National Republican., 1873-05-29
stood upon the threshold of my lawyer life.

when ,hs hsAsa ny days before mo and the 'nmul'
Ishsll not therefore, speak to you tonight as
a teacher, but a. one of yourseves--as one
knowing your feelings, having Jour despalrs,
iol1nE loa ~ IN IN you, ambitions come 70 welcome
come you 10 ita failures, 70 wecomoyou 70 lts sue
cesses; TO welcome you 70 Ia labors; 70 welcome /
your backs upon the green ielda G and stiil waters
OF mere scholastic lifel henceforth you take |
your place upon the broad road OF life. 10 be |
res,ess % % tnrong y .bsv sa nur'ea Sy t,ee s
you search for your Plerian spring amid |
the lights and shadows Of working life, and |
Of a hurrle,i generation' Your teach.
srs have led you up 10 this hour hereafter you |
cut your own way with your own right arrIi, and |
make make for Yourself yc1r place in llie Win no
the dark and stormy tides, when life gives bat |
tie to the elements, and man wrcstles with man |
n. LOT some s, slight plank whose weight win bear but
hungry blows roar, and the fierce fate, like
some huge monster, dm-seen through the surf,
Know Of no sher profession than the law.
When, In the beginning, God spake and said
"Let there be light" Ills divine benencence
dashed Into cAlstence world OF law, The gol-
spread It's bow across the turbld waters which
marked worlds disaster, ere the NoachiAn peo-
PIE were made TO feel the necessity OF law,
When amid NC llghtnlngs OF heaven and the
spake It waSto give the law, and lie who came
later, startling the shepherds OF Jndea upon the
plains OF Bethlehem amid the shouts OF heavens
hosts, aud the singing Of the morning stars, an
nounced that he was not 10 destroy, sut 10 fnlnll
the law. Gentlemen, you will practice Cod
class Il men That more ihsS any s othcr IoTms
aud moul1s public opinion. Look Into history
and sec how from the beginning law has shaped
the destiny Of the world. See how law has
watched In the temple OF freedoml she has
been the guardian Of art; the protector Of
science; the handmade OF religion her mighty
power has spread itself about the pursuits Of In
lustryl How like mighty bulwark Of liberty
the judiciary has stood unawed by the forms OF
kings, or the edicts OF popes, preserving peo-
ton OF mans reason, the protector OF mans
labori II spreads itself throughout q land and
lol by the magic Of Its name comes peace and
the pillar OF nre by night. From the calm
serenity Of conscious Integrity II covers all with
the panopy OF It's protecting genius; II reaches
dcscends unto the very lowest OF Gods creation,
and taking him In tender embrace holds him as
the apple Of tho eye. Like the tabled tent OF the
Anss @ spresa s al ,Se armies 6i ne % Sultan msy
rest beneath It's protecting shadow.
In England eighty-two pcerages have been
created from the law, while In this country all
Of our Presidents but four have been educated
for The bar; and Your own observation win re-
ventions were led by your brethren. The gentle
We know their power how they make and un-
make men; how silently, yet potently, they drop
upon every hlli-top and search every valley; how
creating and moulding with plastic hand the
mind Of man, but remembering that
"Power, which In the age Of Iron
Burst forth 10 curb the great
And raise the low"
lux BAR AND THE PRESS.
bid them salute the law. Gentlemen, you are
profession is honorable iI is ia6orious. 4 law.
yeT's life Ia not one OF play. From the time you
enter It's active profession to the period OF your
i tetreat there must Dc constant strain Of muscle
| breaks stones upon the streets, when the shad-
ows OF night begin 70 fall, can throw his pick TO
earth apA seek his homo for rest, Not so
the lawyN. He may leave his books behind him,
but he carries his cases with him as he walks as
he rides, US he cats; everywhere they bear
upon him like a huge burden, and at night
brief, OF haii.tried case, or doubtful
point, chases sleep from his eyes. say 10 yOu in
All fnnkness, u your souls be not burning with
an unquenchable desire TO serve thla memorable
mistress; 4 you not content to labor long and
die poor; II you cannot turn your hacks upon
the honon OF the world aud desplse the tricks Of
the demagoguc; N you cannot watch and walt,
you had better this night turn your back and
seek less laborious and better paying business.
