The Red Cloud chief., 1878-06-20
IN 0sps ~sCsrvt.

lhllon st~akr a. follNws Ia r~g ard Ia the
kngli.h inns II Cuuu.
The ufd wosid sad the Mes srr In
striking cnntrsss With each other ~ al.
most ever, tsnint ~ comparison 80 yic~
Ihcrv al 10 venerable With sgc, ,sn
times iuhrm With dccrcpltndc urrv
al i. new With the astounding vitality
~ youth. accompanied. indeed. t,a, ~,
oftcn With h experience shtch tsviaLs.
la the shcrc life u In The bud ur
blossom. bat giving ~glortou. prum,s. II
the frui, that IL 10 cnmc In due time and
Al the appointed SEASON.
The Inns II Coart and Westminster
Hall arc the we'll springs and fountains
II kngllsh. snd, dcfi'auScl,. II Am-ri-
can ~jnrtsprud.ac-,
There are q and for centuries have
been four grcs, Inns " 'our, lAncvln's
Inn. Grs,'s Inn. the Inner Temple and
the Middle Temple With THESE arr
connected stou, ten smaller Inn. kno~n
~ the Inns ~ thanc-ry, sutrriiaa,.
,o and under the government II the par.
ticular Inn ~ Court Ia which they sc.
~vcraliy b-long The lnns ~ Court tn.
clud,ng under the general name the
dependent Inns ~ Chsncers, ARE smnng
the mos, remarkable antiquities ~ Lou.
don, They arr interesting Ia all. hut
profoundly so Ia the Eaglish aud Amer.
lean lawyer.
The legal antiquary cannot I'm the
exact time IL the origin and foundation
~ these Inns, Hut the period II their
original establishment can be nearly
Appropriated They carry the mind
oack Ia the depths 81 the middle ages.
They touch upon the borders 81 Magma
Charta and the Crusadcs, In the grand
and curious adific-s II the Inns II tour,
the lawyers and Judges 81 England have
been trained and educated Tor cen.
turiss. Changes, rcplaccmcnis and AL.
ditions have been made In the buildings
from time Ia time. and the present
structure as a whole. notwithstanding
the admiration with which they ARE re-
garded by their members, odr la the
eye no imposing presence, and NO strik.
ing architectural beauty, quite the re-
verse. The interest IL historical and
intellectual.
More than ak centuries have elapsed
since the lnns 81 Court were founded
and Westminster Hall wAs at that time
ulpFe tUNU " CentuTN otu.
The Inns II Court wcrc originally
provided for the use and accommoda-
ton II lawyers aud students II Law.
They have maintained that character To
the prcscn, time. Each II the Inn. has
numerous buildings 81 its own, consist
ing of chambers or ICONS To let for hire
"a the bArristcrs and students. aud be-
longing To each Inn IL n large library
hall and spacious Kitchen. and also .
commodious and beautiful hall used for
readings. dining. etc. and = chApe, for
religious service. the inner temple
owning and using for this purpose the
exquisite temple church built by tho
Knights Icmplar In imitation ~ . tenn.
pie ncA the holy sepulchre Al Jerusa-
lem, and which was dedicated ~ far
back ~ A. ID. llSs.
A. legal colleges or universities. II
would appear that the Inns of Court
were chiefly deficient In the want 81 q
general comprehension and systematic
course 81 instruction. The course was
essentially practical exclusively and
distinctivcly English. The man pur-
pose MAS instruction In the common law
and its statute tables. notifications and
additions. II must have been coniem.
plated that much the CRATER part 81 the
legal education should be- acquired In
other modes than from the brief read.
ings and occasional meetings.
The Inns of Court maintained their
primary and leading character ~ main.
~ intended for legal instruction until
the 10Th century. When they became
places of gaicty and rcyelry their
efficiency rs scmunarics Of instruction
declined, and from the middle of the
18th century the instruction In them
was nominal. the real instruction being
chiefly conducted In private Offices. II
In only In bur own time. since 1861. that
the original functions of the Inns ~ a
place Of legal instruction has been re-
stored.
From this brief sketch II will be per.
ceived that the Inns of Court are sui
generis In their character. Within them
are collected the great body ~ the pro.
tession in England. The present mem.
bership 81 the four Inns II sbout 5000.
81 whom 5000 are barristers. and the
rest students. This loyal community.
in NIL its professional relations. Ia gov.
erned by It's own officers. Law. and
usagcs. The chambers are let 70 stu.
dents and barristsrs. The latter have
their Offices In them. Unmarried mem.
bers, attended by servants. frequently
live In them. and at their option. take
their meals In the dining-hsll Of the
Inn.
Each Inn has not only liz kitchen.
but In chapel not only . complete
library. but an ample dining-hali and
elegant drawing-rOom. adorned with
the busts and portraits of ius eminent
members. Each member IL thus within
the eyes. and In . degree under the frs
ternsl guardiAnship Of AIl the others.