the same period there were also many law
students in the offices of these gentlemen, among them Samuel J.
Kirkwood, George W. Geddes, Thomas H. Ford, Henry C. Hedges, Willard
Slocum, Joseph Newman, Patrick Hull and others, who afterwards
became distinguished in civil or military life. These students,
myself among the number, organized a moot court, presided over by
Joseph Newman, then in active practice as a partner of Mr. Stewart.
We held famous moot courts in which cases were tried with all the
earnestness, industry and skill that could have been evoked by real
cases. In these trials Mr. Kirkwood and I were usually pitted
against each other, although he studied late in life, and was then
more than thirty years old. He was then a Democrat, but moved to
Iowa in 1856, became a Republican war governor of that state and
United States Senator. I have always regarded our contests in this
moot court as the most important part of my legal training.

The course of study pursued under the direction of Judge Parker
continued until my admission to the bar, though much interrupted
by the variety and nature of my employment. I read, in addition
to the routine works prescribed by Judge Parker, a great variety
of literary and historical works, and had substantially practiced
my profession a year or more in advance of my admission to the bar.

I arrived at the age of twenty-one on the 10th day of May, 1844,
and promptly on time on that day I was presented to the Supreme
Court "on the circuit," then sitting at Springfield, Ohio, for
admission to the bar. Several other students were presented, and,
according to the custom of that time, we were all referred to a
committee composed of General Samson Mason, Hon. Charles Anthony,
and one other lawyer whose name I do not recall. All were leading
lawyers of that place, and had been busily occupied in the court.
We met that evening at the office of one of these gentlemen to pass
the ordeal for which we had been preparing for years. A few
questions were put to us which were answered, when some question
was asked, the answer to which led to a decided difference of
opinion among the examiners, and a practical suspension of our
examination. It soon occurred to them that they were more interested
in the cases coming on "to-morrow" than in our efficiency as
incipient lawyers. I was asked under whom I studied. I answered
Judge Parker, and they all agreed that anyone who was certified by