, 1874-06-20
THE LAW.
Address of the Hon. ). r.
Doolittle
TO, tho Graduating I1nw-C1ass Of
tho WISCONSIN State Uni
vcrsity.

Tho Hon. JamcH II. DoolittIo delivered tho
following address to tho graduating lnw-olasa Of
tho WiHconsit, stato University, III tho Assembly
Chnsnbor Ut! Wadlaon, on clio eyontng Of Monday
last: .....
YOUNG 9ENrInMEs Tho profession you hayo
chosen Ia lnboriouB ald honorable; at laborious
mid honorabo Ms ,,a1y other. 1n Holue respects,
1t stands boforo all othbrs.
/ I repeat;
IT Is AS LAnpR1ous;
It requires long aud oxactlng study, and patient
rcAoArch upon oil subjects involving rights mud
duties IN human alfulrs. 10 attu'n high omi:
;nenco, it Is necessary TO have knowledge Of all
other business, and Of all othor protossous
not In detail, porhapB, but In general especially
Of thoir n,odoa Of actii,g end dealing with all
otllcrH. All tho loyal rights dutlos and oblfga-
tions of all mon. clnsses, aud profesaions, must
be, iii BONO moaH,ro, understood by those who
assume to DO their cotlnscllors, md to givo d.
roction TO thoir aifairs. Lot no ono, therefore,
WHO ontors upon tho lognl profession, ever hopo
to attnin hugh emnonce, or oven ton good stalld-
ing in It. without long yeara OF pntient ind por-
seVoring labor. Lot me assure you, young gcn-
tlomon, though your courao ln tho LAW School is
finished, your study IN tho profession is but just
1s have said,
1T Is AS HONORABLE ...
Mt any other profcBsion do not now refor to
tho wel-known faot TINT out OF tho legal profess
sion all who fill Judicial Positions must come;
and that largo proportion OF those who I'LL I'LL
othor high olllcoH OF atate aro. in fact chosau.
T apoak Of tho profession as such, puro and
simple, and OF thoHo who conlino themselves
strictly to its dutes, refusing to 10 drawn Into
any other pursuits. It IL honorable, because
ali men null all professions honor it. III the
tiino OF trial, whcn involved III troubles which
they cannos solye, all othors come to tho g legal
profession for COUNSEL aud direction. They
yicld. aud, bocatHe knowledge is power, arc
compelled to yield the J1omage duo to q pro-
| founder knowledge Of human aiTairs,-of lu-
man rights, duties, obl'gations, injuries, and
profession il honorcd because 1T is tie
worlds confossor, counselor, patron, frioud.
When al t. prosperous .,,s' G'r p5ofss
| loHH Or so1nothing worse But, when serious
trouble conea, tho man who but Yesterday DE-
| clared ho had mover employed a inwyer III llis
| life, aud that ho mover intended to do 80, will
hood ready to gyo him ha!f Ills fortune to aayc
| tho rest or lnlf l1o eau recover to bring tho
n,an who has wrongod him to trial and to judy
lnont, Tha laugh aud bneer yesterday turn to
homage and respect to-day.
| 1t cannot bo doniotl, Bonle who bcar tho nalno
Disgrace tho profession, aud douaryo condomua-
ton aa promoters Of stlifo aud litigation. But,
with Ill experience OF thirty. years, hhyo nosor
l IL
ono who held itu cstoe1n, whose influence, coun-
| sol, and advice llayo not always
TENDED TO PEACE;
| to restrain tho paBAiona OF men to compose and
10 cid Btrfo aud litigation. No claas Of
mon understand 80 vol tho evils OF
litigation nono snclitico moro to prevent 1t. No
other class docs, III fact, tho ono"tonth nart rs
much to bring about actual aottlomonts aud peace
betwoen partics whoho passlons or interohtH aro
cl4ahing against oncli other. Go into my town
or yillago wl,ero you will and you will tind the
iutiuonce of tho leading members Of tho profos,
Hion always In favor OF coclliation aud pence. II
III only when tho parties themselves insist upni
MI actual conflict boFUro tho courts tint tloy 10
| pear before them, -
have knuwn single mon IN tho r,rofcssion--
could na1nu tAom-who, In their towns, linvo dtJn'
moro to preserve peace and goqd-lloiGtlborh oot
than I'LL the other mon OF the noighborhood pu
together, not That they were batter mon, but 10
tho simple reason that. from their learning, thei
superior knowledge, from their poHitio,
and stas.ding III wise true, aud sate coanselors
the passions Of parties, wien al! others fail to
knowledge uphold by etrung clarnctcr and in
corrupted integrity iB power. That lawyer
worthy Of the name should boco1no promoters Q
strife und litigation for any purposo. mud, OF a
things, for tho base purpose Of putting mouo.
