Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-11-03
Nafrtn,an d cynnrnaL.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1880.


ton was held in the court room luesuay evening.
There was large gathering Of lawyers and out
side the bar the seats were filled with legislators
and citizens. Among the prominent lawyers
present were f. j. Phelps, Esq, Daniel Roberts,
Esq, II. G. Edison, Esq, the Hon. II. G. Belden,
George w Harmon Esq., Joel G. Baker, Esq,
James G. Barrett Esq, the Hon. J. G. Dickerman,
Albert p Cross, Esq, Park Davis Esq, H. G.
Adams, ESQ, the Hon. William G. Shaw, Colonel
Albert Clarke, Guy c. Noble, Esq, and the Hon.
p X. Gleed The judges Of the supreme court
were also present Mr.. Phelps called the meeting
to order at eight o'clock and introduced Judge
Poland, who delivered his annual address upon
" Lawyers and the Legal Profession"
Judge Poland begun by alludipg to the erro-
neous impression existing In the minds OF many
that law was system Of tricks; that the statute Of
limitations, the statute Of frauds, the witnessing
Of wills were devices got up by lawyers In order
to defraud honest laymen. He showed how abb
surd this idea was and that unless such laws were
enforced there would be endless litigation, and
these laws themselves were living proofs that
lawyers are the friends Of peace and the foes OF
litigation. Another prevalent idea was that law
yers were in the habit OF defending wrong, that
they took up with the unjust sides OF cases and
made them victorious by the arts Of chicane.
The absurdty Of this idea lay in the difficulty
Of deciding In most cases which was the unjust
side In most controversies that came before the
court the lawyer had no means Of determining to
his own satisfaction which was the right, or
which was the wrong side OF case. Before
going into court he hears only his clients story
and naturally believes that that is right and that
the other side is wrong Lawyers are human
and they are sometimes mistaken like other men,
But even II his clients case is not that Of JUSTICE
yet 1t Is his duty to present 1t as favorably as
possible In an honorable manner. No case is al
together destitute of merit; there are extenuat-
ing circumstances to all crimes The counsel on
the other side are strenuous, and II these paliat-
ing facts are not presented, the court may punish
too severely Take the frendless criminal, for in
stance Undoubtedly he has committed the
crime with which he is charged. But he may
have been sorely tempted. The prosecution sets
out the crime. But the presence Of counsel for
the defense serves to show the inducem ents to
the crime, and in that way the harsh rigor OF the
law Is softened. No man, not Of the most hon
orable character, ever succeeded in reaching the
highest places in the profession In no other profes
sion was so much reliance placed upon 1t by every
one Every lawyers Office was the repository OF
secrets upon which .ne weiiare anu napp'ness VI
families depended. In no other profession was
30 hard and continuous study demanded in order
to achieve success The law was jealous mis-
tress She brooked no rivals. She must be loved
| with a single heart. Study must be lifelong and
it must be a study of principles rather than cases
A " case lawyer never would be great lawyer
Inc giahts oi 'ne pro'ess'oh p"'u oonp"'"',,o ~, oS
little attenton 70 cases OF prior uec's'ohs ihes
imoiped the great prihcipies Vi Id" anu ro''sone'
upon these principles Juuge otrong oi tne oni'e'
States supreme court, hao very iorcipiy eiuci
dated this idea IN recent aodress W VA" schoo'
In that address ne SAID that no one to-day couie
turn aside from the pracuee OF the law "ithou
falling oehind' Inc only way IN winch 10 'eac'
professional eminence was 70 ioiow tue prac''c
OF the law assiduousy never DC diverted iron
| the professional pain ny the aiiurements oi poh
tics or money-getting Judge roland tneh' In
pleasant way, cautioned the younger members 0
the bar against low professional habits into whcl
they were liable to fali. one OF THESE was the en-
deavor to initiate the manner Oh the great leaders
another was the practice OF rudeness and blustel
ing to opposing counsel and witnesses. This h
| was Glad IN sav even when exercised toward
,-..,' II. 81, h..uos o.. .ha.o os -
prethreh' oiu not Imply na'reu ior 'hefo was
calling in the world whose followers were s
friendly and charitable towards each other a
Iovrors Tboro ware verv few ~ the nettv bc,.
""so's. ."eio "o'o 'oiJ ie" y, '"e po'.' -
erings which are seen among the devotees 10 othe
pursuits. But professional courtesy was yer.
des,rab,e oua,tv and one that sbonld be cult
, ~, t'", ,... Az. ,..o ca.aro, Co.
Vated' lie lhsahceu the ia'e "ehei"i oe'
Cushman OF Guildhall, as the most admirable ex
annie of professional courtesy he had ever seer
A nro., l.. zoo r,rot o,wava be n courageous mar
sie"' ia"9ei i'"s' ".""y' W '.'''
He often has to maintain his clients interests an
to defend their lives against hostile public sent
ment and ,ometimes an inimical court The las
- ,.sN,a,, ,oa,,.as -, = ,a,,-,,o,,s 90 ,oo
ana most Important features vi lawyer o''ee
which he would consider are his duties as eli
izeu. These were great and inestimable. 1t wa
10. 600 ,rroh % 500 Tho, No c,os. ~ man ware
ho' Wv mum '" '"y '''' nv .'"'' - '-oA "''o
fitted by education and training as lawyers; an
their influence for good In this country had bee
and always wop,d he immense There was n
""u "."ays 80 -
way oi attaining the nignest a''rion'es Oh s'a'e'
NC. Nf '" N
| oi"pio hhu ruccoseiu Pi"etoo VI sho i""' 81"