Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-05-20
THE BENCH AND BAR OF THE CITY
An Honorable Place Achieved and Kept
by the Alexandria Bar.

An Honorable Place Achieved and Kept
by the Alexandria Bar.
Despite the occasional evasion. or
miscarriage of justice. in law making,
the bulk Of law is all right, is intend
ed to prevent wrong and constructed
10 eliminate crime and misdemeanor,
and as such is worthy the closest study
and the most careful and precise re-
gard. 1t has taken the best brain Of
80 centuries TO evolve the code which
today governs this nation. That is
a strong statement. but can be easily
substantiated From Judea through
Babylonia. Egypt, Chaldea, Greece,
Rome and England to America has
that law come, revised, reviewed, added
10, snbtracted from, annotated. indexed,
and codifed time and again until to-
day II stands a monument of patient
study and research, the like of which
in its polyracial hOmogeniety does not
exist elsewhere.
1t has numbered In its legislative,
administrative and executive priest
mood the greatest rulers. most pro-
found thinkers, wisest statesmen, BRAIN
Test writer's, most versatile orators,
poets. painters, wits and cOuTtiers. as
we'll as its greatest military geniuses,
and not excluding profiigates and
panderers. and whatever has been
great enough to command the serV-
ice and the thought of the highest
and lowest alike must. in itself. be in
herently great and possible Of the
highest and best endeavOrs Of man
kind.
There was never in the worlds his
tory so grand an opportunity present
ed to the lawmaker and the law-ad-
ministrator to reach ParnaSsian
heights Of honorable and lucrative en-
deavor as that which now confronts
them. Never have the peoples Of the
nations had their eyes fixed upon the
coming generation Of lawmen with
willingness to give credit where DUE
a clear appreciation Of the dangers
and difficulties of the road to be trav-
eled by the honest student OF law, as
well as of the tremendous opportuni-
ties lying ready to the grip of the man
OF courage, knowledge and ability nor
have these peoples ever had richer re-
wards 10 heap on their champion when
he shall have proven himself worthy
OF such guerdon. No profession has
greater opportunities for the right men.
No profession gives greater assurance
Of prosperous benefits and none has
equal weight in power Of advancement
to high Office =,
Virginia is proud OF the names OF
law makers and interpreters that stand
out in bold relief upon the American
scroll of fame. Back in the early
DAYS OF the colony and State-the days
OF forensic elOquence-there were
giants In legal battle. who waged judi
cial warfare in her courts, and among
the members of her bar were such
Patrick Henry, John Marshall,
Thos. Jefferson, James Madison,
George Wythe. Edmund Pendleton,
Peyton Randolph, r. NJ. T. Hunter,
John r. Tucker. John b. Minor, Bev-
erly Tucker, Bcshrod washington
Peter Lyons. but why continue? Nir-
GINA having furnished five Presidents
OK the United States, besides five jus
tees OF the U. S. Supreme Court ana
four u. S. ttOrneys-General, the Ola
Dominion has her fun share on the
roll of fame.
Those early days, however, were days
OF the occasional masters Of law, but
In these later days there has been
equality Of opportunity. Later, as the
general knowledge brOadened. strength
ened. deepened, men doomed not so
large upon the stage of the courts, ana
today many a yOungster, his sheepsKlh
unWrinkled, with yet his first orier 10
finger, knows more OF law IMAM ulu
some OF the seasoned sOlOns OF years
Of practice; knowledge mas sPIea9'
printing has multiplied It's opportunl-
ues and the standard Of fitness has
been steadily raised. Yet the memory
of the old Judges and lawyers has not
been erased They still, like distant
snow-clad peaks, loom on the iegdl
vision, their majesty enhanced by dls-
lance. c...o
The dockets Of Federal and state
courts abundantly prove that the Vltai
fire is neither gone from the pIatn.
the marrow from the bones nor the
witchery from the tongues OF Nlr-
ginia's gifted sons. and that the Suns
of Alexandria are the peers VI ~ ~
lawmakers and law executors Oh the
mast The standard of legal learning mas
improved, the standard Of LEGALITY al
lied with Justice in improving ana the
ability and the honesty Of the Dehch
ana bar Of Alexandra city and Alex
sndria county is keeping pace with
both. l,,..,. 81 ME
trict Courts for Northern virginia meet
in Alexandria in January ana july
1ndge Fdmund Waddill presides. X
p ~. Garnett is clerk; deputy - .
Marshal. J. F. Glover. -. tho c,tv
The state Circuit Court, for the clIy'
presided over Nudge J. B. T. Thorn
ION. with n. s. Greenway clerk any - L.
~. Duffey deputy, meets in March' sep
tember and December. .s,o,
The Corporation Court over Wi .Sd
Judge L. c. Barley presides meets M ny :
second Monday in each month ne
clerk is n. S Greenway, the deputy Il.
". Duffey. The Corporation Attorney
is g. G. Brent, the sergeant Is X H.
Cox; deputy, Frank Mason.
The justices OF the peace are as fol-
lows: First Ward, julius Pelton; Sec
ond Ward Frank Mason; Third Ward.
e. Z. Padgett; Fourth Ward, c. o..
Sipple
Francis L. Smith.