Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-11-06

menIS Ike those OF last night. There
were those who told us that with so
many questions put at rest the law
was no longer the handmade of liberty
and constitutional government, but
that ii had been converted into an adj
iuuct for commercial pursuits; they
told us that the hand of commercial
ism, like the hand of Midas, had
touched the profession and that it
had turned to gold. Further than
that, the lawyers were also told that
even in and along commercial lines
the old practitioner had been crowded
out, and that the fruit was picked by
a few of the fortunate. And, to some
extent, that was true. But was it not
always true? The profession was al
ways crowded. but there had always
been, and still was, room at the top,
and if those of the younger genera
ton lived chiefly in the hope of reach
ing that stately eminence. they lived
only as their fathers before them liv-
ed. Webster said it was the part of
the lawyer to work hard. live well
and die poor it would be true in the
future, as it had been in the past.
that it was the lawyer who stood be-
tween the knave and the dupe; pro-
tected the innocent. punished the
guilty, guarded the rights of infants
and protected the acquisition of man
hood; secured the SanctitN of the
grave, and executed the will of the
departed. If the lawyer of today eN-
ecuted those great trusts as faith
fully as the lawyer Cf Yesterday. he
may be sure that he shall have lived
good life. and would receive the
benediction, We'll done thou good
and faithful servant
j. T. Kenworthy, of Rock Island. re-
lated The Trials of the Trial Law
YER" They are many" he said.
They are sore. They weary the
spirit. sour the disposition. drive away
friends. tend to shake his confidence
in the integrity of his fellow men,
make him a bore i'm his family, and
finally, produce insomnia
Forty Years at the Bar.
In his remarks on "Forty Years at
he Bar William Jackson, of this
city, carried his hearers through an
interesting page of local history, re-
la ting incidents of which many of
those present had never heard before.
1t was a long time TO look back-it
was 1860 when he began to practice
at the local bar. He never thought
then he. Should live 40 years, but as
long as he had been spared, he wanted
TO assure his hearers that the years
had been pleasant ones. and he had
had no more happy relations or any
dearer or firmer friendships than
those made among members of the
legal profession. There was but one
man left-E. d. Sweeney-who prac-
ticed at the bar 40 years back. There
were lawyers here in those days who
were either eminent then or who
gained fame from the start they had
here. Probably the most distinguish
ed of these was Joseph Knox, of
whom it was said in his prime that
there was no jury to be gotten to-
gether that he could not command.
In that respect he was without peer
in the profession Of his time. He was
man of great wit, with a command
ing countenance, though small of
stature. He was an expert at cross
examination. He was very social in
character. There was no starchiness
i'm his disposition. genial at all times.
and beloved by all at the bar. He was
ever ready with a helping hand, and
was especially kind and considerate
to the younger prac titioners. jerome
BearClsley was Mr.. Jackson's ideal of
a lawyer of those days. He could
argue a case with more earnestness,
force and directness than any other
man he knew The outbreak of the
war scattered most of the lawyers of
the bar. Among them was Mr.. Reed.
who was KnoX's partner, and who af
terward defended Guiteau. slayer of
President Garfield. There were some
eccentric characters in the profess
sion. Lawyer Blodgett. an old Penn
sylvania barrister. was heavy drink
err. and wore shiny-breasted Prince
Albert One of his pecularities was
in coming to court with slippers on.
He had a habit, when addressing the
court. of scratching at one side of
his head. and he kept at this so long
and persistently that he had worn off
a clump of hair about the size of a dol
lar. He recalled the acquaintance of
John b. Hawley, now dead. with pride
and satisfaction. The lawyers called
him Lord Hawley because of his con-
fidence in himself and his positiveness
on all OCCASIONS He was patient and
painstaking in all questions. As show
ing his confidence i'm himself. when a
lawyer on the other side of case !
moved to appeal to the higher court. |
Hawley replied: That's me. The APP
pelIate court is my native heath"
Mr.. Jackson pictured the scenes in
the old frame building that disappear
ed with the erection of the present |
county temple on the closing of the
business of a term, when on many |
night the lawyers could be seen trail
ing down the old stairs at II o'clock.
tired and weary after their day of
work. A loving tribute was here paid
to the late Judge G. w. Peasants. to
whom the speaker owed great deal
for whatever success he may have
I:F. al b.i