The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-06-05
AN AFFECTING APPEAL.

The following very choice morsel from
the Pennsylvania hits off the legal frater
nity right well. They may complain Q
The plea set up by tho accused but W.
think they cannot deny that the .lega
quibble is good and valid one.
An ex-member Of the Philadelphia bar al
he calls himself-whose nominatve case
is Samuel Winchester, 60. himsef''i the
vocalive" by stealing picked salmon
valued at seveniy-fye cents, from bar
rel at the door Of grocery store ia secone
street. You would take Winchester to be
lawyers victim rather than prac,iion
er-fnr he is slI in rags, and looks like one
who had been fed chiefly on hope and such
aerial provender. The thief, Of the salt
fish being proved, he stretched out his
hand and addressed the bench precisely il
these words:
"May it please your honor-the prose
cutor charges me with the larceny Of a
fish. The charge cannot be sustained, for
| did not steal fish, but only part Of a
fish, minus the head, tail. and en,raiIs; the
larceny, therefore, cannot be proved te
have been committed in the manner and
form specified. But scorn to avail my.
self Of a legal quibble, since j, was TO avoid
all such crooked and dishonorable expedi-
ents that abandoned the practice of the
law. My conscience would not permit me
to be lawyer; and since my retirement
from the bar, have endeavored TO re,rieve
that moral sensbility; that unvielding up
rightness Of purpose, which had lost dn
ring nv practice as an attorney. Bu'
such reformation could not be affected in a
day; habit is a thing that will cleave to us,
sometimes ia spite Of our best resolutions
Yet the work of amendment was in pro
gress; many Of the ingrained spots were
removed, and my soul began to feel like
Bnnvnn's Pilgrim, when he perceived his
burden Of sin slipping from his shoulders
With reference to any former state, had
become quite reformed character. when
in an unhappy moment of partial relapse,
Welded to irresistible temptation-pu'
nv hand into this genteman's barrel and
walked on with his fish. have too little
Of the LAWYER in me to DENY the fact; free
" do confess it, and the fault confessed
ia half cxpiated. Iappeal to your Honor's
clemencv, and to the forbearance Of the
prosecutor. Let me not be bound over for
IN appearance at court; for have a vow
recorded in heaven, binding myself to re-
frain from al! communication with my for.
mer associates of the bar. Oh, sir, will
you not aid me to fulfil this yirtuous resol.
ution? Will yon provide for your dying
hour the consolatory reflection that you
have assisted repentant sinner to re-
nounce his errors and eschew the associ,
ates which drew him away from the paths
Of rect;tude? ! see, bv the tenr of pity
that wrinkles in your honor's eve, that my
supplicntion has prevailed, TINT shall moi
he compelled to renew those evil communi-
cations which s'corrupt good manners;''
that for so trifling matter as the larceny
of fish, | shall not again be brought in
contact with the concentrating influence
Of the Court House. With trembling hope
snbmi, myself to YOUR Honor's disposal
The grocer, with his handkerchief to his
ewes, bInbbered out his wish to Withdraw
the complaint, and soon as Mr.. Winches-
ter was sci At liberty. he compelled the re-
formed LAWYER to receive as present, the
fish which had SO nearly been the means
Of introducing him to the bar.--PMila
Pennsylranian.