Evening journal., 1912-04-12
new NEWS NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Fee That a Famous Law
yer Thought Was Big
By Holland

When the excitement over the pass
ing of the fugitive slave law was at its
height in the early fifties OF the last
century, a young lawyer of New
Haven, Conn, who had been practic-
ing only about three years, spoke 10
a gathering of Wings and anti-slavery
Democrats, saying that he believed
he could draft a law which, without
being In any way in conflict with the
Federal law, would nevertheless make
the fugitive slave law imperative in
the State Of Connecticut.
Upon that statement the young law
yer, Henry b. Harrison. was elected a
member of the lower house of the Con-
necticut Legislature. He kept his
promise; he introduced bill provid-
ing that IL any person attempted TO
seize any free man and deprive him
of his liberty, claiming that he was a
slave. that person could be fined and
imprisoned. In theory, any person in
the State Of Connecticut not a convict
was free, The law was adopted and be-
came widely known as the personal
liberty law, and the author Of it gained
national reputation. No fugitive
slave was after that in peril in Con-
necticut.
In 1866, year after the close of the
Civil War, tn Republicans in the
State Of Connecticut determined to
nominate Henry b. Harrison for Gov
ernor. When Harrison heard Of this
purpose he sent FOR the leaders and
said: General Joseph n. Hawley was
the first citizen of this State TO enlist
and he has had q distinguished career
in the army. l feel that there is no
citizen OF the State better entitled 20
recognition at the hands of his party
than is General Hawley / therefore
ask that General Hawley be nominat-
ed for Governor"
That nomination was made and
Hawley became Governor of COnncc-
ticut. Ten years later Harrison who
had become one OF the foremost law
yers of New England, was nominal
ed by the Republicans for Governor
and defeated and it was not until ten
years more had passed that he at last
became Governor Of Connecticut
81 have referred TO these incidents
IN the career of one Of the ablost law
yers and most distinguished citizens
Of New England of that time, the bet
ter 70 emphasize a personal expert
ence which had with Governor Har-
rison when 7 met him one afternoon
just as he was entering the hallway
which led to his law office. Taking
me by the arm he said:
"If You have got few minutes. |
wish you would como with me to my
office, for I have something TO say 10
YOU
After we had taken seats i'm the Of
fee Governor Harrison continued: Il
have been practicing law for some
thirty years ! have been counsel in
some important cases. My fees have
been moderate and yet satisfactory.
This morning J received in the mail a
letter containing a check. The check
represents the largest fee I ever ro.
ceived None other that over re-
ceived came within several hundred
dollars of IT, Here il u.s."
Holding the check In such man
ner that I could not read the writ
ing upon IT, Governor Harrison asked
me TO guess what the amount written
upon the check was, and | said at ran
dom, Five thousand dollars"
The Governor smiled. but shook bis
head
This check is in payment for ser
vices in case which has been pend
ing several years" he said 81 won
the case for my client not long ago
They wrote me asking me to send q
bill for my services. 7 sent what
feared would he an exorbitant bill
They would not accept that bill. In.
stead they sent mo a check for fv,
hundred dollars more than hat
asked, and they said that ] was toe
modest. Here is the check"
saw that Il was for fifteen hun
dred dollars.
IL shall keep this check for severa
days in my wallet because ii feel.
good continued Governor Harrison
Il never expected to earn a fee of az
much as fifteen hundred dollars. Il
represents my highest triumph at th,
bar"
And ! looked in amazement at thi.
able and yet modest man who ranked
with the leaders OF the bar of his
State, yet who felt thar fec of ffteer
hundred dollars was a. large one.
Copyright, 1912. by q j. Edwards
All rights reserved
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards Will tell o.
IAN Eerie Story"