The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-07-19
Women as Lawyers.

Like Spiritualism, the question oi
w0man's rights has already ''passed be-
yOnd ridieule." Excepting among a few
remarkably stiff-necked conservatives,
and few remarkably ignorant pretend
er% il is now conceded that the tide IL
setting strongly in favor of woman's
emancipation from the unjust disabili-
ties and the absurd prejudices by which
she has so long been fettered, and kept
from entering into the balls of science,
art and literature, the doors of which
are now not only ajar, but opening more
and more widely every day. Mrs.
Barnhurst truly says: "a reform once
inaugurated, once organized, cannot go
back, no more than the sun can retrace
his steps through the broad expanse on
high, or the world return To chaos.
What is done, is done"
Although the profession of law has
not attracted as many women as that of
medicine, TO which women seem natu-
rally fitted, yet lady candidates for ad-
mission to the bar are by no means in
fraquent, and in many States aud Terri
tories such applications are freely
granted This has been e. pecially the
case in Iowa, Illinois and Utah, and in
the older aud more conservative States
the number of such cases is rapidly in
creasing. We are ashamed TO confess,
in this connection, that in Italy, Swe-
den and Holland, the admission OF
women into the learned professions has
been more freely granted and more ex-
tensively taken advantage Of than in
the United States.
"The law Of Illinois" +" says Miss VIII
lard, admitting women to practice in the
courts, making them eligible as officers
in all departments of the public schools,
and notably the married women's prop
erty BILL are unexcelled by any in the
Union. So far as indicated by this
years reports, Illinois ranks as the ban
ner State of woman's opportunity, if
not Of her achievement. The chivalry
of courtesy and compliment is being
slowly replaced by the chivalry of JUS
tice. The imperiOus thus far and no
farther that has rung from customs
lips, checking over-buOyant steps in
other years, is giving way to the kindly
thus far aud no farther of God, written
not in any statute book nor spoken by
any human voice, no matter how au-
gust, but revealed in the limitations, as
well as the powers of the nature with
which our Heavenly Father has en-
dOwed usn
"Of lawyers" says the same writer,
1--WE On Chicago) have at least three.
Mrs. Myra Bradwell was the first lady
lawyer in our State. She is the editor
Of the Chicago Legal Nelgs, which is an
authority all over the Northwest. The
beauty OF its typographical execution is
a natural result of the woman in print
ing and the partnership OF Judge and
Mrs. Bradwell in the legal profession is
a refutation to some popular objections
of woman out of her sphere Miss
Alta NJ. Hulett, of Chicago, who died of
consumption in California, where she
went for her health last year, was a
young lawyer of noble promise. She
was admitted to the bar before she was
nineteen, and at the age of twenty-three
had attained an enviable reputation and
practice amounting 10 three thousand
dollars a year. A number Of young
women are studying law, and Misses
Perry and Martin are in successful prac-
tice in Chicago"
Our readers may perhaps remember
that we mentioned Miss Hulett in one
of four early articles. Few men ever
get into legal practice without waiting
patiently for years, but, somehow or
other, the lady lawyers often succeed in
Immediately establishing a fine prsc-
tice. 1t may be partly owing to the
novelty of the thing-fOr men love nov
elty-but we rather think that il is owing
/ to the fact that the energy and persever-
ance required to enable a woman to
choose the profession Of law and 90
steadily forward in the pursuit Of her
chosen duty, is a guarantee of success in
almost any walk in life. A notable in
stance of success is that of Mrs. Belvs
A. Lockwood, of Washington City, who
has practiced four years and has realized
twenty thousand dollars. How many
young men can say as much Mrs
LockwOOd is said to be fifty years o.
age, so she must have begun the study
rather late in life. We know Of cases o.
women who, after rearing large fam
lilies, instead of spending their lives il
Incidence and in the endeavOr to grow
old before their time, have undertaken
. the study Of some useful profession, o.
have organized some absorbing schemj
OF benevolenee, thus emphatically max
ing the bOaTy head a crown of glory
How many aged women we have seel
with minds as active as ever, and bodie
still quite vigorous, who yet wer'
slowly dying Of inanition, both physica
and mental. Do something, aged sister
Patchwork quilts are good, but they IL
not prOVlue mucn mental OF splrltua
aliment; and if you have souls abOv
patchwork, why, then, in heaven
name, blaze out for yourself some noble
path, and show to the lords OF creation
that women are not merely the pro
ducers Of children and the drudges q
the household, but that after forty-five
when most women have laid aside thei
! crop Of children, they can still work 70
humanity, still labor In the Lord
: great vineyard. This is the best way
keep young, dear sisters. The Ol
adage at is better to wear out than
I rust out" applies with peculiar force
the aged. The wearing out, il we kee
at work according to Odr ability, will
so gradual and so gentle that we sha
not know we are failing till we lie dow
and sweetly "fall asleep. p."-Mrs. Shd
: dieT IN Voice Of Truth.
: WHAT ONE WOMAN CAN DO.-Wasl
b ington's female lawyer, Mrs. Belva !
}. Lockwood, who, by her persistel
], knocking at the doors of Congress f.