, 1879-02-02
Law REFORM,
Tho Bar, and What It Island What
Makes It So.

The Bar, and What 1t Island What
Makes It SO.
To the Editor at The Tribune.
ROCK ISLAND, Ill, Jan. 3o.-THE TRIBUNE
Of the 18th inst, 10 its editorial in relation tt
the Bar, did not quite do justice to lawyers,
though it is entitled for what it did say to the
thanks or every honest man. And Judge Jane
son is also entitled to the thanks OF every good
citizen for saying to the Illinois Bar Association
that "he can recall no important change in
either the common or statute law brought
ABOUT by the united efforts Of the Bar" and
that ''lt alone has never combined for any
useful purpose,-mora1, benevolent, or sci
entifc.n This was a good text. !
should be ,,glad II it could be justly
said Of some Of its Associations that
they had not, to say the least, winksd at and
perhaps countenanced most degrading vices OF
some Of their members. I might ask, What real
" noble end we can expect sucn an Association
to accomplish, when, in disregard OF the useful
and honorable purposes ayowcd By it, not indi-
vidual members alone, but the Association as
body, closes each annual meeting with feast,
at which the Intoxicating bowl is welcomed, and
gloriied, and protfcred by the leading members
to tue lips Of the younger ones, and that, TOO,
after listening to an eulogy upon some great
lawyer whose death was caused by drunkenness!
Such things have within the last thirty years
heen done as Bar meetings. Perhaps it was on
some such occasion that member OF one of these
Associations alluded to by Tie TRIBUNE raised
a laugh, aud probably won the appropriation of
his fellow members, by saying that the lawyer
who mounted Il high moral horse is jacGass";
anu thus limited the average moral elevation Of
his Association, as we'll as the public good its
members might be supposed to aim at.
'fhp Rcr deserves the llt{nOSt nr3sn fnr ffa
great ability and usefulness. The profession is
a valuable means for training Its members for
public service, for real craftsmanship, for wise
legislators, executive officers and diplomats.
Butter than any and al! other professions and
occupations it fits its members for these. Next
to it ranks journalism. These TWO professions
build up the broa1cst and wisest men, us " ell aa
the most practical.
There are some 1awycrs-and these are the
noble ones-who give all the true dignity to the
profession Of which it eau boast, who are first
Of all, aud over all, and ut all times n1e, mcu
OF the highest pattern. men whom you can safe
" trust in every relation OF lfe,-in business
affairs, in public office, aud in politics. You
eau trust tEeir integrity, their honesty of pur-
pose, and sincerity. Like others they may CTR
in Judgment, but never deceive or batray.
These men cannot be hired for fees, or in
1ueAccd by favor or friendship, to wrong their
to tell lies for him. They cannot be employed
as iourney1nan liars. They NAV defend men
they know to be guilty OF crime, and men in the
wrong, but only to the extent of seeing
that such arc, not uniustly dealt py.
They will not pack jurles nor bribe jurors or
nor will they browbeat witnesses to
truth or elicit 1alsehood. They will
not stir up litigation, nor rob their clients hy
charging cNorbitaDt fees. They will discourage
vice, wrong, and crime, discourage all unneces- |
sary litigation, advise lllc settlement OF mems
differences in an honorable way, without appeal |
to law. In short, they will be pcacelnakcrs ]
where peace call be obtained without injustice. |
They are therefore good neighbors and citizens,
md safe advisers for honest men to employ
But the average meluber Of the Bar has no
such character, is moved br no such motives,
md is unworthy Of any such respect as the Que |
lave pictured. He is faithful believer iu I
lug .']ac1ass" maxim. True, hc, as mau aud
citiZen bas some good qualities. He is often
generous, kind, sociab!e, as honest outside Of
lis profession is other men whose honesty
'prlnEs FROM tile belief that honesty is the best
oolscy, and has sDasms of lllatthiug OF indefinite
'haracter aud value called ''protcssional
ee That dishonest, knavsn, tricky act, or a lie
Old when done by Z lawyer for another person !
entirely respectable, iu harmony with profess
lonal honor. and moi. deserving Of the scorn
hat would be visited upon him Il done by au
st. Ills lawyers license e aud nin bis me- re-
amer amer sanctify any villaiuy he may COM
nit, and shield him from the contempt
c would otherwise deserve. He may, there
ore, stir up litigation, bribe his adscrsary's
'l1ncsses to run away, or his own to cotutust
erjury; may bully witnesses and blacken aud
efar1e their character, pack juries, lie to tie
'ourt uroA his professional honor, secrcte, or, II
OH please, steal the papers filed in cause. lie
iay even lend himself to tile blacklnailer, AMI
ompound aud. agree to conceal criminal often
e., real and pretended, all Of these and even
lore,--and still be recognized By his legal bre1h-
"a; aud mura and worse than all, reaci1<niacts
high honor By election and appoinrtu.af; |
one thinking it wise tot oppose um because
he has done no more than any lawyer would
D." And for that reason he Is considered as |
aving right to make himself q nuisance and
st to soc:ety.
These creatures think themselves entitled to