Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1837-10-25
Origin OF the Legal PrOfe ssiOn Its elevation
and grandeur--the late Henry X. stor fs--
Beau Ideal OF the profession, &C., sc.

,r,yin of the legal p ora Its elcv alton
and grandeur--the late Henry X. Storrs--
Beau Ideal Of the profession, &C., &c.
On the expulsion of Tarquinius supcrbus, the last
OF the kings of Rome, by the bravery, courage ana
daring patriotism of the elder Brutus, new element
was developed in the social system OF the Eternal
CITY," which has exercised powerful and mysterious
influence on the march OF civilization down 10 our
own day. We refer 10 the relation Of patron and
client which first grew up among the Roman people.
In that relation see first germ of the legal pro-
tesSion-a profession IN social life unknown to the
Greeks to the Persans to the Egyptians, or any 9TH
or eastern nation. This profession first created
AMID the agitations and aspirations of the Roman
commonwealth after political and civil liberty. Be-
fore the heaven directed struggles of Roman freedom
dawned on the world, the priesthood and the militia
nv profession controlled the world and ruled mankind
Ignorance, lmposture and physical force were Their
weapons To the old Romans are we indebted for the
first rise of new moral and intellectual Po'oer as
The ruling element among free people.
Thus was the legal profession, IN its primitive days,
The child Of moral sentiment, the associate of intel
lectual eminence-and the organization of mind and
common sense in the science of life and the march of
events. The influence of this principle in the
social system has crept through twenty-five centu-
RES, and il is at this moment the great and leading
modification of modern civilization. We received our
religion from sect Of Jews, but the great element
of modern liberty is of Roman orgin-is TO be traced
among the glorious ancestors of the Caesars.
The legal professional is a noble and honorable pro-
fession-founded in its infancy on liberty, morals and
philssophy-and retaining 10 this day. in its highest
state Of developemen the glorious character of its
birth and subsequent career.
A few weeks ago, distinguished member of this
profession, HENRY r. SToRRs, died in New Haven
Having frequently heard that distinguished man, both
in the Senate and the bar he presented to our mind
one Of the exalted specimens of the profession,
that beau ideal of antiquity, ever imagined. With
him 10 be a counsel be associated in the deep
est communion Of feeling and of sentiment with his
client. In his practice the character Of counsel and
client restored to the moral emnence of sublime
antiquity.
Letu explain
In the year 1886, early in the summer highly res
pectable citizen of New York called one morning
upon Mr.. Sorrs, and expressed wish to engage
his aid in defence ola ~ Dung innocent boy who had
been accused of the murder of beautiful but frail
man on Sunday morning, in certain street of this
city The highly respectable citizen the friend of
Richard p Robinson, then confined at Bellevue under
an accusation for the murder of Ellen Jewett. While
this innocent young boy" cody covering the
white walls of his prison with pencil sketches of his
paramoms, and inscrbing underneath passionate quo
tons from Byron and the Bible, his special particular
and sndearng friend, whoever he was-for we know
him not-stood before the venerable presence of the
late eloquent Henry X. Storrs, asking entreatng,
and begging him TO undertake his defence in the APP
preaching trial. What exact conversation took place
on that occasion buried in forgetflness, but look
ing at the position Of the parties, the Imagination
the heart the soul, the moral being within us, can
easily imagine-easily picture forth the dialogue. A
man of high talent and elevated moral feeling stood
one part ofthe room-therays of the morning from
ihe windsw irradiatng his lofty brow. Before him
was the friend of the murderer creeping into the shade
Of the window curtain, with the dirty fee in his hand,
his face averted, and his motives for such perverted
cause, only known 10 the great Being that locked
down upon the remarkable group. Mr. Storrs rsfus-
ed TO touch taste or handle till he examined the
of the innocent boy" and satisfied himself that he
was uniuslly charged with that a,roclous murder.
Give me the papers, letters, journals and other
articles found in his apartment Let me understand
his case-then will give you reply"
This was the answer Of Mr. Storrs-this the reply
Of the counsel whose talents and feelings guided
not by the glitterng extent of fee but by high and
lofty morality that has in every age given eminence
The papers, letters, and especially the famous "Pri
yato Journal" of Richard r. Robinson given him
10 peruse He sat down in his private apartment and
did peruse them. The secrets revealed in that Jour
nal, and those papers, startled, astonshed, and ag
tated his mind Ii new and original chapter in
human nature that now lay open before him. In
that awful Journal revealed the opinions of the
wriisr-his secret passions-his private deeds-his
perverted intellect his libertinsm without parallel
ever in fictitious history. On the trial of Robinson
we SEINE portion Of that mysterious jsurnal-that
document developing new character in human ma
fure. Its title page was remarkable its written
pages What has become Of the original we know
noi-but on this OCCASION so forciby struck Mr..
Ssus with its startling revelations, the private his
tory Of individuals in this city and of singular state
OF society that he down and carefully copied its
whole contents, title page and all, and sealing the
copy up placed il among his private papers, where il
mas been found since his death, and is now in the
possession of his family.
In few days the friend OF the innocent boy |
called upon Mr.. Sorrs. "Sir," said the eminent and
elevated counsel, a counsel worthy of better age
than the present. "there is your journal and papers,"
a. VIII t,uda ake his