The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-11
LAWYERS WHO TOOK THE OATH
THE AMNESTY CLAUSE STILL on
THE L. 5. COURT BOOKS.

Statesmen and Attorneys Who Have
signed the ROII-The COIIoquy
Gen. TOOmbs and Judge Erskine
Had About It-A Unique Book of
Autographs in the Clerks Office.
An interesting study is found in the
roll book of attorneys who have been
admitted to practice in the United States
court for this district since the civil war.
The first name upon the roll is that Of
Hon. Joseph E. Brown. who was admit
ted to practice in this court by Judge Frs
kline Nov. 10, 1866, and the last is that
of Mr.. ID. B. Lester Of this city, who
was admitted at the recent term Of court
held this year.
The oath administered to an attorney
when admittedsto practice in this court
just after the war contained a clause
which required him to support all the
proclamations relating to the emancipa-
ton of slaves. 1t is as follows:
Il do solemnly swear Cor affirm in
the presence of Almighty God, that I will
henceforth faithfully support. protect
and defend the constitution OF the United
States, and the union of the states there
under; and that I will in like manner
abide by and faithfully support all laws
and proclamaticns which have been made
during the existing rebellion with refer
ence to the emancipation of slaves. And
further, / do solemnly swear Tor affirm
that 1 will demean myself as an attor-
ney, counsellor, solicitor, proctor and ad-
vocate of this court uprightly and ac-
cording to law, and that l will support
the constitution of the United States so
help me God"
The taking of the amnesty portion of
the oath was revoked by order of court
April 49, 1868, but 1t has been admins
tered since to many Of the applicants on
account of the fact that it stands on
the book just as it was then written, the
amnesty clause never having been erased
There must have been some exceptions
however. Robert TOombs was admitted
to practice in this court Nov. 5, 1868, a
few months after the amnesty oath had
been revoked by order of the court. 1t
is said of him that in some colloquy be-
tween himself and Judge Erskine at the
time, he became rufied at some state
ment from the court and retorted rather
vigorously
Il practiced law in these courts, sir,
before you had emerged from the boys
of Ireland"
The roll begins with the name of Joseph
E. Brown, and the names of Frank j.
Hesseltine of Savannah and j. ]. Pope
are the only others that appear as hav-
ing been admitted in 1866 But during
the year 1867 eighty-hve counsellors were
admitted to practice in these courts.
Among them are many of Georgia's most
famous statesmen, jurists and judges.
They begin with Linton Stephens of
Sparta, George A. Mercer, W. S. CHS
holm, Martin j. Ford, j. r. Saussy, John
O'Ferriu, T. NJ Norwood, Solomon Co
hen, s. Yates Levy, Henry r. Jackson,
Julian Hartridge, Rufus e. Lester, w. s.
Basinger George w. Lamar of Savan-
nah, Benjamin H. Hill of Athens, and
afterward of Atlanta, Howell Cobb and
Clifford Anderson of Macon, w. Dough-
erty and o. A. Lochrane of Atlanta.
G.. J. Wright and r. II. Hines of AL
bany, A. +. MacIntyre of Townsville,
and Hon. A. O. Bacon of Macon, recently
elected United States senator from Geor-
gia. Many others were admitted during
that year, but these are among the best
known in this section.
The names of all these men are 81 their
own handwriting, and the roll forms n
handsome collection of autographs. Fol
lowing the name of Judge William d.
Harden in October, 1868, come those of
Robert Toombs and Alexander II. Steph-
ems. Judge d. A. O'Byrne, Judge Henry
B. Tompkins, Judge Robert Falligant were
also admitted in that year. In 1859 come
W R. Gignilliat of Darien and William
tiarrard of Savannah, ard in 1870 John
Rutherford of Macon and c. N. West of
this city. Other well known names appear
on the roll in the years named: Louis T..
Garrard, Columbus, 1871; James II. Blount,
Macon, Z. w. Meldrim, a. Pratt Adams,
J. c. c. Black 1873; ]. L. Whatley, l.. E.
BIeckley and T. 2. Ravenel, 1874; B. A.
Denmark. Charles f. Crisp, II. c. Cum
ningham and John D. Carter, 1885, s. B.
Adams OF. Savannah. William T. Gary of
Augusta, and Charles l.. Bartlett of Ma
con, 1876; w W. Mackall and W, g. Charl-
ton, 1878; f. G. duBignon, 1879; Emile New
man. 1880; William Clifton and Spencer
r. Atkinson, 1882; A. Minis, John S.
Schley. VIM. NJ. Hayward, and W. L. Gig
nilliat. 1888; M A. O'Byrne. 1881, and in 1888
the following attorneys, most of whom are
Savannahians were admitted to practice
in the United States court: Alfred Herring
ton, J. r. Anderson, J. a. Cronk, William
Pease, w r. Leaken, W. P. LaRoche, T.
S. Morgan. Jr., Edward S. Elliott, George
A. Mercer. Jr., w l.. Clay, W. W. Cor
don, Jr.. Jacob Gazan Dempsey Griffin,
L. M. Cunningham IL, =, II mia " =
g. B. Whatley T. D. Rockwell, and in
the next year W S. Chisholm.
The following attorneys were admitted
at the term of the court just closed: w.
B. Stubbs, R. NJ. Hitch. II. w. Johnson,
A. L. Alexander. John Nicolson. Jr., and
d. B. Lester of Savannah; John c. McDon-
aid of Waycross, Joseph w. Bennett Of
Brunswick, C. D. Land of Mt. Vernon, d.
r. Grower of Statesboro, and f. H. SAT-
ford of Swainsboro.
Just after the war Judge w. B. Woods.
who was appointed and confirmed Dec. %,
1869 was circuit judge, and Judge Erskine
had charge of the district court. He was
appointed July II. 1865, and confirmed Jan.
81 1866. Judge Don A. Pardee is now the
circuit, and Judge Emory Speer sits in
the district court.