On Lincoln's Advice
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recent years have radical alterations
the ministry.
been introduced into our criminal law,
lawyer to help preserve the social order, to aid in securing justice, and to pro mote the welfare of society by protect
and there are still lawyers who regard
the old criminal law as quite adequate. It is evident that a scientific criminal procedure and criminal jurisprudence must rest upon a scientific criminal sociology. Inasmuch as it is evident that laws need constant change to meet changed social conditions, as long as
It is the function of the
ing it from crime and all other social disorder. If this is the true view of the legal profession, then the commercial ized conception of the profession, as having for sale primarily personal ser vices to individuals and corporations
the bulk of this work of changing laws
who can pay for them, is an utterly false
falls to the legal profession, it is the duty
knowledge, not only of social conditions,
conception. We must do something to place our legal profession upon a higher plane in this country and to get its members to regard themselves as social
but of the principles which underlie
servants primarily, rather than as per
social organization and social change.
sonal servants of individuals or corpora tions, if the nation is to endure. At least one of the things which needs to be attempted is to give the lawyer the social point of view, and this can pertaps
of the legal profession to equip them selves for this function by an extensive
A word in conclusion may not be out of place as to the relations of the legal
profession to society generally.
If the
social view of the law is the right one,
then the legal profession must be re garded fundamentally as a social-service profession quite as much as teaching or
be secured through the study of sociology and the other social sciences better than in any other way.
On Lincoln’s Advice "If . . . you cannot be an honest lawyer, resolve to be honest without being a lawyer." bmham Lincoln.
By HARRY R. BLYTHE F these fair words were burned into hearts So deeply that our actions sprang from them,
How many still would fret on rights in rem, And still persist in playing sorry parts? Oh! would not some of us eschew the marts Of blighting litigation, and condemn The whole unhappy business-seek the gem Of truth elsewhere—win gold by other arts?
Ah! if we had the courage but to do As oft the conscience tells us that we ought,
If to ourselves we only could be true, The world would never say that we are bought As Judas was. Honor would crush the few, But all our work would be in goodness wrought.
