Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography

Annotation

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. It is supposed that the legal studies of Andrew Hamilton, commenced in Great Britain, must have been completed in Maryland, where there were, among the officials of the Government, several men of considerable legal attainments, and, amongst the gentry of the Eastern Shore, some highly educated men. Whatever opportunities these afforded, it is certain they were made the most of; and at the age of thirty-six, Andrew Hamilton had already attained great reputation and a lucrative practice. But the position of a Colonial lawyer seems in those times to have depended on the favor or license of the local authorities; and a call to the English Bar, as a member of the Temple of Gray's Inn, was always prized as giving a rank and independence before the Colonial Judges well worth the expense and time of a voyage to England. So Mr. Hamilton thought, and with this object he sailed for England in the year 1712. The Records of Gray's Inn show that he was admitted a member of that learned society on the 27th of January, 1712, where he is designated as Mr. Andrew Hamilton, of Maryland; and on the l0th of February of the same year he was, per favor, called to the Bar, which means, without keeping the usual Terms, though not, it is to be inferred, without proof of character and learning in the law. He soon after returned to America and removed to Phila delphia. Here his abilities gained him the first position at the Bar and a large practice. When appointed a member of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania he accepted on condition that his attendance should not interfere with his practice; and he appears rarely, if ever, to have taken his seat in that body. He had previously been appointed, in 1717, attorney-general of the Province, which office he resigned in 1726, before his second visit to England, which was of considerable length.