The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1892-05-12
Lawyer and Journalist.
(Ohio Sta te Journal J

The Hooking Sentinel calls atten-
ton to an important fact. Members
of the journalistic profession are
held to strict accountability at the
bar of public opinion for all unnec-
essary personal abuse or vIllifcation
of individuals, are liable to the vexa-
tions and expenses of libel suit
If they are reckless as to the charges
they make in reference to the con-
duct Of citizens.
This is ali we'll enough, for Jour
alism while it must necessarily deal
with persons should do so conscien-
tiously and truthfully, and not ac-
cording 10 the personal dislikes
quarrels or enmitles of the journalist,
not according to that taste for de-
traction and slandeI which with some
pen seems natural and instructive.
But while the profession of iourn.
alism ia rightly held up to this lofty
standard the Sentinel wants to know
why it is that the legal profession
should ID practice be almost wholly
exempt from it. A lawyer may
stand in q court room in presence oi
the assembled public and launch mp
on the Individual whose suit he is
opposing and upon that individual's
witnesses aud friends whole torrents
of vituperatiOn, obloquy and abuse
without being called to account fol
it and without liability to be called
to account. The best, purest aDC
most honorable citizen in a Commu
nifty seeking justice ir the court;
may thus be made the victim Of the
foulest, vilest and most damaging
onslaught upon his reputation, stand
ing and character, and has absolute
ly no redress whatever. He is but :
common citizen, while the lawyer il
"privlleged."
Of course there are high-mlndec
gentlemen in the legal profession
who would scorn to indulge in thlt
vituperation and sIander. But there
are others who delig BIT In it. whose
principal stock in trade it is anC
who are perhaps sometimes employ
ed by dishonerable clients solely OF
account of their ability and willing
ness to yilify and abuse. And, IN
deed, 1t may he said that llcense &C
corded to lawyers in this respect il
q standing temptation to the entire
profession.
Now, all this is wrong. The law
yer should no more be privileged
to recklessly libel and slander his
fellow citizens than should the ed
itor. The power as public opinion
should be brought to bear agains
personal law practice as we'll as a
gainst personal journalism. Ane
the lawyer who unnecessarily as
sails individual character, reputation
and motives, and falsely attributes
immoral and wrong doing to citizens
in a court room, should be made
| legally responsible therefor as muct
as the journalist who does the same
things in the columns of a newspa
per-
Neither lawyer nor Journals
should be held responsible for any
thing SAID or printed in good faitl
| and with 60 intention to do iDjus
tice or wrong, for the pnblic inter
est requires that the tongue OF
lawyer and the pen Of an editor shal
be alike free; but as no public IL
terest ii. subaerved by personal Sian
der. libel, falsehood and reckles
abuse of individuals by the editor
so no public interest and no require
ment of justice is subserved throug
the slandeE, vituberation and pei
sonal abuse Of individuals on tn
part of the lawyer should be "pri'
ileged'' IN the true and nobler sens
of the term, but neither should b
privlledsed to disregard the right
of citizens or TO com NIT wlllf'
| WrOng,