The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-02-01
Lawyer and Cllens.

The following extracts are fsen. the
lectures on the Study and Practice of
Law" by Emory Washburn, of the Har-
yard Law School, may correct some pop
ular errors:
II would not, however, be misunder-
stood upon this subject of defending
persons charged with crimes. There is q
great deal Of cant and ticaddlo in she
community about lawyers lending them
selves to shield the guilty and defeat jus.
tioe, as Il the cs;ss CO justice yes not
strengthened and the confidence in its
administration confirmed ;a .ho public
mind, by its being known that no man
can be convicted except upon o fair trial,
escapes. - q. > But the question
does not expend itself upon individual
instances Of courage or the conviction, or
escape of this man or that, chsrged with
esimes. ft lies deeper aud goes down to
the foundation and constitution of civil
government itself. One of the purposes
of government is to create feeling of
security on the part of the citizens, that
the humblest Of them is protected by
wise laws, wisely and impartjally admin
isterei. Nor can people BE- accounted
FREQ who do not feel that life and proper
ty too, are safe from the tribunals which
are to pass upon the questions on which
these depend. Next to the certainty of
having justice done is the assurance that
the law can and will apply tests as nearly
;nfal!:ble &c Esy be, to discriminate be.
tween the guilty and the innocent, be-
tween what is right and what is wrong.
1t is here we have to meet the question
with which we started, with no sickly
sentimentalism. about the guilty going
unwhipped Of Justice The truth is, the
public need and they must have, class
of able, trained and disciplined men, set
apart as ministers of the law, whose SER
vices all may command, who can and
will stand by any one against whom soci-
ETY. is aiming blow, so fer as to Gee that
he is fairly dealt by, and tSet Justice be-
tween him and the pub!a: is meeted out
I'll. .=s.i. :: e-eer e-eer hard
"But while am insisting that it ia not
| only the right but the duty of lawyer
to act as the advocate of any man who is
charged with crime, il his services ere
sought or desired, claim for him no in
diligence in the way of trick, falsehood
or Misrepresentation. He has nc moro
right to use these in defending another
than he has in getting his neighbor's
money or cheating by false pretences.
But such means as the law has furnished
him, and made it lawful for him to use,
ao would DC deTeiios Il; duty e &c &c :.:oA;. &
to apply, no matter what his auspiciols
msy ba. II 3 guilty man thereby es.
capes, honest men would feel safer in the
assurance they would thus gain, that
whatever the law is, it Is no respecter ci
persons, and that no man is beyond the
pale of its protection, than they would
to see & wretch sent 10 prison becauas no
/ one could 10 found TO plead his Gauge.
I ~ como back, then, to the enquiry
with which we began, by saying, so long
as you keep within the limits of fair,
honorable dealing. you need have no mis-.
lgiying in lending your aid to any our
! accused Of crime, OF in giving him tbs
| best Of your power, and skill. Nor |,
Ethere any danger that che State. which
ilcommands the beat talent in tho market
l'yill hos be equally careful ia se6ing IA
tho public good does MOI e,liier Syo:,, prlS
FSnpStSor sstll 6f yTura," - 'i' 1a0 r