Daily American telegraph., 1852-10-07
Legal Life of Scott.

OF the debates just referred to, admirably re-
ported David Robertson, the attorney just men
toned, had been the unassisted stenographer.
They are strong monument of his ability in a
most difficult art, then almost unknown in this
country, and indeed but little practised in Eu-
rope for it must be recollected that, even in the
British Parliament, there was no shorthand re-
porting until after the great Lord Chatham's
day. In our own Congress, there can hardly be
said to have been any until fifteen or sixteen
years after these Virginia reports, when at about
the age of II, Joseph Gales suddenly sprang up,
and became the best reporter that our country has
ever contained To revert to Robertson, howev-
er: He had originally come over from the Land
Of Cakes, as private tutor in the family OF Mr..
Mason, Scotts grandfather. In that day, and in
deed until about the rise Of the Charlottesville
University and other new colleges home-eduoa-
tion by private tutors, was general, in Virginia,
among the planters. Each gentleman imported,
by order, through the commercial house that took
his tobacco and sent him his household supplies
of all sorts, an instructor for his children, who
was forthwith constituted, if Of any merit, ia
vorite member of the family, and taught both the
boys and the girls much alike Less bred in pub
lie schools than now, when they are by early at
triton rubbed down into one common shape be-
fore they can have any individuality, the boys
were perhaps manlier and more original, IL less
regularly drilled than now; the girls, softer and
more reserved, and, II less ambtiously, more SOL
idly educated than since they have begun to be
taught by their own sex. A secluded education
makes when at all elevated, higher cast of men,
gentler cast Of women, than the herded academy
can form. The tutors thus brought over from
the old country were usually well-educated and
poor, but most sober and "cannien young Scotch
men and an excellent teacher young Sawney
generally was, who, by good conduct and thrift,
IL o. Ia
gogue the opportunity to turn lawyer or doctor;
and, from instructing another's family, rose to
founding one Of his own This was the history
Of Davy Robertson, now q very hard. headed law
yer In Petersburg, and Scotts master in the prac-
tice Of the law Under his friendly and astute
guidance our youth remained until, in 1906, he
was admitted to the bar. He afterwards rode the
circuit for about year.
Fate had, however, marked out for him des-
tiny very different from that which he was now
seeking artiicially to make for himself, and per-
haps even took for his natural bent Bred up in
country long at peace; Of which peace seemed
no less the policy than the inclination where
no military career appeared open to him, he had
probably in making little earlier his choice Of
life not even suspected in himself the latent pas
sion of arms Meantime, q single little spark
had kindled IL up in his bosom. The attack Of
the British frigate Leopard upon ours, the Ches-
apeake, happening, followed by President Jeffer-
sons proclamation closing our ports against Eng
lish vessels, war was supposed to be close at
hand, and the town Of Norfolk to be the point on
which the first burst of invasion would light At
the irst moment Of the excitement which these
events spread throagh the country, volunteer
troop of horse was raised in Petersburg-a town
ever remarkable for its public spirit. Sharing to
the full the national feeling Of the hour, Scott
joined this rapidly-equipped corps, and marched
with them down TO Lynnhaven Bay, where they
lay until the momentary cloud Of war blew over,
and they were disbanded.
or this Lynnhaven expedition, the following
little narrative is probably the only record ex-
tant:
The capture Of the United States frigate Ches-
apeake by British vessel of war, for the purpose
Of recovering two deserters who had ned 10 our
ship for refuge, is well recolected as one OF the
most exciting Of those occurrences which led to
the last war with Great Britain. Mr.. Jefferson,
then President, Immediately issued his proclama-
ton forbidding the American waters to the crui-
zers of that nation and forthwith in Virginia
two souadrons, consisting of four companies OF
cavalry, and many companies Of infantry, volun.
teered to enforce this proclamation. Ihe right
flank company Of one Of these squadrons was raised
at Petersburg and Of it, Winfield Scott, being the
tallest. was the right hand man This company,
with others, marched to Lynnhayen bay, where
the British vessels, under Sir John Hardinge
then lay. The Commandant of the company to
which Scott belonged, having learned that boat
from those vessels had flor the purpose of laying in
supplies) passed up into the country through o
tide-way easily nayigable at high water, but i'm
passable even for boats when the tide was out, IL
was determined to cut them off, Scott was ianced,