Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1841-01-23
PEEJC DICE.
BY MRS. A. DE GRAVES GRIFFIN.

house, madame the Countess de L---an
friend of his mother Warmly welcomed by th'
Countess, and free from business and care, ht
passed pleasantly enough the time that he was
not compelled think Of Judges, nor clients, MOI
flies Of musty documents. Every day he hlnieC
with the young de IA---and other young peo
Me interchangeable Meleagress, who returned III the
evening with vigorous appe'Ites and endless re
citals Of their exercises OF the day. The ladies
were not in the least interested IN these CONVEX
sations; the partridge and iaul,the wild boar Star
ted the oe-buck brought down,are things of which
a woman thinks less than Of new fashion or oil
ar adventure at u ball.
Ernest said the countess, Scan you not leave
hunting a moment, and have some pity on us
poor women, alone all the day, and who do not Il p
prcciate your great exploits? Come tell a
story
A storyr replied Ernest, .Iet the lawyer do
that. These lawyers every thing; they have
IN their flies The keenest anecdotes, the mos, sin
gular facts IN the world. That which passes III
court is nothing; that which, in the interest of
the clients they retain IN their own safe Keeping,
has much more humor and originality. Demand
of Arthur the Gazette je Tribunaux. maintained
ten years upon their fragments if thoy would a.
bandon them TO him.
There IN these words shadow Of IndIs
creton, and such tendency to Imprdcticabie
revola,ions tina, madame the Countess tre;nblcd
for her young friend Arthur, and quickly said
Arthur will relate 10 US his first cause
sAll IN good time said the Countess.
Having stirred the fire which the cool evenings
Of September made quite agreeable, the Indies
gathered around Arthur Monneret, the gentlemen
ceased their hunting stories, and the young ad-
vacatc commenced.
You have conception, iahlcs, said he, 'of
tho enntYi and disappoinImcnts OF "A debutant at
the bar. He believed himself Demoshenes, or
ii Cicero and he sees his idle e!oGuence dsdaned
by the meanest clients He would fam plead a.
gainst Philippe (PhiIip OF Macedon, you under
stand) against a Nerras, and thepartltIou wall IT.
self removes from him.
In criminal affairs we are always furcstalled by
lawyers whose popularity it is, crafty old fellows
they arcto prove an aib and nonPro ""od''"''nn,
with marvellous iaIent aud Adde'S. There Is,
however a class of the accused to whom theft
and crime have not left the value OF a single
sous aud these are generally those who come for
the first time before court OF justice, and who
have yet to learn by long sojourn III prison tho
value of able advocate. 10 these the court
furnishes counsel.
This, ladies', has often been the task assigned
to me, and YOU would hardly conceive the pas
sions which lawyer Is devoted when obliged
to take upon him causes which are known TO be
lost before he undertakes them. The man
thrown INTO a dungeon from whence he Is TO be
called to answer before jury for a capital crime,
IS isolated-alone; he knows that society which
he has wounded will demand n rigorous account
of his actions; that his family Will be hostile, or
at least neuter-his friends impotent; but the
law which is about fill SO heavily upon him,
comes nevertheless 10 his aid: II provides hun n
guide, a supporter, defender.
when descend into the prison where Ian
guishes the accused, we appear to him guardian
angel. a messenger of life, or at least OF hope;
we arc more gladly welcomed than is the phvs
clan ut the bedside of his weary patent. The
physician finds himself IN presence of a suffering
being. whom pain has stupItied, and whose ideas
utuSc nv ne CF before
a man in the prime of health and vigor, with
every thought excited by solitude and impending
danger
There arc no secrets between the accused and
his counsel no aliway confessions, no cunning
omissions; the prisoner knows that we Gao Meth
betrav or lose him, can only save him.
and what he does not with his priest, he does
with his lawx er-he laws his conscience bare be-
fore htm. From the first moment he behoids his
advocate he confesses the CRIME, he reveals the
motive of it, and goes back 10 the very first
thought connected with the crme-thc time, the
place the circumstances, nothing Is hidden
I'VE lawyers learn, as Ernest very justly re-
ma:ked. the secret of passions buried IN the deep
recesscs of the heart. II Is not 10 interest in
their miseries, that criminals act thus; it is be-
cause they think that a man who knows all, will
be better prepared TO defend the them; that he
will know the better what must be denied and
disapprove3, and what may safely be accorded to
the prosecution; II is because must be &C
1uanted with fact, in order to extenuate or con- (
tradct il.
DO YOU, Arthur said the Countess consider
this bad calculatonr
1T is too commonly the case. madame, that the ,
prisoner is decidedly guilty. replied the Young
advocate, 'aud it has ever been an unwelcone
task me, nc, "a their counsel; COR however
strict may be the duties of a defender-howeyer
sacred may be misfortune, | must be convinced, !
before can speak; | cannot bend my lips to ut /
ter lie; all who listen 10 me know by MY firm.
ness, or indecIson, whether | believe what am
saying. have. therefore. been forced 10 ohec,
10 knowing too much. Address me- say 10 my
client, who is about 10 make too sincere confes-
sion. address you would Judge. but n
kind indulgent Judge. who would gladly suppose
YOU innocent. shall confide in your recital. |
shall be credulous, but leave me some pretext for
your defence