The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1899-12-02
ILUCRE FOR LAN|YE Rs


that city. But New York is headquarters
for more eminent American members of
the profession than any other city, though
1t was apparent at the thirteenth annual
meeting of the: association held last sum-
mer in Buffalo, that many American
cities and towns have lawyers who con-
slider themselves high UP In international
law practice.
Frederic r. Coudert Of this city is one
of the most prominent American interna-
7tionaL -lawye Possibly slfissspr actfre-Tf
larger than Mr.. Fosters-it has been
longer, anyway. Mr. Coudert's ancestry,
his youthful surroundings and his school
training were as different from those Of
Mr.. Foster as could be imagined, and Of
the sort that apparently would fit man
Though New York born, Mr.. Coudert is
of French descent. His father Charles
| Coudert, was implicated In the plot to
seat the Duke of ,Reichstadt on the throne
of France early in the twenties, and be-
cause of that circums lance was obliged to
flee to this country in 1924. Frederic was
born eight years later At fourteen the
boy entered the. arts department Of Co
lumbia college and at eighteen was grad
uated "at the head Of his class This is
not euphemistic phrase in Couderts
case; he really won all the scholastic hon
ors; it was possible at that time for one
| student to secure
His graduation at the early age OF
| eighteen made 1t possible for him to finish
| his law course a full year before he was
| of age, and, therefore, unable to secure
| admittance to the bar. But he began
active practice in 1853 Immediately after
| his twenty first birthday, and in sur
prisingly short time had become special
| counsel for etbes Frencl, government. AT
| first he was retained mainly in extradi-
| ton cases, but his success in these soon
led to his being employed in more impor-
| tant matters on behalf of the country
| from which his father had fed. Still
later he was employed by the Italian gov
eminent, also, both in extradition and
| other. cases, and it was not many years
| before his practice on behalf of foreign
powers included nearly every government
| of Europe. Since then decorations have
been conferred upon him by the govern.
ments of Italy and France, but he is
American to the core for all that and has
served American interests in the practice
| of his profession as often as the inter
ests of foreigners. In no case has he APP
peared in behalf Of a foreign power
! against our own government. In 1877 he
represented American commerce at the
| sessions Of the international commercial
| congress at Antwerp, and again in 1852 at
a second gathering Of that body. He rep
resented the United States government in
| the controversy with Great Britain over
the seals in Paris and has been retained
| for our side on several other important
| occasions.
Although the chosen profession of An
drew D. White, formerly president of
Cornell university and present ambassa-
/ dor to Germany, Is that Of educator, and
| not lawyer, he may be spoken of as an
authority of the highest repute on interna-
| tional law, and more than once when the
/. question was not diplomatic he has pre-
| sented che view of another government to
| the authorities Of our own. Mr.. White
hon 4~,
! Homer, in the interior of his state. His
I foreign experience began soon after his
! graduation from Yale, when he was made
| an attache of the American legation at ST.
| Petersburg. but his first real training in
International law did not come till 1871,
five years after he took his seat as presi
! dent Of Cornell Then President Grant
i sent him to Santo Domingo as member
| OF the commission to inquire into the ad-
! visibility of annexing that island to the
United States. In 1878 White was sent
to Paris on a mission connected with the
exposition there. Since then he has served
4 as. United States minister to Russia, and
his present term as chief diplomatic, rep
resentative Of this government to Berlin
Is his second. There Is no doubt that big
fees a-plentys would seek him out were
he to be willing to enter upon a career
In international law upon the expiration
4 of his present ambassadorial term
/ Although the distinction of having the
largest practice in International law is
awarded to John W.. Foster among
4 Americans, the first place among living
i American authorities thereon Is awarded
by many to e. ]. Phelps, minister to
England in Cleveland's first term, and
for years a law professor at Yale. His
\ grasp of international law principles is
i exceedingly comprehensive, his knowledge
of technical points and presidents is
known to be profound, and his methods
nj nr1iv1 nrrI,1ry
For these reasons it is said that he might
have larger International law practice
B than any of his -coun trynen only he
4 would accept 1t. Perhaps the most i'm.
portant retainer ever refused by Mr..
Phelps was offered on one occasion by
Great Britain when its government and
that of Portugal were at odds. Mr..
y Phelps career has been less eVentful
than that of any member of the profes.
sion mentioned in this article, saying pos
sibly Mr.. Coudert. Phelps began prac-
teal life as lawyer. He took his pro:
4 fifties he was United States controller OF
the treasury. He had no foreign ex-
81 perience until after he was. 63, when
I President Cleveland sent him to the
court of st. James. Like some others
s among our diplomatic representa- tfyes in
/ England, Mr.. Phelps has some rhynine
abilities, as is shown by his long-forgot-
u ten but somewhat profane trio1et on
Essex Junction, the refrain Of which
I runs: .$e
= And hope in hell rSa.s.s
II His soul may dwell
Who first invented Essex Junction
1t was understood that the late Thomas
" f. Bayard purposed building up q prac.
s t1ce; in international law after the expira-
s ton of his term as ambassador to Great
Britain, and, in fact, he had made some
II Roadway when death called him away
4 Perhaps Joseph III. Choate will have an
opportunity to accept the fat retatners
y offered In international law practice wher
Z he ceases to be an ambassador He is not
q unknown in the practice Of that branch
81 of his profession now. James c. Carte,
of this city might have remuneratiye
= interna tional law practice If he would
!! accept 1t. and undoubtedly the same is
S true of w r. Day, former secretary ri
I state Mr.. Carter is well versed in the
81 principles Of International law. and has
g defined more felicitously than any one else
s. the difference between 1T and ordinary
81 practice. ~,
a The growing Importance of internationa,
law practice is recognized fully by all the
big law schools in the maintenance of 4
professorship in that branch Professor
{: John Bassett Moore, assistant secretary
Of state cnder Harrison Cleveland and
q Mckinley. is the occupant OF the interna-
II tional law chair at Columbia and nearly
n all the law students Of to-day give spe-
* cial attention to this branch OF law. It
is said that the demand for international
III lawyers is greater than the supply vel