New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-06-30
PETTICOATS At THE BAR.

The other day, Mrs. Arabella Mansfield,
young lady of "a, was admitted to practice in
the courts of Iowa. We are heartily glad OF
it, for we dare say There are many functions
of an attorney for which Mrs. Mansfield is adj
mirably qualified. There is no reason in the
world why the great bulk Iof what is known
as Office work in the legal profession should
not be performed by women, and of course
whatever enlarges woman's opportunities OF
earning an honest living, without detracting
from her natural position in society, must be
looked upon as benefit to the community at
large. Mrs. Mansfeld's husband was admitted
to practice at the same time; and we presume
the pair might make very efficient firm un-
der the title of Mansfield and Husband" or
Mansfield and Wife," according to circum-
stances. We do not recommend them to open
separate offices, because they might happen to
be engaged on opposite sides of the same
cause, and one of the two might have no bet
ter ground to go upon than abuse Of the OPP
posite counsel-which would lead to unpleasant
domestic consequences. But if Mrs. Mansfield
will mind the Office while Mr.. M. attends to
the courts, perhaps no two other lawyers In
Iowa may be able to compete with them.
We fear, however, that of the women who
aspire to be lawyers, comparatively few, even
suppOsing they had husbands, would be salts
fed with such division of labor. We fear
there is a lurking ambition among the femi-
nine students of Chitty and Blackstone to be
barristers rather than attorneys, and we con-
fess that the substitution of the chignon for
the horse-har wig is not an attractive pros
pect. Think of the wife of your bosom, or the
maiden of your dreams, bullying q witness in
crowded court room, hectoring the judge, rant
ing till she is red in the face about the suffer"
ings of the ill-used prisoner at the bar, latter
ing stupid jury, visiting the TOmbs to con-
suit with her client, the eminent housebreaker
or the distinguished pickpocket discussing In
public the foul details of crime, and going
home to the domestic ireside cross, weary, and
hardened with the temper-trying labOrs of the
day. We do not believe any woman could
practice year at the bar without losing almost
every quality that makes woman charming.
But besides this there is still more serious
danger, which we find so pOintedly illustrated
by n recent occurrence in the British House OF
Lords, that we copy an account of the affair
from London newspaper:
shsddsb legitimacy resumed this morning Tor he Ut
before the House OF Lords JA LORD Chdnoe0r %
snl,d upon ne rireme proy Of MS Shdds' address 0AtA
ka uos occupied fourteen days and erord eoAgns her
mark srdnes Shortly amer commencing to address their
IoEdshps nOBg Miss sheddsn ssOned aud was carried out
Dr. Bond being sent for testified the iAy suffering from bs
terra brought on by exhaustion Their Lordsps postponed
III. case u morrow when ShddeR should be unable
coed Der fAiher will be heard"
When women undertake to argue cases be-
fore jury. how often will the experience of
Miss Shedden be repeatedi An address four
teen days long, and only cut off at last by hys-
terra Need we say moreP