Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-08-23
A QUANDARY.
A Lawyer In q Fix-ResignafiOn or
Starvation.

A Lawyer In q EfX-Res18n0flOn or
Starvation.
To the Union and American:
Some time since one of the members of
the bar of ''the only flushed town" in the
the State determined 20 retire from the ar.
duous duties Of his profession and spend his
remaining days in the pleasant pastime of
counting the "profit and loss" on his legal
aud political investments.
AS politician he had been success, van
gushing all competi ORG with ease, through
the Overpowering merit of his misf0r. unes,
aided by his superior lack Of personal
beauty. He was not one of your modern
Caesars, with an overweening ambition; but
contented himself with seeking positions of
honor, trust, and profit, within the gift of
the people Of his own couDty. He was
never known to make any political speeches
not him!-he published circulGrS-and
fostered the press of the country; and when
ever bis competitors saw him approaching
the baliot-box with his circulars and his
crut b or cane they 'ingloEiously fed" ffoD
the field.
When be commenced the practice of law,
or proposed to commentator there are
still some insinuations made that he never
had csse-he found that "circulars" and
"misfortunes" would not insure success.
Something more was necesssry-brains,
for instance, considerable knowledge and
great patience, inierspersed With q reason
able share of the ''gift of CAB, /" or what the
old people call ''tongue." l have heard it
intimated that ''brass" also enters largely
into the composition of a lawyer, but in
justice to the profession repel the insinu-
alton with scorD, and hurl i back with de-
fiance into the very teeth of-the SANDER
ers. Who ever heard of q lawyer with
"brass?" pause for reply. True, they
sometimes have "tin," but generally very
little of that. But l am DEPRESSING from
the subject. AS before stated, the said
lawyer determined to retire from the prac-
tice, and from what follows it appears that
he was no less determined to retire from
the profession. He informed some of
bis professional brethren that be was going
to resign his position as "Attorney at Law"
This announcement caused frequent private
consultations among the aforesaid "breth-
reD," and the result was that the disaffect-
ed brother was informed that he could not
resign without the consent of the court.
Court being In session at the time, applica-
ton was Immediately made to the court for
permission to resign. The occasion was
both novel and interesting. There was q
full attendance of the bar, and the people
crowded in to witness the rare sight of a
lawyer resiguipg bis position. The usually
dignifed and polite Judge was evidently
amused, and disposed to humor the joke.
A humorous member of the bar, by request
rendered the resignation, in a very compli-
mentary 4nd pointed speech, and concluded
with the hope that the court would sccept
the resignation Of bis brother attorney and
permit him to retire to the peaceful pursuits
of private life. Another member arose with
grave and sober (?) mien, and objected
to the proceeding. He read "Comic Black
stone," "Flush Times in Alabama" and
"Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad" but
be had never yet been able to find either
law or precedent for such motion, auG he
earnestly hoped that no such disastrous
precedent WOald be establis ed. The
question was deliberately discussed" pro
and co until the eloquence and lSpiritS
of the whole bar had become exhaus ed.
The discussion might have continued
longer and been more spirited, had r. not
been for the habit which the members of
the bar bad contra cted of smiling frequently,
even on more serious occasloIs han the
one mentioned. The Judge said the ques-
ton, as a question Of law, was entirely new
10 him, and in the absence of authority or
precedent either way, be would prefer to
be excused from giving an opinion; bat if
the ar, licant desired il he would certify the
matter in question to the Chancellor for his
opinion. The applicant asseDted, of course,
but the opinion of the Cha cellOr has not
yet been delivered. In the meantime, the
aforesaid lawyer does not know whether he
is lawyer or not, and he is almost driven
to the verge of ms nifty in the vain effort to
determine what be really is.
He sometimes imsgines himself kind of
burlesque on Nessus, with his profession
sticking to him lise that time-worn shirt of
classic fame. Again he imagines himself q
new edition of "Prome:heGs BOund,n and
engages in endless contests With imaginary
vultures. Not only ne, but the whole pro-
fession, is interested in the decision Of this
question, as grave sppsehensions are enter
tanned that q decision favorable to the ap-
plicant would very much impair the ''noble
brotherhood" You se5, il would estab-
lish an easier and more honorable way of
retiring than the present popular method
of "stsIviDg out" "Resign sounds re-
spectacle, and would doubtless soon become
thing of common occurrence, should the
proposed precedent be established.
Any how i. is pretty freely iasinuated
that enough 'lawyers'' would 'sresign'' to
leave respectable living for those remsia-
ing true to the profession. The newes'
and decidedly the freshest legal gues.-,,on Al
present engaging tie attentior OF the pro-
fession Isl Can LAWYER resign? While
this question Is neending will some humane
indiyiduali suggest the means of sfFordinp
temporary relief to g suffering brother ?
He that hath the desired information, and
will not impart it, should be deprived of that
which he hath. CERTAIN.