The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-06-26
ADVANCES IN LAW
Attorney General Griggs'
Address Before Yale
Law School.
ADVICE TO GRADUATES
He Tells Them How to Ele-
vate Their Profession and
Maintain It's Dignity.


Law School this afternoon. His subject
was, Advances in Jurisprudence in the
Nineteenth Century," Among other things
he said:-
"Regard the education, the intelligence,
Of ordinary dwellings, the food on the
table, the clothes that are worn, tne
books that are read, the newspapers lhal
come every day, the shortened hours lr %, OF
and visitation, the extension Io the
masses of the privileges OF arr, htera.
ture and science, which but snort line I'
ago were obtainable only by the wealthy
consider the extension and Improvement
in all these things, as we'll as IN the SCI
entinc inventions and appliances tnal
facture extend commerce, and create
wealth, and everybody will admit, with
out a moments hesitation, that the peo--
pie are living better. feeling better, any
doing better than in any other period OF
the worlds history. This is our judy
ment as to the nineteenth century IN TINS
its Ggsng year ana Ine Of null
tiplication in wealth and resources, anu
above all of amelioration in the condition
Of all classes Of people, of ;,,r;snrna-
ence, especially in America, ana see
whether that department OF human GOV,
eminent has kept pace with the general
progress of civilized society Invention
ana discovery have revolutonized the
means of internal communication, and
made the uttermost parts OF the eartl
like neighboring regions. New Iorces anu
novel processes have been adapted TO tne
use of mankind in every branch OF IN
dustriaI. commercial and social life, ad-
ding immensely to their wealth ana con-
venience. But it has been SAD py an
eminent student of the history. and PM
losophy of law that legislation mas Idlleu
to keep pace with this material progress
and with the increase Of accumulated
wealth. If by this is meant thaI our
jurisprudence has proved inadequate as
a system of legal mandate and 1udlclal
procedure to provide protection and re-
dress in reasonable measure for all the
new and expanded relations OF property,
of business, and of civil status that have
developed, then the statement may well
be challenged,
If, on the othe hand, 1t is only meant
to assert that those ancient principles OF
Jurisprudence which supply the basis OF
our systematic English common law
moulded by the progress OF development
from century to century and from time to
time enlarged, restrained and variously
modified by statutory enactment, have re-
mained substantially the rule Of civil
conduct, supplying the standard OF justice
by which the novel methods and vast
transactions of our day are to be judged,
without yielding to the universal demand
for change and experiment, then the
monial to the wisdom. the stability, and
inherent adaptability of English law; for
one of the most remarkable character
istics of the common law is its easy and
natural adaptation through its adminis-
tration by the bar and the courts, to re-
lations and circumstances that are novel
and without exact precedent II no pre-
cedent is Forthcoming, there is always the
more substantial guide of ancient principle
to point the way to a decision that shall
stand thereafter. as ruling precedent
This century has Witnessed the prac-
tical abolishment of the evils and horrors
of poor debtors prisons Out of more
refined sr--.t of humane sympathy, under
the notifying influences of general pros
perry and a large average of personal
comfort among the population, came an
intolerance of the idea that anyone. guilt
less Of crime or fraud. should lose his
liberty merely because of his poverty or
misfortune Those who are familiar,
through literary works, with the pitiful
condition of those confined in the poor
debtors prisons of Great Britain must not
assume that such a. system was peculiar
to that country. and that we in America
have always been fre from similar re-
proach Such is not the case On the con.
trary until about the end of the first
half of the century Imprisonment nor
simple debt was the prevalent law, IN
every State of the Union In one year, duf-
ing the second term of President Jefferson,
eleven hundred and fifty persons We're
confined for debts of $25 or less in New
York City alone; and we Will appreciate
the poverty of the time. az Wen as tne
called .creditor class of that day, when
we further learn that eleven hundred and
fifty cases, five hundred and ninety were
for debts under $40. Imagine the outcry
of horror and indignation which would
arise at such a condition in our day.
Indeed, one can hardly point to single
modification made either in substantive
law or in judicial procedure during the
century that has not been in line with
the humane spirit and more generous in
stincts that characterize the upward trend
of society and social life.
h 10 INN a6i a n
ent, the lawyer has larger and wider
sphere of duty to the State in illustrat-
ing, supporting and maintaining the
priceless value Of that system of law and
justice which is the heritage of the Amer
ican people.
'.As the character of the members of
that profession is sound, patriotic and
pure so will legislation, the administra-
tion of public offices, and general public
sentiment continue upon lines OF justice,
safety and conservatism
80 urge you not to strive exclusively
for the pecuniary rewards Of your profess
sion, but to look forward to q career of
influence and usefulness that shall in
olude your neighhorhood. your State, your
country within its beneficent reach.
For your exemplar let me commend the
ideal of the good lawyer do not say the
great, but the good lawyer-an ideal that
has been realized in the life of every sub
stantial city and court house town, es-
pecialIy in the older neighborhoods:
man of kindly and benignant disposition.
friendly alike with MS Well-to-qQ ana his
poorer fellow townsmen; acquainted with
Their habits and individual history and
with a pretty accurate notion of their
opinion and prejudices, az well as Of
soeiable, Yet dignifed and self-eontained:
Of staid and comfortable appearance; in
manner alert; in conversation always
moderate and respectful: shrewd In his
observations; wise. but with perennial
humor and love of pleasantly: as a citi-
gen always concerned and active in the
interests of his town, his State and his
country: not an agitator. nor perpetual
fault finder, nor giving out the intimation
that he is better or wiser than others.
but ready to confer to adjust, to agree
to get the best possible II not the ut
most that is desirable; to him the peo-
pie turn in local emergencies for guild
and counsel on their public affairs
even partisanship fearing not to trust to
his honor and wisdom: so free from all
cause of offense that there is no tongue
to lay a word against his pure integ-
fity; too dignified and respectable to
tempt familiarity; too genial and generous
to provoke envy or jealousy; revered by
" to the young; in manner. suave and
polite, with fine eourtlineas OF the old
Clarendon described In John
Hampden as 70 flowing courtesy towards |
all men successful. of course, IN his
but caring less for its profits |
than for the forensic and intellectual de- |
iight whjNh the study and practice of the |
Law bring to him he knows much OF the
old Hlearning In the law"-can tell you
Of fines. Of double vouchers and rccov- |
cries. of the Rule in Shelly : Case =