Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-04-21
For]the Freeman.
Iow StudieS for the People.

household. it is wise in the lnliiDit''i'' "
concentrate their energies in efforts "
deepen and widen the channel, reiiio' "s
distractions, and causing the river 10 ii'"
peacefully therein to the sea- carrying anu
hrinoing the blessings of life to the county
:. 5ar,stoted. and families it had impover
;sbed So will it be with the lawyer ci's>'
when their talent and education are tur'ieu
into = normal channel, and their m'lel Id
interests are no longer subserved by inc
IGNORANCE, discussions. mlsdemeahors anu
crime, of their fellow citizens
II is well known that lawyers depend Oh
the nractice of their profession. mainly 1or
= livelihood, and that their chief business
| is the prosecution or defense in lawsuits
and the defense of persons charged Will
misJemeanors or crimes before the courts
and tbe LEGAL profession can have hut little
professional business, unless the WORST pas
sions of depraved human beings are
brought into activity; rs envy, revenge
deceit. covetouSness and every kindred
passion. which stimulates people to mall@n.
deceive. fefraud, and in every conceivable
way to in ure each other and bring on
litigation. The Legislature of the States
enact the laws which govern every resi-
dent citizen in all of their business trans
actions and social relations, but all through
systematic knowledge Of those laws is con-
fined bv custom and education to the legal
class, for whose pecuniary interest it Is to
have the people tran>gre>s them.
We have public free schools in many
states; colleges, universities and denomi-
national schools, we'll endowed and flour
ishing; but none Of them give a course Of
instruction in the statute laws Of the State.
where they are located, or of any State
and the highest classes leave the schools
ignorant in that respect. like the lower;
and all of them are sent ont into the world
to pursue the avocations and professions for
Il livelihood without Il knowledge of the |
law by which they must transact the whole |
of their business, and order their social
relations. The consequence is, the pupils |
make many mistakes, are frequently de-
ccived, defrauded and led into lawsuits
None of the schools give a course of in
struction in the system of our national and
states government, showing how to elect
and organize Legislative bodies. and pro-
coed to transact such business as belongs
to them IN proper manner; they cannot
give tie title of the State officials and tell
their duty, liability ana compensation;
neither can they explain the chartered
rights of cities. and the form and method
OF their government, stating the duty and
responsibility of their officials. nor the in
corporated rights of villages and rural
towns, with their method of choosing
officers and of governing themselves; the
schools do not instruct their pupils how to
court of justice or law. cmpan-
mel jury, and proceed to the trial of cases
in legal manner. but the scholars are
left TO infer that such knowledge is of
minor Importance, OF that. like animals.
the pupils can perform their governmental
duties by instinct. Duty to the govern
ment. which furnishes the schools which
the pupils are attending. is ignored.
Every male pupil Will become 4 Voter
md be eligible TO official stations. bat the
iuty which every man owes to his country
IS voter or office holder. is not insisted on
n those schools, nor the duties defined or
Explained. AMI thu, patriotism. which
should be taught first and last. is omitted
n the course Of instruction. consequently.
he pupils infer that Justice And ciu,ty
in law. is of no manner of a,.-
cunt to them. and that their material in
erests are the all in all of educ. tion. and
II cour>'. when they leave school AMI
axe = part IN The government. they seek
7 accept office. for the money 10 be made
y 1t; they have been cducltcd no hirh.r
y The >chool>.anl the les ut is the venalitv ii
Which dl~graceS the public service in the
h'l'a States, and the universal demolal-
zatlon OF the people; and, in TIL nature of /
he case, there can BE- no reform which does F.,
OF BEGIN with the plblic >rh ,ol in>truc- l
on OF the common people. AMI no securi
until lawyers ar c:,llt II Il, the .ro,I a
'ork OF in>trur:in- tn le,ple in their j
vll rights and duties. y
Societies should b, formed in towns Z
nd counties to hire The best and able~ ,
'wvers to give them regular and con
nuoas instruction in the statute laws. and q
lie normal system of orr govern ueni.
lat every individual may understand the !,
TVS tor his or her protection. They !,
loali prepare tex books of instruction
II the Use of schools.
II was b,rt'tel Of the armies of t!,, frs. "
apoleon that 50 thorough WAS the mill u
:; educ 'tlon and discipline of his COM a
ION soldiers, that every one was fit for =
eherai; 50 every graduate of our public ;
ee schools should be qualified by the
and patriotic discipline of those :
su'utl'n>' to faithfully discharge any =
neal duty created by tn. government q
nj the teaching LAWYERS sloulJ r.c.;,-o n
'h"fS ana emo!ument>, besides their sal G
" proportional to the measure of their P
ceesS IN keeping their respective towns c
l" counties free from Discussions. law a
Hts mI>demeanors and crimes. i
c. A. L. l.. 4,
!, Leaving out of the question the camn 1
flowers and mercenaries. the rank ,nt c,
OF the Republican army are as sem; W
We to moral influences Us ever. Non,rt,. n
IN be long IN power without ATTRACTING r. +,