Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1889-12-14
A PLEA FOB LAWYERS.
BY U. s. GRANT PITZER. OF THE
MARTINSRURG BAR.

iv, So.
@ here has ever been hue and cry
81 raised against the lawyer. Peo-
pie like to represent him as tricky
and dishonorable-only to be sought
when they have violated the law, or
suffered actionable injustices and
wrongs at the hands of others. In
every walk of life, among all classes,
will be found detractors of his aims
and purposes. To such an extent
has this unkind and ungenerous an
tipathy developed, that one is al
most compelled to consider every
lawyer knave and rascal.
This spirit is deceptive. The law
yer is more often wronged by others
than they are wronged by him. His
standard of morals is higher than
those of his maligners. He is gen.
orally more influential, less bigoted,
and more representative in his views
than most of his critics. Taken as q
man, he will suffer but little before
an impartial public by a comparison
with people in other professions and
business avocations.
Why, then, is he selected as tar
get for bitter reproaches and sarcas-
tic references What are his short
comings :? Some declare he is too
ready to barter his manhood and
learning for gold that knowing his
client to be criminal, or that his
case is utterly worthless, in the first
case he defends him, and in the
second persuades him into court.
There, wrapping him in the intrica-
cies of the law, lie leaves him to
founder while he extracts the money
from the case and laughs as the poor
dupe walks away penniless and des-
titute. Others insist that his fees
are not commensurate with the work
he performs, and that he lives of
the strife and contention OF a COM
munity.
Let us notice these complaints.
The law justly and humanely de-
clares that no man is guilty of a
crime until so adjudged by jury,
unless he really pleads guilty. So
careful are courts that the innocence
OF prisoner shall be presumed,
that they assign him counsel, be he
as poor as Jobs turkey. There are
often inexplicable circumstances that
may fasten the suspicion and con-
demnation Of public opinion on a
person charged with crime. The
voice of the people clamors for pun
ishment. He may or may not be
guilty. To an impartial Judge he
may appear to be the deepest-dyed
of criminals. To follow the argu-
ment of the critic, no lawyer would
be justiiable in taking his case.
Why? Because there is every rea-
son to believe him guilty. Yet, how
often after sentence has passed and
execution has followed, have men
been found innocent of the crime for
which they were convicted Why
should lawyer have scruples against
defending the most apparent and alb
ject of criminals, in the light of such
a truth?
The jury is largely responsible for
the escape of criminals, for it has
the evidence, it has the law applica-
BILE to the case defined to it, and
should be able to mete out punish
ment to those who deserve it. The
judge, the prosecution-these are not
guiltless when criminals escape pun.
ishment. Justice is not blind, though
occasionally she may be bllndfolded,
and so long as the law considers a
man innocent of crime until found
guilty by jury of his countrymer,
so long is every lawyer clearly, scru.
pulously and properly justified in