The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-05-02
From, the New York Times.
The tiate Senator Phelps.

lie graduated at old Yale in the veal
1871 and is cohfcsscdly one of the mos
talented men which that College has sem
out, with her official iii,prmatur, since
Mr. CALHOUN. These men were botl
very eminent in their way. but they were
almost the precise antipodes of each 9th
or. CALIIoUN was grave, solemn
thoughtful. severe. PHELrs, impulsivc
of.hand, reckless, undignified often, but
always poiu,cd, pilnant. generous, aud
never a rcformcr while his great antith.
ess was always studying some reform
some vain phautasy of the imaguali ion
which no man ever had or over could re.
duce to practical operation.
Our first knowledge of Senator PHrLrs
was in the legislative council Of the State,
in the year 1891. lie was then com
rnrsiivrly y young man. and was associ
atcd with claSs who had no prior rcpu-
tation to herald thcm into office, and
came before the public under the doubtful
patronage Of the first ant masonic council
Of the State. Can any good thing come
out Of Nazareth We happened to be in
the Lobby of the House Of Assembly, on
the day Councillor PHnLrs made his dcJnt
in addressing the joint assembly Of both
Houses upon some constitutional Ques
ton. The effect was electrical, carry.
ing the house by coup dc main. Moth
ing was spoken oe but tho surprising,
wonderful talents of the young Councillor
for most ofhis associates were his seniors.
lie was that session promoted to the
Bench Of the Supreme Court-thc House
of Assembly recedng from proposition
to reduce the number of Judges, so as to
leave place for him
As Judge be was always useful, Of
ten displaying surpa:sing ability, but
more. as general thing, in pronouncng
his opinions in Court, than in whiting
them out for the press. He had too
much of the nervous rcstlessness Of genius
to render the plodding process of ira cing
out refined and latent analogios an en>
durable labor. After II few years of emi.
nently useful service upon the Bench. he
was transferred to the United States Sem
ate; where LIE remained two full terms
and part of another. lie was here one
of the most useful, as well as, perhaps
the very ablest member, if we except
DANIEL WEBSTER aud JOINS C. CALHOUN
But he was never strdious, or watchful
of opportunities, for making favorable
impressions. lie made many able, clabo
rate and learned speeches, and one
upon the tar9, in reply to Mr. Calhoun.
which was Regarded as the groat speech
upon the subject. and in many respects
n most finished aud eloquent production.
His peroration was trul y thrilling, a thing
never to be forgotten when once read
Blu: he was above the little arts by which
common men are constantly striving to
climb into notUriety. aud which the most
distin guishcd cljOm disregard altogether.
lie was genial. companionable man
while iu hca;tb full of frol;c aud fun
But lattcrly, his long hot Summers at
Washington had dcrangcd the functions
Of life to such an exteut. that it was sad
to see him in his public efforts s--cspccial.
ly to those who had known him intimate.
ly in his full strength. Two month.
since, he argued two important cases in
different Counties. before the Supreme
Court, iu which he manifested much of
of his usual ability and discrimination,
so as to make himself exceedingly inter.
esting, and in one Of tcih pcrpciratei
one Of his happy witticisns, which
brought down the house in complete
roar In the rhiast of the grave discussion
Of dry Law point. His arguments be.
tltk S,ynran,a h.u.t 6 Ir,.,ol
States, at Washington, were listened to
with tie greatest admiration BY all who
heard them. Mr.. WEBSTER, soon after
he. left the Senate, was employed in the
arguitent of an important Patent case
before the Court, where large Dumbcr |
Of the most distinguished counsel in the
Union were engaged upon both sides.
Senator PnELrs made the leading argu.
mcnt upon the side opposed is Mr.. WEE,
'TEE. After the case was submitted to
The Court, Mr. WEBSTER said 70 some
ne a50et the bar; " Senator PnELPs
8 one Of the ablest advocates to whom
have ever listened he might, if he
inew his strength, control the Scuatc,
lud immediately become the ackuowl.
,dgcd chief there" Mr. CHoATE paid
lim similar compliment in the argu.
ncnt Of an important cause before the
Circuit Court ofihc United States, where
hey @cre engaged upon opposite sides.
The late Mr. Justice TJIoMPsoN, Of tho
supreme Court OF ,he Quilted States, re-
yarded him, for many years, as one of
he very ablost advocates in his judicial
'ircuit. including the States of New
ork, Connecticut, and Vermont.
But he is gone from the scenes of his
'arthly toll aud has left few equals in
he country. lie had special contempt
or pretcnsion.and upstart Young Amer.
canism in all forms, which, once or
vice it was said, threatened to involve
lin in an affair Of konof whilo at Wash
ngton, with some high bloods " ho hap
'ened to sport a brilliant epauiette or
bowy mousiache. 1t is but Just TO say
If him, that he was man Of great kind
less and generosity, ttutbfvfness aud in
egriiy; and although not in the full Com.
nuEion Of The church, one who held her
acred formularies in great veperation,
md who would excuse almos. anything
iooucr than lovity upon serious subjects.
lie was one who had no great venerstion
or the here conventionalisms OF artifi-
,isl life, but no one was ttuct to those
instincts which cRcrywhere mark the