The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-02-01

STATISTICS OF LAWYERS IN NEW YoRK.-A
great deal has been said and written with re-
gard to the comparative success in life OF mer-
chants In our large cities, compared with mocha
MICS, manufacturers, and farmers, while we are
not aware that any one has taken the tro BILE to
examine into the condition of those who follow
the profession OF law, class of citizens VIII Oh has
been Tor many years, and still is, consta thy In.
creaslng in number. 1t is, IN fact, the favonte
and most favored profession In the United States,
TO qualify for which most of our rich men and
others, aiming at distinction for their families,
educate one or more OF their sons 1t Is also tine
class forming a large proportion of American aris-
tocracy, so called, and the profession which en-
crosses by far the largest share Of the Offices Of
honor, trust, and emolument in the United States
from this profession being taken, with few excep-
lions, our Presidents and Vice-Presldents, men,
bers OF the Cabinet, Ministers to foreign countries
(save when editors are to be rewarded, as IN the
case of Colonel Webb), Members Of Congress,
Governors of States and the judiciary, OF course.
The present number Of lawyers in the city of
New York is about twelve hundred, without
counting the lower class Of petttoggers and the
hangers-on at the Tombs, and those frequenting
the purlieus OF other notorious places, where
rogues and vagabonds "most do congregate."
of these twelve hundred lawyers, about one-tenth,
or one hundred and twenty, are ranked in the
category of our wealthy men, including those who
have within few years retired from the profess
sion of the law, In consequence OF fortunes accu-
muated by that business, speculation, or marrying
rich wives. Probably two hundred on the list OF
lawyers are the sons of rich men, dong but little
or no business, and to these we may add five
hundred more, as set of adventures, leading
a rather precarious life, from the small amount
of their earnings in the pursuit of their over
done profession. This class are always ex-
tremey greedy In the pursuit of Office, and are re.
markably busy about the time of elections, and
particularly previous to the nominations of the re-
spective parties, among whom these adventures
divide themselves, according to their incllnations,
or more commonly with regard to the prospects OF
success in obtaining office.
We should say that not more than five hundred,
certainly less than half of our city lawyers, en-
gagged in the successful pursuit of their pfefesslon
and if their average earnings are $4,000 only per
annum, we have the snug sum of one million Of
dollars in each year, paid by the citizens of New
York, and other persons dong business here, for
the support of the better class of lawyers. The
remaining six or seven hundred are supported In
one way other; some by their rich parents and
wives others are dependent on what they can pick
up. Probably they are tax upon the citizens to
the amount of half million of dollars annualy-so
that adding the expenses Of the courts, such as
salaries of judges and other officers, fees, Nc.,
and we have two millions of dollars paid by the
industrious and producing classes for the advan-
lagos and amusement which the law and the law
yers afford them.
On examining the list wealthy citizens of New
York, published some time since, and adding
thereto some names from our own knowledge, we
find the following among those still living, who
are, or have been, on the list of lawyers, and are
now reckoned in the category of rich men, or may
be considered in easy circumstances, most OF them
being estimated as worth over one hundred thou
sand dollars -