Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1853-09-28
rHE cHARAcrER OF THE LAwYEisk

Carolina, June 1st 1853, 6y Hon. A. O. Z. MICH
OLSON, Of Tennessee
IF have been successful in fixing your attention
upon the character of the power welded by the ed
ucated man. my first object has been accomplished
and am prepared to proceed to lllustrate TINS pow
er, it is exhibited in the influence exerteo py the
LAWYER in the different theatres in which his ambI
ton calls him to play his part might as readily
give similar lutratons in the career of the members
of the other learned professions but will not ven
ture to make so unreasonable draft on your pa
tience.
The spirit of progress, which is characteristic OF
orr times is working out most desirable reform IN
the science of law. 1t was long standing reproach
to the profession that too many of its members Sought
rather to become profcients in the suotletes anu
technicalties of the law than to excel in developing
the fundamental principles of justice and equity on
which the science is based The course OF Juspce
was embarrassed, delayed, and too oIten ueIcA'cu;
amidst ingenious and art efforts to excel IN special
pleading This system of legal chicanery provoked
the merited sarcasm and rebuke OF eminent EhGhsh
writers and gave plausibity to the opinion express
ed by Burke that the practice OF the law osquai!eu
the mind for those liberal and enlarged views which
were essential to eminent craftsmanship it gave
rise also to the truth I'll remark of Bongbrokc that
the law in its nature is the noblest and most bene
fetal of the sciences but IN Its abuse ana debaseheh0
the most sordid and prnicious. But the profession
is no longer obnoxious to the reproach of attaching
undue Importance to the techncatles and suhtletes
of the science. Lawyers now strive to become emf
nent eXpounders of the law, according 10 It's rea
grounds Lord Bacon calls t-of science, rather
than to become experts in the art OF perVeTtlng ana
defeating the ends of justice For this valuable re-
form we are indebted to the liberal and enlarged
views of the bench and the bar, as much as to the
wisdom of legislation. The result is, that the law
is now what it was always designed to be- THE SCIENCE
OF JUSTICE 1t is the science which defines and guar
antics the rights of life liberty property and repu-
tation 1t interposes Its powerful arm between the
strong and the weak the rich and the poor, the ex-
allied and the humble, the learned and the ignorant,
and settles their rights according to one uniform
standard. In its wide range it embraces the rights
of nations and defines them with accuracy, whilst
it points out the of preserving and protecting
them It's grand object is evenhanded justice to all.
How deeply is it to be regretted, that science so
noble in. its nature should have been degraded
by any of its votares to mere trial of wits in the
use of technicalities and forms! How huniating,
the Lord Coke himself should have held out an in
ducemcnt to the law student to friter away his ge
MUS, in becoming expert in the art of special
pleading by the remark that in his time the special
pleader failed of lucrative practice. The man
who follows the law with no higher purpose than to
secure lucrative practice, may become prominent
ingenious and acute practitioner, but he Will
never win the reputation of truly great lawyer.
Wherever the passion for the eoluments OF the pro-
fession is predominant the tricks of the trade
sure to be cultivated as the means of success. He
who forms Just conception of the principles of the
law and entertains proper appreciation of the true
dignity and morality of his profession will look to
Its emOuInentS as q secondary cOnSlueraCiOn. 1CS
honors, whether derived from the triumphant VlndI
cation of the principles of justice in the course of
his practice or from promotions to high and respon-
ponsbc judicial political stations the rewards
Of his superior attanments, will be the leading and
controlling incentives to his ambition.
How wide is the field within which the lawyer may
lcgitiately indulge his aspirations for fame! If his
ambition Graves the homage paid freely to great
intellectual attainmentS where else can the mind find
such theatre for the development of its powers
and the exhibition of its trunphs in its researches
after truth and justice, buried deep they often
under a mascot error, obscured by the ingenious
devices of sophstry, entanged within the meshes of
conflicting precedents, and, not unfrequently, made
the victims of fraud and crime? If he aspires to
the fame of orator, where else within the range
of the human sciences will he go to find subjects
appealing powerfully to his heart for its warmest
sympathies, and enlistng ardently all the gener
GUS impulses and energies of his nature, in the
practice of the law? Injured innocence, oppressed
weakness, defrauded credulity, illuminated reputa-
ton, endangered liberty, threatened life-these
stitute but few of the themes which continually
appeal the eloquence of the lawyer But if power
and place possess attractions for his ambition, the
genius Of justice invites his aspirations to the bench
There he can hold the scales of right and sgnalZe
his devotion to truth, by rewardng and protecting
virtue and honesty. The lawyer is on the highway
to political distinction and if he cOVes the fame of
the statesman his knowledge of the law has so far
instructed him in the science of government, that
the transition is natural and easy
The science of law not only affords ample scope
every variety of laudable ambition but the extent
of It's learning is such give constant employment
TO the most capacious and expansive minds. No in
telligent practitioner delude himself with the
idea that he has exhausted the fountains of legal
knowledge, and that his life can be one of leisure
and repose. Such deusion would prove fatal to
all his dreams of professional emnence The lawyer
is emphatcaly working man, but whilst he is con-
tinualy progressing and enjoying the consciousness
of increasing knowledge, he has hope of ever at
tanning to perfection in the science. Let not this
remark, however, discourage any generous mind
which is inclined to the law. If the labor of the
lawyer is severe and unceasing, it is constantly
warded with new and valuable acquisitions of knowl-
edge which constitute the sources of the purest en-
joyment. As he tolls the treasures of the science
are opened up to his view and brought within the
grasp, whilst the beauty, symmetry and dignity of
his profession continually increase in atractveness
he more he learns of the eternal principles of right
and justice, the he desires to learn The mists
which at trst obscured his progress, and impressed
his mind with the uncertainty of the law" grad
uay clear away as he advances. What he once slls
pected chaos of confused and conflicting
opinions and inconsistent dicta, he finds to be
a system of symmetrical principles all harmonzing
with each other and each traceabe to the great
fountains of the Sciencerigh and Justice 1t is
until he begins clearly to comprehend the reason and
spirit OF legal principles that the lawyer labors with
real intellectual pleasure. From that time his pro-
gress is onward and easy, from acquisition to
mother, enjoying triumph after triumph with mind
elastic with delight and eager for new researches
But at the close of long life he will never have to
regret that there are no more acquisitions to be
made.
Whatever direction his ambition takes, the lawyer
must owe his success to the influence which exerts
1111e,, IT, II