New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-26
RENCH AND BAR IN MEXICO
OCCUPIED BY GENTLEMEN OF LEISURE.

OCCUPIED BY GENTLEMEN oF Lhioo""'
an p,pcyDrNTs AND ABSENCE OF OBJ
,vcr,oxs ON ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS DIRK
THE NOTARY.
-. ~ occ,s,oyAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSE'I
Cry or MEXICO April 12.-ln this city one secs
mn LAWYERS signs no offices, and few cards OF any
thing indicating the existence Of lawyers Anu o"0
might wander all day through the great gauoiio'
md courts of the Palace of Justice without suS-
pecting the existence of legal talent among .no
numerous we-dressed gentlemen seen theio VIVA
,,o,+b.r hooks nor papers in hand chatting WIN
each other about everything but business ihoio
are. however plenty Of lawyers IN Mexico ana pie""
of good Ones too. But 1t is very bad form W na'o
a sign and shocking to advertise. The lawyer
Office s at his private house or suite OF rooius anu
he says "come TO my house" instead OF 10 my
Office His Office at home is often htted up III ""0
style with a library abounding in law BOOKS III
Latin. French and Eaglish most of which ne eau
read ante well In the original The office is OFTEN
decorated with statuary and pictures and perhaps
opens on n courtyard Astounding IL flowers and
sunshine. He dresses in the hest style; and light
cane black silk hat, broadcloth coat aad spring
hottOmn trousers seem indispensable to his respect
ability.
In Mexico the lawyer is held in higher respect
than in many parts oe the United States lie mas
to take q long course of study and pass rigorous
examination the whole course, preparatory anu
legal requlring IN some States eleven years ipe
impossibility of gross ignoramus getting through
raises the general grae of the 1sr hsho
than in tho United States. In tho country there
arc many pettfoggors who practise before the
lower courts but these do not rank as lawyers ana
cannot practise in the higher courts The "shySter
element seems quite unknown among the Licensed
g l,ak in tha Of
Judges cannot be distinguished from the rest OF the
bar. and are not generally as old as in the United
States But in all but the very lowest courts the
nudge must be a lawyer with certain number OF
years of practice.
The true poiteness of the Mexicans is nowhere
30 conspicuous as in tho courts The judge seems
to remember that he was once at tie bar hmsaf'
and is extremely Obigng to the attorneys; yet
there are no attempts on their part to impose on
him. One hears no brOw.beatlng of witnesses, no
Jokes cracked on an embarrassed slmpieton. In
civil cases of Importance the evidence ia gonerally
written down by public scrivener, and the
questions ia criminal cases are nearly always
asked by the judge. They have no such
rules about the admissibility OF evidence as
in the United States and witness may say about
ANYTHING he considers pertinent to the ISSUE ms
may be an evil IN one way, but it does away en-
tirely with the little jump-up attorney with his
everlasting 81 object and the long squabble that
follows and actually facilitates dispatch of BUSH
ness. Tho peculiar cast of tho Mexican mind
makes il sublimely indifferent to the important
difference between tweedledum and tweedledee.
Consequently there is very little scope for those
subtitle nteects who in American courts tght OIL
case for years on technicaiities There are or
course WAYS enough to delay case, and iaoyrlnths
enough that can be threaded only by those having
the proper clew but there are few cases dismissed
and few mortorious suitors subjected to heavy
costs and loss of time because an attorney VINO oy
his license is held out TO the world as competent,
has made tri1ing mistake IN a matter which In no
way affects the merits of the case anl cannot posi-
bly, surprise or prejudice the opposite party OF MS
attorney.
THERE'S, however, abundant room for the exer ,
T fss of 2ae brains s@ss 1ecs Sas little sppcs
tiOn here and every case is to certain extent
tried de The judges listen respectfully to pre-
cedenrs from English, Spanish, Roman, French or
American law but decide about as they please IL
there is nothing of political Importance In the case
or no undue influence behind the throne, thy are
quite apt to follow good precedents. American
authorities especially Kent and story are heid IN
the highest respect and the reports Of the United
States supreme Court arc found IN many libraries
The Mexican lawyer IS often ponticla1n. ne
pays his court, however to the President ana never
solicits tho rabble for votes or business lie makes
no political speeches. and even IN Congress or the
Legislature rarely practises Oratory at the expense
of his hearers He u.s. however, very good speaker
and, considering the small amount OF pIactice ne
has in speakog is better than the American lawyer
The educated Mexicans of the upper class to which
almost the entire bar belong are naturally fuent
In writing conversation, or after dinner speeches.
they can reel off moro words minute than any
other people living Hence it is nothing uncommon
to hear young lawyer speak for an
ease, with a perfect rush of language,
yet without break IN a sentence and without a
q amnatical error. Though few ever roach tho adj
vanced stage OF legal learning reached by the best
American lawyers their peculiar system not re-
ouirlng IT. they are finished at the start than
most lawyers in the United States After admls-
sion to the bar they keep mp more general course
of reading, read more outside of their pr fesslona
books and become scholars of more general culture
and less special culture than American lawyers.
Much of the business done by lawyers Iii the
United States is done by notaries In Mexico, such
as dra wing contracts deeds or other papers, which
arc bound in books, ndexed. registered and pre-
served IN fre-proef buildings As all these are exc
cuted and acknowledged by the notary and gener-
ally have witnesses. much annoyance from lost al
tered or forged papers is avoided. The business
done by many OF the lawyers is profitable, but there
is not as much small business as In the United
States. As there are no costs of consequence and
in most suits none at ali, except for the stamped
paper one source of lawyers revenue is cut OF;
But with it falls an infinite cause of vcxation and
annoyance to suitOrs aud high-minded attorneys.