The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-04-05
1T THE LAWYERS.
Nv HIG.:.
40 ri ,ad
LEv'-,r S~rkDAY


some halfcraxy suit,r smartiuo II
''r imagined Injustice of some adj,
JUDICIAL decision. were to station hin
MO-. at 'h' curt House door and shoot d
.ut either Of our Judges. Ilc world be ,xa
''i''% tn" recent act Of the assa
=" '''' who, but y t"N days ago NJ
"''''i ~ r"hl blood. At F'rinkf,rt. Ct
Justice Elliott. of Kentucky. And V
40 '''''Se /" say. in tho face oi the fact n
RE 'h'N man Butord displayed a settled pr
4e pose consistently pursued and >elf-d
rs n'''h' to accomplish an act which, I'm. Il i
deep blot upon American civili,< win e..
= seem" probable that after "n n, ,.'"1 =, nj,
cape tn" penalty Of his IS. /. Wv This
alleged hereditary "5;'a, .. h,,ds If ,uv
Grim" is by err. s., '"sn ~ +, plan and
reasoning. ri -,''" ..:,,,. I,a,,,, .on.
,.,r,zv r.,t. --.t";'"'us crime. becomes a sort
,,,,..:..ls. kind of divine .iuStircr, t"
I'll the fancicd inequalities of the JUS
tee Of the courts. by levelling itself at
the learned minion, of the common law.
This is the only cummunistic, socialiStic.
and kcarIIcyi>tir conclusion t" be drawn
from any such Interpretation of the i'll
sanity plea. Now the truth is that this
insanity doctrine has long since
been over done in our courts, and there
seems TO he something of retrihutive JUS
tire in the direction in which the aSSa>-
sins gun i, being lcyclcd. 1t learned
counsel urge too successfully the plea in
court in behalf of murderouS clients. II
ncrd occasion no surprise. that they
themselves in turn fall victims to the I'M
comfortable insanity they so pcrtina-
cinusly defend. We reprohatc the whole
insanity doctrine. So previously over done
il our courts.
We rcpudiatt. too. the idea of this man
i3uford not being in the fullest sense
amcnable to the law he has dcted. Now
the fact is that this unwclromc exhibit
ton of total dcpravity is indirectly trace
able in some degree to the cant and carp
ing INDUCED in at the expense of the
legal profession. To purge the profess
sion Of Shy>tcrS. it will soon be the privi-
Iegc and duty of every citizen to gun for
lawyers and Judges. merely t" remind the
latter that they are falling below the ideal
height of legal impartiality. at which the
many headed Minos Of public opinion
would have them stand. Seriously. the
disposition is too often evinccd upon the
part of otherwise sensible men to speak
>lightingly of the profession. as such.
although, cheri>hing the highest respect,
possibly for individual members of it.
The disposition is too prevalent to de-
prcciate lawyers as Il class by nSinua-
ton. One man remarks that Mr.. So
and So is a successful criminal lawyer.
Are not all lawyers criminal? another
suggests. The reflection is one by inl-
cndo. implying the honest possibilities OF
the profession but contrSSing the actual
liShoneSties of particular members of it.
We claim that every business community
has in its own hands the success or fail
tre of the lawyers who. III sharp prac.
tircS. disgrace their proicS-i"n. Yet y"ul
ScIi-riyhteou> reformer, who pretcnds t'
dcplorc the chicancry of the pcttloggcr
will. IN nine cases out OF ten, if he hav,
a doubtful cause, seek the most unScru
p,llollS lawyer he can command. He OK
poets the wealth of resource. the >hrcwd
ness. and cunning Of counsel. t" atom,
for the weakness and poverty IF the eli
cnt : cause.
The legal profession is an old and hon
orable one. and its rcSpectability an'
standing in any community is an unmiS
taxable criterion by which 10 judge tn,
intelligence and character of that com
munity. The speedy and c"ndign pm
iShlncnt therefore of a man like luinr'l
is moi only Il necessary vindication %
Justice and Of law. but an essential de
tcncc of the profession to which hi
victim belonged.