, 1870-07-09
LAW GRADUATES.

woman, and also upon uegro, had : tender
g not only to add Interest to The occasion. ou
TO increase the number to witness the cele
mony.
After the addresses OF the Young men in n,
other departments, James n. NORTH, OF ca
rooqaie, Illinois, delivered an address upo
the Lawyer in History, WITH valedictorv to th
Law department. This address was abIa au,
eloquent; We haye nc hcsitatiou in pronouuc
log superior TO any other delivered at thcs,
exercises. We predict for alr. North bgigh
future: 10 Possesses al The elanents q
when distinguished 1awyers and Statesmen az
made. AZ the request Of Professor Henr7
Cooth. Dean Of the Law Faculty. The follow:
lng persons, composing the graduating clas.
.. o.ma ane ,o, Law department of the university
the platform: Mrs. Ada H KepIey. Of IN
t!HghaIn, Illinois; Richard 4. Dawson. eoiored
Of Chicago; Alfred Barton, aGarun BEEN
George Esown. Walter Buruham, John Dryne
James ~ Coon, Luc,en Cover, Andrew F,
Craven, J. Will Eler, Calvin i. FnasWorth
Michael D. Flahertr, Edward 8. Hos1ner,
Eustace D. Kaser, Aie1antler J. Nisbef Jan,a1
n. North, Horace ODonohue, Williaun 4.
Phelps. John c. Patterson, Samuel D. PRYOR.
James G. Robinson, John ". SPARKS. Georps
T;i;, hnaener, Ge1rES =. TGpP, Alfred $. Tru.io.
| Woodbury..
Professor Eoo.h. handing to each Of tho
members OF the graduating class Gfiplnma.
Including Mrs. kepley and Mr. Dawson, raid.
II present you with this document, wbicf,
sonteIs upon each Of you the degree OF
Bachelor Of Laws
The class presented fine appearance, and
L. f9liy equal, not superior, to any that ever
graduated from the Law Department Of this
university The Rev. Nr. Dawson, Z coIoreI
clergyman, wife, and daughter, we're present,
etclses which we're to make their son and
brother Bachelor Of LAWS We understand
that Mr.. Dawson has not yet applied 10 tho
| proper State officers for s certificate OF e1-
animation. He cannot. since the adoption OF
the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments
to the United States Constitution, and liza
passage Of the Civil Rights bill, legally bo
! denied admission. We hare too mt,cb confj-
dence in tie ability and integrity Of the gen.
| tlemen VINO compose our Supreme Court to
oeheye that they will hesitate to order the re-
q1ired license to Issue.
ira. hepley is the wife of q. E. Kspley.
Esq,, a practising lawyer Of EtHngham, II
This State. Having for some yea1s bad de-
are 10 be admitted to the bar, she commenced
at her Own home reading vsrions legal text
books: Wishing to take . thorough course,
tAe, With the full consent Of her husband.
came to Chicago, entered the Law Department.
OF the university, and pursued the regular
course OF studv prescribed by that institution
to the end, and then passed a ceditsbls
examination; She: with Misses Elise q.
D@14se* u4AlA A1AA4 al Al11OTE. 2TEG002Q the
regular class exercises, together with al the
young gentlemen of the law school. We ara
glad to note the fact that the men and women
Of the law school treated each other Is gentle
men acd ladies'. Tho feeling shown aCainst
women recently in d medical college at plila-
delphla has no e1isteuce il Chicaso. ~ Whom
3lr. North IN hia vaiedictory announced that
the robes OF the legal profession were, for tba
hrnt time in the State, to be placed upon .
woman. the men and women Of that vast au-
ri n fYA1 N-4a
after round OF applause.
ffevlons to the commencement exercises
there Was some question with tho culleea;au-
tnoHsics "a to the proper wording Of the de-
gree 10 oe conferred upon Mrs- Kep1ey. It was
she was possessed Of "mdrriei dlsal1li.yn
IN the shape, OF husband. We ne7ar Jet
heard that being husband Disqualified man
from receiving tic degree Of Bachelor Of LAWS.
Ihe degree of Bachelor of Laws was confer
red II npon Mrs. hepley by tho unanimous vote
OF the Trustees, among whom are such distin-
Enshed GI ed Representatives Of the Chicago bar as
Hon: Ihos. Hoyne, IL D., Hon Henry Booth.
LIZ d., Hon. Cyrus Bentley and Hon. T.
aoung scammon- The following is q copy OF
tls !. dlpIoms u I1sn, Issued to al1s. Keple5:
" LAW DEPARTMENT or TIE GfiyERs,rY op Cur,
:, cAGo. IN TIRE STATE or ILLINOIS:
:" Z e ,at 81 '1hom 1 i may concern:
as Boara "a q Trustees and FacuIy Of the
nas pursued the Regular course Of study ami p.nc
tlce In the Law Department Of this tnarinrinn and
upGn " e5amnaon has BEEN found to be learned
baf, as an attorney or counsellor 1t Law. IN
testimony Whereof, and as . token Of great esteem
ferred upon the said Ada H. Kep!ey, the tlcsres OF
Hachelor Ct Laws, and granted her this diploma.
"ltnsss y the seal of the saiti university.
CHicAGO, Jnne 81, 1870,
JoHs e. BURROUGHS, President
EfRE5 BENTLEY, Secleta5J,
- n1n Mt law
Mrs. kepley, with her certificate OF e1amiaa-
tion frosa tho faculty of the Law Department.
with several other members Of the class, called
upon Charles Il Reed, State Attorney, and,
1ke then, asked for tho required certificate Of
examination to present to tie Supreme Court,
I ior tho purpose OF obtaining license to prac-
tise law. The gentlemen received this. but
Mr. Reed, in the poltest possible manuer,
told Ars hepley that in the face OF the de-
cision OF the Supreme Csurt, made in the case
TO give the required certificate Here is
woman who entered one Of the first institu-
1ons OF the land, pursued tho same studies ~
ler male classmates, passed the same oxam-
nation, and was adjudSed competent, and
Boards Of Trustees in the West a. qualified to
'e admitted TO the bar, denied, by decision Of
our own Supreme Court on tho sole ground
nat she was woman, the right to follow her
profession, notwithstanding the fact that sho
1ao epcat &ne DeHt ye1rH OF her life in fitting
2etsef for that profession '' There il day
'tter to-day-" These things viii not always
20 So
1he main point made by the Supreme Court,
= the opinion cited above, IVES that, although
20 statute might be construed 80 as to mako
he masculine pronoun apply to females, that
| was pot the intention Of the Lesislatn1e
should be SO construed. Viii this reasoning
lold good II the nsw constitution is adopted
o-daV? ~ We believe it Will be. This consti-
utlon will then he the latest Expressed will OF
ho people.
The Constitutional Convention adopted
ectlon in the article on suffrage which would
AVE prevented i woman from being an attor-
!ey-st.law. or holding any Official positiou.
ieAE the close OF the convention, after 4 fuU
discussion by come Of the ablest members, in
Flich it was stated that thi section would de-
ut.