EDWIN T. MERRICK.

The crimes and misdemeanors named were the principal offenses known to our law, and today the Statute of 1805 is regarded as applicable to all crimes and offenses, so far as the rules of evidence and methods of trial are concerned. Edward Livingston denounced this Act as wrong in principle and unjust in operation, because, instead of advising the citizen plainly and unequivocally of the nature of the particular acts denounced and punished, it referred him for their ascertainment to a complicated system of foreign law, with which he was unfamiliar and whose provis ions were to him a mystery.* But such laws have frequently been resorted to by Congress in new Territories. in adopting for their guidance the Statutes of various adjoining States, and we believe today that our Legislative Council or Jefferson's Legislative Council, since he ap pointed it-satisfactorily met the condition which confronted it. The result has proved it. The evolution of our State government has given us what is best in both sys

tems.

Our criminal law is taken from the common law of England. Our commercial law is the same as yours. Our law of evidence is the same as yours. Our writ of habeas corpus is yours.

And as for

But the main body of our private law is the Roman law, which, under the guise of equity, is filling the courts with its principles more and more as time goes on. the Louisiana lawyer, we try to think that, having the parallax of thought from the two sytems, he can get a better view of the beauties of the systems of law of both the English and Latin races.

Before closing, I wish to say that when I had the honor to receive an invitation from your distinguished body to deliver an address on the Louisiana Purchase, my mind reverted to a scene in the old Cabildo at New Orleans which

* State vs. Gaster, 45 La. An. 641.

SPECIAL ADDRESS.

occurred in May, 1901. I had the honor to be present at a 1eception given in that building to one of the noblest, best and grandest men ever produced in this great Republic-one of the greatest figures in its history. I refer to William McKinley. He was there as the guest of the Louisiana Historical Society, and in response to an address of welcome, said:

"It has been a great honor to me to be received here by the Governor of this great commonwealth, by the Chief Justice and by the Mayor of the city, at this spot, memorable not only in American annals, but forever memorable in the annals of the world. I am glad to stand where that great transaction took place, which transferred Louisiana Territory to the land of the Stars and Stripes, a transaction which changed the map of the world and made this Union what it now is, the strongest, freest nation oL. God's earth."

And from the balcony of the Cabildo Mr. McKinley said: "I have the great honor of standing on this historic ground to reccive the greetings of my countrymen, and to recall the fact that here nearly a hundred years ago, the great transaction took place that dedicated a larger area than the original thirteen States to liberty and union forever."

I believe we shall always remain the strongest, freest pation on God's earth. The great Civil War was but the fermentation of opposing elements that have only made amalgamation stronger. The strength of this great Union

is as steel, beacuse it has fought its fight. Brother has met brother in the field, and the courage, the patriotism, the sincerity of both sides, is unquestioned. As Mr. Charles Francis Adams has said, both sides were right in their view of the Constitution of the United States. We have fought against each other, but since then we have fought against a common foe, and no argument, no plea, no fanaticism can now destroy the mutual confidence that exists today in every section of what is today not only the strongest and freest nation on God's earth, but the best, the noblest and grandest nation the evolution of the world has ever produced.

JAMES C. ALLEN.

SPECIAL ADDRESS.

THE BAR OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SIXTY YEARS AGO.

JAMES C. ALLEN, OF OLNEY.

At the request of the President and Executive Committee of the State Bar Association of Illinois, I have attempted to prepare a paper in response to that request.

In 1844, while residing in another and adjoining state, I had occasion to visit some of the courts in what at that time was called the Wabash Circuit, and while attending some of their courts, formed definite impressions from what I heard and saw of its members while on these occasional visits. These impressions were much strengthened after I became a citizen of the state and a member of the Wabash Bar, from association with its members, in the courts and in social life.

My first visit to an Illinois Court was at Palestine, in Crawford County. I found the venerable justice, William Wilson, one of the Supreme Judges of Illinois, presiding over the Circuit Court, and found at the bar E. S. Janey and Augustus C. French, representing the local bar. Wickliff Kitchell, the first local member of the bar, had a short time before that removed to the western part of the state. O. B. Ficklin, then of Mt. Carmel; Justin Harlan and Timothy R. Young, of the Clark County bar; Usher F. Linder, of Coles County, and Aaron Shaw, of Lawrence County, were in attendance on the Court. These men were at that time regarded as good lawyers and some of them as very able advocates.