, 1875-12-25
LOCAL LETTERS,
LEuAL HONOR,

To kde Editor n 7'hs Ch,eupo tribune;
fEsosuA Dec. 22.-Your co,rospoudent
"rapuIua bus drawn attention to TINT u1ut ol
honor which 30 many Of tho lcgal profession ex-
lttit. aud to come OF tho bad consequoncos re-
Buting fiou, tho lowering Of Tho standard OF
professional etiquette aud practice, md tuin1s
that " shame at least wlll force the lawyers and
Judges to tho conclusion that law Ia principally
intended 10 do jurt1ce to men, aud not to fur
n,Hh tlom with psetexts fur frlutl"
II l.e ia lawyer. and has read to any oxtans,
LIS muHt know tint many autl4orit,cs III legal
acieLcc, Wills admitting that law and nor.
ality aro nearly allied. aud mutually re-
lated 10 aud should support each 9th
or, get dony that tho relation nccessa-
rly Involves the supremacy Of moral ruios,
III this view the majority Of American Iawycrs
Justify Judge Tauvya decision in tho Drod
Scott case AZ good law,-whllo moat Of tncu
"ou'1 havn admitted that the slayery which waB
to cos!aln extons Uphold byl. wss decidedly
immoral; aud II u Certain that Judgcs> aud 1eE-
lsiatots too, ior that matter. do not pay much
attention 10 moral sauctluns while framing or
Administering tie iAs; 1t III sufficient for tle
t1rluer II It Is ACCORDING to tho statute" and
ll.a1 deulAnl. ami Tint there afp yutea emu :b
70 mako 1t tiudlns under Tho fortus OF 19r.
Under The Eulo thGt tho Legislative nuthotity
tnust oo nph. Id. Judges rarUI3 mud At long In
" ruling Ill acs 10 DO unconat1tutlolal j; Acarcu-
l} over btcan6e tho enactment saru,s OF End
niaY have remotely immoral efIect.
Lawyers. many Of thom, Nlile percclyiDg tho
thoir s.nusucs and effects, arm prone 10 cunccal
thesn ltom pardon4b.o professional prldo,
which las Its origin III tho realty valuable sor-
Wees wtllca tile profession has rendered TO
cly!llzstlOn in times past, they dislike to I'D.
init thst law, as administered III luis are aud ID
tits countFr, Is bot toe perfection OF human
roasoH. but III n majority OF chaps results IN
showing the npe! foc.iu II not yensl!ty, OF the
suvocaso ~ o. sho Judts much moro prominently
thAu tue superior quality Of tho law, ye. It must
be admitted that tho yerY feeling. II aroused to
lake tito r,oncr view Of the duty Of sho profos.
hols. might be uunde potent IN iInulug remedy
Tor tho Prevailing iu1tY.
Hhef! lawyers Aro individually ready ID ac-
Hho"tadks the obliga:lon Witch they are upder.
III common with Eleit fooa -cltlxuns OF other
usH"ttB' to see shat the euIa Ut Justice are IT.
.a'aeu an ~ caaos' a'1d that III defending fpkne
Or ctalniual they eantot shake on af lessen lie
weight of lhat obligation. sAero Will bs lopa fur
re1uin. To5 many Of them sre ,u1presseI will
,ho idea that ther duty IL to iho,r client aloue
!hls aohs, tueaf responsibility is ended. II by
their indifference or selnnhueAs society IL
brought t. artrk and chaps. tuvy say. "what IL
that ~ lis 7-seu thu tu t!,at." Ar officers ot tlo
IAw, taey are swptn to support tho Coustjsat,on
h,id thn la"s framed III ltlEsaanco !herauf and,
~ 1oat Constitutions azo popularity auppossd 10
be ilAde to establish justice aud aecuEs other
Eood aud y!ztl!ous objrcta. tuoy are thus uut!ur
double OBLIGATION t. SEQ that tho socia. STRUCTURE
OF o. "i.ica ~ ehsy form pstt - not aisn!egra.ra
1hc ta1usI1oa actually dono uudeF tho forms
OF law y 40 great ~ to cause the popular SAY
Jug That tnau caunnI be = lawyer aud BE-
honeat. While this conclusion IL largely due to
Ignorance aud ploiud!ce, there IL too much
gtonu1 fur The lnslact which pro!nps such con-
csuHson. Much OF 1t IL oAlng to tbs 1,Hdity Of
statute which cannot adjust itsols to oysry