National Republican., 1879-10-22
THE LEGAL PROFESSION.

tnrOugnOuJ Lne country lusU now, anu ii
every man who sports law sign and card
is not smrched, il will be because there is |
not defamation enough to go around, for IT
is spread on indiscriminately and rather |
thick as far as it goes. The occasion for
this sudden assault upon that profession
seems to have been found in the fact that |
cotton claim was held against the Gov
ernment by the sons of the late STEPHEN |
A. DOUGLASS TO the amount Of S250,000. |
1t was engineered by eminent legal ability, |
and an award of S164,000 was obtained.
Under the advice of counsel the claimants
appealed and after much delay another
verdict was obtained, which amounted only
to S5s,900 This brought the matter to an
end, and when the claimants came TO
Sc tile up with counsel the winners began to
discover that they were likely to be losers,
for the claims for counsel fees rolled in like
flood upon their attenuated award, and
they began TO see the force of the example
of the two litgants whose suit was set
tied by the lawyer that opened the oyster
and swallowed the bivulve himself hand
ing to each litigant shell. This case which
Is not altoge ther isolated in claim prac-
tice, has found its way into the press, and
has been spread all over the country to con-
vey the impression that the legal sea of the
National Capital is full of sharks. This is
hardly just, for while the ocean is peopled
by the shark family they form but small
faction of the finny tribe. Washington has
as honorable and upright men as mark tho
profession in any other section of the coun-
try, and yet the term retainer" seems to
imply much more than in any other section
of the land. A Retainer" is the sum re-
quired to whet an appetite for the case, and
not unfrequently amounts to n greater sum
than is involved in the issue, and this shows
that litigants often get on their ear, and are
willing to pay millions for defense, but not
one cent for tribute.
\ large retainer" enables lawer to sus-
tain himself on limited practice, and this
no doubt accounts for the observable fact
that 40 city on this continent of the same
rate of population can boast of as large
profusion of law signs and lawyers of al
grades and classes rs the city of Washing
ton. A case month with retainer" of$500
or II 600, followed by consequent charges
in the fee-bill, makes living business
for any frugal lawyer. This is no doubt
the bait which calls together at the National
Capital such a multitude of the legal pro-
fession, which in large degree draws its
support from the misfortunes and infirmities
of their fellow men; but this fact does not
necessarily make sharks of all the legal pro-
fession any more than n tricky and dis.
honest merchant or mechanic should stamp
his entire business class with like brand.
1t may be little unfortunate to the com
munity that the legal profession should
prove so lucrative, but that depends very
much upon the suitors. In q majority OF
cases between individuals differences could
be adjusted between parties by a mutual
desire to do right, and with far more profit
to themselves, than to rush before the
courts, led by one OF more eminent counsel,
thus taxing their pockets to sustain the
machinery OF our Jurisprudence, and reward
the services oflawyers,
In most cases where individuals have
claims against the Government the neces-
sity for engaging eminent legal ability is
created by its officers. They have come to
regard every claim as a fraud, no matter
what its merits may be, and every claimant
as plunderer who is engaged in purpose
to rob the Government, and hence the ad-
liudication of this class of suits is attended
with embarrassments and impediments
which are thrown in its way by tho Gov.
ernment, until it has become almost literally
as impossible to get the most just claim t
an equitable adjustment rs it is for "i
"camel to pass through the eye ofa needle
This fact tends to make the prosecution o
claims against the Government exceedingly
hazardous aud invariably tardy, aud hencC
the best legal ability is retained with which
to beat the Government, which is a rich
powerful and heartless defendant.
However, one thing must be admitted
universally in connection with litigation!
of any characteristic suitor should keel
faith with his engagements to his legal ad
wiser. He should pay him whatever re
tainer or fee has been agreed upon, tn
same us he should pay his note at its fac
or the price accepted for Il suit of clothes
The acceptance of n fee or retainer agreed
upon and understood makes no lawyer {
shark, and he should, in such cases, be deal
, with justly aud fairly, at least in Il journal
/ istic treatment of the case.