The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-05-10
new NEWS or YESTERDAY
Connecticut Yankee Who Shaped
calhoun's Legal Education.
President Timothy Dwight Of Yale Adj
vIsed the Great caroiInIan to
Study Law In the New
School at Lltchfield.
BY E. j. EDWARDS.

by Z, y. EDWAhDS.
John G. Calhoun was graduated
from Yale college in 1904 when that
seat of learning was under the admin
istration of the first President Tim
othy Dwight. After his graduation
Calhoun became student in the first
law school established In this country,
at Litchfeld, Conn, within a stones
throw of the birthplace of Henry
Ward Beecher. He received diploma
from this pioneer school In 1907. was
admitted to the bar of Connecticut on
the credit of that diploma, and then
went Immediately to his native part
of South Carolina and set himself up
In the practice of law. At the time
Calhoun studied law 1t was the al
most universal practice for young men
who aspired to be lawyers to prepare
for admission to the bar by reading In
the office OF lawyer. So far as
know. no biographer of Calhoun tells
why the great South Carolinian broke
away from this custom of long stand
ing
Briefly, he was persuaded to do 80
by none other than Connecticut
Yankee; and my authority for this
statement is Rev. Jonathan Brace.
who for many years was a promi-
nent Congregational clergyman In
Connecticut, and who, when Calhoun
was beginning to gain great promi-
nence, secured his information from
the family of President Dwight OF
Yale.
I'm his early manhood Calhoun was
stanch Presbyterian, and SO he
should have gone to Princeton In
stead of Yale college," said Mr..
Brace. ''But certain intimate family
associations with some OF the Yale
instructors induced Calhoun to enter
Yale, where he speedily became
great favorite with President Dwight.
He entered the Junior class. In his
senior year he had many conferences
with President Dwight. and there was
one based upon their different views
as to the true source of political pow
er which very greatly impressed Presi-
dent Dwight. It was an argument that
lasted all evening, and when 1t was
over President Dwight ventured to
say to Calhoun that his gift for pro-
found reasoning, his ability to per-
suade those who heard him argue that
his argument was sound, and his
knowledge Of historic as we'll as OF
contemporary government and poll
tics would, without doubt, II used to
that end, make Calhoun man Of very
great national prominence. and. per-
haps might bring him to the presi-
dency.
"Of course, this encomium greatly
pleased Calhoun, and Il may have
done something to persuade him to
take up politics very early In his ca
reer. However, at the time Of the ar
gument that drew forth this praise
Calhoun's ambition was to make o
great lawyer of himself. and after his
graduation from Yale he sought the
advice Of President Dwight respecting
his preparation for admission to the
bar. The elder man strongly advised
Calhoun to enroll himself as stu
dent In the law school at Litchfield.
Conn, saying that Calhoun could In
that way more thoroughly ground him
self in the fundamental principles OF
the law than by reading the books In
any lawyers once.
"The Litchfield law school was then
young Institution, not even It's foun-
ders were certain that It would prove
successful experiment Calhoun at
first was doubtful about the wisdom OF
following President Dwights advice,
so he started to read law in an office
in Charleston; but while he was thus
engaged he came to the conclusion
that President Dwight had laid out
the proper course for him to follow
and he sat down and wrote letter to
the Litchfield Law school. In which
he asked IL he would be accepted as a
student. In due course he received
favorable reply and shortly thereafter
enrolled as a student in the school
q step that Carolinas greatest lawyer
and ablest public citizen never re-
GREETED taking at the advice of Con-
necticut Yankee"
DOWNRIGHT 1911 by II, T. Edwards. All