Chapter IV. Destruction of Neutral Prizes. ARTICLE 48. A neutral vessel which has been captured may not be destroyed by the captor; she must be taken into port as is proper for the determination there of all questions concerning the validity of the capture. ARTICLE 49. As an exception, a neutral vessel which has been captured by a beligerent war-ship and which would be liable to condemnation may be destroyed if the observance of Article 48 would involve danger to the safety of the war-ship or to the success of the operations in which she is engaged at the time. ARTICLE 50. Before the vessel is destroyed all persons on board must be placed in safety and all the ship's papers and other documents which the parties interested consider relevant for the purpose of deciding the validity of the capture must be taken on board the war-ship." I have given you, within a narrow compass, the latest authoritative restatement of the rules of international law affecting the subjects which most deeply concern the American people, and especially the Southern people, so far as this war is concerned. Article 66 of the Declaration of London reads as follows: "The signatory powers undertake to insure the mutual observance of the rules contained in the present declaration in any war in which the bellige rents are parties thereto." A well-known authority on International Law (Admiral Stockton), who was a member of the Conference of London, has written: "Whether formally ratified or not by the signatory and other powers, it has the authoritative weight due to the unanimous vote of the representatives of the great maritime powers and to their declaration that it represents the actual principles of international law upon the subjects dealt with." In the light of that fact is it not appalling to see two of the greatest of the maritime powers thus bound, Great Britain and Germany, openly and flagrantly violating the terms of the Declaration of London, before the ink is dry upon it? Among such violations no one is more flagrant, more indefensible that the illegal warfare now being waged by the sea-power of Great Britain against the non-contraband cotton of the South, in which reference to Article 28 of the Declaration is so positive. That article expressly declares that "raw cotton * * * may not be declared contraband of war." That fundamental and unchangeable rule in the law of nations is now being set aside and trampled upon just as if it did not exist at all, and the South is suffering the consequences. Those consequences will become more acute as time passes; soon they may become unbearable. Your interests and your manhood are both at stake. Will you be equal to the duty thus imposed? I believe you will. Do not forget that last fall the British Government gave a formal and solemn assurance to our Government, through the British Ambassador at Washington, that during the present war cotton should not be molested. Despite that assurance; despite the assurances contained in the Declaration of London; despite the ancient rule of International law, which it recognizes and affirmed, cotton has been declared contraband by a British order in council. Report of the Committee on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar To the Alabama State Bar Association: The undersigned, who constitute a majority of the Committee on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar, submit the following report: The Bar Associations of sister States have been active in arousing interest favorable to raising the standards for admission to the Bar, and requiring applicants for admission to have a literary education as a foundation; also to possess the requisite legal training. It is believed that such a course is a wise one in that it tends to elevate the Bar, since it gives to the State an educated Bar, which is an aid to the enforcement of the law and is a protection to the people. Heretofore, the Bar Association of Alabama has seemed to view the matter chiefly from the standpoint of the applicant for admission rather than from the standpoint of the people at large or the Bar itself. It is believed by the undersigned that we should have a broader conception of the lawyer's duties, and. higher requirements for entrance into that profession than has heretofore prevailed in this State; that we should join hands with other States to elevate the Bar of our State and protect its litigants, and at least have the personel of our Bar as highly educated as that of any sister State. Your Committee therefore recommends that this Association adopt a resolution urging the Legislature to pass a law confining admission to the Bar to such persons as shall have: (a) A preliminary education equivalent to a two years college course; (b) Who shall have pursued the study of the law for three years, either in some recognized law school, or under private instructors whose competency shall be determined and passed upon by the Board of Examiners previous to the applicants' entrance upon the required examination for admission to the Bar. W. B. Harrison, Chairman, R. E. Steiner, Jr. Report of the Committee on Jurisprudence and Law Reform BY THE CHAIRMAN, S. S. PLEASANTS. Gentlemen of the Alabama Bar Association: Perhaps never before has there been such a general demand for reforms in the law and in its administration. The demand is not now confined alone to the layman, but is participated in, too, to a large extent, by the lawyer and the judge. All other sciences improve as time progresses and the law which enters into everything and which must deal with the changing conditions of business, invention and science, ought to keep pace in improvement with other sciences. There will of course always be differences of opinion as to the best methods to pursue, to attain that end or as to what should be law to effect that purpose, but there will, we think, be little conflict of opinion that the ultimate end and purpose of law and its enforcement is to administer substantial justice. Therefore, we think that all lawyers may find common ground in advocating the adoption of all laws that simplify procedure; that shorten litigation, and render the law easy and expeditious of administration. Much thought and study has been devoted to questions of procedure and there are many large volumes of learning on procedure alone. The lawyer and the legislator having had the benefit of the study of procedure and practice as developed in Alabama are now well qualified to determine what system of procedure |