The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-03-26
Froo, the Philadelphia Inquirer.
WHAT SHALL WE DO With OUR SONS
PROFESSIONS.

We recently alluded TO some capital remarks made
by the Hoo John 3. Skinner In the course OF an 3D.
dress deliyed at Wilmington, IN which be complained
Of the disposition SO prevalent not only IN large cue,
hut ia country towns and villages for fathers 10 urge
their sons abandon agriculture as On empo, meul
18th the object OF becoming lawyers, physicians, mef
chants, sc, The complaint is well founded and We
glad that the subject exciting due atlen-
ton. The profession of the law, Il is admitted ON
all hands is oyer-erowded, while even II II were not
the chances OF eminencc that dlthcut and ardu0u,
syscatlon, are scarcely equal To one 10 thousand.
The Boston Transcript says that he "number VI no..
dergraduates al the Cambridge Law School, amuuul,
TO about 100, who TO branch of in various dlr,r-
tons, more than half OF whom, doubt not, vii be
glad enough TO relnquish the profession as chance
may offer any more lucrative employment II seem,
that al a recent session OF the Supreme Court VI
Ohio, at Columbus, no less than eighty applicant,
we're admitted 10 practice, and, al Cincinnati mme-
diately subseqsent, upwards Of one hundred Al
Utica, New York, there were recently seYenty-ule
admissions to the bar and by late enactHleBts b, se
yeral Of the State Legislatures, entire commonwealth,
have been admitted TO the privileges ard prerogatye
of Attorneys at Law, with the simple and slnpr
qualification Of " correct moral department"
The editor Of the ST. Louis Gazette saws that even
in that city, the bar Is oyer-crowded and asks-"l
be not worthy Of little consideration with can
ddates for admission whether the law after all
does exhibit those brilliant attractions 70 whose ilh
sions they have been accustomed IN fancy 10 Weld
| Is It not worth their while TO ask the question
whether one Of two natural qualifications are
not absolutely and indispensably REQUISITE 10 sue
cess-ist An absorbing taste for the TECHNICAL
ties Of the law for its sake amountn, almost 10
passion, ana ndomitable industry, perseverance and
endurance; OF, I'd, a splendid endowment Of talent
and genius, qualifying It's pussessor TO achieve The
most magnificent tTlumphs Of orstory and argument
He goes 10 add, that "unless one or the other Of
tle.r he ri tpV.f a.
undoubted hereditary and constitutional health, and
! heart which years Of hope deferred cannot mskr
sick IL Is his decided conviction all things consider.
ed that agriculture, the mechanical arts, commerce
manufacturing, civil engineering, or any honest mean,
Of livelihood 10 which attention may be turned or
term has been applied-s preferable to the law"
This is all sensible and to the purpose The bar
is not only oyrrcroe ded, but the is similar ut
the medical profession. Although We must rrmfu
Der that in this latter, large number Of tho,e who
seek to obtain degree, do not mt nd TO practice
Still the fields OF competition Ia these potter prole.
sions as they called, are completely thronged
The affection and ambition Of parents, induce thtu
TO prefer arduous and elevated paths fur thar chi
dren, and 10 some cases too, when The minds aDd
ties Of the youthful aspirants better suleI 10
other pursuits, and when moreover, such pursuits
hold out far superior chances Of PERSONAL Indepen
dence worldly prosperity, peace Of mind, and gene
raj happiness. All the 10 the Of neigh.
bors and friends but apt 10 be blind 10 their own
partially and weakness. ALL moreover, are apt to
fancy that their children are endowed q o peculiar
manner with lofty qualities of intellect which only
require to he directed TO the most srduous paths OF
literature, science and the arts, TO secure distinction
and glory. The mistake, we repeat, is in The usJo-
ri Y of cases, one Of affection, and although often
mingled with vanity and pride, 1t is aso frequently
associated with a most lsudabe kind Of smblon
Far better moreov,r, 10 make even a boy Of limited
or feeble capacity, lawyer or doctor, than TO trrg
tn all hal. IN -
make him candidate for the smshouse or worse.
Only the other day heard of the case OF a good
hearted mother, who had petied and spoiled her boy
TO such an extent, that on her sudden deccase tie
youth, who was in bis twentieth year, found himself
almost helpless, without trade, calling, or proe,-
sion and surprised well appalled,, when told that
for the future, he would be compelled, in a great
measure, to depend upon his own efforts. This lat
ter evil is one of so serious nature and appears
be increasing rapidly in this country that hope
to see II discussed in an enlightened and liberal spirit
and with the object of exciting inquiry and fec ion
and of thus leading to reform.
In the county, while parents should endeavor 10
give their sons good education possible they
should hesitate in Iermitiing them So readily to shsn
don the pursuit Of agriculture, which is a noble in
dustrous and elevaung employment, for the purpose
of visiting cities, and becoming lawyers or doctor
with little no prospect thereafter. In the cities
and towns It would be better for many lads who are
now aiming at higher pursuits in one srne to ACC ue
thorough mastery of trade, business or occu-
patton, by which they might at all times, If ndusi-
Gus, obtain an honest livelihood, ard the know ledge
of which would by retard the developemeDt
of any peculiar genius they might possess, or spin, Of
enterprise by which they might be animated. Frank
lin was printer, but he was not the less philoso.
pher. Sir Richard AIkwright, whose inventive pe-
MUS gave such impulse TO the cotton manuiacure
was for many years barber. James Watt, whore
agency in improving and periec'ing the steam engine
has immortallzed his name the age of hletn
an apprentice to mathematical instr umsn nj maker
SO with many other of the great ones of the earth
the eminent and the deathless in reputation.
The parent who neglecs to qualify his child for
independence and ability to livelihood al the
age of twenty-one negecls bis most important duty
towards hat child Instead of making him u.eiul
and serviceable being who can by his ha ds and
his head take care of himself as well a. provide for
family, should he have one, said parent by incuIca
ing habits Of ideness or notions of false geuthty,
without the ability TO sustain such notions in a prac.
teal manner, positively units him for his du
citizen, and exposes him to temptations end trials,
which under other circumstances he would altoge h.
escape or successfully resist.