Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-08-21
For the Chronicle
For the Caronicie.
LAWYERS
Or, the Profession OF Law and its
Practice.

II
extent, numbering among its member,
many of the best citizens of the land
some of whom have gained extensive
renown IN its practice, yet in my hum
bic opinion it has been of but yer,
little benefit to the great mass Of
peorle. Indeed, so far from its having
been a benefit. lam fully satisfied that
it has been the reverse, and that there
is no profession or trade, known TO be
honorable and respectable, that has
produced results which have borne Sc
oppressively upon the already heavily
laden shoulders of many of our best
and truest people as the difficulties
instituted or brought about by its prac-
tice, except, perhaps, the trade or call
ing of manufacturing and selling in
toxicating liquors. Our Savior fully
understood this as shown in his speech
when he said, Woe unto you also, ye
lawyers" &c. All other trades or pro-
fessions can claim for themselves some
real benefits to mankind. For in-
stance the farmer brings forth from
the soil with the aid of his labor both
food and raiment for his fellow man.
The miners forsakes- the bright light
Of day to toll and bring forth from
beneath the earth's surface ores from
which are manufactured metals of
every kind, useful oils, beautiful lights,
&c. The mechanic and the manufae-
turer work up and put into shape the
timber that grows upon the earths
surface, and the metal that is drawn
from beneath it, making it all useful
in various ways for the benefit of man
kind. The printer, whose profession
l am compelled to class as one of the
most important in the world, sends
forth from his dingy, inkstained Office,
the great material from which civiliza-
tion itself was formed, and is pre-
eminently the great lighthouse, whose
bright and glowing lamp sends forth
its brilliant rays of light and knowl-
edge throughout all lands, where dark
ness and ignorance, without it, would
reign supreme. The merchant makes
himself usefulin distributing the goods
and wares of the farmer and manufact-
urers throughout the world, to where
they are most needed, or in other words,
to where they will sell for the most
money. The Doctor is often useful
in relieving some poor creature of
sickness and pain that human flesh,
by intemperanee and imprudenee has
ever been heir to. sometimes doing it
in one way and oft times the other.
The banker furnishes the ways and
means through which monied trans
actions are reconsummated in the various
branches of trade. They also furnish
conveniences for safely keeping other
peoples cash from thieves, sometimes,
however, keeping it SO securely that
the owner never sees it again. fs1
Icould go on and possibly name fifty
other trades or professions, all of which
are to some extent a benefit to man
kind; but how, or in what way, the
trade oflaw is, or has been, beneficial
to community, / must acknowledge
that / am too thick headed to see !;
unless it is the taking care of the
money offoolish people who had rather
go tc law than to do what is right; or
winding up estates that are thrown in
chancery, so nicely that the heirs don't
quarrel over what is left. Some people
imagine that it is the duty of lawyers,
just from the name of their profession,
to have a great deal to do with the
making of laws. This is wrong i'm
preston. 1t is true, men who follow
the profession of law are often elected
to the Legislature. They are then,
(when they meet to make laws) Legis-
latols. and not lawyers. A farmer
might quit his farm aud engage in
merchandising he would then be a
merchant, and not a farmer. Should
he quit his store and go again to farm
ing, he would then be again farmer:
Juss so it is with the lawyer and the
Legislator, or with any other profess
sion and a Legislator. Sometimes
farmers, doctors and other professions
are made Legislators. Now, it is the
duty of the Legislators to make the
laws, and not the lawyers. for they are
employed and paid to do so. 1t is the
duty of the officers of the law 20 ex-
ecute the law, and not the lawyers. 1t
is the duty Of the Judge to decide all
questions Of law in civil law suits, or
criminal prosecutions, aud not the law
yers. II is the stern and positive dlty
of the Judge, or jury, to decide all
cases, either civil or criminal, brought
before them, in accordance with the
evidence of the witnesses, and not be
Influenced by the speech of the lawyers
or any other persons. Any Judge or
jury who is Influenced by the speech
of lawyer, or the speech or actions OF
any other person, and is not governed
wholly and entirely by the evidence of
the witnesses in their decision of any
case that comes before them for trial.
is entirely unfit to occupy the position
they hold. This is true, and every
honest lawyer will admit it to be so.
Now, suppose the Judge and the jury
do their whole duty. Where do the
benefits of the lawyer come in? Ans
wer: They go into his own pocket.
He has occupied the time of the court
and jury, and all at the States, coun-
TVS and clients expense, and muddled
the minds Of the jury so that they have
forgotten much of the evidence Of the
witnesses, and the benefits all go into
his own pockets.
How silly it seems, when we look at
the matter right, for two men to dis
agree and each to employ lawyer at a
big fee. One to counteract the infu-