The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-06
Pours Hot Shot Into the SO-CaIIed
Law Reformers.
REPLIES 10 THE CRITICS.
lie Paws a High Tribute TO the Worthy
Members of the Bar and Praises
the system OF Pleading In VIZ
ainia-Attendanc Larger
Than UsuaI-Regular Bus
mess Proceedings.

OLD POINT COMFORT VA July b.
Special-Since Friday last, lawyers nave
been arriving at the Chamberlin from all
over the state. The occasion is the tenth
animal mee,ina Of the Virginia state Bar
Association, when attorneys and their
families meet i'm annual reunion. Ihe
attendance this year is rather above the
average in the past. Each year hnds
the Association larger and financially
stronger and with each meeting more eN-
tended interest is awakened.
There are present here representatives
from all sections Of the State, Richmond
Of course. furnishing the large quota
All are much pleared with the Chamber
lin and the executive committee II tns re-
cipient of much congratulation Tor having
selected so desirable "A location Tor the
meeting
The large ballroom OF the hotel has
been decorated with flags ana iurhlshed
with chairs FOR the occasion ana az IL
o'clock this morning when Mr.. jackson
GUY called the meeting to order ne look
ed 1pon ono OF the largest first-day meet
ings the Association has mustered. On
the platform were seated Mr.. William y.
Petit. tho president; Judge X. X. Prem
tie. Judge y. r. Wexford. Judge &. r.
Nichol. Judge W. ". Old and others
while other equally as well-known meni-
bers Of the bench and bar occupied seats
in the audience.
OPPOSED TO LAW REFORM.
In a short speech Mr.. Guy presented
the president. Mr. Petit. who delivered
the presidents address, always the first
81. Ms
dress dealt with the duty Of the lawyer
I'm relation to legislation. Before he had
been speaking many minutes, II was eVi-
dent TO all that the advocates Of law
reform I'm this State were in for
trouncing equally as vigorous as that
dealt them by the same hand In lSB'
when the subject was first brought up
for discussion. The speakers relentless
logic and keen wit pulverized one by one
the strongholds Of the so-calied law re-
formers" The climax was complete when
he said I'm his own inimitable style
that most Of the States which had adopt
ed code procedure were I'm the west the
land Of newness. and that he was remind
ed I'm that conenctIon the words Of Ser
geant Davis "the Oftener he went into
the West the better he understood how
the wise men came FROM the East.
No better defence OF Virglnias present
we'll have been conserved.
At the close Of his address Mr. Petit
was warmly congratulated on his able
effort A number Of new membesr were
elected at this meeting and after the
transaction of a large amount OF routine
business the Association took recess
until o'clock this evening.
Tho meeting was called 10 order by the
chairman OF the Executive Committee,
s4f Dfrff naH
REPLY TO THE CYNICS
Mr. Petit I'm opening expressed his APP
probation of the honor conferred upon
him I'm his election to the presidency and
then. I'm substance, spoke AZ follows
According to my conception, the law
Is the embodiment and expression what
Is just. reasonable and right.
l may. not inaptly. employ the quaint
language of a seventeenth century author
10 express my admiration of its sublime
principles: Notwithstanding" said he,
'the hard favored objectionsewhich some
men cast upon Il. / really think the study
of the law 10 be the most pleasant study
I'm the world. And he which delighteth
i'm the study Of any other art or science
must consequently be delighted with this.
For the knowledge OF the law Is, as DOd-
drlfge sayeth. most truly styled rerum
dlvinarum humanarumque scienta, and
wOrthily imputed 20 be science or
sciences, for therein lies hid the knowi-
edge OF every other learned science. .
The fact IS not TO be disguised that
lawyers are mainly responsible for the
system of laws prevailing I'm a republic.
for their judicial Interpretation and adj
ministration. As members Of cOnstitu-
tional conventions and legislative assem-
blles and the class from which are taken
the members of the judiciary, TO inter-
pret and administer the laws, the duties
and responsibilities OF lawyers can be
hardly exaggerated.
THEIR HIGH CHARACTER.
The carping cynics have here and there
tried TO disparage the profession by sing
ling out and pointing TO unworthy mem
bers A representatives Of the class IL
still remains true that the high charao-
ters and irreproachable lives of lawyers
generally are SO generally recognized and
appreciated by the people that the sneers
Of the cynics are OF little avail to weaken
their influence. IL behOOyes rs, there
fore not only to exert our laws where
such is needed and 10 have them inter
preted and administered in their true and
essential spirit but also TO Vindicate
them from unjust criticism
Far be ia from me to inculcate spirit
Of captious fault-hnding, but equally far
no IL from me TO foster or propagate a
splrit OF slavish acceptance Of every de-
cision of a court as the oracular out
giving Of an infallible tribune. single
erroneous decision does not give the law
precedence, except for the case decided
bur a succession OF such decisions on
the same question makes them. as prece-
dents. binding I'm all cases according to
recognized principle. and thus what was
AT first an excrescence and blotch OF the
law becomes the law on the subject and
must remain so unless the Legislature
abolish IL. The profession should earnest
ly strive 20 preserve the current or the
law pure and clear Of such foreign mat
ter.
VIRGINIA'S GOOD SYSTEM
Mr.. Petit then paid his respects TO the
movement in favor OF law reform ana
code procedure. No man. said ne, are
more inclined To conservatism and less
inclined to innovation than lawyers.
They are not theorists. nor propasandists
~ fhgorfea Ruf when A real reason Tor