The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-07-15

IL PldctlceS OF one corrupt or dishOn-
est attorney in a community will tend to
impair the reputation and character Of
the entire local Bar. The public. instead
u cohlihlhg us criticism to the p~articu-
lar man, will include in its condemnation
All lhe others. 1t is not uncommon to
near a man say that when a LAWYER dis
graces his profession that his brethren
do not punish him or see that he atones
for his offence. This wholesale condom-
nation is manifestly unjust TO the Bar,
and yet many people approve it.
10 some extent, perhaps. the Bar has
Deen and is responsible for such adverse
public criticism. We must admit that no
profession has measured up to its
full duty in the matter of purging its
ranks Of men who nave been unfaithfuI
to their professional obligations. ODE
dlence to the constitutional mandate,
nave cited, is a duty resting upon US. In
the execution of that duty we nave not
yet beon given the necessary power. This
association in my opinion ought to be
gwen legislative authority to disbar any
lawyer IN the State, whether a member
OF TINS association or not, who shall
prove to be, after due investigation, I'M
worthy. This authority can be exercised
through some judicial medium estab-
liahcd by law and controlled by this BODY.
If this association is to elevate the
standard of the reputation of the Bar Of
the State, it must necessarily have the
power to preserve the standard by Kidding
the profession of disreputable members.
IS yet, We have not the power, but we
ought to seek and if possible obtain it.
/ recommend that this association ask
tho General Assembly to enact a law ere
- -; -r --{ 4
which shall have the power to disbar any
monbcr Of the Bar in North Carolina who
is proven to be unworthy TO hold a Ii
CCLsc from the State. Why should not
this association take an advanced posi-
ton in this matter? Is not the honor and
good repute of the Bar close to the
hearts of all of us? Is not the reputation
of the Bar among the people a vital
matter? DO the lawyers of North Caro-
lima possess it in that full measure in
which they ought to hold it? DO the law
ycrS of North Carolina stand today as
they did a hundred years ago, holding d
position of cminencc and superiority in
the community in which they live. simply
because they are members of the Bar?
We can regain that enViable position if
we deserve it. Lawyers are always i'll
the eye OF the public. The very nature
of their lives and duties renders this I'M
aYoidabIe. The public are quick to dis
Germ and usually fair in their judgment.
If this association shall stand in truth
and fact for the maintenance of the
highest standard of integrity, for the
punishment of every unworthy man, pun
ishment promptly and justly admins
tered, if it shall make its constitutional
provision a living and virile rule of con
duct, it Will restore the Bar OF the State
and the individual lawyer to that position
Of cminence and influence among the
people which he held in what we are
pleased to call the good old days. If we
condemn every act that tends to the i'm
pairment Of the highest standard Of hon
or and integrity of conduct, we shall
have proven ourselves the faithful custO-
dians of the honor and the virtue of the
lawyers of North Carolina. Can we fail
to do 50 and preserve our strength in
the State? Must we retain unworthy
members because it is an unpleasant and
! laborious task to bring them to iudg-
mcnt? l heard d distinguished lawyer
say the other day, that from the begin
ming, he doubted the wisdom Of the ere
alton of this association. That, While
bar associations might be wise and use
full in denscly populated communities
and States where personal ties between
members of the Bar were rarely found.
and where frequently a lawyer Will not
know Il lawyer occupying an adjoining
office, yet in sparscly settled States and
in small cities and towns an association
of this character was a doubtful expert
mcnt; that where almost universally we
know each other instead of reporting
breaches of professional ethics or gravCr
offences committed by our ~neighbors, we
could not resist the natural temptation
arising out of our personal relations &c
conceal them; that members of the Bal
in such cases, and this association which
is but the aggregate of them, lacked in
dependence, and that an association OF
this character which failed to speak OF
act when action is demanded was worse
than useless. l listened to him in won
der and under protest, but was there no
much substantial truth in what he said
1t surely decpencd my conviction as tt
the necessity for the existence OF TINS
body and for the faithful discharge o
the duties it has undertaken under its
constitution and bylaws. There is as
great necessity for the maintenance o.
the highest standard of professional in
teerity in communities like ours as thcr'
is in more dcnsely populated States, ant
it is n duty devolving upon each one o
us to subordinate personal disinclnatlon
to the common task of maintaining AM
defending the character and the good re
pute of Us all.
Il have spoken of the reputation OF IN
Bar among the people and its failure u
exercise the influence which 1t ought u
ucsscss. When we come to analyZe TN
conditions we find sundry barriers tina
stand il the way. 1t goes without Sa9lh'
that in the evolution of the Bar durlh}
the past fifty years it has not maintalnc'
that standard of professional cthlcS ina
originally separated it as Il professor
from all other occupations. We nave I'm
bibcd to too great an extent the com
mercial and the speculative spirit OF III
age. The fact is to be dcplorea liaC Il
many sections of cur country the prac
ticc of the law is daily moro ana NOR
cCasing to be the practice OF a mig pro
fcssion and more and more becoming III