Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-07
TEXAS STATE BAR.
Ninth Annual Meeting OF the Association
in Session at Galveston.
Annual Address of Hon. Henry ". Lightfoot,
President of the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Made and Acted Upon
suecial TO the Gazette,


annual meeting of the Texas state bar
association met in the district court room
at 10 O'Clock this morning, and in the
absence of President Henry W. Light
foot of Paris, Vice President Norman G
Kittrell of Jewett called the association
TO order. In taking the chair Judge
KIttren delivered a well-timed address.
He also touched on the absence of the
president of the association, who was I'M
avoidably detained at the bedside of one
OF the members of his family who was
sick. At the conclusion Of Judge
Kittrell g remarks Secretary Morse read
the annual address Of the president as
follows:
Gentlemen of the Texas Bar Association:
There having been no meeting of the
legislature since our last annual session,
and my learned predecessor having fully
covered the requirements of our consti-
tuition, which pTescribes that: 1.-The
president shall open each meeting of the
association with an address. in which he
shall communicate the noteworthy
changes in statutory and constitutional
law, and especially such changes as eff
feet the development and progress of
the law, and the administration of JUS
tice, - l am relieved of the laboriOus
duty of presenting full review of our
statutory laws and can avail myself of
the more pleasing task of cleaning in
the harvest field. and presenting some
views on noteworthy changes in consti-
tutional law.
The objects of our association, so
clearly and tersely set forth in our con-
stitution, are well worthy of the careful
consideration of the deepest and bright
est minds of our state; and in order that
these may be best promoted by wise
counsel and mature thought, the board
of dircntors has extended to all the
judges ID the state an invitation TO meet
with us, and, on behalf of the associa-
ton, l extend a cordial welcome to SUCH
as have accepted the invitation.
The just relations between the bench
and the bar, both being parts of the
court, are so perfectly blended, that it
Is often difficult TO say where the duty
of the advocate leaves off, and the duty
OF the judge begins. Certainly it takes
both to constitute the court, and it as
imperatively the duty of the lawyer to
uphold the law, to maintain the strictest
honor and integrity, and to fight for
both truth and justice, as 1t is the duty
of the presiding lawyer (the judge who
is removed from the heat OF the contest,
TO hold the trembling scales evenly bal
anced ana, without fear or favor, decide
the case according to the law and the
testimony. Mr.. Justice Harlan, in re-
spouse TO q toast TO the supreme court of
the United States, at the centennial cele-
bration of that court, last February,
used these appropriate words: al name
fFh fhn hoo
upon them equally with the Judges rests
the responsibility of an intelligent de-
termination of causes in the courts,
whether relating to public or private
rights. AS the bench is re-
cruited from the bar, it must
always be, that as are the lawyers
In any given period, so, in the main, are
the courts before which they appear.
Upon the integrity, learning and cOur-
age of the bar largely depends The well
fare of the country of which they are
citizens, for, of all members of society,
the lawyers are best qualified by educa-
ton and training to devise the methods
necessary to protect the rights OF the
people against the aggressions OF power.
But they are also, i'll the best sense, min
listers of Justice. 1t is not true, as IA
nous lawyer once said, that an advocate
i'll lne discourage Oh MS uulE must KNOW
only his client; he owes duty to the
court of which he is an officer, and to the
community of which he is member.
Above all TO his conscience. He miscon-
ceives his hiGh calling if he fails to re-
cognize the fact that fidelity TO the court
Is not consistent with truth and honor,
or with fearless discharge of duty to
his client. -
Upon the same occasion MIR. Justice
Field in an address said: "To the intel
ligsnt and learned bar of the country the
Judges must look for their most effective
and substantial support. It's members
appreciate more than any other class the
difficulties and labors and responsibilities
of the judicial office; and whilst the most
severe and unspairing of critics, they
are in the end
THE MOST JUST IN THEIR JUDGMENTS.
If they entertain for the judges respect
and confidence, il they accord tc them.
learning, integrity and courage, the
general public will not be slow in accept
ing their appreciation as the true esti-
mate OF the judges character. Bound
together by these lndissoluble ties, it is
eminently proper that the bench and the
bar should combine their labors for the
common good, for 1t is true that no |
selfish or sordid motives are found in the |
deliberations of this body and it is well |
worthy of remark that while the country |
is agitated from center to circumference |
by different organizations, some of them |
holding secret meetings and midnight |
conclaves, plotting and combining for |
their own pecuniary or political advant- |
age, the bar association holds its sessions |
for the common good, in broad day |
light, with open doors, our object being |
TO advance the science OF Jurisprudence, |
promote uniformity of legislation in the |
administration of Justice throughout the |
state, uphold the honor of the profession |
of law, and encourage cordial inter-
course among its members.
1t is true that our professional house
hold, like all others, is afflicted with its |
closeted skeletons-and with some skele-
tons that are not closeted, which persist
In dangling before our front doors, in
the broad light of MONDAY, to our shame
and humiliation. Among these are the |
ubiquitous pettifogger - the conceited
and shallow Drained stirrer up Of strife,
whose genius and tact in picking flaws
In his neighbors titles, are only equaIed
by the ghoul which revels at midnight
among the graveyards disturbing the re-
Of eha |