The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-03-01


xovvfnn, Mt. There 10. ho~svsr, more
dire, srd pslpsble Relationship esssecn 81
kast one Of the distinet prcdsc . Of rural
~. and our polI,,csl conditions Ihhpro-
dsct b the country lawyer.
II Ma not dlfhcglt 10 oiseovef . sort oi
tirship b't~en hgsl T1neh' and po'itr
cal service. We therefore ,bo1ld rot b.
ssrpii.ed 10 dad that the hgsi profession
IA. always been The most 'I'eisive resef-
volr fum which our lotirp'. etnsiiuetiv
nd guiding political leadership has ees,
dswn.
rnr fiorrrsS LAWYER PRESIDENTS
OF the fif.y ak repr sentatlvts .of The
revoltipg colonies who signed The d. 'elais-
tlon sf Independence, tsepts-sine bsc
studied law. There we're NJ Ave dele
sates who actually took part 10 the conve.
ton which framed our Constitution, anc
thirty three OF these were lawyers.
Since our beginning ~ = nAtien there
have been twenty-five ircumbeus OF the
presidential office. OF these, eigbtssn
we're mr nbers VI the lrsal profession IL
their respective states. Nineteen lawyers
are found among the twspty-siA v,ce.Prss.
ldeuu Who have been elected.
II may be safely said, without giving
'urtber details. that fully as great a pre-
portion OF The legal fraternity will be fousr
among those who have nlled Cabinet posi-
tons and other important places 10 ou'
government.
While this presentation furnishes abund.
ant evidence Of connection between leea
trsining and active participation In public
affairs, II does not, stsndit z alone, alto
grlher fairly meet the needs Of our espsc-
isl topic. We have to do with the pfomi
nence 10 national affairs OF country lawyers
IS disting guished from lawyers belonging In
large towns and cities.
II may we'll be said that as bstweenIthes'
two divisions Of the legal fraternity, = re-
view Of the early stages OF our nations bic
ory does not afford basis for just com.
psrison, since at that time our towns IND
itiu we're few, and our rural population
10 all walks Of life was greatly predoml
aant.
This point is well taken; but 1t BY nj
means follows thst We are driven away
from historical reference In dealing with
our subject. No one can question, for :p-
tance, the valuable bearing Of the state.
uent that OF The fourteen lawyer incumb
.uts Of the presidency since the insugura
ion OF Andrew Jackson 10 1929, more thar
one-half came from the ranks Of country
practice.
aIn, moreover, convinced that no exam
nation as to other important members Of
our public service since the date mentioned
you'd yield results equally pertinent and
iorceful.
It seems to me, however, to be more pro
d able and interesting to sub nit, 10 aid Of
,Or discussion, certain conditions within
present observations, and to recall few
notable and not too remote examples OF
"The Country Lawyer In National A.
airs"
The Senate Of the United States during
the last Congress. In It's total membership
Il ninety, contained fifty-three lawy ers
only sixteen OF whom resided In large
cities. Twpnty.four Of the remaining thir-
sy.sever, or nearly one-half Of the entire
aumber Of lawyers 10 the body, resided ip
communities Of less than ten thousand In
habitants.
Two hundred and ffty.seven lawyers
we're elected to the House Of Representa-
tives In the same Congress. OF these, onl,
sixty.two were residents Of large cities.
One hundred and forty eight, or considers
bly more than one-half OF the entire mum
Ger, resided In towns and villages whose
population numbered ten thousand o,
less
All the ak members who during the las
~ enty.fixe years have been selected b,
hat body TO the powerful and infueptis
osition Of Speaker have been lawyers re-
siding In places whose population at tn
time was less than forty thousand, and In
hree instances less than twelve thousand
When We pass from general clsssifica-
tion TO the mention OF fairly recent indivi
dual Instances tending to establish the pro.
mIuence and Influence OF the country law.
yer In national politics, while many will b.
overlooked, we readily recall Henry Cla,
I Lexington, Kentucky, Thomas II. Ben.
con Of 81. Louis, Missouri (Which had
population Of less than seven Thousand
when he was elected to the benate); Silst
Wright of Canton. New York; william h.
50 wad Of Auburn, New York; John Sher-
man Of Manifold, Ohio; Thsddeus Stevens
II Lancaster, Pennsylvapia; George +
Eemunds OF Burllngto, Vermont; John
a. Andrews, the couLtry-br,d war Cover.
oor Of Massachusetts; Andrew @. Curtin
II Bellefon.e, Pennsy lvanis, the war gov.
arnor Of hat state, and Roscoe Conkline
Of Utica, New York--sll OF whose pames
httipgly embellsh the catalogue 10 which
they are here placed.
| have reserved for fnsl mention the
ismes Of two transce Ddently great Ameri-
caus whose careers and public service cup
Oily 1nsid,d the most convincing proof Of
the greatness in public life which is within
each OF The country lawyer.
Da. lei Wtbster was q country lawy er.
ae had reached the age Of thirty.four year,
when he left rural surroundings In the
5 ATE Of New Hampshire to enter the
nroider field of legal pI sctice 10 he city of
Boston Before that time be had LAID
. oad and deep ths foundations Of proies-
,i,nsl fame, and had d played o. the O OF
u Congress the porrs ~hich sfursrd
N ,ec nation TO wonder and scmiratlop'
lie Vas c,vctee Of country iiis, And b.
oroagLt to the pubic stfyice ,uch intpirs
ton as 0od gives 10 thee who love III
.orks la spirit aud H. truth lhls iu,pi