Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-26
EADY TO PRACTICE
Graduation Exercises at the Howard Law
School.
Addresses of Interest and Merit-GoOd
Advice-The Young Men Who
Received Diplomas.

The commencement Of the Law School of
Howard University took place last night
at the Congregational Church. corner of
10th and G streets northwest, in the pres
ence of very large audience
Prof. b. f. Leighton, dean of the faculty,
presided. Others on the platform were
Pre- sident j. A. Rankin of Howard Uni
yersity; Representative c. L. Daniels of
New York, Messrs. w. H. Richards, J.
F. Bundy, w. H. H. Hart, George Francis
Williams, T. w. Birney and A. A. Birney;
elso the following: Post graduates-Edward
H. Hunter of North Carolina, Smart P.
Livingston of Florida, William L. Pollard
of District of Columbia and Traverse A.
Spraggins of Virginia. Graduates Edward
F. Arnold, Charles c. Cook, NJ Grant
Lucas and AJphonso o. Stafford of District
of Columbia, Edward W. Henry of New
York, Isaac l.. Henson and Jones S. Moten
of Texas, George w. Mitchell Of New York,
Robert j. Morris of Pennsylvania, Samuel
E. Monroe of Virginia, George l.. Pendle-
ton of New Jersey, Frederick M. Sims of
New Mexico and Charles w. E. Trusty of
Maryland.
The front of the platform presented
somewhat unusual appearance, being piled
to the average height of about one foot
and nearly the same width with presents
OF books, etc, for the graduates.
The Exercises.
After a brief but very felicitous address
of welcome by President Rankin, Rev. DR..
o. NJ. Waller, rector of ST. Luke's P E.
Church, offered prayer. The salutatory
was by Edward w. Henry of the senior
class, his theme being THE Lawyer as a
Reformer." The subject of the valedictory
was The Ideal Government" and was
delivered by Edward H. Hunter of the post
graduate course
Before introducing Mr.. Hunter to the au-
dience Prof Leighton said he desired to
call the attention of the audience to the
fact that the aim of the law department
of Howard University is to make lawyers.
Mr.. Hunters address was very attentive
ly listened to, and its reading developed
that its author regarded our own as the
ideal government of the world.
The address to the graduating class by
ex-Judge Daniels of New York, now a
member of the House of Representatives
from that state, was very lengthy, but 1T
contained a great deal of exceedingly vaIu-
tended.
After congratulating the members of the
class upon the fact that they had been sue
cessful in graduating, he said in part: DO
not solace yourselves with the idea that
you can now stop studying, and that fur
ther exertion on your part is unnecessary.
Success in your chosen profession is dis
tant at the present time, but by proper eff
will never reach the point that you will not
have to apply all your talents to whatever
case you may have in hand, in order that
you may not fail.
There is success by intuition. There
are some people who think that this is the
way some of our great lawyers advance in
the ranks and become leaders; but it Is not
SO. l may illustrate this by telling YOU of
an incident in the life of Daniel Webster
who was known as the great expounder OF
the constitution, and 1t occurred during his
residence in Washington. 1t happened
that northern firm who were interested in
a patent which 1t was alleged was being
infringed desired to secure the services Of
Mr.. Webster, and when their agent called
On the great lawyer in reference to the case
the latter replied that he would consider
the matter, provided the agent would call
to see him al o'clock the next morning.
In explanation as to why he wanted the
agent to call at such an early hour Mr.
Webster said that most people thought he
did not DO any work, because there were so
many public duties he had to attend to, but
in this they were in error. for in order to
attend to his own private work he was
obliged to begin to attend to his own mat
tiers every morning at o'clock. BY doing
so he was able to get through the latter by
5 or 9 o'clock, and the remainder Of the
day he devoted to public affairs
I'm the progress Of your professional
career you must not expect to secure COM
plete success at first. You must show the
community that you are worthy of their
your mind the idea that you must study all
kinds of books Better have a thorough
knowledge of one good book than a SUPER
fetal acquaintance with a hundred. Take
the works of the great authors who have
devoted their lives to the good of their EEL
low men and study their books carefully
BE careful in making up your cases to
observe all the forms of law, and remem-
Der 1t is better to overstate than under
state" .. .........
Judge Daniels then reviewed at much
length the life of Moses as a law giver,
the history of Roman law and the most i'm
portant events connected with the framing
OF vital laws Ut to the present time, and
In conclusion urged his auditors ito keep
In the right at all times. so that they need
fear the face of no man."
The degrees were CONFER ed by President
Rankin, that of master of laws on the
four post-graduates and that of bachelor
of laws on the thirteen graduates.
The music. which was very fine, was rem
dered by Hoffman's Orchestra. 1t was ex-
pected that Justice Harlan Of the United
States Supreme Court would attend and
make an address, but he was not present
The benediction was pronounced by Pres
ident Rankin.