The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-07-11
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Association. the chief debate was upon
a proposition to petition the General
Assembly to change the law SO that
shall be examined by a committee of
lawyers to be chosen by the Bar As
ISOLATION, instead of by the Supreme
Court, as has been the custom since
the organization of that high tribunal.
Fortunately there was vigorous oppo~
sition to that dangerous innovation,
led in part by Hon. James c. MacRae,
an ex-Superior Court Judge and a
former member of the Supreme Court,
whose service on the bench, at the bar,
and as professor of law at the Uni
versity have given him exceptional OPP
portunity to give "a wise opinion upon
this question. After the debate. upon
motion of those who favored the
change, the matter was postponed un-
til next year. 1t is to be hoped that
its postponement means it's death. A
burial in beautiful Toxaway Lake
would be a fit ending of a proposition
that has so little to commend it to
popular favor.
A lawyer is an officer Of the court
as much so as a sheriff, a clerk or a
judge He does not stand upon the
same footing as a druggist or a doctor
or a dentist, who are examined by a
commission from their own bodies,
under legal enactment The Supreme
Court has conducted examinations
during all the years of the past. There
has been no ground for complaint.
They have lately made the standard
higher and the examination is so fair
as to leave no ground for criticism.
The Judges are not overworked,
though no body of men work more
conscientiously The highest judicial
officers of the State are chosen by a
vote of the people-they have the
imprimntur of the bar and the laymen.
License from the highest tribunal car
ries more weight than if granted by
any committee Of lawyers selected by
the Bar Association. OF course the
bar feels deep interest in elevatinS
the profession, but the people have
an even greater interest. When the
Supreme Court is the examining tri-
bunal, the lawyer is made an officer
of the court by a power greater than
judge or lawyer-the majesty OF the
people If it is turned over to COM
mittee of the Bar Association, it lacks
that dignity and importance that ought
to attach to admission to the learned
profession of the law.
This innovation is not far removed
from two other innovations lately
proposed, one by the Bar Association,
and one by a number of prominent
editors The first was that tae SUI
preme Court Justices wear gowns
(did it include wigs, too0 That in
novation seems to have gone into in
nocuous desuetude, where it ough;
forever to remain. The second change
urged by some editors is to create a
Board of Pardons so as to relieve the
Governor of that great responsibility.
The granting of a pardon is the high
est exercise of a sovereign. committed
to the Chief Magistrate. OF course he
will sometimes err, but that duty VIII
be best carried out by one man elect
ed to the highest office in the gift of
the people than by dividing the re-
sponsibility among three men who do
not owe their selection to popular
vote. Just as the Governor alone
ought to issue a pardon so the Su-
preme Court alone ought to authorize
man to practice law and become an
officer of the court.
No division of authority. no innova-
tons for the sake of Change. no fum-
merry or millinery! Let the Governor
and the Supreme Court alone. do not
create new offices, and, above all. put
no uniforms and fiounces and furbe-
lows upon our highest judicial officers.