Thomas A. Hendricks as a Lawyer. trial of a case at Cincinnati. A quarter of a century afterward Senator Evarts in the Sen ate Chamber referred to this trial and Mr. Hendricks in the following language: "I think now, as I thought then, that among the eminent men who took part in the preparation and delivery of opinions, and those who took part in the debates, not in frequent, of an interlocutory nature, no man appeared better in his composure of spirit, in his calmness of judgment, in the circum spect and careful deliberation with which, avoiding extreme extravagances, he drew the line which should mark out fidelity to the Constitution, as distinguished from addiction to the supremacy of party interests and party passions." In 1882 Mr. Hendricks delivered an ad dress to the graduating class of the Central Law School located at Indianapolis. Ve doubt if in the English language can be found a more appropriate address to a class of young men about to enter upon the practice of the law. It is really one of those ad dresses from which quotations cannot be made,—it is a single quotation, one not to be dismembered; but we give a few extracts from it: "Some of the great achievements in the cause of civil liberty have been won at the bar. Men have grasped imperishable fame by the defences there made in the cause of human rights. Remorseless prosecutions, under cruel laws, have been met and resisted, defied and defeated, with giant strength and tion courage, in the cause of liberty." "Truth is stronger than error; it is a firmer
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and surer support for any cause. Experience hath shown that, in all the multiplied affairs of men, truth is consistent and faithful, whilst falsehood is treacherous. It is only the sham and the pretender, the half-made lawyer, that in the hour of conscious weakness feels that he must resort to misstatement of either law or fact. The man of real ability and solid at tainments, invoking truth as his friend, leans with confidence upon his own powers. He who abandons confidence in truth is a bank rupt in the profession." "Levity of manner will destroy the effect of a speech otherwise good. There is no facility more dangerous to the advocate than wit. It will not be held in restraint. The jury may laugh, but they are not convinced. They re gard their duties as important and serious, and they readily suspect they are being trifled with when the crowd laughs. The parties think the lawsuit in the highest degree seri ous. Humor is pleasing, and, within proper restraint, may safely be indulged. The advo cate should seek the purest and1 strongest lan guage, and the best and most beautiful style he can command. I have no respect for the opinion sometimes expressed, that a plain and blunt style should be adopted out of def erence to the understanding and taste of the jury. More advocates fall below than rise above the jury. The purpose of addressing a jury, as any other body of men, should be to make upon their minds distinct and per manent impressions. The beauties of poetry, and the charms of fancy, as well as the power of reason and the force of logic, may help to recover a desperate cause."
