The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1872-01-18
A Sketch of William Writ.

Writ the celebrated lawyer, is from the pen Of
James Parton, the biographer of American
greatness through the columns of the New
York Ledger. If not entirely true, the sketch
| is very entertaining:
Bladensburg, in Maryland, near the Poto-
mac river, was a thriving village before the
revolutionary war, having great trade in ex-
porting tobacco and importing foreign merchan-
disc In this village there was one tavern, kept
by Jacob Writ, native of Switzerland, assls-
ed by Henrietta, his wife, who was German.
William Writ was the youngest of their SIX
children, and he was born in 1772. Besides
this tavern, Jacob Writ possessed some other
property in the place, and he was thus enabled
10 maintain his family in plenty and with some som
homely comfort. He died when his son Will
liam was two years of age, leaving an estate
of three or four thousand dollars to his young
family.
Among the frequenters of the Bladensburg
tavern was lawyer by the name of Carnes.
During the lifetime of the father he had be-
come warmly attached to the family, and par
ticularly to two members of 1.-THE eldest
daughter, twelve years of age, and this pretty,
amusing, little William, aged two. When the
landlord died, and the whole care of the house
fell to the landlady, he lent her helping hand
in many ways advising her about her property
and the education of her children. When at
last the mother died also, he redoubled his at
tentions. That eldest daughter was then q
beautiful and blooming girl of eighteen, and it
was evident that he already looked upon her as
his future wife, He sent the boy to Latin
school and after seeing his education well be-
gun, he removed to Georgia, where he had
great success at the bar. Soon we find him in
Yiting Elizabeth Writ and her brother to come
to Georgia, and live with him. The young Ia
dy accepted the invitation, and became his
wife; but the boy had found other friends, and
saw an opening to an education nearer home.
ties. He describes himself as a pert, lively,
saucy and very pretty school-boy, who sang
comic songs very well, danced with agility, and
made smart answers, which, he says, caused
him to be thought "a genius" He does not
appear to have been very diligent student,
but he wGs extravagantly fond of romantic and
humorous literature.
He we'll remembered the incident which first
suggested to his mind to try for the legal pro-
fession. His excellent school-master was in
the habit of taking his pupils to attend the ses-
sions of the county court, four miles distant
from the school, Among the advocates was
popular and brilliant young man of the neigh
bor-hood, we'll known to the boys, and great
favorite with them, who seemed to them to sur
pass his elders in wit and eloquence. Young
Writ admired him extremely, and to the whole
school he appeared the hero of the county.
"Why should we not have a court OF our
own?" was the cry, as they trudged home
ward.
1t was agreed to- Writ was appointed to
draw up the rules. He was the hero OF this
Juvenile forum, and it was there that he ac-
II r.. ha RI
he took in that school-boy court led him direct
ly to real courts and real cases. One OF his
school-fellows-the son of noted lawyer and
politician, named Benjamin Edwards-hap-
pened to take home copy of the rules which
Writ had drawn up for the guidance OF the
mock court to which the author had appended
an elegant epistle, apoogizing for their imper-
fections. This production young Edwards dis
played to the family, and he extoled in un-
measured terms the eloquence and gayety OF
tile author His father read the rules, and was
much struck with their humor and spirit lie
wrote to Writ, then fifteen years of age, telling
him that he had n nephew and two sons prepar-
ing for college, and inviting him to become an
inmate of the family, and direct the studies OF
those three young men while prosecuting his
own. He could not but accept so opportune
invitation He resided in the family twenty
months, winning the cordial esteem of every
member of it, and receiving from the expert
enced lawyer the most useful, paternal, assidu-
Gus guidance in his studies. Forty years after
we find him writing to this benetactor OF ms 81!
youth in terms of the most affectionate graft
tude Indeed, everybody loved him; for he
must have been as handsome, as pleasing, as
Joyous, as brilliant young fellow as ever cap
tivated human affections.
He was twenty years of age. A friend In
formed him of an excellent opening for law
yer in Culpepper county, Virginia, and he has,
tened 10 seize it, carrying with him, as he used
to say, his whole library, which consisted OF
Blackstonc's Commentaries, two volumes OF
Don Quixote, and a volume of Tristan Shan
DIV. Having no case himself, young Writ went
shares in q small cause that belonged to friend
of his, who was also to make his first essay.
His friend began by making motion which,
though legal and proper, was not usual in the
courts Of that county. The old lawyers obJec-
ted, and put their objections in by no means
the most friendly form. Writ arose indignant
at what he conceived unworthy treatment OF u
beginner. His fears forsook him, and he de-
Tended both the motion and the mover OF 1t
with warmth and firmness. He made an eT,
cellent speech, and sustained his point so well
that one of the old lawyers of the county came
to the assistance of the young gentlemen, ana
their motion was granted.
He soon had considerable practice, married
into a respectable family, and made his way in
due time to wealth and rcnown. The young
lawyers in those days used to ride about on
horseback from court to court amusing them
selves as they rodewith pleadngi gimaginary eau
ses and other game, keeping it up to late at
night at the taverns over their wine.
Wirt's magnificent display of oratory at the
trial of Aaron Burr gave him national celebrl-
ty which led to his appointment to the Attor-
ney Gcncralsllip of the United States, which
he held during two administrations, and in
which he acquired solid distinction. He would
have entered the public service long before il
he could have done so without sacrificing the
interests of his family, whom he loved with
peculiar tenderness and devotion. He died in
1884, having preserved his buoyancy, of spirits
and ali the winning traits of his character to