St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-24

THE RIGHTS OF TIE COLORED NAN.
The supreme bench of Baltimore has rem
dered a decision in the case of Wilson, the
colored lawyer, whose application for
admission to the bar of that city
had been pending for some time, he
having been denied admission by the lower
court because the Maryland statute discrimi-
mated against colored attorneys. The SUI
preme bench decides in favor of the admis-
sion of the applicant, declaring that colored
men who have passed the requisite examine
ton cannot be excluded from the bar by
reason of their color. The court bases this
decision UPON the fourteenth amendment to
the Federal constitution, and upon the judicial
constructions of that amendment by the SUI
preme court of the United States, and holds
the Maryland statute excluding colored per-
sons from the bar to be in conflict with this
amendment, and consequently imperative.
This decision removes the last restriction
from the coored race, and there is
not state in the South where they
have not as full and absolute legal
privileges and protection as the white
race. And it should be SO, for it
is in keeping with the progressive sentiment
OF the age. For good or for evil the country
has declared that in contemplation Of law all
men shall be equal. All over the land men
OF African blood share in the sovereignty
which the ballot box gives to every voter,
and there is no reason why they should not
have an equal chance in the professions. We
are gratified to see such a representative
Southern journal as the Baltimore Sun TAX
ing practical and phlosophic view of the
| decision. The Sun says:
| The law provides that no man who does not
pass certain examination or hold certain ere
dentials shall practice law Either these require
| mepts are reasonably sufficient to keep incom-
petent persons out of the profession, or they
ought to be made SO as soon as possible. Is it
an advantage to profession or trade to be able
| to draw from all ranks and classes those best
| suited to succeed in it? Why should the bar
| alone be shut off from any chance to avail itself
| OF the legal talents which may exist
among more than fifth of the popula-
| ton of the state? Is it boon to those
already engaged in certain pursuit to
have the limits of possible competition narrowed?
| Why should attorneys be protected against the
rivalry OF negro lawyers when all other indus
tries are open to the colored race? If a negro is
fitted to be an attorney, there is no more reason
why he should not be allowed to take retaine T
from anybody who is willing to give it to him
than there is why he should not earn his living as
a doctor, preacher, teacher trader. a
laborer or house servant. One indirect conse-
quence of admitting negroes to the bar is that it
may lead the way to the bench. Negroes are
eligible to the presidency of the United States.
yet there is no immediate probability that we
shall speedily have a negro president. There
has never been federal judge of negro blood.
In short, for obvious reasons, the negro who shall
succeed in being elected to the bench in Mary
land Will, it may be safely prophesied, have ex-
ceptional qualifications for the position. The
whole matter may be briefly summed up: The
practice of law is pursuit which men take up
| for livelihood. Its nature is such that only
skilIful and honest men can be safely allowed to
follow 1t, but any man who can prove himself in
| mind and conscience to be up to the standard
prescribed by law should be free to try to make