Evening star., 1897-06-01
HOWARD'S LAW GRADUATES
Diplomas Conferred at Commencement Held
Last Evening.
Address by COmmissiOner Butter
Practicable. Rankin Presides.

ne commencement exercises Oh the Ia
department of Howard University. classes
of 81, took place last evening at the First
Congregational Church, 10th and G streets
northwest, which was crowded to over
flowing with friends of the graduates and
Of the university.
Rev. DR.. ]. E. Rankin. president of the
university. presided. Others on the plat
form were Profs. B. F. Leighton, A. A.
BirDey, John NJ. Harlan of the United
States Supreme Court, Justice c. c. Cole
Francis Wayland, W. H. Richards, William
H. H. Hart, George Francis Williams, VI.
n. Richardson, James F. Bundy and the
members of the graduating and post-gradu-
ate classes.
After music by Hoffman's Orchestra and
an invocation by Rev. DIR. ]. a. Johnson
the ADDRESS to the graduates was delivered
by Benjamin Butterworth, commissioner of
patents.
Mr.. Butterworth gave the young gentle
men OF the graduating class advice touch
ing the duties and responsibilities cast upon
them as lawyers. He reviewed their rela-
tlons to the profession, to the court and
tc their clients, and also considered their
relation to the state under our form of
government
He spoke of the almost merciless compe-
tillon In this mercantile age, when success
- IN the main measured by dollars and
cents, and moral delinquencies condoned II
the oHense pays the offender a dividend
IN cash. He commented on the nreya;ent
loea that lawyers are licensed preyarica-
.. .ers shd authorized by the demands of
thelr calling to be economical with truth.
Rules of Conduct
The young man. said Mr.. Butterworth.
VINO enters the profession holding the idea
that the canons of his calling permit or
tolerate in the practice of the law any
conduct which does not square itself to
the demands of honor. truth and justice
has no proper place in a court room out
side OF the prisoners box.
In all the avocations of life and GER
talnly not least in the legal profession, it
Will be ade clear to those who worthiIy
seek to know the truth that duty and adj
vantage are indissolubly united Hence,
young gentlemen. let duty be to you a
word OF imperial command. Do not say
that it l. difficult to determine what is
right. These who have trouble in that
line Will be found in fact to be trying to
square the promptings of a treacherous in
cllnation with the behests of duty-in other
words. trying to serve the Lord without
giving Off nse to the devil.
Duty is ours, results are Gods. and
we can safely trust Him to make amends
for what seems to be duty's loss.''
Mr.. Butterworth advised the graduates
to become politicians. but politicians in the
largest and best sense of the term. Not
mere political brigands who enter the po-
litical arena as a footpad goes on the high
way for piunder, but to master the science
of government: to thoroughly understand
the relation of the citizen TO the republic
Explaining in detail just how the govern
ment is strong in the integrity of the citi-
zen and weak in his want of integrity.
Power of the Ballot.
The law" said Mr. Butterworth, is writ
ten by the fingers that cast the ballot. So
II the country is governed well; the people
have the credit and the blessing If the
country is lily governed. the people have
the censure and the curse of bad laws
Mr.. Butterworth closed by giving some
humorous incidents in the line Of his own
practice.
The degrees were conferred by President
Rankin- The valedictory address was de-
nvered by Miss Marie A. D. Madre.
The members of the graduating class
were Miss Marie A. d. Madre. Elizabeth
NC; James F. Aston, Philadelphia: s. L.
Baker. savannah Ga; Joseph E. Benja-
min. St Thomas, Danish West Indies:
FL ank c. Boiling, Richmond. Va: William
II. Boone, Ellcott City, Md; William H.
Cox. Brazil, Ind; Ellis Dalrymple Steuben-
vile. Ohio: Charles NJ. Dame. Danville,
Va; Joseph T. Greene. Amelia C. H.. Va:
VIM. II. Harris, Renceverte, W. Va: Royal
A: Hughes, Manchester. Va: Laundros Al
King, Detroit, Mich; L. A. Knox, Poplar
Mount, Va. Albert S. Larson, Racine
Wis; jefferson t. Law, Hinton, w. Va;
Douglass b. McCary, Natchez, Miss; Ed
ward ]. Morton. Macon, Miss. Gustavus
A Weber, st. Denis, Nd; George NJ.
Wyatt. Harrisburg. Ark: J. Frank Boston,
Nathaniel w. Bridges, Philip w. Shipper
and John E Syphax of this city.
The post-graduates were Henry ]. Davis
Maysville, S. c.; Edward W. Henry, Buff
fslo. NY; Isaac l.. Henson. Littig, Tex;
George l.. Pendleton, Salem, j.; Fred
erick NJ. Sims, Albuquerque, NM, and
Alphonso o. Stafford of this city.
The Class Officers.
The class officers were ]. Frank Boston.
president; Miss Marie A. d. Madre vice
president: Laundrcs NJ. King. correspond
ing secretary; William A Wells, secretary;
Edward ]. Morton, treasurer; Frank c.
Boiling, serge geant-at-arms. Executive COM
mittee. Royal A. Hughes, chairman; John
E. Syphax, William H. Cox, L. Amasa
Knox. Philip W. Shippen. Reception COM
mittee. Prof Geo. VIM Cook, chairman:
Lewis Thompson. Joseph P. Jones. Eph-
rain Jackson. Nelson E. Weatherless.
Edw. T. Burrell, Junior B. Mitchell. VIM.
H. Marshall. Aaron B. Cooper. VIM. III.
Cowan Owen +. McNeill. Thos. L. Sweeney
and Henry d. Burwell.