The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-09-18
LAWYERS IN POLITICS.
Prominent Public Men Who Began Life
as Humble Members of the Bar.

Prominent Public Men Who Bepan Life
as Humble Members of the Bar.
Alexander Stephens was admitted to
the bar when he was twenty-five, and
his first year netted him $500. He got
single fees of $4,000 before he died
and was considered one of the greatest
lawyers of the South.
Thomas Jefferson was making So, 900
a year at the bar when he first began
to dip into politics, and had he stuck
to it he would probably have died
very rich man. Politics ruined him
and he died bankrupt.
Alexander Hamilton was a LAWYER,
and he went back to New York to
practice law after he left the Treasury.
Aaron Burr was one of the most
money making of the lawyers of his
day, and he made as high as $40, 900 in
a single case.
Hamilton made $4,000 a year on an
average, it is said, and William Writ
thought he was doing well when his
There is hardly big lawyer of to-
| day who is satisfied with less than
$4,000 or $4,000 a year, and the fees
of many lawyers amount to more than
the President s salary.
saw Ben Butler in the streets of
Washington the other day in new
clothes, and | am told that his pro-
| fessional income is not less than $780,
| 600 year.
Bob Toombs made $50, 900 in the first
five years of his practice.
| John Sherman thought he was doing
well when he started out as a young
lawyer and saved $500 year.
! Daniel Webster got big fees, but he
always spent more than he made, and
he was constantly in debt.
Abe Lincoln did well at the law, and
James Buchanan made 1898 the first
year of his practice and increased this
| amount in the fifth year to over So, 900.
| In 1921 he made $1,000, but after he
got into politics his practice dropped
off, and during his later years he prac-
tically ceased legal business.
Samuel Cox got s25 for his first law
case, and Spooner, of Wisconsin, was
receiving a salary of $4,000 year as
a railroad lawyer before he went to
Washington.
Senator Payne, of Ohio, began life as
lawyer.
Teller and Bowen got their first start
at the bar.
Charley FELTON,, who is perhaps the
| richest man in the lower House, studied
law for six months and only tried one
case. But he left the law for specula-
ton, and made half dozen millions
outside of the court business.
Senator Eustis, of Louisiana, is a
law professor. and Bayard studied law
after he found he was not cut out for a
merchant Pig-Iron Kelley has been a
lawyer and q Judge. Holman earned
some of his first money at the law
Ingalls, studied law in Massachusetts,
and went West to practice.
| Senator Voorhees, is one of the mos
noted of our criminal lawyers, and
Hendricks was very successful man
at the bar.
Judge Hoadly was making 100000 a
year when he was elected Governor of
Ohio, and Thurman worked his way up
through the law and into politics.
Tom Reed is a lawyer; Mckinley, of
Ohio, practices law. and all the digni-
taries on the Supreme Bench have, of
course, made big legal regulations be-
fore they got their appointments.
Nearly all our Presidents have been
lawyers, and all of them except Wash
ington, Harrison. Taylor and Grant
were members of the bar
Martin Van Buren, was engaged to
be married before he began to practice,
and it was some years before his in
come was large enough for him to wed.
Andy johnson studied law after he
was married, and his wife taught him
the handwriting in which he prepared
his legal papers.
Both Willard Fillmore and Grover
| Cleveland were Buffalo lawyers, and
they both had good practices.
Frank Pierce used TO make as much
as $4,000 and $4,000 a year at the law,
and he preferred the bar to politics.
At present it is not uncommon for a
half-dozen Representatives to be away
from Washington City at time trying
law cases.--Fra'ek George Carpenter,
IN CleCetdnd Leader.