The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-05-23
WOMEN AT THE BAR.

Colonel lngersoll pronounces against the
woman lawyer However heterodox and
unsubstautial the colonels opinion may be
regarded i'll religion, his judgment on the
fitness of women for legal equality is of
value. He does not base his convictions on
any intellectual inseriority OF the sex. He
argues that the practice of the law is not
suitable to the feminine temperament
This seems tenable ground, for anyone
familiar with the evoutions of jurisprudence
must be convinced that mastery of legal
mystery does not depend upon mental
gifts, Or even the accomplishments of legal
scholarship. Women have appeared in the
courts III various States since 1S1O. But as
yet they have not signalzed their fitness
tor the bar. Nor can this be attributed to
any Willingness on the part OF the law
yer 10 deny them il fair field.
1t was cynically argued when women
first began to appear in law that under Ger
tam conditions they ~ould carry everything
before them. II the laNyer were young
and pretty and made her plea before an
elderly Judge or a jury OF susceptible young
men. she would triumph in spite Of law or
fact! 1t may he that no pretty women
have taken to the law, for no case of this
kind has been brought to public attention.
1t would be difficult to conceive woman
trying such Il case as Holmes, for example
From her very nature she would be at a
disadvantage; were she defending, she
could not help but shrink from client
upon whom such mass of evil doing vas
fastened, irrespective of the crime at issue.
The ancient example, imagined by
Shakespeare, in Portia, is often citcd ny
women as proof that the wizard OF poetry
saw no reason why women shouldn't lake
ran with men at law. But hen Purtia
plea is examined, we find that she Was only
the mouth piece of the wisest old counsellor
i'll Europe, that her plea was simply il les
son learned from him.
In medicine, i'll all the other professions
where men used to monopolize rewards,
distinctions and prominence, women hold
their own, because their peculiar gifts are
adapted IL these functions. 1t is impossi
bic to imagine anything more soothing
than the hand OF woman in sickness or
pam. There Is not il hospital in Chrsten-
dom where she is not honored, adulated
Cases innumerable are on record where
feminine ministry has rescued life when
given up by male practitioners. In paint
ing, in sculptuary, in nearly every calling
where Judgment, tinesse, lightness of touch,
comprehension and inspired aptitude are
requisite, women far excel men. TO wo-
men we have to appeal even when political
evil-dong goes too far. They are success
full on the stump, convincing in debate.
1t was woman who reversed the machine in
Kansas, and called down the political
bosses. Senator PETER propheses woman
in the Presidency before the co ning cen
fury has long clothes on! 1t may be; but,
as the President is compelled to know law
and adiudicate delicate questions, there
ought to be II proviso that the woman
President should have a lawyer for as we
understand him, to advocate the election of
aspinster to the Chief Masistracy. Such an
event would confuse all our normal regime ,
How could Senate and House indulge in
its ordinary llings and jibes at young
female in the chair of Washington and
Jefferson? OF late the press throughout
she country has remarked the frequency of
marriage between two OF a tradc-that is,
between male and female lawyers, doctors,
painters, poets, noveists and what not!
When thus fortified, there is no reason why
women shouldn't be lawyers, or anything
else they aspire to- for if the old adage
holds good, that two heads are better than
one, the woman lawyer must triumph.