The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-19
AMERICAN BARS SESSION.
ANOTHER LARGE AUDIENCE IN CON
VENTION HALL.

Hon. Joseph II. Choate of New York
i'm Annual Addrcss-His Discussion
of the Present Jury system, Its
Faults ana Nirtues-Fraught Per
hnps, with In6rmities, but Ever
I0stinEIy Entertained with Our
Political InstltuttOn-A Plea for
Competent Jurors, Able Judges
and Fearless AdVOcntes-Election
of officers Last Night.
Saratoga, N. Y. Aug. 1S.-A large audi
ence assembled in Convention han to-day
and listened TO the annual address to the
American Bar Association, by the Hon.
Joseph II. Choate of New York. The adj
dress elected frequent applause. Mt
Choate said, in part:
1--WE meet at a most suspicious moment
Since this association last assembled for
It's annual conference the nation has been
engaged in a war which has absorbed all
thoughts and necessarily distracted us
from those peaceful purposes which an
nualy bring us together But now. with
unexpected suddenuess, at the cost of
great treasure and much precious blood
of our heroes, the truly noble object of
the war has been accomplished. ana peace
rs already In sight 1t might, perhaps,
great honor of delivering the annual adj
dress provided by your constitution, l
should enter upon discussion
of some of those important
questions which must arise out of the con
sequences and results of the war. Ii Is
obvious that all such questions as they
arise must naturally engage the best
thought and the noblest and most patriotic
eXertions of our profession, which has al
ways exercised controlling inhu-
ence upon controversies about CON
stitutional power and national policy. and
TO whose special keeping is entrusted the
study of those principles OF right and JUS
uce, which must govern the conduct of ma
TONS as wei as of the individuals who
compose them. AT all the great and critical
points Of our national progress the Ameri-
can bar has found its appropriate spokes-
men for the public honor and the public
safety. When Otis, against the malignant
power of the British crown, pleaded for the
right of every citizen TO be secure against
tyranny IN his person, his home and his
papers, and set the ball of freedom rolling;
when Henry led the friends of colonial
rights in Virginia and shook the continent
by the thunder of his eloquence when
Hamilton by the main strength of his ar
guments carried the federal constitution
against defiant majority in the New York
convention; when Webster by his majestic
speech inculcated In the hearts of Ameri-
cans that flaming spirit of nationality
which saved the union twice and will pre-
serve IL forever, when Fessenden and
Trumbull sacrificed their political fortunes
TO rescue the great Office of the federal ex-
ecutive from destruction; they furnished
examples for the lawyers of al times 10
stand at all hazard for public justice and
for public honor. But it seems to me that
it would be out of place for us to-day to
undertake to pronounce, as the organized
representatives of the American bar. upon
the possible, but as yet unformulated, cues
tons In diplomacy, in policy. and in public
law which will naturally follow upon such
a momentous struggle and such over
whelming victories by sea and land In the
meantime l prefer, as | hope you prefer 10
rely upon the wisdom and the patience
the courage and the frmness, of the Pres
ident and his constitutional advisers, who
have conducted the campaigns OF our gal
liant army and navy TO swift and sweeping
victory.
you will remember that only two years
ago In this very presence, the Lord Chief
Justice of England, in his admirable dis
course before you on arbitra ton declared
with your unanimous approval, that there
may be even greater calamities than war,
and that national dishonor, Is one of them
Now nothing can be more certain than
that we should have incurred real ma
tionar dishonor II we had any longer re-
Trained from intervening for the rescue
Of our oppressed and down-trodden
neighbors. The God of Battles and the
Judgment OF the nations have completely
vindicated that step and l have no fear
that any ambition for dominion or any
lust of glory will bring upon US any calam-
ity or dishonor whatever In truth, the
generous, the magnanimous terms OF
peace offered to our fallen and PROSTATE
foes have already demonstrated that.
Mr. Choate then entered upon an inter-
estng discussion OF the jury system, In
which he pointed out the infirmites as
well as the merits of the plan. He said
that the system was so intertwined in
the political institutions of the country
that the people will never consent 10
give II up. He thought many injustices
possible in criminal cases when rapid
newspapers try the accused in advance of
the courts as many Jurors find 1t hard
to resist the impression of public send-
ment so loudly proclaimed. In concluding,
Mr.. Choate said:
"Gye us, then, competent Jurors, able
judges and honest. fearless and learned
advocates, and trial by jury, which l am
sure the people of America are determined
to maintain, will stll be the best safe
guard of their lives, their liberties and
their property"
Reports were made by the standing COM
mittees on Jurisprudence and law reform.
on judicial administration and remedial
procedure, on legal education and admis-
sion 10 the bar, on commercial law, on
international law, on grievance, and on
law reporting and digesting.
To-nights session was devoted TO receiv-
ing reports Of special committees. The
legal section this afternoon completed its
labors after electing William Writ Howe
Of New Orleans president, and George NJ.
Sharpe of Baltimore secretary
The patent law association tonight re-
elected James II. Ray of Chicago presi-
dent and Arthur Stewart of Baltimore
secretary.