The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-06-15
ATaIk to Young lawyers.

The graduating exercises OF the class
Of 1875 in the law department Of the Co.
lumbar University, Washington, were
attended by large and brilliant audi
ence. Hon. Reyerdy johnson was pres
ent, and spoke, but the principal address
Of the occasion was delivered by Hon.
Thomas Donaldson, distinguished Bal
tinore lawyer. He urged the necessity
Of adequate preparation. The old Eng
lish lawyers were Obliged to read eight
years before they were called to the bar,
and Lord Coke, as matter Of special
favor, was allowed to be called after ak
years,
As a general rule, it will be found that
those risC highest in tho profession who
are most thoroughly grounded in tho
principles OF the law before they attempt
10 practice. 1t is true that to tho end Of
his life, however prolonged it may be,
the lawyer must be labOrious student;
but his study, when it is in full practice,
Ia necessary and, for the most part, dt.
rectly connected with the cases he has in
hand, and therefore is not impartial
study, tho object Of which il purely the
ascertainment OF true principles Tor their
own sake.
Too often he Is anxiously searching ioF
authorities Tor supporting one side Of q
pending controversy, and very natural
bias tends to pGryert his judgment, SO
that tho sOnndness Of opinions thus form
ed cannot DO implicitly relied upon. H.
sides, constantly IN the midst Of trials,
not unirequentily in chamber consnl1a-
slGnS, anu NOTABLY %ne', ho ~ su"ucn,y
oS' as,; :" VIZ" ~ III" o % r;:o,y ais"
which call for immedia,o decision, when
the exigencies Of the case will not admit
special preparation or the examination Of
many authorities; and then, II his pre-,
y'ous sInules nave not Deen extensive anu
!MoFougn, Nv WI. w u" '.;o 70 p'i'o,
% rioIoj!S fact wLicb bc him."If mat
rrec3Snize with modification even II il
should not DO discovered by his client.
AT the best, and even when time for pre-
paration is not lacking, study for par.
ticular cases cannot be systematic, and for
that reason alone must lead to imperfect
results. II Is an acknowledged defect OF
the English common law that, being
founded mainly on preCcdents, ii Is want.
ing In scientific arrangement; and the
great aim OF legal education should be to
C0unteract this defect ~ far aS possible
by systematizing the various learning Of
the reports, and developing the philOsO.
ply that lies concealed in the numerous
decisions Of the Judges.
Mr.. Donaldson made II uructical sup.
,,,,,;on ~ rrdorL,oJ vnIuo In ,ooon,
os"'.u" VI 49, T 49,. ,"'ns .n ss
'"e''uI"s 'n"' S'uue"'S "'"N' themselves
acquainted Win tho science anu practlce
Of bookkeeping; there was lamentablc
degree Of ignorance in this matter amongst
members Of the profession. The accom-.
plishment gives an advocate or counsel.
lOr a great advantage in commercial cases
Of magnitude and in numerous transac.
tlons where accounts are involved.
Another consideration Of great cOnSe-
quenee to you personally Is, that you
Shon!d DC a6lG to Keep and you should
acquire the haDit oi Keeping your own
accounts IN proper manner lnteIlIgIbIe
70 DINERS Ns wen as TO yourself Mem
6erS oil our profession not only receive
IGrge sums Of money 10 DC pNld over Ia
ClIonIs, Dut constantly aGt aS trustees or
dnihl'!rat9Fs' OF III o'ner JUDICIARY ca
Paclty, IN Tue course OF Whlch employ
ment many sums large anu smGli are re-
Gelyed ana dlSOur'cu; ana !lnlGS! Their
BOOKS are accurately ana lntelligehily
kept, there IL no showing now MucIl IN
) Jury IHey may no 10 'heh'o ives anu 70
diners fot want oil attention to TINS
matter SOME Decolnc e'l'"hg'e" III ehlnat'
easements before they are aware oil their
DANGER ana their regulations suffer
talnt IRON which they can never recover
The study Of legal biography was warm
ly commended. Consultation and discus.
sion with experienced practitioners was
urosd Tho vourg lowver nina, ma, ia
1T A. 1T. II, ;,.,a ~, ~
"r"'u " oOTle's MS 'E"or""ce' ~ IT,
garu 10 the Dus'i'e'S OIL Speecn'haKihg'
rhetorical nourisliOs were condemned.
You may rely upon it that the simplest
phrase Ia the most forcible. There are,
\ Of course, individuals peculiarly gifted,
Whose lively fancies TEEN with images,
and to whose minds apt illustrations come
nnsOught; and even with the most matter
Of fact among us, there are moments Of
glowing excitement when fgurativo
speech Is natural and unavoidable; hut
elOquence never comes from act purpose
to be eloquent, and artificial flowers are
~ the nest Dut poor limitations.
"Io. az yI"s "rsG1.s anu S IT.
orJsr And IN tbiS and n"iI;Na a., ,Vs s"n
duce 30 much as a constant habit Of
writing. Take painsto acquire It, and be
careful to maintain II. Let your pen be
the companion Of all your reading. II IL
obvious that skill in composition, and
ease and correctness Of style, are Of the
greatest value to members Of our prOfeF.
sion, and that they can he acquired only
by continual practice. 1t Is not mainly
for such reasons, however, that | now
make this recommendation, and certainly
not that you may write out your speeches
ar,! repeat them by note; but because it