Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-23
Learned Judges and Eminent Attor-
neys Around the Board.
ELOQUENT AND WITTY SPEECHES
Made in Response to the Quaint and Appro-
pirate Toasts.
FLOWERS, FEASTlNG, MUSIC AND MIRTH

4 gether with seven Judges to dine and talk.
1t was a merry gathering All reserve
was thrown off and Blackstone gave way to
blue points. commentaries to consomme.
and not even a taste of Purdon's Digest was
necessary to gathering that lacked notn'
| ing The rooms were beautifully decorated
with enormous bouquets and massed flowers
and gresns, with handsome bouquet at
each plate intended to grace the buttonhole
of the guests who gathered early, and could
only drag themselves away from the cheer
full scene in time to escape the condemnlng
J note of the midnight bell.
w. L. Chalfaut was the ideal toastmaster
and Immediately cast all reserve to the
winds by opening the occasion with q
speech nodded in humorous way that at
once set the pace for the rest of the evening.
Quoted Ben Johr,on's Famous Toast
He gravely quoted Ben Johnson's oft
repested toast, ITO the old long life and
treasure, to the young all health and pleas
ure," and followed out the trend of his lit
tie quotation in way that caused laughter
and cheers almost before the fish
was reached j. S. Young acted
as Vice President in the place
of NJ. A. Woodward, who was alb
sent unavoidably. Immediately surround
ing the speakers sat Judges Thomas Ewing,
Joseph Burlington, Christopher Msgee,
Jacob Slagle, w. D. Porter, j. w. E.
White and W. H. McClung, but they also
had forgotten all about the dry legal routine
of the past day and thoroughly enjoyed
ha II 4hair h.
rem of the bar.
After the applause following the first
speech had died away, and another course
had been cIeverly sandwiched In, D. D.
Bruce, one of the oldest members of the
bar, rose to respond to the toast, ''The Law
yers of Forty Years ago." This toast
which fell to the lot of Nj. Bruce, is espec-
tally appropriate, as he has announced his
intention of Withdrawing from active prac-
tice on January 1 next. The text to prompt
the speakers thoughts was Goldsmith's
compliment to all that's old, and though
somewhat historical, his "reminiscences were
decidedly interesting and his points apt
when drawing some lively comparisons.
There were many members present who
knew something of the law of 40 years ago,
and perhaps they might know something of
the law of the present day. AT any rate,
the talk was decidedly interesting to both
the young and old present, and the speaker
was given hearty applause as he finished
his last speech at an annual banquet as an
active member of the bar
Judge Burlington on the Law.
Amidst a respectful silence, Hon. Joseph
Burlington, the comparatively young but
brilliant Kittanning lawyer, now Judge of
the United States District Court, arose to
respond to the toast ''The Law" AL
ways dry subject, it was warmed consider
ably by the speaker who mixed wit with
wisdom and humor in fine legal dis
course that won applause from many
hearers On the programme the
we're we'll chosen and that attached to
Judge Bufington's theme was equally ap-
propriate in which Tennyson tells of the
few who master the lawless science, the
myriad of precedent, the wilderness of
single instance, to finally reach fame.
Major E. A. Montooth was then called
upon to tell what he knew of
''Modesty," that virtue of which
Herrick speaks 'Of all our parts the eyes
express the sweetest kind of bashfulness." "
The speaker contended that bashiulness, as
a legal commodity, was not rare, but it was
all well enough in its place; true merit was
always modest, though modesty did not al
ways conceal merit. Mr. Montooth thus
ran along in his usual happy vein, at times
waxing eloquent over the worth of his text,
and again rather considering it a draw back
occasionally.
Put Them All in High Spirits.
One of the wittiest speeches of an even
ing filed with wit and bright sayings worth
remembering was made by John L. Nc
Cutcheon, whose duty it was to answer to
the rather vague toast, 'Its Uses and
Abuses" But few words were necessary
to set the company in high good hunor, and
after that the speaker had them all a. his
will. Guests laughed until the tears flowed
freely, then gasped and laughed again at
the quirks and unexpected turns taken by
an unexpectedly funny talk on several IN
expectedly funny subjects that well illus
trated Addison's idea tackled to Mr.. Nc
Cutcheon's name on the programme of that
touchv, tasty, pleasant fellow, with whom
there was no living with or without.
As soon as there was quiet enough in the
room George Elphinstone was called upon
to respond to the subject, 'The Advocate"
The speaker opened in defense of the law
yer, who has been abused for many years
because of the tricks and treachery of a
few. He quoted Lord Brougham's re-
marx, Inab a lawyer Is q man VINO reScues
your estate and keeps it himself" and an
other man who had dared to attack the
profession, the speaker called 'mis-
creant," which sentiment was duly cheered.
Took Exceptions to Dickens.
He said even Dickens had attacked the
bar BY presenting in his books such men as
Solomon Pell, who would "have his car
cass," also Dodson and Fogg with their
fees, and list of others. A choice seIec-
tion of writer's attacks upon the bar were
then quoted, when the speaker assumed
more serious air in his and others defense.
Such opinions, he said, were only enter
tanned by people who never had any deal
ings with members of the profession, "who
speak for the dumb, who plead for the
needy, and to whose learning, honor and
eloquence are intrusted the property,
liberty, and even the lives of his clients"
In speaking of the successful advocate, the
speaker said the eloquent lawyer had all in
his favor, though he argued for good, sound,
pointed, vigorous Anglo Saxon, rather than
the pleading cadence of a sing song voice,
when it comes to convincing jury
During the early part of the dinner, and
at intervals between the speeches, the
guests were delighted with music furnished
by Toerge's Orchestra. The musicians
were concealed behind banks of flowers and
ferns, and if anything were needed to make
the affair one of the most brilliant and sue
cessful in the history of the bar, the music
did it.