/ | would advise no man to enter our profession;
swTsr mn pyipg WSu sr,S p5eie, tSs nU1 n,ny 70 marry
I
you continue Its walks, success will as surely
crown your efforts as that you are patient hon.
est and ndastSHs suppose Z Is this want o.
out Of practice, for sure II Ia that not more than
| one sixth OF the graduates at law pursue theli
profession. Many men come TO the bar with the
idea that the work OF study Ia over; for one
knows most when he Is reading law, or think.
he does, but the trst days OF practice bring
home TO him hts Ignorance. The more mar
reads the more he feels he has 10 read, and
good lawyer Ia always conscious Of this want Of
| knowledge, and bears himself with becoming
meekness, as did Sir Matthew Hale, who, belnI
reprOached by Cromwell that he was not nt 20 bs
Judge, made answer that It was very true
The second day after opened once gentleman
called TO secure my services TO obtain an injunc
ION 70 prevent the tearing doTp o. party wall
reference TO the subject-matter Of the suit; bu
when l came to stand face TO face with the prac
Teal L. dlfiieglty, how my courage oosed thr3ggl
before seemed clear; and declare TO 20,
through tue fear that possessed my soul, sough
the assistance Of an older lawyer, and Of cour 81
lost my fee.
You have but begun your education, and III,
years Of mental discipline and severe stud!
through which you have passed have but taugh
you how TO study; for he has well Improved hi
time who, upon entering the bar knows wher
to look bDr law. | shall not attempt to advis
, you what hooks TO read. There Is scarcely law
lecturer that does not give list, and probably,
would be perpIexed by a dozen direfSen len
opinions. Il " 4 matter In which every MAJ
must be guided Ivy his own wants and ex
, periences; but always remember that II Is q mat
ter for the exercise OF great judgment. Lor
I Bacon has well said that "some books are TO b
tasted, others TO be swallowed and some TO b
1 ehewed and digested." Think momenti Rnl
over the numerous volumes that go TO make "a
good library. A mans life Is too short TO read
much less understand them, and the best th
student can do Is To ground himself upon princI
: pies aud seek TO apply them 10 the case pre-
sented, together with the leading cases appIlca
1 BILE thereto. And be very careful not TO max
Il yourself mere case lawyer. This may hay
report books dropping daily from the press, tn
case hunter can never be a successful pract
TONER. I know Il has been said by Mt. MAJ
: In "court Of Justice the yeriest dolt that eve
!, stammeTed a sentence would be more attende
II 20 with case In point than Cicero with a
% eGquoaSe pot SpsuPPSsted PPSs S authority
u 70 look up casesi but, having foun
' them TO study the reasoning Of the court, 10
says lord SGke rsHson Is : the ,s o. The sy
. u reason" Aud Mr., Justice Powell well said, /
Coggs vs.. Bernard, reported In I'd Lori Ral
4 mond, "consider the reason OF the case, 4
! = nothing Is law that Is not reason" You wi
thus shortly acquire the habit OF discussing case
|, from principles, and cultivate a keenness
! mental vision which will enable you to dlstll
!, gulsh between apparently conflicting author
:, ties. Nor must you, gentlemen, alone study Ia
- or be a walking edition Of bleckletter bound
" calfs TherO Is nothing In the broad unlyeri
that q lawyer can learn but at some time In h
professional life he will need it and can use II
y advantage. Devote your spare time 10 liter
= ture. A lawyer ought TO be.a man OF accon
10 plshments. lie ought TO be q son Of science;
pupil OF art; devoteo OF literature. lie ougl
TO be able 10 seize the telescope and read the hi
u tory OF the stars; with the microscope 10 unde
e derstand the smallest OF Gods creation; TO u
q derstand the causes aud powers OF heat and col
ID the philosophy Of motion, the wonders OF m
% chineTy; TO trace out the woLdrous framewo
Q Of man, his muscles and nerves and veins; To u
derstand the sublime and appreciate the beau
ful. OH the wondrous power Of this thing mi
u, call learning II gives US the arms Of Briareu
III and we gather to ourselves hundred power
er You take the glass, and 10! the heavens are b
le fore yOul You behold the sun, read Il
a. stars, comprehend the moonl You at Ia
= understand the Titanic influence that
" about you; that holds the world In
" place and draws unto itself the sea. "
10 catch the wind, and lOi the ocean grows Will
rs with your commerce; you compress the streal
~ aud 10! through the valley, over the mountal
B across the continent from sea unto sea, the pc
n- derOus wheels Of mans thoughts arc nylng wi
T. q strength greater than that OF the OK and
I'd speed surprising that OF the antelope. Loo
rs mans thought has reached out into the unlver
te his power has grasped the winged lightning, al
I'd now nation speaketh unto nation, and peopl
unto peoples; across the deserts, down deep
the quiet Of the oceans bed, circling round 4
mountain top, leaping from valley unto valley
I'd 10 electricity,
py Heavens cherubln, horsd
Il. Upon the sightless courlers OF the air.