The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-03-01
IKE yesrp ps the quiet And peace Of Aarsh
rur cnrArrsr or rarn ALL.

ae d.
THg GREATEST oF rHrn ALL.
Iinccin, too. ~as . coantry lawyer, and
be wss called 70 save nation. lie never
lost the impress Of an early life closely sur'
rs uIaed BY oil the incidents Of .iural ,n
srce, and spcomps,s,d by the stern prof.
ences " God. lie, too, loved the ccon-
try; and he who msds the eouptrs CAV
hun. In compensation, sn 1nstinted meat
are Of Inspiration Tor the noss imprssss'
I'd solemn pablo duty.
rhe d. rds II lhese two country lawyers
ed 70 especial recital. Tbey are writer
10 he snrsls Of . grateful nation, and chsi'
/, nse the admiration Of mankind. And who
sssll say hat the msjestic forms Of Web
ter and L'ncolo, standing forth In th'
right li1ht of human achievement, do no
ach lhe world how the rohility Of Amer
can character Ia developed by American
urAl lifes
We seem now to have reached q branch
4 our subject =, qulring the suggestion Of
.ome ressons for the prominence Of thu
un.ry hSycr 10 public life.
In my opIlIon this is partly due to th,
'orm and texture Of our scheme Of govern
neni. | believe that God has been ever
mindful Of our hatiou, and that in the be-
dining He 80 overruled the efforts Of thu
fathers Of the republic that they were LED
set on foot a government so simple and
% adjusted to the exlgencies Of our peopl,
nat lie safety aud effective operation car
oe most suitably entrusted to the stoul
heart, clear heads ssd patriotic Impulse
which grow strong In rural environment.
| believe legal study and practice in tn
couRtry are calculated to sharpen all these
qusl ties, and that this 10 their usual fleet.
know that ,he struggle for = livelihood
rom the practice Of Law In the couLtry.
.bd the almost endless number Of practical
hings which the country lawyer musi
lear, In contests involving every social anc
business question, prepare him, ~ no othe
conditions can, to deal intelligently anc
asefully with the various and widely sep
usted questions met with In the public
ervlce.
He has an advantage in this regard over
members Of the profession In largescities.
cause legal work Is there largely special.
zed aud because Of less distracting sur.
{. .undinss he is apt to be not only mor'
houghtfully, bu; more pstrioticaily inter.
,sted and active in political matters.
believe that 10 the absence Of too many
,bor.saving devices In his profession, ADO
With more dependence upon hard work the
'auntry practitioners as distina uished from
mis- city brother, develops greater felf.rs
,snce and homespun industry, and greater
tenscity Of wholesome, clearly wrou9h'
out convlctions-all Of which are exceed.
ingly important traits when carried into
public life
am also Of the opinion that the study Of
dividusl ways and means, which the mod
crate income Of the country lawyer mskes
aecessary, ard familiarity with the sim
pie, inexpsntive manner Of living prsvslen,
10 rural communities, tend to foster ideat
4 frugality aud economy which, although
zoo frequently left at home when public In
stead Of private expenditures are under
Q ,nsideration. ought to be inexora bly, In
sisted upon as indispensable to q satisfac-
tory discharge Of official duty,
II may not be amiss to intimate also In
his connection that the close personal iB-
simacy and neighborliness Of rural life and
consequent ssnsitiveuess to ths interests
OF those with whom they dwell, more cas-
lily persuade lawyers In the country that
hey should be willing on patriotic grounds
TO devote time and effort to official work.
IN THE WAY OF OPPORTUNITY.
These sul gestiohs, intendsd to account
n some degree fJr the prominence VI the
country lawyer in public affairs, should b.
promptly supplemented by the mention Of
another requisite to an entrance upon
: .reer Of political service, so impsrious ard
controlling that it subordinstes al others.
I refer 70 the factor Of opportunity.
wi hout thi. all other advantages are In
fficIent. Under our system ofgovernment,
which gives The people the selection OF
.heir public agents, 1t 10 only through iIt
oald perversipn that any Ose, however
Sell-asL.d and wherever located. can in tn
.bsence Of legi innate opportunity break BIZ
way iato political importance.
Undoubtedly there has been muit'tuI
u country lawyers endowed with ls,snt
power, "the applause OF listening senates
o comm and" Of whom, because opportun.
| isy failed them, 1t may be said:
Along the cool ., questered vale Of life,
they kept the noiseiess tenor OF thsi- way
| Nevertheless, opportunity has come to
housaDds OF them, and believe that, ~
enersl proposition, 1t can safely be affirm
d that country lawyers are more In thu
.ay Of such opportunity than city mem.
Usrs VI The fraternity.
In the first places lawyer In q rural com
mupity occupies BY virtue Of his profession
| position Of mark. The intricacies Of the
aw, with whicn be Ia supposed to be fsmi-
isr, are mysteries to those about him; and
differences suong neighbors take on ser.
ious sspect when one side or the other in-
yoses his interpositIon. Besides, be sr-
.ues cases before the nigh court" and
| makes tpseches before juries 10 the court
louse, and sometimes before those assemb-
ed at political meetings.
Il Ia curious 70 observe how lasting and
avorsble an impression 10 made In such
ci. cumstal oss ~ lawyer Of the nsishbor-
aood who can not only talk 10 public, bat
sbo can talk long spd loud. knew very
sery veil, ,ssrs ago, an able country Law.
yer 10 Erie CosSty. New fork. who could
10 this, AID do IL well, He was % exten.
avcly aud sfeetionat.ly known that we all
1 called him Uncle jim /"