Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1845-05-02

"o"iu now take her STAND and night, anu II
compelled 10 succu!nb, at least do SO with
honor.
From Meals saturday Gazette.
The Law Profession.
We are astonshed at the daily paragraphs
that meet our eye Of the numbers of young
men lately admitted to praclice law in the dit.
ferent States of the Union. Probably no avo-
cation yields poorer return, o! Is so much
oVerstocked. To be a good lawyer requires
not only brilliant talents, great tact and pro
found knowledge, but d capacity for mental
application such as few men have taste for,
and few constitutions can endure. As Lord
EIdCn remarked, a man must work like
dray-horse, and be paid like pauper." Nor
Is success at the bar sure, even with all the
requisites we have mentioned. Chance Oft n
eevates the hard student to fame, hut as often
retains him in obscurity. Of the bar Of Phil
adel phIa for instance, we can speak from an
Intimate knowledge; and we could point to
more than one lawyer, with head already
beginning to grow grey, who, with every quail
lhcatlon to adorn its highest walks, has been
unable to struggle up, because he has never
yet had case, or a succession of cases of the
TIgh! character to develop his abilities. The
fact is, there are five times as many lawyers
and, in consequence, four-ffths of the profess
sion must starve. The evil is increased by
tendency of Clients to seek an attorney of ac-
hnowleged reputation, thus preventing the man
of as yet unhnown fame from obtaining a start.
| 1t is true, some kinI-hearted friend may en-
trust case to lhe aspiring young advocate !;
! but /! is rarely SUCH d one Is calculated to
make an impression. and years may pass be-
fore even this opportunity occurs to youth
without influence. We know too men who
have h I'd distinguished success in the last ten
years, but they owe their position TO an &C
qualntance with foreign tongues and the for
elgn clients this brought them. The greatest
lawyers, both CT this and the past generation,
were years before they made enough TO sup
port themselves; and few men, whatever their
abilities. can hope to pay their expenses until
after many long term of suspense and heart
burnings.
| The business Of the courts every where du-
ring the last few years, has declined one-haIf,
in consequence of the bankrupt act, and other
laws canceliny the claims Of creditors. There
is really more done at conveyancing, both
here and elsewhere, than at the lnore eglti-
mate business Of the Iaw.-Iet the number
of lawyers has increased two-fold in the last
!, ten years, so that actually the chances Of sue
cess, are SC ircely one-tourth Of what they were
in 1885. But all the present leading attor
, neys had made their reputation at that period
What chance then has young man now ii
the profession Ten to one he will not pay
his office rent the first year; fifty 10 one he viii
= not pay his expenses. A hundred to one he VII
never rise to opuIence or fame. Amid aucI
fierce conception there are scores OF chances
:, even against a man Of ability and acquire
!. ments, unless he is backed by an Influential
: f.mly, or meets with some lucky case which
at once lifts him into notice. We could pon
a to young men often years standing at the bar
we'll read and Of strong intellpcts, who do no
o make as much as Markct-st. clerk. We coult
. point to others who started in life under TIT
same auspices, but who now are irrevocab J
4 doomed to the lowest walks Of the profession
:, because they took to pettifogglng 10 keeI
~, themselves from starving.
=, We do not mean to say that man wlthou
. influence, must fall at the bar, or that anotFe
i with it, must succeed. Far from it. Butt
- young lawyer has Il moderate income, sulli
- cient for the snperfuties of life, he is in tn
, best possible condition for success; for, Will
- he can afford to wait until he can build up
- right kid Of a reputation, he is yet thrown uI
y on his eXerions 10 achieve both position dn
=. fortune. On the contra-y, many Young ma
of ability, industry and requirements, is actl
- ally driven from the profession, because h
i cannot afford to wait long enough to build u
NO name.
; Parents who aye Seeking pur5ui; for the
sons, and yoIn2 men who are ambitious
success III lie, should take these things IN
cons: de,ation. The fame acquired by sou
Of OR great lawyers is, we grant, tascIn
ling thing in the eyes young ambition; b
ia it should be recollected there ia but one We
z. ster, and ten thousand blanks. In no 9th
ra pursuit arc so many difficulties to be owe
ed come; or in no other is the amount OF tale
ur and labor required 30 great. Many you
who might have succeeded AS a mechanl
he merchant or farmer, has dragged through Ii
ia broken-hearted lawyer, or sunk at the OIL
es set after struggle or two into knavlsh Pc
It's tfogger.
Ike What is the reason for this! A false n
I'D ton that the law is more honorable pursl
il. than trade-a notion derived from Englal
it and fostered there, because the profession h
of long been considered dernicr resort for t
lie Younger aristocracy. Bnt in this country,
shouldlearn to know and act up TO the know
w edge; that all pursuits which are honest. a
b- alike honorable.
We From the London Punch
ler MIS- C@""'e'S "'
lc- LECTURE TX.