Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-11-05
The LAWYERS Symposium.

The Lawyers Symposium.
We published last week the doings Of the newly |
lnaugurated bar association Of the state ct Its |
first annual meeting. These exercises we're very |
pleasantly enlivened by a supper given at that |
prince Of hotels, the Pavilion, on Wednesday |
evening, at which nearly one hundred Of the
leading lawyers In the state, with few invited
guests, were present The viands were OF the
choicest, and the aiter-dinner speeches were
equally rare and enjoyable. The retiring presi-
dent, Il. j. Phelps, presided, and by his tact aud
excellent management did much to render the af-
fair pleasant.
In opening the exercises, President Phelps ex-
pressed great pleasure In welcoming the mbers
OF the profession. The old adage that lawyers
worked hard lived well and died poor might have
had some truth In times past, but we should be
TO verify the first two propositions and take
care that the third did not occur. The profession
should include good living, aud the companion
ship OF ones friends. We should be social. The
various representatives Of the profession he
should call out during the exercises would be ex-
pected TO respond promptly, but II In their re-
sponses they exceeded ten minutes In time he
thought they should be shot on the spot lie
first called upon Governor Proctor, who said he
was glad and more than glad to have just nearly
enough escaped being lawyer TO be with them.
Whether the law left him or he left the law, was
debatable question. lie did imagine however,
that II was an amcable arrangement, and, prob
ably mutually profitable. No state owes more to
It's bar than Vermont, and no state has more hon
ored names than our representative lawyers The
members have been equally honored In judicial
circles and in the halls Of the highest national
councils Of the land Great evils have undoubt-
eddy grown under various administrations-but
notably less SO in Vermont than elsewhere Com
petent and honorable lawyers would never fail to
receive their just need OF praise in Vermont.
He was ever ready TO be considered member in
full practice at the court assembled about the
table, and trusted he might have frequent oppor
tunity to meet them there
In response to the sentiment 1.-THE Chief Jus
tice. God Bless Him." Judge Barrett, in the en-.
forced absence OF Judge Pierpoint said that he
was incapable of responding so well as Judge
Pierpoint would have done had he been present
He had, however, long understood the importance
Of an association like this, whose first anniver
sary they celebrated tonight. He had frequently
felt that the practice in our courts provincial
Each county court had its local and peculiar char
acteristics. The younger practitioners followed
equally the good and bad examples Of the lead
ers OF the bar at their courts. This evil would
rapidly disappear by holding the supreme court
OF the state at one place, where the younger law.
yers would meet with the elder and more learned
members Of the profession, and learn from them.
In early life he had spent one year and a half in
Boston, where he had an opportunity to study
| such lpadera MT tho har M Pufua Choate Diniel
Webster, Benjamin X. Curtis, William Whiting,
Edwin Sawyer and others. That period he had
always regarded as one Of the most profitable
possible to young lawyer lie did not probably
read as much law as during other portions OF
bis life but he thought experience by observa.
ton was very valuable Upon this ground, then
he commended a general term OF the supreme
court to be held at the capital Of the state, where
younger members OF the profession might be ben.
Gifted as he had been He thought this associa
ton would be of ncalcuable benefit to the
younger lawyers both in town and country AL
appealed cases in a state of our size should bt
heard at one place. New Hampshire has, at last
adopted this plan and would not change 1t unde
any circumstances
President Phelps then in a witty vein said tina
to those former members of the bench who haC
been degraded by holding congressional posi-
tioDs he cordially extended the hand of charity
II any erhng judge had ever INDUCED in sucl
practices he would like to hear from him. ii
knew that Judge Poland had never studied VI
for the part of a"Prodigal Son" but he could re
spond IL he saw fit.
Judge Poland said that he would not make Al
oral response it might not be technically legal
1t was safe to say, however, that he would ''neve
do so again" Too much repentance was Away
suspicious He was rejoiced that an associatio
of this character had been founded in the state
We have at last In our little state got together
elevate the profession The general term an
this association will do much to effect this Tn
. supreme court Of our small state should be hel
in one place, and that where the state library wa
D accessible.
= Mr. Phelps after reading an excellent lett,
t commendatory OF the association from Judge
S H. Wheeler, Of the United States District Cour
a intro luced,
g Ju ige T. p. Redfeld, who was heartily glad
d the formation of such an association. Its benef
g were varied and obvious. Success, such succe
/ as we lawyers most desire-the elevation Of OF
:. proiession-sel comes except by associatio
It In order to be sound lawyer enc must be ali
Il to see distinctly and state clearly the points of Ii
l. case He who can see the principles involved
Il a prop .sition is its master This association
% too, invaluable in its province Of looping of
Is the charatans and unprincipled men who nfe
rs the profession. 1t would also prove of great 81
e vice to the younger members of the professio
Is and he desired to impress upon these its impc