Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-08
u.pns,,,ps OF LAWYERS.

rho current Ne. OF Law Notes mas
| ao,o,ous tale TO tell about the hardsaips
entered bv lawyers, and maintains that
| tho profession has ever had thahkI'9S
fob and a rough road to travel IN sup
mort Of this argument, II mentions 7eVeI"'
statutes which were passed by ine '"
einia colonists, who appear to nave re-
garded the brethren OF the green Dag
Nth tho utmost suspicion ana aohor-
renee. The first OF these laws threate"-
cd all attorneys who took pay Tor 'heir
services with expulsion from the cou' -
This legislation occurred In the year ioi''
while one year later II was Signify ihoui-
fed though hardly to the advantage Oh
III. LAWYERS. And yet, despite these naru
| knocks. the attorneys still appear 10 nave
plled their trade. for ten years Afterwards
the assembly passed statute that no
nersou whether lawyer or not, should
Mead or give counsel to another Tor gain
or profit under penalty Of 5000 pounds OF
tobacco for each offence.
These incidents in the history OF the
legal profession are well known to the
LAWYERS OF Virginia, and the late John b.
Minor. in the fourth volume Of his Ia
nous Institutes. dwells with great force
and no little humor on the many blows
which were aimed at the old-time law
yers in this Commonwealth. He admits
tho fact that the lawyers were once most
unpopular. but modifes his candor by an
explanation which is nothing, If not
eulogistic. Of the profession. 1T may
have been" says he, in speaking Of those
by gone years, "only the unrestrained eX-
hibition OF that sentiment Of jealous DIS
like which is pretty sure to animate an
aristocracy Of birth and fortune, in re-
spect TO the opposing arlstocracy Of ca
pacity and learning; a Jealousy and cls-
like which has many times famed out in
England against the new barons ana
earls who. by eminence in the legal pro-
fession. have been raised TO the peerage."
1t would consume no little space TO
quote all the laws which were designed
TO regulate" the Virginia lawyers OF the
seventeenth century, hut the following
passed in November. 1915 is significant:
"Whereas. many troublesome suits are
multiplied by the unskilfulness and cove
tOusness Of attorneys. who have more In
tended their own profit and their inordi-
nate lucre than the good Of their clients;
be Il, therefore, enacted that all merce-
nary attorneys be wholly expelled from
such Office"
In few months the Solons Of those Sc
rene Colonial days realized that there
were no "mercenary" attorneys. or rather
that the profession was Indispensable.
for the restrictions were removed. but
only for a short time. The ascendancy Of
common sense had but brief life. For
years thereafter 4 merry war was waged.
but the lawyers appear TO have had
the vitality OF cats with nine lives. and
somehow managed TO weather the storms.
And this too. despite the fact that in
April. IFS, the attorneys Zee i'm the Cen
eral Court formerly the quarter Court
held by the Governor and his CounciD,
was fixed at 80 shillings, or 800 pounds OF
tobacco; and in the County Court at =
shllings. or $50 pounds Of tobacco. But
TO quote the words OF Law Notes" the
lawyers refused to stay abolished, and
It is alleged that several Of them can be
found In Virginia at the present day"
The allegation IS true. but we don't say
they are merCenary.