National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1872-12-25
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE,
Attorney. PrnctIcInE Before the Dcpur

Attorneys PrncticinE Before the Depart
ments.
EDrruR REPUBLICAN. Your remarks upon the
recent order Of the Secretary OF the Treasury In
reference to attorneys pructiclng before his De-
partment are well-tlmed and to the point The
Secretary has undoubtedly been imposed upon
by some "inferiOr mind" among his subordi-
mates, ''whO eats the bread Of the Government
In order to betrAy Its secrets" and suspicion
does not hesitate to accuse one who was placed
In his present position during a former admins
tration, and Is supposed to still serve the power
that appointed him. He is known for his snarl-
ing inability to give q civil answer when clyilly
addressed, and for some luminous legal decisions
upon which he pTides himself one OF these de-
cisiOns lawyer Of this city has reduced to the
following absurdty:
Where there i no remedy at common law
upon a contract the complainant is not entitled
to the indemnity expressly provided by recent
statute"
You rightly say that the effect Of tho seoreta-
rvs order, permitting claimant to revoke the
power given TO his attorney, after the attorney
has by his skill and industry brought the suit to
the point Of success, will be to throw the busi-
ness Of prosecuting claims against the Govern
ment into the hands Of shysters and lobbyists who
congregate around hotels, and persuade honest
claimants that they possess "peculiar facilities"
for quitting claims through" on "the short
line" There are doubtless too many OF this
class, and 1t Ia the duty Of the Secretary towards
the Government anu uOutAl tthliuAulH tAtluut
them from the privilege Of pTaGticing before his
Department, rather than to increase their 'peeu-
liar facilities"
In courts Of law, whenever Il Is discovered
that an attorney has Wrpnged his client or been
guilty Of conduct unbecOmlnR the dignity Of his
profession, he IL promptly disbarred, and on
failure to make restitution when ordered Is I'M
prsoned for contempt.
II might not be proper to give so much power
to the Secretary OF the Treasury In view OF the
fact that he Is liable to act hastily on the eE
| ia of nh vi ms his
| spiteful or malicious. II would be better TO
! place the matter under the control Of the De-
pirtment Of Justice, and require claim agents 70
! Oe admitted 10 practice under rules similar TO
| those now required for admission to the bar Of
the Court Of Claims, giving TO the Attorney Cen
cra the same right 10 disbar dishonest practi-
| TONER as Is now possessed by courts, including
! the right to imprisOn for contempt where fraud
| was practiCed upon the client or upon the Gov
| eminent. Under such an arrangement the prac-
titioner would have the right to be heard In his
! defence.
There have been recently brought under tho
| notice Of the Supreme Court Of this District
quite number Of quarres among claim agents
arising out Of TeyOcations OF powers Of attorney
and conflicting claims to fees, and Judge Wylit
remarked from the bench few days ago thai
they were becominga public scandal. 1t Is note
worthy, however, that these contests are MOI
among responsible lawyers who have been ad
mitted to practice In the courts, and one Of thu
auditors has said that among the many dlshones
claim agents throughout the country who have
been reported TO his once he has found few OIL
no lawyers In regular practice. This speaks vel
for an honorable profession, and II Is to be re
ssgainst the Government ia moi more eScIuSiVeT
cSnunsh ~ ncrsons learned In the law.
the f,ct bnweveT that the adIndicatlon n
rIaI,ns In snrre ~ tbe nartments Il entTnstef
20 the hsnJs ~ snnerriiinns incomnetent an,
vsrv nonT clsrSs, maj nTgent and psTsIstent neT
sonSl SoiiritStions are constantly fedulred 10 AZ
cure anV action Al ali Nv these HlnfeTioT minds,
tose,hsyy Nth ths snsnicion that Success dsnenJ
unon ne emnInvmsni ~ nndne iiinnnenne3 n
Ibe sbans M Tn4cenrs and small loans never IN h,
.nn.iI Is,ors ,,antismsn 81 rnitnTe and rsHne
tnddnt 80, cngsoiny IN tbsIr nrnaerntInn I'M,
IL one consc ~ ~ 6igh tees thai cisimnnta ar,
reNmIrod 20 nav for n6taining Justice fron, IN,
GSysrHment ' "
THESE fees' too. are generally contingent. ant
ing or $500 iny settismsnt can neysr have
"asStaInfy mai he claim VIII he decided Accord
inc 10 law and insticeHthe snboTIinSteS I,
whom the "yaminatIon ia Committed beInG tn,
nttcn LaynIJ ~ the renuisite intelIIgencs an,
canabiiitv Tor STriyinv Al iust Concentrations sIths
az Tegar1s the Interest a. Inc 0oyeTnment NJ
1hot ~ tbe claimant In one n the mrlaims M
vtsinDs' an greai h his want on ability Thai m,
gantin1nsn Z, rhspgs ~ IL cannot denSnd an an,
~ ~ smhnr IInatnS in syen The most mnnte MAJ
ters and conseaTentiy yeTy little more worS \
"a a. ths ,1hgIe df,isnn Than he roni,
pc bImsei ~ S ~ SsI5,ancs In sncb tSt
~ things ihers Ia a Wide dnor omen lar ths en-
trann ~ the trsnJpIent and nnsn T,,nninps inecn
iS iSS ~ tao so,,,s ,ha cnnnsIstion * ~
taIIs 20 Sar,re thIs go oneTatinn mnst await NJ,
i, a. seSrS ,'r anil ronStantiS stsnd ssih
a. ~ ~ , arn .haIsd SsnsciaIH
~ rha secre,SrX cnHId yerV pToGtahlV dirsct nj,
sttentioH ~ an insneatio5 az those marta ~ I'M
oS,cn sst Snart tor ina adtnstment ~ Slain,