Litchfield enquirer., 1859-01-06
HON. CHARLES B. PHELPS.

Town Hall in Woodbury, Dec 23d, 1858. Lewis Judd, Esq, Chairman and Wm Cothren, Esq Sec retary, Rev. Wm. T. Bacon offered the foIlowinp re. adopted: ''
 Mr Chairman: Night before last. our whoe community were startled by the an- nonncement Of the death of Hon. Charles B. fneips, the period of whose residence among us covers almost two generations of men. He had gone to Roxbury to a meeting of the Monumental Committee" where he died in a moment sitting in his chair, and attending to the business which had brought them together. It IS thls event, sir, that has brought us to- gether on this occasion. When a man of years and character is suddenly removed from con- mnnity, It IS but by natural law that it is moved to make some expression of its sense of loss, and we therefore in making some such ex- presslon, are only moved as it seems to me by right impulse.
 Judge Phelps character is not easy to do full justice to. He has occupied such a posi- ton that misapprehenson and detraction are inevitable on some side An ardent politician. of keen perceptions of character, ready and wit. ty, With happy faculty to say things-joned to large and generous nature, with an unusu- al snare of natural benevolence, with an active nature also, that would not be satisfied without doing something, and then passing such long period among us-over half ccntu,y-it is next to impossible that such man should not nave made his infueLce felt, and been the sub- Ject or much praise and much blame and that he should leave behind him mixed reputation. aye, SIT, and vacancy that we shall long feel 1t IS not pleasant thought to me, sir, that as ! come down this street. I shall never again LOOK on that pcrtly form and cheerful counten- ance, aye, that in yonder office, stretched on the table, the scene of his labors, lies his body, cola as monumental stone The community Is distressed by this event. His friends are multitude, his enemies few. He had rather outlived the bitterness of party political feeling, and the rising generation were beg inning to lock on him with something of the feelings we be- stow on a man of former age. He has died '" full of years," and his record is left with that God "who doeth all things we'll"
 These things, sir, are not said merely as piece of laudatory speeding, but as think just tribute to the man. I have known him over forty years, and long shall I remember the native magnanimity of his disposition, the justness of his judgments, the keenness of his l t, yon, sir, set of resolutions which were first drawn up without consultation with any one, but which were subsequently submitted to company ot gentlemen accidentally convened, and it is their opinion of their fitness and pro- prlety rather than any sense of my own, that leads me to take the liberty to present them for the adoption of this meeting.
 At a meeting of Citizens, without distinction of
 ct,rt 0p rfvy lo1.1 ny-
 ry Dec. 22d, 185S, to take into consideration the
 death of the Hon. c. 5. PHELPS, late Judge of |
 Probate. it was unanimously
 Resolced That we are, in common with all this | community, greatly shocked and distressed by the very sudden death of our esteemed friend and fe- low townsman. Charles B. Phelps, Esq.,
 Resolved That we greatly sympathize with his af- flicted family.
 Resoloed, That we not willing to let this occa- sion pass without expressing sense of the quail ties Of the man, the large legal knowledge to which he had attained, the reputation he had achieved | the unusual justness of his judgment as Judge never in the long period of twenty six years hay 1 ing had one of the Judgments of his Probate Court set asidethe breadth of his reading, the keenness of his wit the force of his eoauence and the gene. lal excellence of his qualities of force and success, either with assemblies at the Bar. The large and generous nature, also, that belonged to him the nobleness and warmth of his heart the depth and tenderness of his feelings and the readi
 
 poor and the distressed his generous appreciation aso of the institutions of religion to the stability and purity of society, the worth of schools and col leges, and the necessity of sound books for all of religious man, be always gave liberal proportion of his means. His value, also, among us as one of the men of the past his taste for letters his anti quaran disposition, and the love by that Gisposi- tlon accumulated; his form and countenance ever suggestive of good old times and good old feelings telling with fOlcn words fail do that kiuG- l ness of heart pity for the poor and good feeling to the various classes of men, not necessarily a part of any mans creed, any sect, any profess sion. And finally, that we shall long remember | cerity of whose attachments, and wisdom of whose counsels, we could not doubt and his memory will be dear to us and his grave green in our recollec- tions " till life shall pass
 Resolued That we will attend his funeral as body in public procession, from the church with which he had his special connection.
 Resolved, That these resolutions be made public, and a copy be presented to his bereaved family.
 These resolutions were seconded by William Coth- ren Esq, who addressed the audience substantially as follows "
 Mr. Chairman cheerfuIy and heartily { second the resolutions just offered by my Rev. ! friend Mir. Bacon. There are times when a whole community is brought to a sudden pause, by some unexpected calamity. Like as by a thunderbolt falling out of clear, sunny, and serene sky, all are startled, all are shocked, all are electrified In such manner as this, fell the intelligence of the dccease of our honored fellow-townsman, Hon. Charles B. Phelps suddenly and unexpectedly, while he was in the act of discharging public aud patriotic duty. upon our affrighted ears, two short eve nings ago. The deceased had gone to Rox- bury, on Tuesday morning, to meet the Com mittee on the Warner Monument. He had left his house in Q very cheerful state of mind, and at the moment the grim messenger of death approached, he was addressing the Com mittee on the subject which had called them together. Raising his hand in his accustomed