John Adams to Thomas Boylston Adams, October 19, 1799
Trenton October 19. 1799
My dear Son
Since you are desirous of a Confidence, in the Breast of
your Father, and he is not less anxious to possess one in yours, I will open
myself to you as soon as time will permit, upon Several Subjects and without
assuming to dictate or controul will give you my candid and frank
Advice.
Although you have had a regular Education in the Theory
and Practice of the Law, under a Master
as eminent as M r Ingersol, and on a Theatre as
conspicuous as Pennsylvania and the City of Phyladelphia; yet, I have many
reasons to doubt whether you have ever attended particularly to the manner
in which young Gentlemen rise in all Countries to fame and importance at the
Bar. This is a Subject which it is of great importance you Should understand
and feel, at your first setting out and of which you should never loose
Sight.
At every Bar, in which I have ever practised, or had any
Knowledge, and indeed at every one I have ever heard or read of, there are
commonly four Lawyer of Eminence above the rest, who are generally engaged
in all Causes of Consequence; who take the lead, who give the Tone, and who
in some measure have the Command and control of the whole Business. There
are commonly three or four others of a second order, who come in for some
share of Influence and Some proportion Business at particular times and on
Special occassions. These form a natural and never failing combination,
which excludes young Gentlemen for a long time from all participation in the
Employments and Profits and honors of Practice. It is only by engaging the
Confidence and Esteem & affection of these or some of them or at least
of some one of them in a high degree, that I ever knew any young Man make
his way and rise. For to force his Way against these is almost impossible,
at least without a Genius, Talents, Steady Labour, and resolution so
decidedly Superiour as to Strike all the World and carry all before them. I
have known it attempted, but it allways failed, and the mortified Youth
found like Phaeton “Non est mortale quod Optas. 1
The four first Lawyers, too in a free Country are
generally Supported by different political Parties, who are always ready to
support them and assist them in depressing all aspiring and disrespectful
Rivals.
I am told that in Phyladelphia this Combination is the
worst and most untractable in the World, four or five Gentlemen have the
entire Monopoly of Practice and that it is even necessary to draw the sword
or at least bring its point into Serious View sometimes to obtain even a
decent treatment. I have been told that M r Ingersol himself has been obliged to appeal to his Brethren at the Bar and
declare that he would call to the field of honor, the Man who should treat
him ill. & M r Ingersol is a cool, modest
decent as well as virtuous honourable learned and ingenious Man.
M r Ingersol, M r Lewis, M r Dallas,
and M r Tilghman are I believe the four Gentlemen, who command at
least the principal share of Practice. You know the political Parties that
support three of these Gentlemen. 2 The new Governor perhaps you
cannot rely upon as your friend without flatteries and complyances which you
ought not and cannot Submit to. M r Ingersol and
M r Lewis & perhaps M r Tilghman will not be your Ennemies. My Advice
to you is to be civil and Sociable and obliging to them all. But you must
have the heart, the Confidence and real friendship of one of them or you
will not Succeed. These Gentlemen are all of an Age that it may be expected
they will be promoted to public offices, or be fatigued with Labours and
Satisfied with Profits before long. With a total Sacrifice of Pleasures and
Amusements with an assiduous Attendance at your Office and in Court, with an
ardent devotion to study and indefatigable devotion to labour you may hope
to take the place of one of them. I pray you to give me your thoughts freely
upon this subject.
with great Affection
John Adams