The Washington bee., 1897-06-05
LIGHTS OF THE LEGAL
PROFESSION.
GRADUATING EXERCISES OF THE HOW
ARD LAW SCHOOL.


The commencement exercises OF the
law department of Howard University,
classes of 81, took place last Monuay S1
evening at the First Congregdtlollai
Church, 10th and G streets northweSt,
which was crowded to overnowlng
with friends of the graduates ana OF
the university. -,
Rev. DR.. I. E. Rankin, president OF
the university, presided. others on
the platform were Profs. B. r. Leigh-c
ton, A. A. Birney, John M. Harlan OF
the - United States Supreme Court'
lust c. G. Cole, Francis Wayland,
w. H. Richards, George Francis VII
liams, NJ. N. Richardson, James r.
Bundy and the members OF the graou-
ating and postgraduate classes,
After music by Hoffman'S Orchestra
and an invocation by DR.. "A Johnson,
the address to the graduates was de-
livered by Benz Butterworth'
commissioner of patents.
MIR. Butterworth gave the young
gentlemen of the graduating class ad-
vice touching the duties and respon-
sibilitieS cast upon them as lawyers.
He reviewed their relations to the
profession, to the court and to their
clients, and also considered their re-
lation to the state under our form OF
government.
He spoke of the almost mercllesS
competition in this mercantile age,
when success is in the main measured
by dollars and cents, and moral delln-
ouencies condoned if the offense pays
the offender a dividend in cash. He
commented on the prevalent idea that
LAWYERS are licensed prevarlcatorS,
and authorized by the demands OF
their calling to be economical with
truth.
RULES OF CONDUCT.
"The young man." said Mr.. Butter
worth, "who enters the profession
holding the idea that the CanOns OF
! his calling permit or tolerate IN the
practice of law any conduct which
does not square itself to the demands
of honor, truth and justice has no
proper place in court room outside
of the prisoner box.
"In all the avocationS of life, and
certainly not least in the legal profess
sion, it will be made clear to those
who worthily seek to know the truth
that duty and advantage are lndlSSo-
lubly united. Hence, young gentle
men, lei duty be to you word OF I'M
perial command. Do not say that II
| is difficult to determine what is right
Those who have trouble in that line
will be found in fact to be trying tC
square the promptingS Of treaCherou:
inclination with the beheStS of duty
in other words, trying to serve the
Lord without giving offense to tht
devil.
DUTY is ours, results are Gods
and we can safely trust Him to make
amends for what seems to be duty
loss"
Mr., Butterworth advised the gradu
ates to become politicians, but politl
clans in the largest and best sense o
the term. Not mere political brigand
who enter the political arena as a foot
pad goes on the highway for plunder
but to master the science of govern
ment; to thoroughly understand tn
relation Of the citizen to the public
Explaining in detail just how the gov
: ernment is strong in the integrity c
the citizens and weak in his want {
!, integrity.
POWER OF THE BALLOT.
THE law" said Mr.. Butterwortt
is written by the fingers that cast tn
ballot. So if the country is governe
well, the people have the credit an
the blessing. If the country is i'll
: governed, the people have the Censur
and the curse of bad laws.
, Mr.. Butterworth closed by givin
some numerous incidents in the lin
of his own practice.
The degrees were conferred b
President Rankin. The valediCtor
address was delivered by Miss Mari
A. D. Madre.
The members of the graduatin
class were: Miss Marie A, d. Madre
. Elizabeth, N. c.; James F. Alstol
Philadelphia; S. l.. Baker. Savann al
Ga; Joseph E. Benjamin, St. Jane
Danish West Indies; Frank c. Bollin!
Richmond, Va; William H Boon,
Ellicott City, Md; William H. Co:
Brazil, Ind; Ellis Dalrymple, ,Steubel
Vile, Ohio; Charles NJ. Dame, Dal
= vile, Va; Joseph T. Greene, Amel
c. H., Va; VIM. H. Harris, Renee
erte. w. Va; Royal A. Hughes, Ma
!, chester, Va; LaundroS NJ. King, D.
u troit, Mich; LA. Knox. Poplar Noun
. Va; Albert S. Larson, Racine, Wis
Jefferson T. Law, Hinton, w. Va
E Douglass B. McCary, Natchez, Mis-:
= Edward J. Morton, Macon, Miss
Il Gustavus A. Weber, St. Dennis, Nc
George NJ. Wyatt, Harrisburg, Ark
i i J. Frank Boston. Nathanie FL w. Bridge
Phillip w. Shipper, John E. Sypha
of this city.
> The post-graduates were Henry
! Davis, Maysv1lle, S. c.; Edward '
. Henry, Buffalo, N. Y; Isaac L. He
son, Littlg, Tex; George L. Pendl
ton, Salem, n. J.; Frederick NJ. Sim
Albuquerque, n NJ, and Alphon:
0. Stafford of this city.
THE CLASS OFFICERS.
The class officers were J. Frank Bo
ton, president; Miss Marie A. d. NJ
DIRE, vice president; Laundros NJ. Kin
corresponding secretary; William !
Wells, secretary; Edward J. Morto
V treasurer; Frank c. Boiling, sergeaI
\ alarms. Executive committee, Roy
A. Hughes, chairman; John E. Sypha
William H. Cox, L. AmaSa KnO
Philip w. Shippen. Reception col
mittee, Prof. Geo. VIM. Cook cha
q man; Lewis Thompson, Joseph
! Io,,ac EphraIn1 IackCOn Nelson