Letters from a Father to His Son

in power, they elect to belong to that party because that is the
then prevalent one, and likely as they think to be beneficial to
them in the way of promotion and emolument. This is the
decision of little minds, and of short-sighted and unreflecting
people.
In the first place, the tenure of power by one party or another is
often short-lived; and if it were of ever so long duration, no man
should sacrifice his principles to, nor allow his mind to be
influenced solely by, sordid views and prospects. The result of
such conduct frequently is that, in more advanced years when
the mind becomes riper and the information of the individual
more extensive, he finds himself placed among people with
whom he has no common sympathies, regrets his early and too
hasty decisions, and would gladly change sides when it is no
longer consistently in his power to do so; and he may then even
have the mortification of finding the very party in power of
whose principles and proceedings his maturer judgment
approves, but of whose influence and protection it is then too late
for him to avail himself.
Whatever decision you may come to, however, do it carefully and
upon reflection; and having once made up your mind, never
change—stick by your party, not by its errors—but stick by it as a
party, and look up to some great and wise man as your chief
example and guide.
As society is now constituted, a lawyer must belong to a party. I
am sorry for it. It is much to be regretted that high offices in the
law are given away more with reference to the use a lawyer is of
to his party, than his fitness for the position to which he aspires.
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