The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-05-30

course does not exclude just ana talr
comment upon the demeanor of witnesses
on the stand. Ii yours clients cause is
just and your adversary or his witnesses
have testified falsely YOU can best
strengthen the one or expose the other
by correctly quoting and skillfully analy-
sizing the testimony. You may rely upon
an honest jury of average intelligence
reaching the correct conclusion.
Counsel should be uniformly respectful,
but never Seryilc to the court. 1t should
be remembered that counsel are not
suppliants for justice nor their clients OBJ
jectS of judicial grace. Counsel should
ever inStill into the minds of the people
the most profound respect for those who
wear the crmine. He should ever be
ready to defend the judge from unjust
and harsh criticism by disappointed
Suitors. They should ever stand for
civil and religious liberty, for liberty of
thought and of speech and the integrity
and dignity of their profession.
In the whole reign of judicial history
there is no more inspiring scene than
that in which England's-l may say the
world 's-greatest advocate, ThoS. Frs
kline declares. Il will forever, at all
hazard assert the dignity, independence
and integrity of the English bar with
out which impartial justice the most
valuable part of the English constitu-
ton can have no existence"
In respect to the relation which should
exist between counsel and client permit
me to say few words Even keep in
mind the truth that i'll accepting service
YOU do not surrender your personal, your
-.
your client. You do not adopt his
standards Of thought or action. Your
undertaking is TO secure to him ny all
honorable and lawful means. justice i'll
respect to the matter committed to your
care, in accordance with the law of the
land. You are not the keeper of his
conscience nor do you surrender yours
into his keeping
1t would he idle to close our eyes to
the fact that Il contest is being waged
between accumulated corporate wealth,
seeking to absorb vast and ill-deiined
franchises and privileges of the mass of
the producers, Weage-earnerS and CON
sUmers.
In this contest the American bar oc-
lcupics a most delicate and yet important
position. The lawyer must stand for the
maintenance and integrity of those con
StitutiOnal guarantees of civil liberty
and must proclaim and enforce the truth
that monOpolies of all kinds are dan
gerous to liberty, he must warn the
people of the danger which beSets them
from this source and urge them to
keep Il viglant guard over their political
institutions: to Point them to the lessons
taught by the history of the past, that
their liberties he not OverthroWn by
mOnied mOnOpOlieS rs those of other
peoples have been by military despOtiSm
on ecclesiastical domination. He must
at the same time see to it that in re-
Ipelling this danger those principles upon
which the SanCtity of private property.
private contract and personal freedom
are based are not destroyed by appeals
of franctic theorists, superficial politi-
clans and ambitious demagogues. Cor
porate as well as individual rights and
property must be protected by the
courts, but we must never lose sight
of the truth that the rights of persons
ARE never to he sacrificed to the rights
of things" If the American lawyer
shall be first of all the loyal, patriotic
citizen there will be no irrcpressible con-
tiict between these antagonistic forces.
The conservatism of the American bar
will be the most potent factor In pre-
serving liberty regulated by law and
restraining within proper bounds the
aggressions of wealth and the unreaSon-
ing demands of labor. In his office,
in the forum, on the busting and in the
halls Of the legislature and on the
bench he should ever keep i'll view his
duty in this respect.
The lawyer is entitled to a reason
able compensation for his services and
should receive it. Cheap law is usually
of poor quality and the vender OF it an
expensive luxury. On the other hand
the lawyer who becomes an eXtortioner,
demanding eXorbitant fees of those
within his power, is of all men the most
to be destested.
j would impress upon YOU the truth
that the bar, especially in North Caro-
ina does not offer to its members an
avenue for the acquisition of wealth.
To the young man who hasteth to be
rich. who has his heart set upon money
getting as the end and object of life,
would advise to avoid coming to the
bar. 1t offers temptations into which
he will fall while its honors will never
be his. There are other vocatiOnS
equally honorable. inviting talents of
a high order, success in which brings