The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-03

-. NE and character OF Rufus choate'
:. eveat Massachusetts, lawyer VINO
~ ..sssed his friend and contemporary,
,sss,el webster. IN the profession Of law
pan'. ,,,aled him In the field of oratory,
ana ez the subject OF an interesting
iaih' M address delivered by j. j. Nc
1na ~ the Seattle bar, to the stu
eaas1f The university law school last
Mccanerty followed the career OF
Z. xreat 1urist from boyhood up dwell
H especially upon ms a hi sa,di as
!" ~ ,aen frequently remarked, both
n.~vsrs and laymen, that few OF the
gnsarf and successful advocates VINO
na aaorned the profession OF the law
'fmerica and England have left be-
INA them any permanent OF apiuihs
IN nnn,,nents OF their genius, The elo-
nnnnn ~ the bar, above all other spe-
~ eleouence. seems fated TO be short
"a This seems to be true TO some
ss,ent OF the subject of my ADDRESS.
Rufus Choate, scholar, auvoea,e, muster
2 sloa,ience, statesman and patriot
- iawver whose sweetness or temper
IVA unseldsh love OF all things great and
ia were almost as remarkable as the
spIendor Of his genius ,
!. ~ town OF Ipswich, In the state OF
@sssachusetts, October l, 1888, and died
= INV 1893. His family In this country
1stes back TO 1867, when his ancestor,
SSohn choate, became an American citi-
Prom very early age young Choate
80 constant reader, He became
s,udent of Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress
"a could repeat large. portions or u:
IL was fond OF the Bible. II Is said
n read frequently and often quoted from
n. hook OF Job, and while 81 youth dis
~yered and appreciated the grandeur
IA literary merit Of this most beautiful
u1rtIon OF the Scriptures. ] wish 10 Inn
pess this upon the mind OF every law
sudeut before me tonight. Read the
kpok OF Job. Read II as student of
literature. Read It as lawyer, a man
4 The world from the view OF religion.
rom any point Of view, and you VIII be
CHARMED delighted, Instructed and bene-
ned
Bible . hook for lawyers.
z once heard Hon. Benjamin f. But
ief Of Massachusetts,. one OF the greatest
lawyers Of this country, say that the
lifst law book he ever read was the Bible.
AID II WAS his custom to advise every
student who read law IN hts office, and
they numbered scores. TO do likewise.
Victor Hugo was 30 familiar with the
book Of Job that he could repeat IL from
memory These are books that law
Students and lawyers cannot read too
otten, and again recommend this sug-
"Nr. Choates father and mother were
pefsons OF rare endowments wrought to-
nther Ia the integrity OF a complete
character. Their son Rufus was full of
promise. He entered Dartmouth college
Ia his sixteenth year. and after his grad
uation remained year as tutor. The
nett year he entered Harvard law school
q Cambridge. After finishing his law
mafse he entered the office OF William
Wit then attorney general OF the United
fsts.
q jefferson and Munroe. MIR. Writ was
student o. literature, history and sci
Enes ~ well as law II Is my opinion
That association hegets almost everything
q this world and there can be no doubt
ou' that Mr.. Choatc derived benefits from
his association with MIR, Writ that af-
fetied his whole life and laid the .founda-
uun for his future success and great
Ness.
Mr. choate was admitted to the bar
Y kss and opened an office at Danvers.
MASS. where he remained for five years.
" ma he was elected to the Massachu-
setts legislature. and in 1897 to the state
senate. In ISIS he removed TO Salem.
~ IND he was elected To congress. and
!he next year made his famous speech on
ne tArir ln iS52 he was reelected, but
resigned IN 1854
in lSS Mr.. Choate removed to Boston,
shefe ne Immediately took leading
plare at the bar, at this time made up
q lawyers who IN learning, eloauencs.
experience Judgment and dignity OF char
aelef compared favorably with the mem
esfs 81 the profession IN any city OF the
Nofla The best proof OF merit is found
y arhiesement, and MIR, Choate was loved
sas admired by his brethren OF the bar.
becamc Webster's Rival.
!. Whom Mr. choato came to Boston.
nshiel webster was there engaged in
sae practice % his profession and enjoy
" we fame and triumph gained In the
s'sufatsd Dartmouth college case He
49, Woh NE respect and confidence OF the
EsnP,e, ne carried a weight and authority
ttnish no nthef member 81 the bar could
KY stsarNdi his greatness Impressed
w average juryman, and IA forensic de-
~'v ne was doubly armed
:. Ns thoate had no such spaclal claim
wv aHvnsl9n, He was industrious, learned
W. vieiuent but he led no one 10 regard
s nsn - tne rival OF Webster. He Rd-
N webster aud Webster often az
kss.sN h's admiration for Mr Choate. ia
-, nsn y believed he roeornlzea an
sa~nset whose ability. strength aua
ne $50 were equal to his own. Roth
s.s-s ssrel men were warm personal
ms.s ~ warfare az the bar does NOT
~ fstsNuai animosity. NJ is Erner-
~ mutual admiration Webster Was
NfR man tar envy and great law