Wichita eagle., 1888-11-20
aaieita naiy Eagle yuesaaY oru Houember 20, 1888

what to say-trusting. to favorable COM
ment you have the following:
II have said important occasion and
mean it in the full sense of the two terms
used. The laying of a cornerstone OF pub
lie buildings, is not an uncommon occur
renee in the state of Kansas; Out the
laying of the cornerstone of what is to be
not only the most costly, but the granoest
court hoouse in all its appointments, Is an
uncommon thing in this state Here to
day we fix in it's place that stone upon
which with others is to be reared the
largest and most commodious county
court house IN the state These buildings
commonly called court houses, have had a
variety Of names In the history OF this
government. Some have been called court
places. county buildings. public buildings,
and other names peculiar to the LOCALITY
where they have been constructed; and L
have no idea that our people will depart
from the western term or usage OF calling
our edifice a court house. 1t is common
place term. democratic term, applied by
reason of our Republican form OF govern
ment. 1t finds its place in our constitu-
ton and is imbedded in the statute laws
of our state; but why not call it Temple
of justice?" Like the Romans and people
of old termed their places where the laws
were interpreted and administered? let
we see; many would smile to have the re
Spouse come back to an inquiry addressed
to a lawyer or citizen, ON the streets OF
Wichita-'Where are you going!" up"
or ''to the temple of justice" And we
might stop to inquire, why do they smile!
As stated, the name of our building
| being commonplace, and made so by rea-
son of the familiarity OF one with anotnef
in this country, being purely democratic
and republican in our form of government
4 L fnd
our forms Of law and the etiquette OF our
common life, without restraint and
without stint, with no tear
| to criticise severely, if we de-
sire, all rulings that are made by ourts,
| held in our Temples of justice: The
litigant who has been disappointed IN his
| contest with his neighbor, talks about the
prejudiced or biased Judge Or, perchance,
| charges that his legal counsel have been
derelict in his duty, or has sold him out.
| The man who has been placed on trial for
the violation of the laws of his country
and in his imagination builds up defense
which is totally overtnrown In the full
light of fair application of the statutes to
his case, by the presiding judge, imparts
to his friends the confidential information
| that he has not been fairly tried. and these
are talked and harped through the coun-
try until our courts have become the
bright targets of adverse criticism which,
day after day, lessons the respect and adj
mration that we should have for the
tribunals that are to determine our differ
ences, redress our wrongs and prevent In
| juries.
This take it, as one of the reasons that
| Americans do not hold the same rev.
erence for the places where the
courts are held that other ma
lions differently governed and admins
tered to ours, entertain and hold: yet when
the more sober Judgment controls, none
have more reverence than Americans; but
permit me to say that to every member OF
the profession to which | belong, to the
bar association whom | represent, there
can be no more sacred precinct on eaftn,
| than will be set up in the halls or TINS
building, whose corner stone we place to-
day, fully recognize the fact that there
! is no profession that is SO little understood,
that is so Thoroughly vlllified, who are SO
harshly criticized, as the legal profession.
1t is common thing to hear men upon
the street say: Lawyers are a necessary
evil" That some lawyer, mentioning
him, is rascal; that lawyers are not to be
| trusted, that they are trickey, that with
| out lawyers there would be no need OF
courts and kindred expressions.
AS member of the profession Dit being
the profession of my choice after more
its ardorous duties, l beg, fellow-citi-
zens, to say to you that such
criticisms are harsh, misplaced and wrong.
1t is possible that men devoid of honor are
members of our professions, yet while this
may be true, you will find IN the ministry
men who disgrace the calling of God. In
the noble profession of medicine you find
men who are not to be trusted. You Will
find managers of great moneyed lnstitu-
tions proving themselves to be common
thieves. The same is true of great bust
ness interests, such as railroads, manufac-
turing establishments and the various
business of life SO you will find in the
humblest caliings; and assert that in pro-
portion to the number OF its members
there are no more honorable and uprighbset
of men in existence than lawyers They
not only possess the secrets OF your bust
ness, but you entrust them your confidence
pertaining to your domestic affairs and
hence your happiness. They never betray
you. There are lawyers in your city who
are the walking safety deposit of your Sc
crets; and | venture that there are few men
within the sound OF my voice to-day but
at some time or other have turned
to some favorite lawyer in the city and un
bosomed himself of the secrets referred to
and leaned upon him for his timely ad-
vice to prevent the wreck in the pathway
of his business or the destruction of his
family happiness, and has never been de-
ceived.
You are building an edifice here to be
occupied for generations to come Here
will your county business be transacted.
Here will all the disputes between our
people be determined. Here will the
violator of our laws be tried for life or his
liberty. Day after day, to and fro, will go
the members OF the profession to which |
am proud to belong. Carrying on his brow
the indications or that care common to the
earnest man, who carries the burden of
others: and when | look over the faces of
the young men who make up the Sedg-
wick county bar, and read therein the
honorable, earnest ambition in their pro-
fession, ] cannot refrain from thinking
that may be looking on Webster. a
Clay, Calhoun. a Lincoln, a Chase, a
Marshall or d Story, who Will,
leaf by leaf, be developed at the forum
in this edifice, until full,
well developed juriSt of national reputa-
ton, shall have gone forth from the por-
tails of this temple of justic, or mighty
statesman, born at Wichita.
We are, today, the largest county in the
state of Kansas. We have the largest CITY
and this court house will be the largest
and most imposing, the grandest of any of
the county public buildings in the state.
1t will be a monument to the energies and
genius of our people and it will at all times
be an honor; and | pledge you. my fellow
citizens, that the Bar association of Sedg-
wick county will ever guard your integrity
and the hallow that Will surround this
edifice.
After this speech the benediction was
pronounced by the Grand Chaplain. The
people dispersed and the Masons returning
to their lodge room were disbauded
Mt. Olivet Commandery preceded by the
Board of Trade band acted as an escort to
Grand Master Lamb to the Carey hotel
c1r-,r