The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-03-17

P'eSS Vi tiC party III WIS uuliH5 uiSi "hoiC
career, Mr.. Gansevort Melville we now pronounce
to be tho most promising young democrat we know.
His address on this occasion was a regular classic
effort. BY this we don't mean we need hardly say,
that it was one Of your twadding, transcendenta,
inflated, bombastic orations such as Mr. Bacon de-
livered. No. 1t was ineligible, direct, pungent
whitening, sarcastic, eloquent-something in the
style of one of those orators who 'shook the
arsenal and umin'd over Greece" in the days Of
her brightest glory. 1t in real Dorlc taste; and
was in brief the best reply TO Mr.. Bacons fustan-
the best rebuke of the man-worship of Clay-the
best slap at the wings generally-the best eulogy
on cold Hickory that has been yet given, and by
far the most effective locofoco hit that has been
made in the way of popular speaking within our
remembrance.
Causes OF the Depression Of the Legal Pro-
fessiOn ia America.
The question has been frequently asked-Why
does not the legal profession stand high in the
and, indeed, in the rest of Europe! The question
is much more easily asked than answered. Yet all
who are acquainted with the subject admit the
truth of the fact stated, and agree there is moral
depression Of the legal profession in our country.
The curious and critical observer might find causes
which in his mind had very much contributed to
produce such result. We will proceed to state
some causes which we think have had powerful
agency in degrading the profession, and very much
lessening its influence as a body of men engaged
in the administration of justice between man and
man. In the first place, the profession is overrun
by members. The number far exceeds the wants
of the community The field of active and useful
industry is fully and indeed more than fully occu-
pied; and yet they keep coming in, in crowds The
evil of this lies in the ambitious, but Mistaken mo-
tves of parents, in providing the means of liveli.
hood for their children. They are DESTROYS that
one son, at least, should wear the black gown
The mechanic, the farmer and persons in humble
life, have professional aspirations tor one or more
of their children; and nothing is more common in
our country than 10 see the son of poor and OBJ
scure family in the pursuit of professional interest
and fame. In a country where the professions are
open to all, the son of the mechanic, the farmer,
and others in the poor and obscure walks of life,
has no doubt equal right to the emoluments and
fame of professional life, as the sons Of our most
wealthy citizens. And there are many cases where
they obtain them. We do not object to the preva-
Ience of this ambitious spirit OF professional dis
diiOuS uSs VIC OHiy iCici " ~ 90 oAO vi
the causes of the existence of swarm of legal adj
venturers among US, and consequent depression of
the profession itself According to the best exam-
nation that has been made of the subject, nine out
of ten of these professional asprants fail. Those
who succeed in gaining the emoluments, honors
and glory of professional eminence, become SO pro-
minent and attractive, that they allure mankind
to walk in the path they have trod. The peo-
pie only see the few, very few, of the
bright and shining lights around them. The great
mass of aspirants are forgotten and sunk into OBJ
security. There can be no doubt, if our citizens
would look at this subject in its true light, they
would see the error into which they have fallen.
The poor man would see that the chances of sue
for his son were so little, while the chances of
failure were so great, he would reform his princi
pies of action upon this subject, and would find
other and surer means of livelihood for his
From the experience of the past, we may safely
lay it down as general rule, TO which there are
but very few exceptions, and those very exceptions
prove the rule, that no youth should enter the pro-
fession of the law without the means Of livelihood
independent of the profits of the profession IF our
people would acknowledge, and act upon this prn-
ciple, it would have a most salutary reforming eff
sent crying evil would be reformed, the number of
members would be lesssned, and those who re-
NAMED would be above cupidity and want For
hold that poverty in professional life is the great
est obstacle that can be presented to noble honora-
BILE, and disinterested action. Where money is the
object of pursuit, and in such a case necessity
makes it So it will be the governing principle
Of action. Human nature is here, the same as it
is in the other departments of life and the old
adage that ''necessity knows law" is as appli-
cable here as elsewhere. We make no invidious
comparisons between the sons of the rich and the
poor; nor do we claim privileges for which
we deny to the other. The poor mans son is as
good as the rich mans son, and very often much
better. We see cases where the former has pressed
through all difficulties, and surmounted all obsta-
cles, and noby won the glories of the professional
crown. We only speak for the public interest. We
would have the evils we have referred to removed
and we see means of reforming them but in the
modewe have suggested The aspirations of honor
glory and fame, should be the stimulating princi
Pile OF action in the breast of the professional man
The desire of money should always be secondary
and never the primary object and motive Of PROBES
siona action and we see no possibility of reaching
the evil where the instruments of it are poor and
needy.
After the application Of this reforming principle
to diminish the number of our professional men
and to Danish poverty and want, from the ranks Of
those who remained, we could, we think suggest
another improvement in professional life. IF the
law be an instrument of honor and fame to the
devoted student, how can we account for that
prevalent disposition, and very general inclination
to desecrate it by political connections. Politica
honors and power have become mania among tn,
members of the legal profession. The pure princi
pies of equity, and the eternal principles of naura
Justice and truth, receive no additional strength
and force by being imbued with the political mo-
rallties of the day. We are sorry to see this con
necuon 1t is, in our opinion, an evil conjunction
and Is one Of the instruments of the degradation
OF the profession In our country Il Ia very differ