rderly trial of causes and the
better administration of justice. Indeed, the preamble to the
first statute providing for the admission of attorneys, states
its object to be "for the well-ordering of proceedings and pleas
at the bar."

The statute on this subject was not originally passed in its
present form. The first act with regard to the admission of
attorneys was that of 1708, which was as follows: "That no
person, except in his own cause, shall be admitted to make any
plea at the bar without being first approved by the court before
whom the plea is to be made, nor until he shall take in the said
court the following oath," etc. (Col. Records, 1706 to 1716, page
48). This act seems to have contemplated an approval by the court
in each particular case in which an attorney appeared before it.
The first act with regard to the general admission of attorneys
appears in the revision of 1750, and is as follows: "That the
county courts of the respective counties in this colony shall
appoint, and they are hereby empowered to approve, nominate and
appoint attorneys in their respective counties, as there shall be
occasion, to plead at the bar; * * and that no person, except in
his own case, shall make any plea at the bar in any court but
such as are allowed and qualified attorneys, as aforesaid." Thus
the statute stood until the revision of 1821; when, for the first
time, it took essentially its present form. Up to this time the
word "person" had been used in this statute only in the clause
that "no person" should be allowed to practice before the courts
except where formally admitted by the court, a use of the word
which, of course, could not be regarded as limited to the male
sex, as women would undoubtedly have been held to be included in
the term. The language of the statute as now adopted was as
follows: "The county courts may make such rules and regulations
as to them shall seem proper relative to the admission and
practice of attorneys; and may approve of, admit and cause to be
sworn as attorneys, such persons as are qualified therefor
agreeably to the rules established; * * and no person not thus
admitted, except in his own cause, shall be admitted or allowed
to plead at the bar of any court." The statute in this form
passed through the