National Republican., 1873-11-11
rHE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY.


he source OF our highest civil and political du-
les, aud the sure means OF rstinnal greatness"
rHB NATIONAL UNIVERSITY.
Address BY MIR. lance q. Payne.
Mr.. James @. Payne last niGht addressed the
aw classes Of the National University. Vice
Jhancellor ". d. wedGewood introduced MT. |
Payne, who spoke as follows:
Mr.. Vice Chancellor and Gentlemen; shall |
20 only repeating what you have heard before In |
aging that have very gladly accepted your IN. |
fitation to say something to you In the cause of
out students; ever pnrsning their Investigation,
and ever nnding new heights to be sca!ed or
depths to fathom.
the temple OF the law, where BY due preparation
you are to he fitted for admission 70 It's inner
courts, and upon the use you shall make Of the
hero impaired 70 you, coupled with
only your admission 10 these inner courts OF the
temple. but the positions you shall there attain
as successful lawysrs. Win this In view have
gestions upon the requisite preparation for the
true mission OF the lawyer. In entering upon
the discussion OF this theme let me remark that
lawyer in the comprehensive meaning OF the
term. The duties and responsibilities that at.
tach 10 the lawyer are even In their restricted
sense varied varied and impoTtsn, Tne giving & o.
vention OF needless litigation, the sealons ad.
vocacy Of his clients rights before court and
Jury. are duties OF high moment, aud involve
commensurate responsibility.
But 10 the enlarged sphere Of his obligations
and trusts he may be called to eEpound and con-
strue, often to administer, and possibly to make
or encounter the duties Of Legislator. How he
may best ut himself for each and all Of these sta
tions Ia a serious problem not easy OF satisfac-
cstsloS"es @ V Srs,e with sounding titles Of works
protesting to be aids and guides to the lawyer,
their suggestions and conclusions often Is widely
different as are the standpoints from which they
OF paramount necesslty TO the student is q
thorough conviction Of the Importance As well
As the true object and aim Of, law and tbls not
unjust and ofitiInes absurd criticisms which men
outside Of the profession are wont to Indulge In,
but that he may have greater incentive to his
study OF thla noble, universal and ancient SCI
ence.
LAW IN TIE ABSTRACT
has an almost illimltabe meaning auL applica-
tion. II Is yafiously defined as . rule OF action
or direction, that which governs AMI controls,
kc, and In this general sense II not only perme-
ates every other science, but influences every
department OF being and action.
We, however, have to do with law In its con-
crete sense. that u, rule governing the inter
the order. the harmony, the preservation OF
society. It restrains the lawlese, protects the
right and punishes the wrong. From the time
that the Great Law. giyer promulgated the deca.
logue for the government OF the children OF
Israel, the histories OF nations and empires have
been marked by success or failure according TO
the character Of those who made and who ad-
blessed with wise lawmakers, having sufficient
forecast to discern the wants Of the people and
ability TO adopt legislation TO those wants as
and integrity 10 wisely and honestly administer
these laws, that nation has In general attained
pre-eminent position and envlAble fame, while
~ Sasc u nnxe pesn en
by superior power or their Innate weakness or
are hidden In the obscurty Of nomadic or bar
baric existence.
Rome's Imperial sway during the centuries OF
Its duration was largely due to the wisdom and
discretion of her Legislators and her judges.
And to-day, In our study OF the common law, we
veuing ages, many OF the distinctive features Of
the Roman law. In such high esteem was the
law held in ancient Rome that In all the instl-
tutes Of learning the study OF the Twelve Tables
was prescribed; and In the schools Of England,
at various times In her history, the study OF the
municipal law, ~ well ~ the civil and canon
law. have been made part Of the academic
course. This IL also tue OF some portions OF
our republic IN lts earlier history.
1t Ia true that now the study Of the law Ia al
most exclusively confined to those who are can
iidates for the profession. This Is mainly owing
to the somewhat difuse and complex growth Of
the science, rendering II impossible TO acquire
any practical or beneficial knowledge by making
+" The II ; sorid's history furnishes numb.rless
proofs that the supremacy OF the law Is the
synonym Of peace, order, and prosperity, while
It's suoyerson results In the widest anarchy and
confusion.
Being thoroughly Impressed with the import
Ance and dignity OF the science Of law, you are
to prepare yourselves to be its capable and en-
clent mlnisters. To this end the law school AZ
fOrds peculiar facilities. The spirit Of emula-
ton Is evoked by association the free discussion,
the interchange OF thought, the comparison and
analysis OF different constructions and conclu-
sions, resulting from varied mental organization,
call into active exercise all the faculties OF the
scholar, and are apt TO- fAsten upon his memory
Ills investi cations. Here, too, the prescribed
course OF reading ls dictated by matured expe-
Renee, sound judgment and wise Discrimination.
The student cannot he too careful to avoid
THE COMMON ERROR
Of looking upon the study Of the law as consist
Ing OF the mechanical recitation OF given num-
Der OF chapters from some treatise or answer
ng correctly the questions Of Q given lesson.
coming 10 this performance as TO q dreaded task,
and leaving It with feeling Of relief that IL Is
over.
know there Ia q prevalent disposition to view
the law asa dry, hard study, and this dlsposl-
on Is ~ shared y many Tho come 20 ne TIRES
Bnt this oterge, Ia one which every true
lawyer win ,pfomptly treasure, There is no
reason why the study OF law a. the rule OF hu-
man action should be any less attractive and In
teresting to those VINO have chosen II as their
profession than the investigation OF any other
science Is TO It's votaries. TN the contrary, II Is
q study OF unequaled attraction. What themes
can be- more fascinating than the rights OF men,
and the modes OF their requirement and en-
fOrcement, and the wrongs suffered and In
nlcted ny men with the means OF their redress
or punishment! For these, In my judgment, are
the TWO great diylslons VI the law ~ the rule OF
human action.
ln the light Of the broader nelds OF duty which
an lIl al ha
pathway OF your future, ami stretching beyon
inc scope OF the mere practitioner. you will ind
the study OF past and Gontemporaneous history
not only beneficial but really necessary. You
will encounter In the course OF your reading
many things seemingly difricult TO understand
and much laid down as law that will strike you
as being wholly inApplcable TO the present state
OF society, and you may hastily conclude that IL
Ia not required that you should give these p0r-
lions Of your studies much or careful attention.
l beg you do not fall into this error. To attain
complete knowledge and understanding OF law
In its present form and application, It Is essen.
tlal that you know through what changes and
notifications II has passed. = You cannot fall TO
observe how society Is continually undergoing
the change Of growth and progress, how the In
tercourse Of nature mas wonderfully Increased,
and process Of lsslmilatlon seems TO be grad
ualy going on how, too, the combinations and
relations OF sorlety are constantly undergoing
modification, and law ln It's application TO the
eyer-changlng and eyer-gtowing wants OF man
kind 10 In turn inOdlned and enlarged.
To understand these changes and the causes
that underlle them, as well as TO be prepared 70
participate In and wisely control and direct those
which the future is a. certain to bring In Its
hat has Aai a 1haas