Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-07-03

u IL,
| to Philadelphia For the future President Of Coun
cils and the like this removal was no doubt neces
sary link in the chain Of destiny for il must have
\ led 10 his receiving much more perfect education
His tather-clearly, from the fact, man of sense
and worth-spared no pains nor expense as 10 his
education, which, accordingly, so early and SO
well advanced that we by-and-by find him taking
with honor, at Princeton College, the degree OF Ba-
cheor OF Arts, when only sixteen years old. La
mentioning his performance on that occasion, the
biographer adverts TO fact which has often struck
us-the superior sodity and seriousness OF inteec-
tlal training which the educated men Of the Revo-
luton discover, as compared with our public men
of the present day: ...
son this occasion original Grafton in Latin deliver
ed by the young graduate in which he in general terms
the Of study pursued in the college, and with rather
felicity than usually chaactezes such productions
ebates The praises of classical antiquity With the addition
Of some delivered in public to questions in divinity
according the system Of the times this is the only academ-
cal exercise which has been preserved Mr. Reeds education
qualified him for that class Of highly men who
ing public life at the beginning of the Colonial difficulties
above the level of vulgar agaors, and of study and
accomplished intelligence attracted the admiration of the world
higher qualities than animal courage The leaders of
the Revolution were general rue men of high classical
varied cultivation improved them than Mr.. Reed"
OF the incidents of his college life nothing further
is mentioned, except his intimacy (of no long dura-
tom with that ignis tatuus Of dsordered times,
Stephen Sayre of whom the only particulars that
we have ever seen collected may be found at D. 81,
vol. |, and note.
Dung Reed now passed from college to the study
OF his selected profession the law; entering for this
purpose, the Office of Richard Stockton one of the
most eminent lawyers of New Jersey, and after
wards sgner of the Declaration of Independence
The terms OF admission to the bar seem not to have
been then quite as face as the progressive" wis
dom of the day has lately made them in New Hamp-
shire; for young Reed appears to have remained in
Mr. Stocktons office until l763-that is TO say, some
SIX years; and, taking out license them as if with
out a conception OF the enlightened jurisprudence
of New Hampshire, set out for England in order to
study where greater tribunals might be seen, and
became for two years more an inmate Of the Middle
Temple. *..
Here he contracted towards Miss De Berdt the
daughter of an eminent merchant, Engaged in the
American trade, and predecessor of DR.. Franklin as
Agent for the Colony of Massachusetts Bay,) an
attachment which had great influence perhaps on
his subsequent efforts, and at any event formed the
main happiness of his after-life. Her father re-
uslng, upon prudential reasons, his consent, that
nice thing, the romance OF few years OF love and
labor, ensued. 1t is excellent to serve like Jacob
for ones Rachael; and Laban, on the whole, was a
most judclous father-in-law, barring the not very
paternal nor lia affair of his and Jacobs trying to
overreach each other in the business of the sreaked
cattle good wife is too supremacy good thing
to be gotten without great difficulty, like other vr
tuous and precious things. Returning to his own
country, then, young Reed set strenuously to work
in his profession, and, removing to Philadelphia,
(whence his father had meanwhile returned to
Trenton,) he soon, by his assduity his excellent
preparation, and his fine parts, rose to a very sue
cessful practice
The year, however, which witnessed his return
home and his outset in active li(e witnessed also the
rise OF civil troubles which were destined soon to
transform the Jurst into the politician and the sol
der. lie arrived in the midst Of the connections
produced by the Stamp Act; and though he seems
not, Tor some years, to have entered into public
questions, yet these now beginning to be so
much agitated that it must have been nearly impos-
sbe to any young man of high parts and thoughts,
II he had any blood in his veins, to avoid taking
part. Mr. Reed seems, therefore, even while from
prudence avoiding any active share in n sort of affair
which forbids TO the young lawyer professional sue
cess, to have been any thing but an unconcerned
spectator of events his correspondence betrays the
with those who were becoming leaders and, with
out designingit, he is evidently winning political
influence as well as legal reputation Indeed the
two naturally grow up together in this country.
In the year l770 he has attained TO practice so
hourishing warrants his claiming of Mr.. DE Berdt
the hand of his aflianced wife, Going to England
for this purpose, he finds DE Berdt dead, and his
affairs left in very ruinous state. He is united,
therefore, without further difficulty, to the lady Of
his affections and, returning home, resumes his
profession with fresh vigor.
The friendships, meantime, which he had form
ed abroad and at home, and the confidence which
his abilities, integrity, and fine personal address
every where inspired, multiply the causes which
are presently, without his having any such amb-
tion to make him public man. He corresponds
to public measures with various persons of dis
tinction in the Colonies, with Arthur Lee in Lon
don, and soon, by recommendation, with Lord
Dartmouth, Secretary for the Colonies under the
North Administration, whom he consents to keep
advised OF whatever concerns the ministerial mea-
sures towards this country, their prudence, and
their popularity. This task, undertaken from the
most disineresed and patriotic motives only-the
hope that, receiving and determined to
ceve nothing, he should serve both countries by
information more candid and real than could come
from any official source-was executed with great
skill and probity, down to the time when the break