Blackford's income was still not enough for him to subsist on. In 1813, he traveled to the territorial capital, Vincennes. There he was admitted to the bar with the help of his friend John Test; he was only the thirtieth lawyer admitted to the bar in the territory. The same year he was elected principal clerk for the Indiana Territory House of Representatives. He also became a cashier at the Corydon branch Bank of Vincennes, the same town the capital was moved to at the end of 1813. He became aware of corruption at the bank which later folded in the Panic of 1819; numerous investors lost their money and the scandalous abuses were revealed to the public. The experience influenced him to mistrust banks throughout his life, and led him to refuse to put any money in banks.