in their purse,
I. would bo as tlishonorablo il not rs wicket
aud cruel ~ if membtrs or the nletlical profess
aiou should spread smallpox anl! cholera to il
crcaBe thoir practice a,sd their protltb.
ue WHO, in tho nnrlo Of our profession. wou't
Btir up strife, encourage litiSation for nny pur
pose, aud especially to put money In hts lsockot il
unworthy Of it. Sl,ch man Is not, aud ca1
mover have, tho confidence Of true men. LoaH
OF all hnH he tho respect Of Tint noble profcH
sion Lo would prostitute aud Disgrace.
But one name describes such man and such
character, and but ono person has done 1t f1l
| 4 ,oFn $f,nE ETnf I
i name so expressive and 30 well understood
mud yet 10 1tirl to detne, 80 newly coi1ol from
tic naint Of B!aug, that it has not yet found it!
way into Wobster's Unabridged, yet is too goot
to be lost ald too iuteisa III meaning not to bt
"s11ysrEn."
Though not to bo found III the dictionary, it Iat
| been aAjudicated libelous III tho courts Ut CHI
world. there is place where that word is under
stood, md w!ier0 tlie courts should hnvo fnl
Jurisdiction Oh tho question. that place is Chi
caEo.
but come, gentlemen, now, to speak Of th'
truo olllco Of great aud good lawyer, Which Il
the object, l trust. of your honorable ambition
1t III, Jtrst Of al, to 1nalo peace; to eomt,ost
strifes; to avoid Litigation !; secondly, IT al Of
torts full in that, his second duty IL to nfd tut
Court analyzo tho cano, to roach and to tloci1e
it upon its merlts aud thus to aid IN tho further.
anco OF Justice among mon:
Before etiteriug upon Tho consideration OF THU
| SECOND un[Y OF UEulGlt VI I4H 0lllCN " AIkOlAb'
aud counselor, which pertnins to his conduct If
actual litigation, wish to mention ono NOR
rcuson why our profession holds 10 honorable
position among mon.
It is thus: l}ccalao tho whole course OF ou
, st,kJoH leulln to tlo cultivation Of tho
bESHE or RIGHT AND wnofu.
Our pleadiugs before courts and 1uries are Al!
ways addressed TO tho Conscience. to tho obliga
tiunA Of duty. We plead for mercy; to hustai1
what III right, or to punish What is wrong: Al
the paintor OF sculptor oultlyates and rollnea hi
Honso Ut beauty IN color and in form, 80 doe!
tue truo lawyer cultivate and rotlno tho Bense ol
lunlico, tomporel with charity, In tho aGairs ol
1utiona aul Of mon.
Il boing tho duty and tho. daily duty Of tlt
counselor to know what ts inst, and how 1t cur
be attainad, it is not claiming too much to IN,
tl,ut, in some dcgreo the character ltnolf Is olo
yatod by B'lc4 study and such duly duty.
rou must bo aware, too. that, ln gleat ma
iority OF cases. controversies aro in fart, Aottlci
ltld oomproniaed under tho advice Of wiao ooun
nelors for both parties. II IS no uncommon