The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-05-04

life. After reviewing his stndies under an in
struetor he entered. in March, 1856. the iu
/ ;i'or class of Harvard University. Diligence
and punc'ual fulfllnent of every prescribed
duty, the advantages he had previously enioy.
ed, and bis exemplary compliance with the
rules OF the seminary. secured to him high
standing in his class which lone were dispos-
ed to controvert. Here his active and thought
'ni mind was prepared for those scenes in fu.
ure life IN which he could not but feel he was
destined to take part. Entering into all the
literary and social circles of the colIeee he
became popular among his classmates. By
the government his conduct and attainments
we're duly appreciated. which they manifested
by bestowing upon him the SECOND honor of
! his class at commencenant; high Distinction.
considering the short period he had been
member of the university. The oration he
delivered when he graduated IN 1857, on the
Importance of Public Faith to the Well Be
ing OF Community was printed and published;
rare proof of general interest in college
| exercise, which the adaptation of the subject
to the times and the talent it evineed, iusti-
fed
After leaving the university, Mr.. Adams
passed three years in Newburgport, as stu
dent at law under the guidance of Tbeophilus
Parsons. afterwards chief Justice of Massa-
chnsctts. He was admitted TO tue bar in
1870. and Immediately opened an office in
Boston, The ranks of bis profession were
crowded, the emolumeuts were small and
his competitors able. His letters feelingly ex.
press his anxiety to relieve his parents from
contributing to his support In November,
lS43. in an address to the bar of Cincinnati.
Mr.. Adams thus described the progress and
termination of his practice as a lawyer:-
4 have been, member of yonr profession
upwards of half a century. To the early peri.
cd of my life. having father abroad, it was
my fortune to travel in foreign countries; still,
under the impression which first received
from my mother, that in this country every
man should have some trade, thai trade which.
by the advice of my parents and my own in
clinations. chose was the profession of the
Law After having completed an education
in which, perhaps. more than other citizens of
that time / had advantages and which of
course brought with it the incumbent duty of
manifesting by my life that those extraordi.
nary advantages of education, secured to me
by my father, had not been worthIessy be-
stowed,-on coming into life after snch great
advantages, and having the duty of selecting
profession, chose that of the bar. ] closed
my education as a LAWYER with one of the
most eminent jurists Of the age, Theophilus
Parsons of Newburyport. at that time prac-
Using lawyer. but subsequently chief Justice Of
the commonwealth of Massachusetts Under
his instruction and advice closed nv educa.
tion, and commenced what can hardly call
the practice of law inthe city of Boston. 4
at that time though l cannot say was
friendless. yet my circumstances were not in.
dependent. Mp father was then in situa.
tion of great responsibility and notoriety in
| the government of the United States But
he had heen long absent from his country, and
still continued absent from that part of it to
which he belonged. and of which I was na-
tive. | went therefore, as a volunteer. an ad.
venturer, to Boston as possibly many of Won
whom I now see before me NAV consider
yourselves as having come to Cincinnati I
was without support of any kind. may saw
was stranger in that city. although almost
native of that spot l say, can hardly call
it practice. because for the space of one year
from that time it would he difficult for me to
name any practice which had to do. For
two years, indeed, can recall nothing in
which was engaged. that may be termed
practice, though during the second year there
were symptoms that by persevering patience
practice might come in time. The third year
continued this patience and perseverance,
and, having little to do. occupied my time as
well as could in the study of those laws and
institutions which have since been called to
administer. At the end of the third year
had obtained something which might be called
practice
The fourth year found it swelling to such
an extent that l felt no longer any concern
10 W my iut~iO ucsItuS aG tHeinOeF OF G0aC
profession. But in the midst of the fourth
year. by the will of the first President of the
United States, with which the Senate was
pleased to concur, was selected for a station,
not, perhaps. of more usefulness, but of great
er consequence in the estimation of mankind,
and sent from home Oh mission to foIeipn
ports. ~ -s.9
From that time, the fourth year after u.y
admission to the bar of my native state, and
the first year of my admission to the bar of
the Supreme Court of the United States,
was deprived of the exercise of any further
industry or labor at the bar by this distinc.
tion for which a previous education at the
bar, if not an Indispensable qualification, was
at least most useful appendage'
FARMERS CREED.
aH