New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-05
CHOATE SPEAKS TO Ia WYERS.
AN ADDRESS AT THE BAR ASSOCIATION
DINNER IN CHICAGO.
no SoBr.rR PURSUIT THAN THE Law, HE SAYS
THE BAR HAS NOT Observation-Disclosures
SERVICE DEMANDED OF LAWYERS
Mr.. UHL ALSO SPEAKS.


Chicago Feb THE annual banque. OF the Bar
Association was held tonight. Joseph II. Choate of
New-York being the principal guest Fully three
hundred o. the leading attorneys OF Chicago were
present. Mr Choate who delivered an eloquent ad-
dress "Our Profession" was frequently inter-
rupted by applause lie introduced by Presi-
dent Folansbee OF the Bar Association. and in re-
spending 10 tie toast spoke follows:
l maintain that In no other occupation to which
men devote their lives is there nober intel
lectual pursul, or higher moral standard than in
spires and peryades the ranks OF the Legal profess
sion I do not. Of course. mean 10 say that among
the ninety thousand lawyers whom the census
counts in our seventy millions OF people. there Is
rot much base alloy | speak OF thai great BODY OF
the responsibility OF substantial ntgations and the
conduct and guidance Of important affairs. You
more absolute devotion patient Industry. more
conscientious ,adelity than among these.
am unmndful OF that ever-mooted question how
We can, with the strctest honor maintain tie side
that Is wrong, and the suggestion that only one
the tlme he struggling FOR injustice But that
vexed question has long been settled by the COM
OF facts and OF brains that the right can ever be
eyoIyed.ony on the anvil Of discussion that the
We We owe the law because among all the learned
study and the pursuit of stable and exact science 1e
Theology. II is true. was once considered immut-
age ard even from year to year We we're es Bred
to believe that everything and every word within
have fallen. In which the props of our faith
are being knocked from under n. day bv day 'a''''
And then a. 10 medicine, how its practice and its
theories succeed each other in rapid evolution so
that what were good methods and healing dose and
saving prescriptions generation ago now CON
demned as nostrums and all the past is adudged 20
be empirical
SLOUGHING OFF PERSONALITIES
Meanwhile the common law makes void the par,
whore tho fault is and preserves the rest as II has
been doing for centuries. and We busy applying
to each case it arises. the same principles.
the same rules OF right and Justice which have been
established for many generations. We preserve
the real fruit and throw away the rind The tech
nicalitics which have too long encrus,ed the law
have been stripped away. and now. like Lord Mans
field. judges try 10 solve every case by common
sense and the sense OF justice, ard the sense o,
honor. which. In their highest manifestation con
stitute the most eminent and valuable judicial
qualities.
We near sometimes that the American bar has
degenerated that 1t does not equal It's predecessors
utterly deny. To the demands which each gen
Grafton makes upon 1t is always adequate Times
change and men o6. ShapE ne Win them The intense
mark upon our profession. upon every other
vocation What once could be said In three DAYS
be done In a month must now be done In day.
and for one ! do not hesitate to say that for skill
our profession lends TO the community today has
not been surpassed in any former generation. II
must be so.
declined. and which for one do greatly deplore
The cultivation OF the fraternal and social spirit
among ourselves has been almost abandoned and
II ought TO be received and transmitted. Let us
get all the entertainment we can out OF our work
AZ We 20 along for We may rest assured that II We
uostpoue the fun OF life until the work Ia done
il viii never come. FOR it will md us as dry and
ace so | trust that we In New-York VIII initiate
vour example and that this occasion may he only
! the beginning OF real interchange oi "'"'s