St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-14
LAWYERS IN POLITICS.

! what ssCarps, Writes the Cleveland
Leader About American Politi.
clans.
Alexander Stephens was admitted to the
bar when he was %. and his first wear
Melted him $500. He got single fees of
$40, 900 before he died, and was considered
one of the greatest lawyers of the South.
Thomas Jefferson was making SIS. 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 a bank
rupt.
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 Ill single case.
Hamilton made $1,000 a year on an
average, it is said, and William Writ
thought he was doing well when his yearly
fees ran up as high as $4,000
There is hardly big lawyer of to-day
who is satisfied with less thau SIS, 600 or
$50, 900 a year, and the fees of many law
yers amount to more than the presidents
salary.
I saw Ben Butler in the streets of Wash
ington to-day in new clothes, and l am told
that his professional income is not less than
500, 900 year.
Bob Toombs made $50, 600 in the first five
years OF his practice.
John Sherman thought he was doing well
when he started out as young lawyer and
saved $500 year.
Daniel Webster got big fees but he always
spent more than he made and he was con-
stantly in debt.
Abe Lincoln did well at the law, and
James Buchanan made 1898 in the first
year of his practice and increased this
amount in the fifth year to over SIS, 600. In
1921 he made $11. 900. but after he got into
politics his practice dropped Off. and during
his later years he practically 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 law
yer before he went to Washington.
Senator Payne Of Ohio began life as a
lawyer.
Teller and Bowen got their first start at
the bar.
Charley FELTON,, who is perhaps the rich
est man in the lower house, studied law for
six months and only tried one case. But
he left the law for speculation, and made a
half dozen millions outside of the court bus
mess.
Senator Eustis of Louisiana is law pro-
fessor, and Tom Bayard studied law after
he found he was not cut out for mer-
chant. Pig-Iron Kelley has been lawyer
and judge. Holman earned some of his
first money at the law, and his first ideas of
economy came from trying to live on the
income of his first professional years.
Ingalls, studied law In Massachusetts, and
went West to practice.
Senator Voorhees, is one of the most
noted Of eur criminal lawyers, and Hem
bricks was very successful man at the bar.
Judge Hoadly was making $50, 600 year
when he was elected governor of Chic. and
Thurman worked his way up through the
law and into politics.
Tom Reed is lawyer; Mckinley of Ohio,
practices law, and all the dignitaries on the
supreme bench have, of course, made big
legal regulations before they got their APP
pOintments.
Nearly all our presidents have been law
yers, and every one them, except Washing
ton, 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 income was large
| enough for him to wed.
Andy johnson studied law after he was
married, and his wife taught him the hand
writing i'll which he prepared his legal pa
perS.
Both Willard Fillmore and Grover Cleve-
land were Buffalo lawyers, and they both
had good practices.
Frank Pierce used to make as much as
S. 600 and $40, 900 year at the law, and
he preferred the bar to politics.
AT present it is not uncommon for half
dozen representatives to be away from
Washington city at time trying law cases.