The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-11-15

name III the office of Mussrs. Riddle ans
Ihrasher, attorneys of your village, as q
student of the law, and TO the research ia
this now fold, he brought love for the
profession and its science, well. educated
mind ripo business experience and per.
feet familiarity with all its forms. and ma.
chincry of tho profession. learned in tho
most valuable of all Law Colleges. tho nfIcc
OF the Clerk of our Courts of Record, as well
as unwearcd industry aud unflaging pcrse.
voranco. HIS instructors wero vol Quail.
fiUd for their duty, by reason Of extensive
and accurate reading ard study, made
practical aud familiar by a very extensive
practice in all the departments Of the-pro.
iession, of inbuing their student with tho
truo spirit as we'll as science of the laws.
and tho most valuable administration of
them. As a result of all these, when Mr..
French came to tho Bar, as no did. Sep
tembor, 1858, he came as we'll prepared to
perform tho various duties of his profession
as man well could. And so it was conce.
ded by his professional brethren, whom, for
the first time, they took him by the hand
at bis initiation.
Immediately after his admission to the
Bar, Mr.. French formed a professional co
partnership with Delos w. Garfield. ESQ. un
der the firm name of Canfiuh g. French. and
at once entered upon a busy aud honorable
practice, which righfully continued to iu
crease with singular regularity and rapidity
until his death.
As was to DO expected. Mr.. Fronch brought
to the performance of every duty of his
new profession, the same careful attention
to details, the same accuracy of judgment,
the Same un"earied industry, the same lib.
erallty, tho samo unsuspectcd integrity, that
no did in all bis official life lIo was not a
snowy man; not tho man to attract the alton
tion OF the crowd by well-turned periods or
wordy hsrangue; he was an exceeding
modest man, SO much so that his modesty
stood across his pathway to any peculiar
cminence as either an advocate or public
speaker. Ilo loved retirement, tho quiet OF
his pleasant home, the unobserved toll and
labor of his office he had no taste for the
wordy warfare of the forum or tbunderous
applause of tho hustngs.
Strange as it may seem, tho public per.
fornances of the advocate or the orator, be
they never SO glittering or charming, are
not the standards by winch the lawyer is to
be judged; it is the office and its duties
which become the cruciblo which separates
tho true metal form the Gross, and thus
tosIs the genuine character of tho LAWYER
1t is tho capacity of tho lawyer in bis office.
by unweariod labor and vigilant care. to
solve tho knottv problems of the law, to
escape the decisions of analogy. to apply
with accuracy the rules and principles OF the
law to now cases, that demonstrate his posi-.
tion and vaue in the profession.
Place Mr.. French in this crucible, meas.
ure him by such standard and wa find The
pari'y OF his metal, the altitude OF his posi-
'lop' ne details OF each case or business
transaction under his charge, commanded
MS attention ns completely as the main fact
or the loading proposition; nothing was
""glrctod-nothing forgotten. His mem.
oranda woro full and complete; mis- briof.
explicit, logical nnd exhaustive of the case
IN hand. 1t has been my fortune to hold
his briefs for the trial and argument of
issues both OF law and fact; and so close
and concise were they, aud perfectly trans
parent as to me law OF tho case, that my
pathway was but tho marchi'g along we'll.
defined highway, without fear OF pitfalls or
s"ares on fho ono hand, or dangerous bogs
on the other, to the desired goal.
Would you know his power and attain
mcnts as a lawyer, YOU should soc him with
general principle of the law. as true as rove
lation, as henignant as an everlasting equity
thus making foundation as firm as the ever.
lasting bills, thence marching each footstep
resting upon some other equally truthful
general prlhc'pie or decided case. along a
purely logical h'ghway, unto ma conclusion.
'ous establishing his legal proposition upon
WHICH, win cain security, ne rested the
ostate OF hoerty OF ms client inns alone
was ,he way In which he arrived at the true
'rga, proposition regulating ana cohtro'iing
al, INC rights OF c'ientsi and hence no was
SeIdom al iauit, seldom found in error, and,
OF course ne became and was most safe
anu 'aluao'e counseInr' Ana more ne was
'u''y apPrec'ateu' Ho neVor gave an opln-
ION WIN an ''cn'ng pain never was his.
,nenth, VISION ciouded by lear or iaVor.-i
tiau Mr. french liVed TO nave pract'ced his
profession Ior any cohs'Geraoie form OF
yeart' nc "ould nave SHOWN hlmseif one oi
inc nbiest members OF the profession.
in ms intercourse WIN DIS ore'nreh ana
VII" 'ne o"urt III winch no pract'ceu. no
was h''u' uhassum'ng, courteous ana klnu.
|" every repec'' as lawyer nc was saie-
'u'ce. All "o'orao'e pattern houe' worthy
u 'h't"'i0n oy al tne members OF n's pro-
ossion' bu'mg dead' let MIR. frenchs pro-
css'ona' sk''' charac'er ana oepor'meht
iVo ior U.s. my professional orethren. 10
'n'he upon our path~ay, making i'b devious
straight ana lis u6DofltloS smooth. |