The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-01-05


upon the subject, "rhe Lawyer aud
The STATE"
Ills paper was a legal classic He
traced the history ana growth of our
system OF iurisprudence lie treated
law as the essence OF all human JUS
tice, and the lawyer profession IS the
noblest and most dignihed Of man
kiud To II we must ever look for the
preservation Of the state, and IN IL
must be found the chief bulwark Of
society.
lie referred TO the English law and
its system OF inn-courts. and the cou-
tinuation practically without change
for 800 years-and quasi politically
mentioned that IL is the only known
case OF the unbroken sway OF the
inns.
"Of the twenty-four presidents Of
the United States, all but six have
been lawyers. Scarcely more can be
said for our supreme court.
10 is noteworthy fact that even
among us, the best known names are
OF those lawyers who we're, in some
degree, men Of letters. Among the law
yers who heard Webster and jeremiah
Mason before the supreme court Of
New Hampshire in the Dartmouth
college case, there WAS but one opin-
ion. namely, that Mason made the
greater argument And it was his
brief that Webster used before the
federal supreme court. But for his
association with Webster in that case,
Mason's name would, | susp ct, have
been forgotten even by the bar. There
we're two or three Greciau advocates
who were regarded even in Plutarch's
time as greater lawyers than Demos
themes; and Cicero was called by his
rivals at the Roman bar mere rheto-
rician, a dealer in words. But their
arguments have not come down TO us
and their names we're soon forgotten.
As the personal integrity and honor
OF the man strengthens and binds to.
gether more effectively his intellectual
powers, so general culture gave a finish
and beauty, a pleasing form, to the
exercise OF his art Rufus Choate'G
definition Of orAtory contained the
elements Of true lawyers career,
which he SO splendidly displayed.
Truth for the staple, good taste for
| the form, and persuasion 10 act tor the
| object.
Q Being thus clothed with special privi
leges, and thus equipped to worthily
exercise them, a lawyers first duty is
and must always be, TO the court o.
which he is an officer, and TO the
faithful administration Of justice, tc
which he has devoted his power.
Your act OF December %, 1890, In
prescribing the oath and duties Of al
attorney in Oklahoma territory has
adopted the inspiring words OF thu
oath OF the Geneva advocate. IL IS IN
deed "cleAr, stern and lofty language,
and expresses unmistakably and com
pletely the fundamental obligation
Of truly noble profession. No lawye
can keep that oath and obey that Law
without honoring his calling aud con
serving the best interests OF the com
munity in which he d wells
More than even we are won't TO think
the foundation OF society and the well
being of the individual depend upoi
the legal system which is the growtl
Of centuries.
The speaker touched upon the moo
ern tendency towards socialism ant
the demagogues cry for the destruc
tion OF law and existing institutions
The decided stand Of the New YOrl
lawyers irrespective Of party for re
form and the complete rout in conse
quence Of a corrupt Judge was cited a
case in point of the moral intiuenc
OF the lawyer on the community.
He closed with a strong eXhortatlo
upon the duty OF the Oklahoma bar d
the formation ef the future state o
Oklahoma lie plead that neither pr
vate interests or sectional ambitions
or narrow preiudices, might control I
bring MANNED and deformed stat
into being.
I'VE cannot be entirely sure OF thl
safety OF democracy until the sent
ment OF our mutual dependence an
common interests shall become a gen
eral impu Sc; when each citizen shal
be as ready to redress an infraction o
the rights Of others, or an injury Il
the public, as an injury to himself
Then we shall best protect ourselve
aud make the laws OF the creates
benefit TO ourselves. In seeking an
others we shall hnd our own. Thi
will give 10 the state and to the ind
vidual tho highest and truest success
LAWYERS OF Oklal oma. lead the way.
At the conclusion o. Mr.. Bancroft
address resolution OF thanks wa
voted and Mr. Bancroft was, by unau
imous vote, made an honorary mem
Der OF the association and Secretar.
Edgar Jones was instructed to plac
his name uDOn the rolls