Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 4
Sometime since, As I1 was looking over the Clerk of the Supr. Court’s Book, I observed the names of Several Gentlemen, who had been proposed by you, to that Court, to have the Honor of Barresters confir’d upon them.2 As said list included most of the practising Atty. of that Court, I concluded my Name was omitted through inattention, and was confirm’d in that opinion by Mr. Lowell, which induces me to write you upon the Subject, and informing you, there are not more than one Gentleman in that list, but were sworn at the Court below Since my Admittance there, & that upon my being sworn at the Supr. Court, the Court Order’d that the Attys. Should rank, agreable to their Admission in the lower Court. If Any possible Advantage may be received, in order of time, I could wish not to loose it, And therefore must request (if not inconsistant with any Rules of the Bar) that my Name may be inserted in that list. I write this Confidentially hopeing the same may not be used to my prejudice. Your favourable interposition in this matter, shall be warmly resented by
William Hunt (1749/50–1804) graduated from Harvard in 1768 and developed an active law practice in his native Watertown, Mass. (Sibley’s Harvard Graduates, 17:46–48).
RTP, as attorney general, was the state’s senior attorney and, as such, routinely recommended individuals for recognition before the courts as attorneys or barristers.