The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-02-27
BarIur Rea6ta8.
THK TRIUMPH OF TRUTH.
A "REMINISCENCES OF THE BAR,
BY EDWARD WEBSTER, ESQ.

In all and each Of the pursuits Of human
life, there are at various points alo-g our path
way obstacles which oppose ouT progress, and
which call for strength OF will and steadlness
Of purpose to ooVercome-salient points, that pro-
ect in sharp angles across our way, to turn us
from our purpose, or to conceal the objects that
lie before us in our future course. Every man,
unless he is more than usually fortunate, or
possesses more than the usual amount Of pru-
dence and foresight, must expect to meet with
reVerses and dissppOintments. Young profes.
sional men have perhaps more to meet in the
way Of opposition and Encouragement, than any
other class in community. The wares and mer-
chandise Of q skillful mechanic, If really supe-
rior, will recommend Themselves He has only
TO manufacture and expose for sale and his
goods will tell their own storyj but the pro-
fessiOnal man, before he can act, must wait un-
til he is called. No man Of common prudence
desires to risk his life or fortune in the hands
of an unskillful or dishonest man and hence,
frequently, the modest and retiring, though re-
ally competent and deserving young Attorney
or Physician, has often to wait for employment
until he is tempted to abandon his profession in
despair. Nor are the instances Of sudden aud
The ability to combat successfully in the intel
lectual arena, is not intuitive. However bril-
liant may be the mental qualifications of man
they must be trained and disciplined and when
we see one Of those rare minds elevating its pos.
sessor step by step above his fellow men, We are
apt to forget the many years Of preliminary
mental discipline through which he has passed
years OF toll, perhaps Of poverty, and almost
Of dispsir.
have in my mind at this moment a case in
point. Counsellor M, late Of the Massa-
chusetts bar, for long time enjoyed an enyia-
BILE reputation and a lucrative practice-was
honored by his constituents with many import
ant trusts, and has often been cited as an exam
pie of rapid progress and quick success. Moth
ing, however, is really further from the truth,
than that Counsellor NJ. rose rapidly in his pro-
fessiOn and little docs the world at large know
of the slow and painful manner in which he pur-
sued his prliminary literary and professional
course, and little do they suspect that he was a
sound practical lawyer, and had been ten years
ia the profession, before the circumstance oc-
Cured that called him into public notice, gave
hin an extensive reputation, and introduced
him into higher and more lucrative sphere Of
practice. His office at that time was located
In the great manufacturing city Of New Eng
laud some twenty five miles from Boston. He
was seated one day in his office, examining
recent volume Of Reports, and comparing the
cases it contained with the principles Of the
English common law, when young man enter
ed, whom he remembered to have seen in some
way connected with one Of the manufacturing
corporations. He was an intelligent, good look
ing man, apparently Of about the age of twenty
five years, and dressed in the garb Of the better
class of operatives in the mills. He was posses
sed Of that independent and self-relant air,
that distinguishes the American mechanic from
the abOring classes of all the rest Of the world,
and indicates degree Of intellectual cultivation
which is at the same time the pride Of our citi-
zens and the safety Of the Republic. Therewas
an expression Of deep anxiety upon his counte-
nance as he exchanged the compliments Of the
morning, and proceeded at once to say -
Counselor, wish to consult with you on
matter of deep importance, involving the integ-
rity and happiness Of poor but virluous aud
honorable family. A young woman by the name
of Lucy Kendall, who is engaged as a weaver in
the mill, and indeed in the very room OF which
am foreman, is accused Of grand larceny under
circumstances Of the most grave suspicion. Pub
lie opinion is very much against her, but | am
satisfied she is innocent Of any crime. The net
of circumstances seems TO be almost ineXtri-
cable, but she must be saved in some way, and
at anv hazard"
The Counsellor suggested that perhaps she
was really guilty Of the charge.
"No, no, he answered, sit Is impossiblel
have known her from child. We were school
mates together in one of the little villages among
the granite bills Of New Hampshire. Her father
was man Of considerable property then, aud
was a poor mans son; but we were in the same
classes in the village shool. She was two or
three years younger than |, but looked upon
her, even then, as the persOnification Of virtue
and goodness; and the bright example she set US
then, and the admiration had for her character
in those school boy days, have never since been
lost. At the age Of eighteen, left my native
village and came here as an operative in cot
ton mill, in which have been ever since en-
zaged.-I lost sight Of Miss Kendall until year
ago last summer, ct which time she came here
aud entered the mill as a weaver; and then
learned for the first time that her fathers cir.
cumstanees had changed sadly-that he had
lost all his property, except small farm on the
outskirts Of the village; on which also there was
a mortgage. of five hundred dollars pressing for
payment.
She had come from home in order to assist in
raising the necessary funds to pay off the ineum-
brance by her labor in the mill and she has
continued to work most ,lndustriously for that
purpose up to the time the circumstances hap
pened which have brought her under this un-
fortunate suspicion. All my former opinions
Of her worth are stronger than ever, since the
renewal Of our acquaintance; and having been
in the receipt Of three dollars day for the
past four years, and saved large portion Of
my wages, l have repeatedly offered to lend her
tho balance necessary to ray off her fathers
Indebtedness, which she has uniformly declined.
Che is now aeeusad Of stealing from the office