " ho
have rendered greater aud more permanent
benefits In their country, than Il Ja,--a Mar
shall = a %Story--a Kent-a I Ignnan, or a
Parsons? II is not hazarding too III, Il. to cav,
that The constitutions of Two of i e frr,,t row
ernmeDts on earth (Enelsnd and Tie United
S'ates) under which so mahy thousands are
now secured in the enjoyment oil lite, liberty
and the pursuit of la ppiress, ARE in a great
measure, the result of the knowlcdpr.-t lie IN
tcgrity the independence, aud the li.,c,al aud
disinicrested policy OF lawyers.
The prejudice above alluded 10. often car.
ries with il, a sufficient punishment ; md il
MOI frequently happens, that it produces groat
aud !rreinediable embarrassment it the ala ;rg
of those who have heen m'sled by its influence.
Such, especially, has been The case, witt, re-
gard TO The drafting Of last utiis and tesla
ments. The policy of all laws has made souc
form necessary both in The phrascology %. ,hcso
Important instruments, aid ia their at,cstation I,
aud yet it is not unusual Tor u person, who has
had no opportunity Of knows. an, thing Of
law. 10 attempt IN such a case, what he ~ in
competent to perform aud 80 70 rr-rare his
last VIII, that he makes 4 a production {. ntir,iy
original and perfectly n'gmat What IS
the consequence? Let those answer, " ho are
III the habit Of attending Counts Of Justice.
They, says Blackstone, =" are the best iinesss
Of the confusion aud dls,resses that ale Ler,by
occasioned for families aiKl of the diff .ulties
that arise in discerning the true meaning &c
the ~testater, or sometimes ia discovering nny
meaning at all, so that IN u o end. his estate
may DO vested quito contrary To his intentions"
A case is reported IN the last yolume Of Ma.
sons Rep. p. 4o3, in relation 10 the consirue.
ton Of a Will drawn by the tcsiator himself,
and who expressed ia his Will a decided inisn.
ton, that no lawyer should DO employed in any
affairs relating To tbs settlement ofihis estates.
The view Of The ~,estatur 10 thus rx. hiding ! law
yers, had It's origin in very laudhble f.ciipgs,
rs his object was to prevent family li,igaiions
The evil he was 50 solicrous to guard against,
how ever, grew out Of the injndicious mc,s,r.s
he took 10 prevent q. Mr.. J. Story, before
whom tho case was 'fiel. very p,opc,fy 70.
served. " II instead Of this cant onafy clause.
the lesieior had exercised the prudence ~hl,h
belongs TO men Of his own age and cxper:snce,
ho would have employed a lawyer 10 have
drawn his WA and csdicils |; and thus stoppeds'
in a great measure, q, the souvce, the wsseyu
Of bitterness. There probably have tpseu lev
more striking ex implies Of tho infrn ~ Of hus
man Judgment, or ofths di1eten, msnncs ofsxs
pressing intentions than these Instruments ~
fprd. To say the tcast Of them, fhey WOUND
with PROVISIONS, which would rugz,c n . .noe
saqacious Judgment, 10 eoastruo In a s~ntsxs,s