National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-05-29
PUTTING DOM THE DR.ihEs.
....,- ,or Admission TO the BAR Must b
Something More Than a Col
ns,,In

A..
-....,- ,,r Admission TO the BAR Must be
Competcnt-s Something More Than a Col
lcae Diploma Necessary.
The manner Of admitting practitioners to
the bar having become rather loose, the STU
prcmc Court OF the District adopted n rule on
the subject and then appointed committee TO
examine applicants. They made q report yes
tcrlay, which will he found interesting csrc-
cally to those ambitious to figure in the legal
profession. The following is the text of the
report:
The undersigned the committee appointed by Your
honors 10 examine into the qualifications o. nlpii,
h inSy have mnhs dnG inquiry in," ., ,,,G gS
Colicge directed and that, while they are satisfied
~ To tie learning IN the law aud character nf earh OF
have n studied aW tr rec Years as The rule requires
aud they report that the names the gentlemen whn
TSs i ny S Ec c . %. %%r rRo% aS ian
Edward A. Dck. Moses Brad,iaw and RNhaId Ro
%,smd ,Ha, he gr,tlsnem aG5ve nSn'sd lie Sd,nliIed
to Grnr!ice nj the hgr Of your honorable count u"
me nndcrsgi-ed cgnnot conclude their report with.
tSem II IN the highest degree ausrc,ous a,id matter
At rroper cnngrniulnl9n that, q the mrortant mat
ms As counsc! " your hopotOr'c court u la. ;,cnlsl
81 ~ 20 W ES cs ""Sr s r s
~ chnrmt"r and learning should be len for the nts'l
Your Honcrs from the membcr uf the mir In r,,r'
suug this coutsc yuir ilnnors have madra great step
bon Of u" encsn, purity dsnhy aud inta.nce Of III"
directly Interr'Sd IN tie elevation 1t The lar as uC
order thaniSrirss aud the undersigned think h+rr are
innn th"Sc ad"pin i" v1ur IHnors Of making III. bar
III gnGmlam, AT nI2ir,"rs Of Their @%n "r u
Lad always prevailed rplMrrni that ih"ughny o'
unworthy aud n'rInrct"nt rcrSuu< When it is ecu;
m"i common d. rsG suai as G@ S to pr ." an" Of IL"
"4 hm Sr S Gc %r o, AM o SH an f np% nS
part olthr machinery OF l"slcG = r. sgrrIiIng e the
seemingly indifferent Ia the imrurtRn'r Of protect
ing themselves Inc bar aud the public from the evils
%nsr t s rTSEn "EP r." rc % S & ey
" an IN m. ' M T,,'% rm. %.S h AID H" tSc
,.-:.-.-.!gn. A lar marked by devotion 10 the
snG zen "a" ;S am %;? &c SSn S"a Igar,s
administration uf JUSTICE 9r"". sItH nn.wrSs
Inspiration must nccome inevitably 50 inytrGnor, -,
smial WI by falling under the dominion Of igiio6le
iniNt than that which Is Impressed on The bar The
nSrions John Marshall Is repoied 10 have said that
wicked people T. q corrupt Judiciary. aud The under
'iud ~ ils "rn corrupt aud mcrc,nary bar are not
mr shor, e, .,->- which Cnsne upon the rnlnion nf
Ne Emn! ~ o. jn,r Gs s S t 81" SH
| which II nGws Is unclean:
III. conad.ior Of liz, pWblr by having IN rs ranks a
| FEW unworthy members No one Will question that
nsn u. public cona"rce IN The cs, n'c"sS % S
that should bc constituted as that will regard
~ the sniinrl aud guardian Of their dearest rights
but u Is plain tia, 30 long ~ the unrrincirlcd and u
diifult il not InpHsSibr Tor il 10 Occupy the "Nait"
position TO which il Is entitled, aud which undouht
Negligent in the preservation OF The barriers which
per"nCe teaches Us are nscsSry to ihe conservation
The cclcbratcd Jeremiah Uridcy 10 move his adinlS-
har for they must he consulted boCanSr the nj.
WAYS INQUIRE Y = ne Win ne consent Of il,e bar;
Mr. GrdIey coneiHdS his oIScrVaiInns by saving: i
| therefore recommend him with the consent Of the
In England. as Is well known, tho profession the
when we take nt" view The uni"nbtci tact tia, thG
standard NJ the bar In tie Uniicl states WIS ~ former
Il has been for n considerable period. il is aim.
clllt to escape the conclusion that the dCcndsncc
| which has taken place Is due entirely TO tho
s In%, The H;,, courts s,, hay" n% HGnrcc,aS s9i,
OF making the bar the Judges Of the fitness and com
potency OF us members As tho District Of Columbia
SHS der 10 he proper as we'll T as S to u ,n enc
G sSsns ~" % n s TSh APPEAL 10 ,hs
To be- regarded ~ the ultimate EVIDENCE Of the fitness
sound principle that no body Of men having an in.
teresi, direct or indirect persona or pccuniary, Ia
should hive SmyiIing to do Will Their admission 10
the bar. No weight Of character or learning can I'M
pair the force Of this objection. especially when they
| are subjected 10 the temptations which are apt 10
spring from an active rivalry and competition Tor
II is furthermore outside the sphere of these nsiltu
part knowledge Of the law, while il belongs 10 The
profession To test the result OF their teaching To tie
schools Themselves, attracting ~ they do To their
halls students from n parts Of The country, Il is I'M
poTlan That their diplomas should MT eptitl. those
holding them To admission to the bar Of this District
for the natural consequences OF giving their diplomas
such effect would he 10 lOCnlgc and contract the
sphere Of their ''pre'l by giving undue prominence
to the juTsPrudrDce and LEGAL procedure OF the District
oftnlumb.,, and inducing prOpOrtiOnate neglect Of
the broad principles which mn'cre the law and Irac
| tice of all The States Oi this um0n.
| WILLIAM 4. MNuRY,
| u. ltpsS PERRY,
| }. +. H. SASns.
Committee.