The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-03-16
THE ULDLAwYER.
BT LTHC0LN EANBLE, EsQ.

"a kAAAaAN A&AAAsAI IN@s
How much has been written Of the legal
profession, and yet bow little is known Of il
history. BY history mean the cares and vi.
cisitsaes which cheqner the career Of Law
yer, during his years Of study and travail. By
how many 3 be regarded as the gentleman Of
Incidence ans ease, vac WINS money and rep
utation BY mere labOTs Of oge--Vho Tor lip
service acquires great rewards. sYOu Law
yers make money easy" y a remark common
to the enlightened, as vel as the ignorant. q
Is deemed both shiewd and pleasant 10 hold
up the advocate as one who prevs at bis ease
upon his fellow creatures, like bloated raven
over q earcas. Il ishis profit says the world,
that men quarrel The ieuds, and ierociue.
that darken the ways Of lie, leading mon to
wreak their horcest passions upon each other,
are what The iOc0se public esteem the Law.
yers capltal--his stock IN trade. The DEAR
refecting public never considers that It's own
iollies aud iniquities are the causes that make
Lawyers necessary, and that 10 them is conf
ded the important task ofadjustng those striies
which, but for their intcrposition, would often
hnot always result in appeals 10 physical force.
The turbulent overbearng fellow, that has
made necessary the execution ofcivil and GRIM
inal processes 10 restrain his violence, after
having received aid from tho Lawyer, which
has probably saved him from destruction, is
ready with his vulgar trade against the fra
ternity Of his protector, and the incomplete
gentleman, who has not freed himself from the
stain Of the same mean impulse, expresses I'M
der similar circumstances, similar Thoughts 10
more polished, but not less pointed or unjust
sentences. Il IS just so with the Doctors, who
are made the butts ofthe very creatures whom
they have relieved from the consequences OF
Their own improvidence, vice, or bestislhy.
Yes il is SAID that lawyers dispense breath,
and il return get gold. Who pauses to con
sder that this man, who rs now addressing a
Jury. has spent the halcyon days Of his youth,
stopped over the laboFious desk, bordering the
complicated language Of an intricate science,
or laboring hour alter hour at a mechanical
tmplo, ment more euervating and iresome
than tue work OF the LOd-carrier Who re.
fleets that this has beeh thu avocation Of years,
and that its continuance was marked bg the
gradual disappearance ofthe r, ddy face bluom,
which the student wore when he first opened
the pages Of Blackstone ! Who considers the
tremulOus approach To The day Of examination
the slow progress after admission 10 the bar
the nervous agony Of The aspirant for fame
throughlns early olts--the cOnyulsiye arug-
giles BY which ho al last gains confidence IN
diseharging his duty--the fearful anxiety that
Expresses him in cases where he iancies bis
efforts have been too feeble, and that he has
not wei employed tn materials be had in hand
thu painful cone eq uenees OF many j feats,
embl;tered as they sometimes are by insinu
atoms that he has undertaken ulorc than he
could periorm-the despair occasioned BIZ the
too frequent febutfs from iusoient Judges
the long, patieIt earuGst pursuit Of character
aud influence! These are considerations which
few ever dwell upon for a moment; nor do
they think OF the pecuniary outlaws requisite
10 qualify the law student Tor admission, and
TO sustain him until the fortunate hour when
his merit has gained him the means Of support
[ refer here 10 those who have been compiled |
10 struggle 10 success through poverty and its |
eoncomltant inconvenenccs--to thtsc, at least, |
who have not had much cath al their com
mand. These hard.Working students are, as !
a general rue, the flower Of The learned |
professions. Unfortunately, the ayounr gen. |
tlemen" who inherit wealth, are averse 10 the |
laborious pfocesses-the severe drudgery, BY |
which alone the lawyers fame can be acquired, |
or mainianed
II the world only knew what toll the law |
yer undergoes, how altered would be the lone |
in which he is mentioned. The many behold |
him in court with his bundles Of papers, his /
elaborate brief, and bis costly book. The |
duty he performs seems often very easy one.
i Is Gully to examine witnesses, and argue law /
questions, and address the jury. But my dear |
friends, the great labor has been in the prepa
ration 10 do these things well. The suit, that |
seems TO pass along 90 smoothly has been the 4
subject OF continued study and anxiety, from |
the moment Of It's origin. At every step il |
has beeen watched by the lawyers on either /
side, as those having deep stake might be- /
bold the manGuvres Of contending armies.-l
Besides all the mechanical labor whose mere 1
results you behold, only reflect bow ofen the \
respective advocates have devoted hours to /
painful study in this very litigation. How
constantly, too, have they been attended BY
the client, eager 10 be informed Of every in /
oident1n the struggle that involved bis prop 4
erty, Dot bis hie, putting painful inquiries a.
70 no elieci Of every new step, and almost i'm /
plofing the assurance Of success, which no iu-
dlcious lawyer viii give. Oh If one O. those
Who think the lawyer man Of light burden,
could only understand whit he feels lille A
Jury reltelbefaling ia a-cass that has ex-
cited bis feelings, and At the awful moment
When they return to give their verdict III
too that man might know what worked in The
lawyers breast when the case involved he
life Of lell0w.ereature, and the tremblin0
wretch asked the agitaled coansH the well.
knewn and fearful question, aWhat do Won
= thiak nowl'
There Is no man whom behold With more
admiration and love than the amisble. bard-
worked old lawyer. Ever ahhorred b tba
lawyer whose age has only filed his soul ,Pifb /
suspicious Of bis fellow men, outweighinq All |
The kindly impulses Of bis nature and equally |
dttested the. lawyer who. prasumine aoc..
bic age, exercises a heaFtless tyranny over
these who struggle along tie thorny wav IL /
hes been compelled b travel bat NAV tbe /
choicest blessings Of Heaven fsll upon The head
Of that lawyer, Be bic fame Of wide OF narrow /
exlents who, shaving year after year. through |
lolmg lie, with The hope Of maintaining the |
light StiH ia bic las. days can seek ou, the