The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1848-09-13
Via shNsEsl Lssrss i,sis ~ o-f Fsrs
Nee E1smGE nor rsELeS
The nislay Land lksi N iAisss Flsnl'I.
Ishsly an disins. ...."
TIE HONEST LAWYERS FEE


| Il j. nnu Eve years sine he y ihnu
Slilrs sailrd N me one morning bsf.,rl
hrrakfasi. and asked me - recommend
her 10 snme lawyrr. .. she Illanghl bel
fIirnd Slubhs wss lrss enrFeei Ilsn Ia
might b.. ! asked her 10 step inio lht
pafloE. and neni mysslf 10 ms hrraklasI
and my wiz. whose adj sluays ak.
! ed ON snel pOinis. We had known MTs.
Siilrs many years: her husband sas 4
great land nwner ~ goOdIy inwn Of lie
aeslern country. and with disinlrre. lr,l
love. thai observed some l,ener aim. efrI
prssei on his helpmaie. A. lie FIRST rule
81 life. - gel al she could and keep al
she got. lie dird. and Mrs. SIiles be-
came more and more religious and aims
giving. hul slsa m.re and more fond ri
wealth, and sensible of the admirable nd.
vice (which her husband had given her.
stated The lafis Ia my wife. and wait.
ed her opinion. Well. William" said
she, after drinking a rup Of cniTre upnn
my story. q" fear the old LADY has some
mnney.geIIing scheme in view: yOn know
she has Of late given ali her affections 10
getting more wealth. would therefore
recommend her 10 Tie most hone.l and
conscientious lawyer in town. aud no, 10
the mosl acute and thorough one. She
relies on yoaT Judgment; use il, mol for
her seemiag bur her real gond."
cnunied nv legal acquaintance over
Iwice O,er. heinrr hu upon one ansa er.
ing TO The terms honest and eonsrien.
tIOus," in the sense which knew Ellen
used them; At length found him. and
taking my hat, walked with The widow
To his office. s....
We found Mr.. Sawyer at his desk he
rose and gave US chairs. and waited Mrs.
>iIes's statement. But beinre ! 90 on in
this pnipi, lei me say few words nf this
phenomenon this man with his head UNI
der his lefl arm clnse 10 his hearl-this
honest lawyer, in the broadcast. highest
sense Of the term. He was man Of
lhiriy-fve he had studied law berause
he liked the study. and began the practice
because he had 10 get living: and now
lie continued in the profession, in spite IL
had opPoncDtr, mud bad cour's-becanse
he thought he had done. and might yet
do. murh good by his labors not alone
by saving The innoren, and needy from
the strong and cruel. but by preventing
strife, putting stop 10 half knavish prac.
tees. aud dissuading men and women
from unjust suits aud passion.rousing
quarrels. Mr.. Sawyer though, il no, on
Is proper for him 10 refuse acting. FOR lllnse
whose claims he thought dishonest. but
he counted il also a duty and privilege,
nay mere christian character TO strive 10
persuade then-io forget such claims. lie
sought fame and extensive practice as a
means whereby to exert moral influence
over the community; he thought law.
yer bound Ia serve. not his client only.
but his God and his country, and looked
on him who Cor gain would prosecute a
suit which he thought unfair. as traitor
TO his country and his religion, in act.
haiever he might he in intention. In
short. as Bill Blunt once sand. 4" Sawyer
was such hanged fml as To think i, an
attorneys business 10 help the parson to
make men good christians"
And now we shall let Mrs. Stiles state
her business. II seems that her husband
had sold and conveyed several lots, which
, her father had left IN trust for her, and IN
such form that she, meaning 10 release
her fee in the lots, had, in term, merely
released right of dnwer--lhese lots she
understood she could &c, back.
| did YOU ever receive the money for
,hem!' said Mr.. Sawyer.
/ "Ceriainly, sir -
WAS it, fair, full price for the land!"
g. Ii was all we asked, sir"
did you sign the deed willingly"
"0f course, do you think Jared would
have driven me to do il ~"
did you mean to convey full title
| in fee. Mrs. Siiles!'
Beyond doubt; bu, as We didn't, they
tell me. the land never passed"
Suppose, Mrs. Stiles. the money had
been paid before you had drawn the deed,
should You have thought il honest. after
getting the money, 10 refuse To give the
deed Z"
"Why. lawyer, that would have been
thieving. righ, downs"
"Well. Mrs. Stiles, YOU have not YET
given The deed. shall | draw one for you
to sign p
~ by. bless your soul. Sawyer, TIM
is the deed you have got in yonr hand"
MRS. Stiles. if yon had given the man
when he paid You the money for the lots
sheet Of blank paper. and he had no
looked a, il. would that have been deed!'
.Of course not !"
But you meant to give full title il
feet"
yes" @E*-.
Well, this is not such title any NOR,
than a sheet Of blank paper; You have
no, yet given the deed. Shall ! draw !
quit claim deed for you to sign"