As a lawyer he was active in various civic and corporate affairs.His writings include works about American history, politics and business.

He was on the staff of the Commercial Advertiser from 1863 to 1864, was a founder of the American Free-trade League in 1864, and in 1865 published the New York Social Science Review, co-founded and edited with Alexander del Mar.

In 1876 he was appointed by Governor Samuel J. Tilden on a commission to devise a plan for the government of cities, in 1879 acted as counsel for the New York Board of Trade and Transportation and Chamber of Commerce in the investigation of abuses in railroad management,[5] which resulted in the appointment of a board of railroad commissioners for the state of New York.

In 1885 he was appointed by President Cleveland a commissioner to examine and report on the relations between the railroads and the governments of western Europe.

An essay that he read before the American Bar Association on "Slip-shod Legislation" led to the appointment in 1888 of a committee of the legislature to consider reforms in the drafting of laws.