Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-10-22

trying to illumine the chambers and
passages Of Mammoth Cave with single
tallow candle held aloft In the hand OF
solitary explorer. The single ray might
be reflected from few glittering and
dazzling points, but the great and pro-
found Beauties Of the cave would still be
shrouded In impenetrable gloom.
l am aware that haste and rapidity
form the most prominent characteristic
Of the nineteenth century and that what
has been accomplished In that direction
seems little short OF miraculous. Our
chief aim is to annihilate space and time.
Nothing but through trains satisfy US.
The little stops at the way stations OF
time fret and worry US; and 1t Is with
ill-concealed impotence that we endure
the waiting necessary To take on nee
essary water and fuel. All the time We
are under such pressure that any de-
lay causes us to continually blow oil
steam.
We have "Flying Yankees" and SCAN
non Ball Trains" to every important
station except Heaven. Probably the
patronage given that line does not war
rant IL. And as the rules Of the road
forbid any special private train, the pub
lie have TO be satisfied with the old
fashioned train which stops anywhere
along the route TO take on a waiting pas
senger.
But even nineteenth century haste
would avail me but little, as the shadows
which conceal the beginning OF the legal
profession are almost impenetrable.
Such an effort, IL set out la the startling
head lines employed by the newspapers
of the day, for we have 10 have even our
news digested for Us, would run about
AS follows, viz:
Grand Critical and Analytical Compendium
OF the Progress of the World
during 5000 years.
NIB. II viii occupy only ten minutes and
persons attending from away can return 10y
electric carr same trip.
This claim OF antiquity Is hardly ex-
aggerated. Wherever traces OF the
existence of knowledge or learning are
found, there also are found evidences OF
the existence OF the legal profession
From the mummy caskets of ancient
Egypt, into which no human eye ha:
peered for thousands Of years, hsv,
been taken fun covenant deeds, which
would stand the test Of the courts of tn,
present day. So In all nations the law
yer has been in the foremost van o.
civilization. His labors have tended 4
bring people into more harmonious re
latious. IN establish the freedom an,
value of the individual as distinguished
from class, and 10 give power ant
| strength IN Law and iustiCp
In doing this great work he has offer
encountered the jealousy of the church
which centuries ago Ut Amalfl solemn,
declared that no lawyer could enter tn
Kingdom Of Heaven. In spite OF thi
popgun artillery, the standard OF hu
maniiy, in the hands of lawyers, Ia
continually iloatei in Gods free air aus
been successfully advanced against al
enemies. They have routed vices ant
official wrongs, strongly intrenched II
the cupidity OF incumbents and the hope
ful dreams 81 asplrants. They hay
moulded and formulated the humani.
OF centuries. Chimney VI. Depew elc
quently says: 1T was no. Periclcs bu
SCION aud his statutes which made posi-
Ole Greciin power and progress; il WA
not her lrgions but her twelve table
which made Rome the mistress OF ia
| world; it WAS not the defeat Of ia
Mosl,n hor,l,s. but the discovery OF "a
Paadect., which preserved Europe:
WAS not the Norman conquest hut ~
common law which evolved con.iitu
tionl freedom out Of chaos, revolution
and despotiSm."
fIt.t- lrts. NJ snn n1a1
developed by the great and learne
lawyers OF former centuries, stands u
day - the proudcst aud most beniiiceu
work Of human hands. IL is the un
versal law OF the land, the crystsllizatlo
of the wisdom Of the ages, and has
principle for every supposable case
The law already exists. for the decision
Of our honored judges are not the Ia
itself; they are simply evidences OF Oh
law, aud have weight In proportion I
the number OF cases concurring Their,
with.
To sustain and establish this law
any particular case, one should be abl
70 give reason for IL. Sir John Powe
once said: "Iet Us consider the reaso
of the case. for nothing Is law that
not reason" and this apothcgm HI
since been quoted approvingly 10y man
IN eminent jurisi.
need hardly say that Il refers solcl
10 the common law, and not 10 th
crudities that sometimes come from I'll
legislative mill. II Il related, perhil
not truthtully but very suggestivel!
thst IN certain nation, any legislsto
proposing u new law had TO do 80 with
rope around his neck, indicative OF b
Willingness To perish by 1t IL the law di
not work To the advantage Of his fello
, citizens. We're this test required her
our bloated volume OF legislative &c,
would shrink To very modest propo
tiOns.
To this glorious heritage Of the con
mon law every member OF the legal PR
fessicn is AZ heir, but with the legac
comes the responsibility Of preservin
. its purity, snd transmitting il untarnisl
ed. In no other profession Is the stan'
! sri az honor so high or so proudly an
successfully maintained. As the Tenn
lars of Old guarded the standard OF Il
cross with inviolable fidelity and impeC
! etrable columns, so to-day, in whatev,
, part OF the field the standard OF hone
and integrity is raised, you will find tl
members OF our profession guarding
with spotless lives and pure character.
Integrity is iii companion and ASST
ciAte of honor. Ii Is more than mel
honesty. Ii is fine garment while
covers, adOrns and beauties the who
man-his heart, his intellect, his judg
ment, his ruling motives and his cor
trolling principles. TO receive homo
does not honor his profession can b
honored by it. The oath which mem
ter Of OR profession takes as he as
sumes the responsibilities OF profession
al life, snd consecrates himself 10 IL
duties and objects, is 10 the true lawye
as solemn and sacred AS the oath OF an
Gent knighthood. Ii does not peris
with the breath,that gave il birth, bu
lives on. thing of influence while earth
" existence remains.
The legal profession is one OF grea
responsibility. To its hands are en-
trusted the property, character an
sometimes even the lives OF its clients
They have right 70 expect thorough
examination of their case, a deliberatel,
formed and honestly expressed opinio
of their rights and liabilities in the cas-
presented. Nothing less is consisten
with uprightness aud integrity; ant
without these attributes no man Is en-
titled TO the esteem of his fellow men, o
can even respect himself. He shoul'
leave no stone unturned, no decision un
explored, so that the truth may be vim
dictated and justice done.
The popular conception that the pro
fession is wholly mercenary does gros
injustice. Many Of our great advocate: