The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-06-10
Lawyers.

A' SA~Sc ~ ~ wan
highest products of civilization. He
is master of the science of human
experience. He sells his clients the
results of that experience, and is
thus the merchant of wisdom. The
labors of many generations of legis
lators and judges enrich his stores
His learning is sufficient to enable
him to realize the comparative little.
ness of all human achievements. He
has outlived the childish ambition OF
display before courts and %juries. He
loves justice, law and peace. He
will not do q mean thing for money
He esteems his office of counselor as
higher than political place or scho-
lastic distinction. He detests unne,
cessary litigation, and delights in
averting danger, and restoring peace
by wise council and skilful devices.
The good works of the counsel-room
are sweeter to him than the glories
of the forum. He proves that hon
esty is thebest policy, and that peace
pays both lawyer and client better
than controversy. In legal contest,
he will give his client the benefit of
the best presentation Of whatever
points of fact and of law may he in
his power; but he will neither per-
vert the law nor falsify the facts to
defeat an adversary. The motto of
his battle-hag is: For lac, courage
for the ,tacts, fidelity. The splendor
of his intellectual attainments and
the beauty Of his moral character,
like the white robes righteousness,
cover all defects of person, voice and
manner. Governments, corporations,
merchants, manufacturers and pro
duccrs apply to him for guidance.
tits his business to know the princi-
pies which govern their various af-
fairs, and the rules under which dis
aster may be avoided and success
attained. He studies thousands of
cases which illustrate and declare
the ways of prosperity in business,
and the secret causes of calamity
therein. The results of these cases
are stated in the opinions of courts,
and they are reliable, because every
step thereto has been contested by
counsel and considered by judges.
It is %pleasanter, easier and cheaper
to buy the results of experience from
a competent lawyer than to arrive
at the results by suffering the expe-
rience. He knows tile nature and
limits of power, and defends the
rights ~ofperson and property against
it's encroachments. 1t is estimated
that year by year the counsel of a
good lawyer will. decrease the chances
of failure more than 80 per cent. and
add largely to the profits of any
commercial or manufacturing bust
ness. He should not take the clients
place. His Judgment should be free
from the bias of the self-interest and
zeal that so often blind the business
maj to the approach of danger. He
should be content with his calling,
and achieve fame and fortune chiefly
nv wise counsel to businesses men.
incidentally he will win distinction
and the better rewards oftoil by con-
summate ability i'll the conduct of
causes before the courts. A states
man in the counsel-room, he becomes
q general in the forum, and delights
the observer with displays of the
magnificent art of war, When wal
is inevitable, he remembers that the
truest mercy is to make it in earnest;
and he tries the case that must be
Irrigated so that a thousand may be
settled by it's results. This is why
the public bear so large a share OF
the expenses of judicial proceedings,
and why litigation is so expensive to
the client, and SO Improbable to the
lawyer. The public have the benefit
of the contest. The client pays too
much for the result. The lawyer re-
ceives too little for his time, labor
and learning. It is in his office that
his golden opinions bring golden re
wards, to the equal satisfaction OF
himself and his patron. Both are
spared the delays, the yexatlons, and
the expenses ola course ofthe courts.
AS a general rule, controversies
be settled by lawyers. 1t is
onlyas an exception that they should
90 to the courts. Often, the counsel
of one party, almost always the co'tn-
sci Of both parties, ifthe parties be
willing, and the lawyers competent
and rightminded, can settle a bust
ness controversy. Therewill be lit
CATION enough from the peryersity
of parties, and unless it be manifest
that efforts at amicable adjustment
will be fruitless, the lawyer should
try to effect a settlement. And the
rightminded client will always pay
more literally for the results Of a 1iti-
CATION, without the litigation, than
for the same results, burdened by
vexation and expense. Thus
the true interest of the client is the
true interest Of the lawyer. If it be
said that such lawyers as are here
described are not abundant, it may
be replied that the supply is probably
equal to the demand, and that the
profession will doubtless conform to
this ideal as rapidly as the commu-
nifty may require. It cannot expect
to be served with what it does not
want. But the number Of really
good lawyers is very great and, if
sought for, they are easily found.
GnarenIr any cnmm1nify ia without