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BEGINNINGS IN LAW AND POLITICS
1856-1861

IMMEDIATELY after Ms graduation at Cincinnati
young Weaver returned to Bloomfield and
entered into the practice of the law, taking- the
oath as an attorney-at-law before Judge H. B.
Hendershott. Two years later he was admitted
to practice in the United States District Court
of Iowa at Burlington, the oath being adminis-
tered by James M. Love.⁰ Before he had fairly
established himself in the practice of his chosen
profession the Civil "War broke out; and after
1878 he either held public office or was engaged
actively in politics. People who remember his
early appearances in court declare he was an
able advocate.

At the time when Ms career was to receive its
initial direction the country was agitated by
discussions and conflicts over the slavery ques-
tion. The repeal of the Missouri Compromise
by the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 roused the
opposition of all those who were hostile to the
extension of slave territory and gave to the
anti-slavery movement an impetus and support
it had never before had. Iowa, bordering as it



	II BEGINNINGS IN LAW AND POLITICS 1856-1861 IMMEDIATELY after Ms graduation at Cincinnati young Weaver returned to Bloomfield and entered into the practice of the law, taking- the oath as an attorney-at-law before Judge H. B. Hendershott. Two years later he was admitted to practice in the United States District Court of Iowa at Burlington, the oath being adminis- tered by James M. Love.⁰ Before he had fairly established himself in the practice of his chosen profession the Civil "War broke out; and after 1878 he either held public office or was engaged actively in politics. People who remember his early appearances in court declare he was an able advocate. At the time when Ms career was to receive its initial direction the country was agitated by discussions and conflicts over the slavery ques- tion. The repeal of the Missouri Compromise by the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 roused the opposition of all those who were hostile to the extension of slave territory and gave to the anti-slavery movement an impetus and support it had never before had. Iowa, bordering as it 16