Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-09-15
MIR. Eyarts at Toronto.

Secretary Evarts attended on the 10Th, at
Toronto, the reception to the Governor Ten
eral and the Princess Louise, at the Toronto
University and Osgood Hall. At the former
place the Hon. Edward Blake, Chancellor OF
the University, introduced the Secretary, re-
terrinc 10 his services in the Cabinet and in
legal affairs He also expressed the hope that
the people of the two countries would work
together in harmony, and that tariff wars
would cease.
Mr. Evarts replied as follows:
Until I came here could have honestly
stated. could notice no distinction between
the people / meet on this side of the line and
our people at home. But since that generous
and eloquent expression of the compliments
If the Bar, which has been proffered me.
see that | am in a strange country, for
prophet is not held in honor in his own coun-
try, and | am quite sure that | have never
received so cordial and so strong an express
sion of compliment from my profession rs
YOU have seen fit to give me. Whatever
treatment lawyers may give to the rest OF the
community. it is quite obvious they are kind
to one another; laughter and lawyer may
travel in strange countries with entire conf
dencc that he will not be set upon by lawyers.
The confidence has been sadly abused, must
say. in my case, for until l heard the sound
Of this eloquent speech, | had not the least
prcmonition that should be spoken of. You
have alluded to some celebrated cases with
which have had the good fortune to be con-
nected. 1t is rarely in lifetime that so many
cases of that peculiar distinction should arise
in the history of the world. had supposed
Al. I hal eha onnI fpr 10 IN no IN n
nected with the impeachment trial, and then
again with the more judicial arbitration at
Geneva that no further special tribunals or
distinctions connected Herewith were to be
expected in my lifetime. But on considera-
ton of the circumstances connected with the
Presidential election in the United States, a
tribunal was appointed to determine the cleo
ton. At that tribunal. raised by the prudence
and patriotism of our people, it was also my
good fortune to represent one side Of the ar
gument before them. and on the conclusion OF
these three special tribunals, in which l had
the good fortune to be on the winning side, |
may fairly say have had great prosperity in
the service of cases which have been entrust-
ed to my management. They were all cases
which afforded examples of the power of the
law. An impeachment In the early history OF
politics, of the Executive head of nation of
4U,OUU,UOO, cOuiu never nave OccuTeu WITHOUT
involving the peace of the community. A
trouble of difficulty and magnitude, which
marked the relations between Great Britain
and the United States at the close of the civil
war. would never in early days have been
submitted. as it was by the generosity Of the
British nation and the prudence and modera-
ton of the American people, to a tribunal for
its disposal by the two most powerful nations
i'm the world Cheers | In the last instance,
when the agitation of politics, heightened by
the "reminiscences of the great civil strife that
distressed our country, had brought us face
to face with the question of how to settle the
Presidential election, what greater triumph
could there be for law, or what greater praise
to the race to which We all belong could be
given, than to find that the nation should sub
nit to the decision Of a tribunal of lawyers !
Our profession has been proverbally modest.
How much the world has lost by their mod.
esty no one can tell. Let us correct this fault
imputed to us, and let the world know our
merits and services. Laughter and ap-
plause.