16 



LIFE OF 



man, and the ekler Ingersol, and others of the old 

 school; not yet extinguished, were still alive in the 

 full display of their brilliant talents. And in addi- 

 tion to these incalculable advantages, Philadelphia 

 was then the seat of the general government, and its 

 courts were resorted to by Ames, Hamilton, Harper, 

 Pringle, and other great men, from the neighbouring 

 and from the most remote States in the Union ; and 

 the hall of justice often resounded with the thunder 

 of their eloquence. Such were the competitors, in 

 the midst of wliom Mr. Tilghman had to advance. 

 His talents were not of that eloquent cast which dis- 

 tinguished the leading counsel at the bar of Philadel- 

 phia. Modest and dijffident of his own merit, he could 

 not wholly overcome those feelings, which men of 

 superior minds have so often found in the way of their 

 professional success. 



This must be ascribed to the long time that he spent 

 in studious retirement, which, wiiile it added to his 

 stock of knowledge and strengthened bis judgment, 

 left him deprived of those advantages which a bold 

 and ready elocution can command. Yet his practice 

 continued respectable. His profound knowledge, his 

 discriminating mind, and his logical acumen, made 

 him a powerful antagonist in those cases where not 

 the passions of a jury, but the discernment of en- 

 lightened judges must be applied to. There he felt 

 conscious of his powers, and displayed them to the 

 greatest advantage, and very often witli success. He 

 could be eloquent also, when not called upon to dis- 

 play that talent on the spur of the moment. 



