Slate: Lincoln was wary of lawyer jokes
1:16 pm, December 10th, 2012
Slate’s history feature, called “The Vault,” highlights notes from Abraham Lincoln for what was apparently a speech to young lawyers in the 1850s. Among other pieces of advice, the soon-to-be president warned students to be wary of lawyer jokes.
“There is a vague popular belief that lawyers are necessarily dishonest,” Lincoln wrote, according to Slate.
“If in your own judgment you cannot be an honest lawyer,” he added, “resolve to be honest without being a lawyer. Choose some other occupation, rather than one in the choosing of which you do, in advance, consent to be a knave.”
The full piece, with a link to a transcript of the full letter, can be found here.
Contributor: Jonathan Ringel in History | subscribe to rss | 
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