The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-06-18

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 the least. not only in his choice O
 words in conversation, but in theil
 Arrangement and pronunciation.
 A franker, and I dare say juster DOT. trait of the man as he appeared ir public discussions and debate is giv'
 en in a series of rough notes of the do 1 ings of the convention of 17S7 which
 framed our national constitution, made
 by one of the Southern delegates, Will. liam Pierce of Georgia. Major Pierce
 thus describes the Connecticut delega' i ton:
 From Connecticut
 "Saml. Johnson, Roger Sherman ant w, Ellsworth, Esquires.
 "Dr. Johnson is a character muct
 celebrated for his legal knowledge; ht
 is said to be one of the first classics
 in America, and certainly possesses g
 very strong and enlightened under.
 standing.
 As an orator In my opinion, there is
 nothing in him that warrants the high
 reputation which he has for public
 speaking. There is something in the tone of his voice not pleasing to the
 ear. but he Is eloquent and clear-al-
 ways abounding with information and instruction. He was once employed as
 an agent for the state of Connecticut 1 to state her claims to certain landed
 territory before the British house of l commons; this office he discharged with so much dignity, and made such j. an ingenious display of his powers,
 that he laid the foundation of a reput- ation which will probably last much longer than his own life. Dr. John son Is about sixty years of age, pos sesses the manners of a gentleman and engages the hearts of men by the sweetness of his temper, and that af- fectionate style of address with which he accosts his acquaintance.
 MT Sherman exhibits the oldest shaped character ever remember to have met with. He is awkward, un- meaning, and unaocountably strange in his manner. But in his train of thinking there Is something regular, deep, and comprehensive; yet the oddi- ty of his address, the vuIgarlsms that accompany his public speaking, and that strange New England cant which runs through his public as well as his private speaking make everything that is connected with him grotesque and laughahle-and yet he deserves infinite praise-no man has better heart or a clearer head If he cannot erlbellish he can furnish thoughts that are wise and useful. He Is an able politician, and extremely artful in accomplishing any particular object it is remarked that he seldom fails. l am told he sits on the bench in Connecticut, and is very correct in the discharge of his judicial functions. In the early part of his life he was a shoemaker; but despising the lowness of his condition, he turned almanack maker, and so progressed upwards to judge. He has been several years member of congress, and discharged the duties of his office with honor and credit to him. self. and advantage to the state he rep resented He is about sixty.
 MT. Ellsworth is a judge of the sn- preme court in Connecticut; he Is a gentleman of a clear, deep, and copi- ous understanding; eloquent, and con- nected in public debate; and always attentive to his duty. He is very hap py in a reply, and choice in selecting such parts of his adversarys argu- ments as he finds make the strongest impressions-in order to take off the force of them, so as to admit the pow CT of his own Mir. Ellsworth Is about thlrty-seven years of age, man much respected for his integrity and ven- erated for his abilities"
 While living in New Milford sher- man was asked one day by a neighbor, the next time he went to the county town, to retain counsel for him to bring petition to court in a matter connected with the settlement of an estate. He noted down the facts which he thought it would be neces- sary to state in the papers prepared for such a proceeding, and the lawyer whom he consulted was so much im- pressed with the clearness and preci- sion of the memorandum, that he strongly advised him to adopt the le- gal profession,
 There were then no American, and, indeed, no English law schools An education for the bar was commonly gained by studying the works of some of the English judges of former gen erations, under the advice of some To- cal practitioner, but With little oth- CT assistance from him. The system of justice then administered in Con- necticut was rough and unhewn, and not few of the judges of the highest courts had never followed the profess sion of the law.
 Sherman began to read law, in con- sequence of the incident to which I have alluded, when he was about thir- ty years of age, and was admitted to the bar ln Litchfield county in 1754. There were then few lawyers in the colony who gained the whole of their livelihood from their profession. Many were also farmers. Sherman retained his interest in the New Milford store and few years later as have aI- ready said, set up two others, one in New Haven and another at Walling- ford
 Meanwhile he had been sent to the general assembly, and made first a jus tice of the peace, and then side judge of the county court.
 The record of one of the early justice suits tried before him well illustrates the difference in political ideas be- tween those times and ours. It shows the conviction and fine Of one of his fellow townsmen for violation of the colony statute in not attending nl1bIic