Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-13
This Time They Come From Column
bian College.
THE COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
Mr.. James c. Carter's Eloquent
Address to the Graduates.
D REEFS AND P RIZ E S

II their future legal career IL haii 81
glorious as It's commencement the young
lawyers who on last evening received their
degrees from Columbian University have
much to look forward 30. Everything con-
spired to make the occasion a most success
full one, and 1, is very doubtful II any for
mer exercise of a like character attracted
the same amount Of attention as did the
commencement last evening. The floral
and other decorations were beautiful. and
the presence OF many electric lights Of
varied hues served to make the effect still
more pleasing to the eye. The Marine Band
was on hand. as usual. and discoursed
sweet music throughout the evening.
The exercises began promptly at o'clock
and were opened by an invocation by Dr.
w. A. Bartlett Of the New York Avenue
Church. After a selection by the orchestra.
President yelling of the university intro
duced Mr.. James c. Carter. the distin-
guished lawyer Of New York. who delivered
the address to the graduating classes.
Mr.. Carriers Address.
Mr.. Carriers address was a gem Of learn
ing and eloquence. and inasmuch as it can
well be considered the expression of the
views of this able jurist upon some very I'M
portant subjects. the embryo lawyers who
listened to it will do well to incorporate into
their makeup the principles as there laid
down, In order that they may achieve as
substantial a success has the one to
whom they had the privilege Of listening
last evening. Mr.Carter said: THE occasion
which brings US together is the departure
of a company Of young men from the halls
Of university to different quarters Of the
country for the work for which they have
long been in prepare ton. They propose to
adopt the profession Of the lava profess
sion we'll described by one of the greatest
chancellors Of France as being as ancient
as the magistracy, noble virtue. as
necessary as Justice
While their lives are all before them and
their faces are eagerly and hopefully turned
upon the future, they seek an expression Of
one whose life Is mainly behind him. and
who. having already made the Journey. Is
not privileged. or condemned. to repeat IT."
Some Practical Advice.
From this the speaker inferred thar some
hints might be expected drawn from what
is supposed to be the wisdom Of experience;
some Indication Of the pathway to be select
ed on the one hand or Stunned on the 9TH
er: of the difficulties and peris which are
likely to be encountered, and Of the means
by which they may be avoided or overcome
Suggestions of this nature, he thought,
would be more welcome and probably more
useful than any attempt to impart more
instruction upon legal subjects. The future
had In II many elements Of adversely, which,
a.
feat, but from which courage and resolu-
ton would pluck success and victory. The
speaker assured his hearers that the work
Of preparation was not finished nor should
1t ever be completed, for when preparation
ceases. further professional success and ad-
vancement will at the same time cease.
1t was very necessary that habits Of cor
RICHNESS and excellence should be Guilt
waited. Although the word artist did not
seem exactly applicable to the lawyer yet
In some senses he might be said to be ami
mated by the same motives which animate
the artist The love Of excellence, not for
the reward which 1t brings, but for its own
sake. and because 1t Is what accompiishes
the purpose for which he is employed is as
necessary as possible and as effective with
the lawyer as with the painter or the poet
This characteristic was especially necessary
In the work of the advocate for 1t was his
WORK to persuade rather than to demon
strate. The art Of commanding attention
was especially important, and the first re-
quirement for the securing Of this end
should be that the advocate should be in
earnest. Some might ask how this was pos
Sible IN those cases where the side which
the lawyer is called upon to support happens
to be in his own belief the wrong one There
were not many such cases. The lawyer Is
not charged In any case with the duty of
nnally determining which side Is right, but
OF finding grounds and reasons for defend
Ing the side upon which he Is retained
Where the lawyer felt that there were no
just grounds for contention he should dis
pose Of the case by advice to abandon the
strife or seek counsel who may entertain
different views. The arts of form, arrange
ment and expression came next in import
ance. The realms. not only of reason, but
Of passion, imagination, poetry, wit. hu-
NOR and satire might be made tributary to
these ends.
The speaker called attention to the ne
cesSity OF a liberal and generous education.
Many were deferred by the apparent vast
ness of the field of study. But it was not
so vast as 1t seemed. for it was not In the
indiscriminate perusal of many authors. but
In familiar converse with selected few
that the lawyer should seek the needed aids
which literature can furnish MIN.
Future Prospects.
Addressing himself particularly to the
graduates upon the stage, the speaker said
that while they would meet with difficulties
and discouragements, he thought, on the
whole. that the prospects for the American
lawyer in the future were as bright as they
had ever been in the past. One portentous
cloud. however, appeared upon the horizon,
but II might yet show q silver lining. Their
fair sisters were knocking for admission
to the legal penetralia, and who could tell
how soon they might gain an entrance.
Indeed said the speaker, "they are de-
handing voice in the making of laws, and
when this is yielded every door to a partici-
patton in the administration of them must
fly open. What new perils are to come from
this strange rivalry for professional honors
and rewards? What will be your conster-
nation when, fully expecting to triumph for
a righteous cause, some fair Portia, fresh
from an American Padua, and arrayed in
every charm, stands up to address the Jury
against you! We may tremble for the in
terests of truth and justice in such con-
test. unless. perchance-the only saliva ton
some of her rivals are seated in the jury
box. But, perhaps, instead of the dangers,
the possible delights of. the new order of
things may have a superior interest for
your younger minds. Professional consul
tations with the members of the learned
sisterhoodi Hours of WEAKNESS beguiled
and soothed. But enough; against such
perils as these / must leave you to your
own devices. / have no wisdom which may
serve to guide you"
The Lawyer ms "a Legislator.
In conclusion, Mr.. Carter said that in the
devising. framing and amending the legal
Institutions of the society the studies and
knowledge of the lawyer gave him incalcu-
liable advantages over others. and imposed
upon him a correspondngly increased
weight of civic obligation. The vast ma
jority of our legislators had been drawn
from the legal profession, and 1t was I'M
doubtedly true that II would not have been
possible to frame and set in motion our sys-
TEN Of government unless this had been the
case. AT the present time the duties Of the
legislators were more difficult than ever be-
fore, and II was the duty of every patriotic
lawyer to respond to the call IL it came to
him, and take an active. earnest and hon
est part in the enactment of our country's
laws