Esq. "British. Latterly borrowed in U.S. Esquire.
Esquire. "British. A title after a mans name, a squire, or aspirant to knighthood. Aspirant. "A person who aspires; one who seeks advancement, honors, high position, etc."
Knighthood. "The rank or dignity of a knight."
Knight "A man usually of noble birth, who after an apprenticeship as a page and squire was raised to honorable military rank."
Noble "Belonging to or constituting a class (the nobility) possessing a hereditary social or political preeminence in a country or state."
Preeminent. "Eminent before or above others; superior to or surpassing others; distinguished beyond others."
All the above definitions taken from THE AMERICAN COLLEGE DICTIONARY , 1958
I don't know, it seems to me the word "Esquire" is a title of nobility. Maybe those who wrote "THE AMERICAN COLLEGE DICTIONARY " didn't know what they were talking about, so lets look to another dictionary and see what it has to say.
The following definitions were taken from Black's Law Dictionary.
Esquire. "In English law, a title of dignity next above gentleman , and below knight."
Gentleman. "In its English origin, this term formally referred to a man of noble birth or gentle birth." Nobility. "In English law, a division of the people, comprehending dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, and barons. These had anciently duties annexed to their respective honors. They were created by writ, i.e., by royal summons to attend the house of peers, or by letters patent, i.e., by royal grant of any dignity and degree of peerage; and they enjoy many privileges, exclusive to their senatorial capacity." I'd say esquire is definitely a "Title of Nobility" . Than again the definitions given in Black's must be wrong because justshutupandtakeit says "Esquire" is not a title of nobility in America" so therefor Black's Law Dictionary as well as THE AMERICAN COLLEGE DICTIONARY must be wrong.
Lets see if I can find any other books with the definition of "Esquire" in them.
Lets try Bouviers.
ESQUIRE.
"A title applied by courtesy to officers of almost every description, to members of the bar, and others.
In England, it is a title next above that of a gentleman, and below a knight. Camden reckons up four kinds of esquires, particularly regarded by the heralds:
NOBILITY. "An order of men in several countries to whom privileges are granted at the expense of the rest of the people.
"It refers to titles of nobility or offices from a foreign country."
Every definition of "esquire" states its an "English" term. I believe England is a foreign country to ours, but I guess (according to you) I'd be wrong in that statement as well. I gotta say the word "esquire" really truly looks like a title of nobility to me.
Certain General and Miscellaneous Objections to the Constitution Considered and Answered
Independent Journal
Wednesday, July 16, Saturday, July 26, Saturday, August 9, 1788
[Alexander Hamilton]
"It may well be a question, whether these are not, upon the whole, of equal importance with any which are to be found in the constitution of this State. The establishment of the writ of habeas corpus, the prohibition of ex post facto laws, and of TITLES OF NOBILITY, to which we have no corresponding provision in our Constitution, are perhaps greater securities to liberty and republicanism than any it contains. The creation of crimes after the commission of the fact, or, in other words, the subjecting of men to punishment for things which, when they were done, were breaches of no law, and the practice of arbitrary imprisonments, have been, in all ages, the favorite and most formidable instruments of tyranny. The observations of the judicious Blackstone,1 in reference to the latter, are well worthy of recital: "To bereave a man of life, [says he] or by violence to confiscate his estate, without accusation or trial, would be so gross and notorious an act of despotism, as must at once convey the alarm of tyranny throughout the whole nation; but confinement of the person, by secretly hurrying him to jail, where his sufferings are unknown or forgotten, is a less public, a less striking, and therefore a more dangerous engine of arbitrary government." And as a remedy for this fatal evil he is everywhere peculiarly emphatical in his encomiums on the habeas corpus act, which in one place he calls "the BULWARK of the British Constitution."2
Nothing need be said to illustrate the importance of the prohibition of titles of nobility. This may truly be denominated the corner-stone of republican government; for so long as they are excluded, there can never be serious danger that the government will be any other than that of the people."
Now we're a government of the lawyers, by the lawyers and for the lawyers. That's why they keep referring to it as "our democracy"