Bag

The sack, satchel, reticule or other like receptacle in which lawyers carry briefs and papers for use during the preparation, trial, hearing, or argument of cases, was formerly called, from the prevailing color of the material, the "green bag." In the theatrical performances of Queen Caroline's time the lawyer is represented with a green bag in his hand; and such is the reference in the literature of Queen Anne's time; and, until a recent date, green bags were commonly carried by the majority of legal practitioners. The king's counselors, queen's counselors, the chancery lawyers, and the leaders of the common bar, were honored with the privilege of carrying red, purple, or blue bags. Indeed, the green bag was so uniformly associated with the profession in the reign of Anne that " to say that a man intended to carry a green bag was the same as saying that he meant to adopt the law as a profession." ' In the time of Charles II angry clients were accustomed to revile lawyers as " green-bag carriers." ^ As to petty bag oflce, see Hanaper; Petit. > Tanderlip v. Eoe, 23 Pa. 84 (1854). = Haldeman v. Martin, 10 Pa. 378 C1849); Chaffey v. United States, 116 U. S. 443 (1886); ib.

427. 8 Bump, Fraud. Convey. 31. 4 101 U. S. 229; 1 Pars. Contr. 589. 5 Burr V. Clement, 9 Col. 11 (1885). « [Webster's Diet.