The sun., 1901-11-19
LAW STUDENTS
IN SESSION
Society Called The Law Academy
Of Delaware.
ADDRESS BY MR.. BYRNE
Committee Submitted a Draft Of the
Constitution and Bylaws. An
other Meeting Mon
day Night.

The meenhg of law students and law
yers held at the office of William Mich
ael Byrne was called to order with Mr.
Byrne in the chair. Messrs. Isenschmidt
Neary and Byrne submitted u draft oi
II constitution for tbu association. Il
was agreed that the society should b,
called '"rhe Law Academy of Delaware
The committee was continued for the
purpose of giving a fuller expression tc
the constitution which they had sub
mtted, and also instructed to submit al
II further meeting to be held on Monday
evening next, a set of bylaws for the
government of the society.
Mr.. Byrne, in opening the series OF
law talks said in part:
"Genius often blazes path of progress
linaided by instruction; but the average
man is rendered better fitted to discharge
the duties confronting him by careful
and painstaking study of the past
Hence, at all times, has experience been
landed as the best Of teachers. The his
tory OF our country has been till now
largely IL history, Of internal develop
ment; henceforth of necessity the Re
public will participate in world actions
side by side with her sister States. The
time rs fitting therefore to invite you to
a study of law systems whose principles
pcrvade the Jurisprudence of the c0un-
tries with which the American Republic
is destined TO become closely associated.
In these discussions there will be no aim
Mt originality: but an effort will be made
to burnish the jewels of law learning
that we may gaze with increasing rap
ture on these treasures of wisdom.
shall feel satisfied if as result of these
law talks the young men who honor me
with their presence recur to the works
Of Sir Henry Maine and trace with that
distinguished scholar the web and woof
IF justice in the law system of the world.
Nor will this acquaintance with the past
he useless for the present. You will be
able TO compare the theories of our pres
cnt day socialists with the practices of
ancient and modern nations respecting
the right of private persons to the ex-
elusive ownership of landed and other
property. You will also see how the
laws of ancient and modern countries
have been affected by the social customs
of their people and when you observe
that the decay of every civilization of
the past was proceeded by laxity in the
morals of the marriage tie you will ap-
nrecate and applaud the inexorable
tirmness of the Catholic Church in this
matter and the true and deep significance
of the work of the great Episcopal
Church in America struggling in its re-
cent convention in its effort to safe
guard those principles of domestic morals
lying Mt the very root of the Nations
life. We read with delight that chief
among the champions of marital morality
ut the Episcopal Convention held this
wear at San Francisco were the distin-
guished divines from our own city; and q
tayman whose labOrs as a lawyer adorn-
ed the bar of Delaware and whose
learning as II judge lends lustre to the
Federal bench now honored by his pres
ence, but whose chief merits seem to me
after long acquaintance to lie in an
msullird rectitudc of life aid a graceful
of scholarship. Gentlemen,
Dante has taught MS that pupil may
praise his master without incurring the
odium Of flattery: and | rejoice to know
that every student of law here tonight
voices this tribute to my once preceptor
and partner Judge Bradford, of the
United States Courts.
That you may prepare by diligent read
ing for the series of Monday night law
talks which we propose to hold during
the winter l will call your attention to
the following heads of subjects for dis
russion:
Early Law Systems, The Expression
If Law in Ancient Asia, Justice and the
Jewish Law, Some Law-givers of Greece,
The Draconian Code, The Laws of
Solon. Law in the Golden Age of Greece.
The Twelve Tables and the First Days
If Roman Justice, The Roman Praetors
md Their Influences on Formulary law,
The Age of .Iustinian and the Perfection
If Civil Law, Roman Law in its Contact
with the Nascent Nations of Europe. Ro-
nan Law in Early Britain, Saxon Kings
md Codes in Britain, Norman Kings and
English Law, Magma Charta: Victory
,ver the King, The Constitution of Clar- |
'ndon: Victory for the King, Henry |
/ and the Laws of his Realm. Thomas |
/ Beckett and his Struggles for Ecclesi- |
lstical Law, Edward |, and the Com |
of Modern Law, The Writ |
# Habeas Corpus. and its Influences on |
English Liberty. The Foudal Law: It's |
Rise and Fall, The Church and Courts |
IL the Middle Ages, The Common and |
iiyil Law: n Comparison and Con |
rast. English Law in the American |
States, The Victorian Age of Law Re
orm.
Mr.. Byrne in his first law talk on |
Carly Law System dwelt on the Ques-
ion of land tenures in Egypt and the |
elation of the private owners of land |
o the governing body; the different |
lasses of subjects and their relation to |
nch other and the State; the buying and |
elling Of personal property and the con
ract of commerce with law: the insti- |
ution of polygamy and its destructive |
Influences on Egyptian Civilization.