The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-06-13
Initiatory Lecture on Commercial Law,
Delivered by Arthur p. Lining, ESQ, at
0the Charleston Commercial College,


Delivered by Arthur r. Lining, Esq, at
"the Charleston Commercial College,"
Seldom has It been our good fortune to hear dry
subject invested with much attractive interest,"
uniting the charm Of ornate style with valuable infor
nation, wis skilfuIly accomplished by A. LINING
Esq., In his lecture before tho Commercial College
Monday evening last 1t is the best of evidence that
MIR. LRRas acceptance Of the Professorshp offered
bm will rebound to the advantage Of the students, the
College, and himself and that the College is to be
benefit and ornament TO the city Of Charleston.
Mr.. LINING commenced by congratulatng the gentle-
men of the Commercial College" on the advan tages
conferred upon them students Of insitutiop
which afforded them opportunity Of acquiring bus
experience without the usual deay Of years. He
said that the duty which had been assigned him. In the
execution conduct OF this happily conceived project
embraced series Of lectures on commercial law, in
the OF which he should endeavor to convey
their minds such Information Of the elementary prno
cipeB of the law would be found advantageous to
ono embarking in mercantile life. He said that It
not be supposed that ho presumed to undertake
liver learned treatise dissertation the law,
did he possess the wisdom ability to enable
him to carry out successfully grave and arduous
undertaking.
Ho pointed out the necessity acquaintance with
the laws Of country in which liberalIty Of public
tment was distinguishing characteristic. and In which
no position In the gift Of the people beyond the
reach Of him who worked with those grand elements
success-knowledge and perseverance,.
The lecturer proceeded to demonstrate that 1t was i'm.
possible for any to acquire, much less reaip the
position Of useful and influential not to say dstin-
gushed member Of society," without competent knowl.
edge of the principles OF that great and
subsratum OF all civil and political Hberty-the law Of
the land.
He commented at length upon the folly Of the asser.
ton frequently made. to the effect that "there is no
justice In law argued that 1t vulgar prejudice en-
terained only by those who not possessed Of compre
hensive minds, imagine themselves always In the right
and Vttuperate the law, when wrong its penalties
Imposed upon them. He argued that man In state Of
natural or savage liberty but tho chrysals
that being intended by tho Creator the Universe
when he fashioned him after His Image and like tho
butterfly. which required time and warmth to trans.
form II from hideous, misnhapen thing, into the
beautiful insect did require the corrective In
huences OF mild and judioous legislation to trans
form him from the awless savage into the enlightened
and refined member of society.
The lecturer next commented upon the Importance of
those indestructbe principles OF civil and political lib
ery which had been incorporated into the of this
country, from Magma Chsrta-which had Justly been
termed the bulwark OF the liberties OF England" and
added that from the past four wears Of war of suffer
Ing, and of bloodshed-K from the inception to the
close Of the mighty revolution whose dying throes had
shaken to its base the great Continent upon which It
had Its birth-those principles of
had been ohacured by tho which st lowered
over the political horizon-let not nevertheless
despair; Lot us not basely acknowledge to ourselves
that We are tho degenerate Of noble sres but
arouse ourselves to the exigenoes Of our poson In
the earnest hope and confden. belief that the great
principles will yet hnah brightly through
that cloud which obsoures the and them selves
In tones OF thunder which shall reverberate from the
lakes OF Canada to the silver waters Of the Gull.
The lecturer concluded by announcing that the sub.
ect Of the next lecture would be the Law Contracts
the various subdvisons OF which would be treated In
their proper order.