Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-01-04
THE Ban AND THE PEOPLE

SoA AAS
most successful lawyer, who not only
can get clients. but who can also keep
them. Mr.. Springer spoke of the good
natured raillery people indulge in at
the expense of lawyers. but said after
all they treat the bar with d profound
confidence that no other profession Ne
ceives. at least as far as earthly mat
tors are concerned. In prosperity and
in adversely the lawyer Is sought for
advice, counsel, protection and defense.
The client unlocks the precious secrets
Of his heart, and very rarely indeed is
the trust betrayed by the lawyer. OF
course, this cannot be said of the shy
| ster, or those brilliant characters like
Rufus Choate, of whom it was a
that he made murder safe, and after
whose health thieves inquired before
going on a marauding expedition. Mr..
Springer cited from Erskine, h first
set the standard of ethics that he bar
| observes. Erskine said that he would
the bar, and though intimidated AMI
threatened, insisted that human liber-
ties are at an end when the lawyer can
not stand between the people and the
crown. Through the bar were evolved,
formulated and put into practical use
the principles of equity and the Amer
lean constitution. The legal profession
harnesses theories and puts them to
practical use. The bar stands behind
the bench, is it's mentor, its adviser and
It's restraint. There is no tyranny sc
oppressive as that of he multitude,
and no spectacle as terrible as the moi
led by unprincipled agitators, and 1t Is
the bar that often saves the public
against itself. The bar it vas that
fixed the legal statu of the strike, thus
preventing anarchy. The bar pointed
out certain representatives. and remedies,
and thus added the umwritten amend
| may quit work when he pleases, but
cannot prevent others from working +
they want to. or all classes of men, the
lawyer makes the best legislator, for
he is of the inquiring nature, which IS
| the best judge of the necessity and
utility of a proposed law. He lives his
life, representing other people than
himself. He has no interests worth
| speaking of apart from those of his con-
stituency. II it does NOT always bring
gain, yet the profession Of law does
bring power and responsibility.
THE LAST OF THE CIRCUITS
Ex-Governor L. B. Prince was intro
ducei as the last judge who rode the
circuit. He made one Of the most inter.
esting addresses of the evening in re,
spending to the toast of The Last Of
the Circuits" He said that the New
Mexico circuit, which included all O.
northern New Mexico, vas the last rea
circuit in the United States. 1t includ'
ed Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Mora, Gin
AKRON, Taos and Plaza del Alcalde. Thu
court last travelled the circuits just aft
err the advent of the railroad at SAINT
Fee. He reviewed the hardships, the hu
NOR and the good work accomplished
on the circuit. He referred to Major
Sena, who often acted both as clerl
and as judge, and who always arranged
a dance at the end of the circuit. Eacf
lawyer had to carry his own reference
books, as no reference libraries then *
listed at most of the places where cour1
was reid. Copies Of the session laws
l uara IN SLna raa n MI npa.1ini1u that hn n
chief justice, always chained his copy
fast to the bench wherever he was sit
ting. The judge had to make his OWL
notes of the testimony, and there Were
NO printed dockets. Governor Prime
introduced stenographers and printe'
dockets to the courts, and was sharply
criticised by the governor at hat time
for his ~unheard-of extravaganza. Their,
We're eighteen members of the bar a
that time, where there are sixty-foul
to-day. The bar objecting to the re
moval of the capital of Rio Arribe
county from Plaza del Alcalde to Tierrs
Amarillo, decided to boycott the new
capital, and there the unique event oc'
- N2 eAN~s O. otAo SSSoioih VI NoOi "o'
held without the presence of a single
member of the bar except Major Sena
who acted a. clerk and prosecuting at.
torney, and that a long docket was
cleared. with great expedition, of a long
number Of cases, each defendant OF
plaintiff acting as his own lawyer. II
was also on the circuit that he, as CHIEF
justice, decreed the largest foreclosure
known to history. involving 1,S0O, O0(
acres of land belonging to the New
Mexico Land Grant Company. Govern
or Prince reviewed a number of unique
cases, which in romantic facts exceed
the thrilling episodes of the most un-
likely wild western cowboy stories. His
"reminiscences covered 1879 to 1881, from
the time that the last desperate cowboy
was tried to the advent of the railroad
In northern New Mexico.
THE TRIAL COURT"
District Attorney Barnes, Of Silver
| City, was next introduced. Mr.. Barnes
responded to the toast, The Trial
Court" His address was replete with
wit and humor. Mr.. Barnes said that all
men are constantly in trial court, and
each man is a judge Of those VIII D
surround him or upon passing events.
Lawyers try more cases in their private
offices than r tried in the courts.
Thousands OF cases never go beyond the
lawyers office to the trial court. He
also referred to the hard and good work
done by the district clerks. The trial
court is the palladium of human liber-
ty. The charge that New Mexico IAN