266 Chester Alan Arthur. [May,
taken " maximum honors," although he practitioner, uniting to a thorough
was compelled to absent himself during knowledge of the law a vigorous
two winters, when he taught school understanding and an untiring indus-
to earn the requisite funds for defraying try which gained for him an enviable
his expenses, without drawing upon his reputation.
father's means. Yet he kept up with Among other cases on the docket
his class, and when he was graduated in of Culver, Parker, and Arthur, was one
1848, he was one of six out of a class known as the Lemon slave-case. A
of over one hundred, who were elected Virginian named Jonathan Lemon un-
members of the Phi Beta Kappa, an dertook to take eight slaves to Texas
honor only conferred on the best on steamers, by the way of New York,
scholars. While in that city a writ of habeas
Following the natural inclination of corpus was issued, and the slaves were
his mind, young Arthur began the study brought into the court before Judge
of law, supporting himself by teaching EUjah Paine ; Mr. Culver and John Jay
and by preparing boys for college. It appearing for the slaves, while H. D.
so happened that two years after he Lapaugh and Henry L. Clifton were
was the preceptor of an academy at retained by Lemon. Judge Paine, after'
North Pownal, Vermont, a student from hearing long arguments, declared that
Williams College, named James A. the fugitive slave law did not apply to
Garfield, came there and taught pen- slaves who were brought by their mas-
manship in the same academy for several ters into a free State, and he ordered
months. their release. The Legislature of Vir-
In 1853, young Arthur went to New ginia directed the attorney-general of YorkCity,bythe invitation of the Honor- that State to employ counsel to appeal able Erastus D. Culver, whose acquaint- from Judge Paine's decision to the ance he had made when that gentle- Supreme Court of the State of New man represented the Washington County York. Mr. Arthur, who was the attor- district, and Dr. Arthur was the pastor ney of record in the case for the of the Baptist Church at Greenwich, people, went to Albany, and after Mr. Culver had been noted in Congress earnest efforts procured the passage of as an advanced anti-slavery man, and a joint resolution, requesting the gov- he was prompted to take an interest emor to employ counsel to defend the in the son of a clergyman-constituent, interests of the State. Attorney-General who did not fear to express anti-slavery Hoffman, E. D. Culver, and Joseph sentiments, at a time when the occu- Blunt were appointed by the governor pants of pulpits were generally so con- as counsel, and Mr. Arthur as the servative that they were dumb upon State's attorney. The Supreme Court this important question. Before the sustained Judge Paine's decision. The close of the year, young Arthur dis- slave-holder, imwilling to lose his played such legal ability and business property," then engaged Charles tact, that he was admitted into partner- O'Conor to argue the case before the ship, and became a member of the firm State Court of Appeals. There the of Culver, Parker, and Arthur. The counsel for the State were again sue- firm had numerous clients, and the cessful in defending the decision of junior partner soon became a successful Judge Paine, and from that day no
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