The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-19

FROM TINS homecoming woIk, \sdys the
Baltimore .Ameyican, which will be issued
from the press in a short time, and is
looked for with much interest, we have
been permitted to extract the following
letters-the first, from Mr.. WRIT to a
member of the Virginia bar; and the Sec
ond, from JOHN ADAMS to Mr.. Writ:
TO FRANCIS W.. GILMER.
RICHMOND, August 49, 1915.
MY DEAN FRANCIS:
received last night your letter of the 9th inst,
announcing your arrival at Winchester, and thank
you for this early attention to my anxiety for your
welfare. We have you at last fairly pitted on the
arena-stripped, oiled, your joints all fabricated,
your muscles braced, your nerves strung; and
hope that, ere long, we shall hear that you have
taken the victim bull by the horn, with your left
hand
-- durosque reducta
Libravlt dextra media inter cornua castus
Arduus, effractoque lisit in ossa cerebro.
Sternitur, exanimisque tremens procumbi hum
Dos.
perceive that you arc going TO work pell-mell,
mora, requies: that's your sort; give 1t to
them thicker and faster!
Nunc dextra ingemnans citus, nunc lille sinistra.
1t is this glow and enthusiasm of enterprise that
is to carry you to the stars. But, then, bear in
that they are not to be reached per saltum. " Per-
severando vinces," ought 10 be your motto and
you should write it in the first page of every book
in your library. Ours is not profession in which
man gets along by hop, step, and jump. II is
the steady march Of heavy armed egionary sol
der. This armor you have yet, in great mea-
sure, TO gain; TO learn how put it on to it
without fatigue; to fight in it with ease, and use
every piece Of it TO the best advantage. am
against your extending your practice, therefore,
70 too many courts in the beginning. would not
wish you to plunge into an extensive practice at
once. II will break up your reading, and prevent
you from preparing properly for that higher thea
ire which you ought always to keep intently in
your minds eye.
For two or three years, you must read, sir--read,
read, delve, mediate, study, and make the whole
mine of the law your own For two or three
years, had much rather that your appearances
should be rare and splendid than frequently light
and vapid, like those of the young country prac-
titioners about you.
Let me the privilege of my age and expe-
rience to give you few hints, which, that you
are beginning the practice, you may find not USE
less:
l. Adopt "a system of life, as to business and ex-
ercise; and dcviate from it, except so far as
you may be occasionally forced by imperious and
uncomfortable circumstances.
g. Live in your Office, e., be always seen in it
except at the hours Of eating or exercise.
g. Answer all letters soon as they are received;
you know not how many heart-aches it may save
neatly alphabetically and by the year, all the let
tiers NO received. Let your letters on business be
short, and keep copies of them.
L. Put every law paper in its place as soon as re-
ceived, and let scrap OF paper be seen lying for
a moment, your writing chair or tables. This
will strike the eye of every man of business who
enters.
B. Keep regular accounts of every cent of income
and expenditure, and file your receipts neatly, al
alphabetically, and by the month, or at least by the
year.
g. Be patient with your foolish clients, and hear
all their tedious cirlumOcution and repetitions
sift them, till you know all the strength and weak
ness of their cause, and take notes of it at once
whenever you can do
T. File your bills in chancery at the moment of
ordering the suit, and while your client is yet with
you to correct your statement of his case; also pre-
pare every declaration the moment the suit is or
dered, and have it ready to file.
s. Cultivate simple style of speaking, 80 as to
be able to inject the strongest thought into the
weakest capacity. You will never be good jury
lawyer without this faculty.
g. Never attempt to be grand and magnificent be-
fore common tribunals; and the most you will adj
dress are common. The neglect of this principle
of common sense has ruined - with all men of
sense.
10. Keep your Latin, and Greek, and science TO
yourself, and to that very small circle which they
NAV suit. The mean and envious world will never
forgive you your know ledge, il you make II too
pn5lic. twill require the most uneeasing urbanty
and habtual gentleness of manners, almost to hu-
mility, to make your superior attanments tolerabe
10 your associates
ii. Enter with warmth and kindness into the in :
teresting concerns of others-whether you care
much Tor them or not--not with the condescension
of superior. but with the tenderness and simplicity
of an equal IL is this benevolent trait which makes
- and such universal favorites-and,
more than any thing else, has smoothed my own
,ath of lfe and strewed il with flowers.
~. Be never hurried in speaking, but learn to
assume the exterior of composure and eli-coliect
edness whatever riot and confusion may be within:
speak slowly firmly, distinctly, and mark your pc
RODS by proper pauses, and a steady, significant
look. aTrickn' True--but good trick, and a
sensible trick.
You talk of complimenting your sdyersaries.
Take care of your of doing this. Let 1t be
humble and sincere, and not as If you thought IT
WAS in YOUR power to give them importance by your
fat You see how natural il is for old men TO preach,
and how much easier TO preach than TO practse'
Yet you must not shght my sermons, Tor Wish you
60 be much greater than ever was, or can hope to
be- Our friend Carr will tell you that my maxms
are all sound. Practise them, and will warrant
your success. You have more science and iitera-
lure than ! but know a good deal more OF the
world and of life, and il will be much cheaper Tor
YOU 10 profit by my experience and miscarriage
than by your own. Nothing il 30 apt To tincturc
the manners of young man with hauteur, and with
a cold and dsdainful indifference towards others,
IA conscious superiority; and nothing IL so fatal ~
his progress through life, such tincture. Wit
meas -. My friend -- himself Is not with.
out some ill-cfct from il: and, since you must feel
this superiority, cannot be without fear OF ts usual
effects.
You must not suppose, because give you precePts
ON particular subjects, that have observed you de-
hcien in these respects the contrary, II rs only
by way Of prevention; and. whether my precepts
necessary 20 you or not you are too well assured
OF my affection 10 take them otherwise than in good
part. Farewel-my letters shall not all be lee
lures. Yours afIecdonstely,
ADAMS TO WIN. WHIT.
QUINcy, January %, 1918.
Sra: ] thank you for your kind letter Of the 18th
Of this month. As esteem the character of MIR
Henry an honor TO our country, and your volume
a mastery delineaton of IL, gave orders 10 pur-
chase il as soon Iheard Of II; but told IL was
not 10 be had n Boston. have seen IL only, by
great favor, on loan. A copy by the author would
he esteeuaed worth MANY bv nurchase. II NAV be