The Washington herald., 1908-08-30

honor which IL IS proposed 10 DeSIoW upon
the President in token Of admiration of
his personality and Of good viii and re-
gard for the country. which has elected
him 70 the lofty once Of its Chief M8gis-
trate. q few brief notes on the subject
may be Of timely interest Il IS dIstinc-
ton which while not unique. is extremely
rare. and was last conferred upon Joseph
H. Choate while American Ambassador 10
the Court Of ST James. and may be
likened 70 those honorary university de-
grees that fan to the share OF 50 many
men OF note on both sides OF The Atlantic.
In fact. the Inns Of Courts were described,
as far back as in the days Of King James.
as the judicial university OF England.
and among those who have received fle
distinction which IS now about 70 faH 20
the share OF President Roosevelt have been
Sir Walter Raleigh. Sir Francis Drake
Sir John Hawkins. the great Duke Of
Wellington. Edward VII. and the present
Prince Of Wales. none OF them lawyers
by profession
In ancient times the profession Of law
was restricted 10 the holy orders. cardi-
nails. bishops. and abbots occupying the
bench. while priests and monks filed the
Office Of attorney But at the commence
rnent Of the thirteenth century the clergy
7rere prohibited BY canon from practic-
ing law or from administering justice in
The temporal courts. and as the result OF
the report issued by a royal commission
appointed by King Edward I 20 devsse
means for meeting the difficulty created
BY the limitations placed by the church
upon diviues- inns were selected IN the
proximity of the courts. where students
apt and eager" recruited either from the
metropolis or from the provinces. could
be housed while studying the law and
listening 10 the arguments and decisions
IN the various tribunals These inns were.
in fact 50 many seninaries for students
Of law. and Just because their inmates
received their principal instruction IN the
courts. were designated inns Of Court
Thus organized on the collegiate princi-
pie the Inns Of Court prospered under
the supervision and protection OF the
Crown. which invested them with al
sorts Of privileges. chief among which IS
the monopoly Of issuing the licenses tc
practice law al the bar. Formerly there
were quite a number Of inns but uoW
the larger ones have absorbed those Of
minor importance. and there are four that
remain. namely. the Inner and Middle
Temple. Lincol1-s Inn. and Gray's Inn
They have combined in framing and en-
forcing regulations having for their end
a preliminary examination for admission
10 an inn. The keeping Of terms. the at
tendance al lectures and private classes
and. finally. an examination OF Eradua-
rion- on the strength Of which the student
receives his call 70 the bar. The stUdie.
and examinations are superintended and
controlled by a council Of legal education
consisting q twenty benchers. nominated
in equal numbers by each inn. and by {
permanent committee Of education anC
examination appointed by and taken from
the council itself The expenses Of these
and Of The paid lecturers and examiners
are met by the fees payable at the vari
Gus inns. which average about $50 thoUEl
the tutorial and other expenses usually
bring up the cost Of the legal education
Of member OF the bar 70 about S5.101
from the time Of his admission 10 tn
Inns Of Court until three years later r
receives his call 10 the bar
The members q each Of the four Inn
OF Court consist Of the benche-s- the bar
risJers- and the students The bencher
are the governing bodies Of the four inns
and are composed Of the senior members
seIf-elec-ed and unrestricted as 10 mum
bers. Thus the board Of beuchers a
Grav's I'm does not exceed twenty
whereas at Lincoln's Inn they exceed thre
score and ten. Their powers are practi
cally without limit IN their respective 50
cieries- while their particular responsible
ties are the superiutendence and manage
n 81 @r- a---- =
mission Of candidates as students. N
passing upon their antecedents. the call
ing of them 20 the bar, and the exercis
Of discipline generally over all the mem
5ers- The meetings Of the benchers ar
denoninated a parliament" IN the lime
and Middle Temple, a pension in Gray
Inn. and a 'counclI" in LIncoIn's Inr
The presiding officer is the treasurer. on
Of the henchers being elected annually [
the dignity
Considerable discrimination is exercise
with regard 10 the status Of the canf
dates for admission to the various inn,
and consequently TO practice at the bal
and the bsnchsrs have the right OF II
jscting any applicant, with OF withuU
cause assigned. As a general rule III
Inns Of Court close their doors to me
who have been bankrupt or who are cor
nected with any trade. or else who hav
been guilty OF any misconduct. not neces
sariiy breach Of the law. but which
calculated 10 affect the claims Of III
members Of the bar 10 the official desiz
nation as gentleman" and esquire
Moreover. the benchers have the rigt
70 expel from their inr any one or II
members thereof who. in their OpiniCI
has been guilty Of dishOnorable behavior
and inasmuch as the legal practice in a
the superior courts of law in the realm
strictly limited 20 members Of one Of th
four Inns Of Court, a barrister's expU
sion from his inn means that ne is VII
tuaIly disbarred, since he no longer eT
JOYS the right Of pleading Let me ad
that membership OF an Inn Of Court Is q
Indispensable qualification for ever
judEeship Of the superior courts Of la
and equity, both in the United kingdo'
and in the colonies. and indeed, is II
garded as an Indispensable qualihcatiO
for nearly ali Offices OF a judicial chara'
ter
The inns Of the Inner and Middle Ten
PIE owe their name TO the fact that the
premises formerly belonged 10 Il
Knights HospitaIIers OF St John Of JerJ
the buildings and grounds passed 10 Il
Knights Hospitallers Of St John Of JerJ
salem. by whom they we're leased
students Of the common law" In Is
the Knights HospitaIlers OF St job
were dissolved in their turn. the propert
passing into the possession Of the Crow
which continued the lease until the reig
Of King James. who presented the proI
erty to the two Inns Of Court-that Is
say. Of the Inner and Middle Temple
peTDetuity. The Inner and Middle Temp