The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-11-23
From the Vermont Patriot.
Death of Judge COilamer.

The announcement, at thIs time, of the
death of this eminent citizen will be received
with unfeigned and sincere regret by all par
ties, and all classes OF men. lie Was among
the last Survivors of eminent, high toned
whig statesmen. After having gained high
place at the bar of Eermont-at that time no
mean attainment was, by common con-
sent, elected an associate judge of the su-
prems court. He brought to the discharge of
the duties of Judge a mind cultivated, aud
we'll enriched with the culture of twenty
years practice, and most assidlous study
And ii is undoubtedly true that his charac-
ter was formed, and established in his cho-
sen protession-ar the bar, and on the
bench. His habits of though with which he
became invested uponthe bench ever disclosed
themselves In the sen ate. He could not essi-
lY, and naturally, become a mere partizan-
Those great axioms of political truth which, as
q whig, he believed essential, not ouly to
the stability of government but also to the
welfare, safety, and liberty, of the citizen
when weaker men could not, and baser men
would not-he had the courage to avow, and
the ability to enforce.
As q lawyer he had not only become con-
versant with municipal and civil law, but,
rising higher, he had grasped, and become
familiar with, fundamental political truths,
and the order and organism OF government
When fanaticism and revolution threatened
the overthrow of those old axioms of liberty
order and law, which we're so much cherish
ed in the days of Webster, jackson and CLAW
when anarchy threatened the utter subver
sion of constitutional law-he rose above the
partizan, and stood by the country. He died
as such man should die-before the close
of bis usefulness; in the full possession of his
intellect with his armor on in ripe, veneer
HE and hafnra ssfha nnldon
bowl was broken or the wheel at the cistern;"
before the passion for place. in the feebleness
of age bad out run the ability TO discharge
we'll public trusts before his constituency
had become uneasy, and younger aspirants
had trenched harshly upon his footsteps; he
in due course OF nature gracefully ''drew the
drapery of his couch about him." and, re-
leased from high public duties, and responsi-
BILE trusts, passed to his rest. 1t may truth
fully be said OF him, as was beautifully
said by the Roman historian of his patron
and friend, "Feli1 Agricola non tant,m ritae
claritate; sed etiam opportunitate morris. -
He was indeed fortunate, not only in the sim
gular purity Of his life, but also in the fitness
and propriety of his death. And when we
remember that he was the peer upon the
bench Of a Williams, of q Royce, aud of a
Phelps and in the councils of the nation the
associate of Webster and Clay, when giant
minds rtndtcdted. ana the common mind &C
ecpted, great cardinal truths and peace, or
der. safety and liberty. followed as in the
symmetry and order of nature. we can but
regret that the great minds and great men.
who guided the republic 80 safely in the past
have retired from their labors, and that new
. guides. of very unequal ability, occupy their
places.
We regret that the counsels of Judge Col
lamer had not been vouchsafed during the
residue of his term, and during the crisis of
the restoration of the Union into its ancient
integrity.
-, His love, and devotion. to constitutional
npersy; with his courage, learning, and un-
doubled integrity, rendered him ss this tim.