The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-29
FOR STUDENTS OF LAW
Facts About the Profession for
Those Who Wish to Enter.
Qualifications Required by the Student
His Prospect of Success in
Country and Town.
James w. Gerard, IL. D.. in the indie

James W. Gerard, IL. D., in the indie
pendent.
Not to those who live in cities, where
law schools give every facility for the study
of law, is this article addl essed; but rather
20 those who, living on lonely farms and
IN small towns. feel some inclination to
enter upon the most difficult Of profess
sions. The youth whose poverty seems
q heavy handicap should not despair Of
winning his way at the bar; he already
possesses the sharpest spur of success,
that of necessity.
Erskine, who did not begin the study
of the law until he was twenty-five years
OF age, and afterward became Lord Chan
cellor, gives us a forcible instance Of
necessity as a stimulus and of the power
of determination to overcome obstacles. In
addressing the court for the first time
he felt embarrassed, depressed and diff
dent, but gradually assumed courage as
he imagined his wife and children, then in
distress. Juggling at his robe and telling
him to remember them.
Lord Eldon, Chancellor of England, said
that "evsry young lawyer ought to be
half starved. 1t has a. fine effect
Two great systems of law are In use In
the civilized world; one I'm use on the con-
VI anu III SellleQ
by colonists from that continent This sys-
TEN is derived from the Roman, or civil
law of the Roman empire, and is not of
immediate interest to young law students
In this country; the State of Louisiana
alone, formerly under Spanish and French
rule, follows the civil law. The second
great system of law is that in use in Eng
land and in the United States, and is
Law Mi q
law. consisting of the ancient customs of
the inhabitants Of England. is not reduced
to the form OF exact code. but is found
In the treatise Of men learned in the law
and IN judicial decisions. In England this
system has undergone many changes, ne
cessitated by the altered conditions of
modern times and the requirements of pro-
gressive civilization, and has been much
modified by the statutes enacted by Parlia-
ment. Although the Parliament has the
right to change the whole system of law,
II has left the common law unchanged,
except when pressing needs and changed
conditions required a divergence from its
rules: The English colonists who settled
I'm this country brought with them SO much
OF this common law of England, modified
By the statutes passed i'm Parliament as
was adapted 10 their needs and condition.
The commentaries of Blackstone in Eng
land and of Kent in this country on the
common law and Constitution OF their re-
epeCtlVe countries are the nfSt legal DCOES
20 be read by the law student. The student
who has read and digested either OF those
books possesses a good knowledge OF The
principles OF law; OF course. the statutes
Claws passed by the Legislature) and the
practice OF the courts differ in each state,
although there is a general similitude be-
tween them General Butler attributed his
first success at the bar 10 knowledge gained
by z careful perusal of Blackstone's cora
mentaries; and no lawyer has probably at
tanned success who has not given years TO
the reading CT law Of that general charac-
ter. Rufus Choate used TO study until 2
O'Clock in the morning. and Blackstone and
Kent were his light reading; and ErsiIsne,
a celebrated English barrister, made 4 care
ful digest OF every book and case he read.
the knowledge gained from study is rot
all that is necessary; a lawyer must pos-
SEES some knowledge Of human nature, and
at least the power OF clothing his thoughts
IL forcible and appropriate language. The
want OF this latter power is illustrated in
the case of a young lawyer who stood up
in court and stammered: May IL please
tia court-ny-my-may II please-my-un-