than the State's high schools of the present day. He entered college clad in a suit of clothes of homespun, woven on his mother's loom, and having a country cobbler's rough shoes on his feet. At college young Voorhees was noted for his powers of oratory, one of his teach ers, Professor Larrabee, stating that Tie was "a natural orator," and predicting that he would some day " take rank with the first men of the nation." From the halls of Asbury he went imme diately into the law office of Lane and Wil son, at Crawfordsville, Indiana. The prac tice of the senior member of this firm, Henry S. Lane, was one of the most lucrative in the State. He was an orator of no mean attainments, having remarkable success on the " stump " and before juries. He was afterwards chairman of the Republican Na tional Convention in 1856, that nominated Fremont for President; was elected Gover nor of the State in 1860; served as United States Senator from 1861 to 1867, and was not only a personal friend of Lincoln long before either of them held office, but was one of his closest advisers during his en tire presidential career. The oratory of Senator Lane was fascinating to the young law student, in many ways serving him as a model. He soon graduated from the office of Lane and Wilson. In those days students in Indiana did not read law very long be fore attempting to practice. The common law practice then prevailed. In April, 1850, he opened an office in Covington, the seat of justice of the county where he had been reared, — a half a score of miles from his old home. Edward Hannegan, formerly minister to Berlin from this country, and afterwards Senator, was so impressed with young Voorhees' speech delivered at a Fourth of July celebration, that he invited
him to unite in a partnership with him. In April, 1852, the partnership was formed. Hannegan was a brilliant but erratic man; and then the leading lawyer of Covington, having a large practice. In June, 1856, Governor Wright ap pointed Mr. Voorhees prosecuting attorney for the district in which Covington is sit uated. He made in this office a fine repu tation as a " criminal lawyer," and broke up a " nest " of criminals who had long defied the power of the law. In 1856 he was nominated by acclamation as the Demo cratic candidate for Congress; and reduced the two years' previous adverse majority of 2619 to 230. In November, 1857, Mr. Voorhees re moved to Terre Haute. It was then as now the largest city in western Indiana, and had among the members of its bar some of the best lawyers in the State. Richard W. Thompson, afterwards a member of Con gress and Secretary of the Navy under President Hayes, was a member of that bar, and was then in his prime. Few in the State excelled him in his powers as a pop ular speaker, — a power he retained until after he was fourscore years of age. Bayliss W. Hanna, a member also of the Terre Haute bar, afterwards Minister to Uruguay during President Cleveland's first term, was noted for his fascinating style of address, and the purity of his diction as a speaker. Thomas H. Nelson, likewise of the bar, afterwards Minister to Mexico, had a State reputation as a public speaker. He and Voorhees, although bitter political enemies, remained warm personal friends and com panions until death parted them. In April, 1858, Mr. Voorhees was ap pointed by President Buchanan United States District Attorney for the District of Indiana, in which position he increased the reputation as a lawyer and orator he had
