I am not endeavoring to make lawyers. I am not trying to train you to become lawyers. You know nearly all the children in the American schools have to learn something about physiology and hygiene, but not in order to become doctors. They study physiology and hygiene in order to [pg 016] understand the ordinary rules of health, so that they may protect themselves as far as possible against disease and take care of their bodies intelligently. Of course sickness will come. Then you must call the doctor.
Well, so it is in this course. I want you to know enough about your government, your Constitution, and your laws—because these things are yours—so that you, as members of this great society called America, will be able to understand your rights and duties, your privileges, your opportunities, and your obligations. Sometime in your life your problem may become so difficult, or your rights may become so endangered, that you will have to call upon a lawyer, just as when illness comes you call upon your physician.[5]
No one knows anything of real worth about his country until he knows its Constitution. No one can have in his heart a full measure of gratitude for the blessings of living in a free country, until he knows of how fully the Constitution guards every right and privilege which we hold dear. So we shall enter upon the study of the Constitution of our country.
But in order that you may better understand the Constitution of your country, in order that you may better study the problems which will be presented to you in this course, it is necessary for you to understand something, in a general way at least, of four separate things—Government, Liberty, Authority, and Law. So before talking to you of the Constitution, I shall talk to you on these subjects.[6]
I know it will not be easy for you at first to understand some of the words and expressions which it is necessary for me to use. It will be necessary for me to repeat to some extent, from time to time, but I feel satisfied that if we will work together in the right spirit, you will find the matter interesting; and I am sure that the great truths, the great principles of life, conduct, and action will soon become clear to your minds.
The important thing to realize at all times is that we are not talking about something away off in which we have slight interest, but that we are talking of things which are ours, which affect every one of us, not in the future, but now.
I can recall a number of faces of men who have been before my court charged with crimes, who in childhood were sitting where you are sitting to-day. I have sentenced some of them to long terms of years in the penitentiary. I was compelled to take away from them their liberty, because they had shown themselves unworthy, and had shown themselves rebels against the authority of their country.
On the other hand, I recall those who came into court seeking protection of their rights against wrongdoers—against those who would take away their property, the earnings perhaps of a lifetime; and in court they found protection, justice, and right. But in administering justice and right, the court was only applying the principles of the Constitution of our country which we are about to study.
So let us enter upon this work with a determination to succeed in our undertaking. You know that has a great deal to do with our success in life—a determination to succeed.
When you boys take your baseball team to play the team of some other school, you start for the baseball park determined to win the game; and, if you keep up this spirit, you probably will win the game. In any event, you play a real game of which your friends are proud. That is the way to meet all the problems of life, whether in the school room, or out in the world after you have entered upon the great battles of life.