Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-12-26
q be Gretmou
MONTPELIER, vi
Tuesday Morning, Deem Der 20, 1853.
The Late Senator Collamer.

The Late Senator Collamer.
We last week gave brief abstracts Of the eulo
gies spoken in the Senate on the occasion OF th,
official announcement Of the death of Hon Jacot
| Colamer. We have since received the Gstiue
tributes Of praise bestowed by Senators Foot and
Poland at tha. time, and would gladly publish in
f1i. diI not he abstract given cover tie main
grcund u them. In the House several mem
b7s 'poke cloqueutly and feelingy Of Judge
Co.amcr as man and as Senator. We have
only room for the remarks Of Msssr. Morrill, and
Woodbridge Of this State. Mr.. Morrill, spoke
at foIiowsi
| Mr.. Speaker, the resolution Just received from
tie Senate announce, what recurs with painful
regularity, that death has again thnned our nun.
bc@, and that We, members Of Congress, sooner
perhaps, than others ia different walks in life, are
doomed to an early dismissal from among the v.
os. In this ns ance, it is true that our deceased
! friend, the late Senator from Vermont, had
reached fuiluess Of years and Of honors but bis
constitution had been so admirably preserved that
those Of US who bad recently associated with him
were glad to believe that be had YET many wears
ins,ofe OF useful AMI iustrous service. His sud
den departure surprised the country and bis col
leagues as much as his own family, and he will be
as sincerely amented BY The public as by his
friends aad relatives. 1t was my happiness TO
have been admitted to lis intimacy, and shall
speak o. him in terms # affection, my feengs
not allowing me to Dc less, but at the same time,
o. he would himself have most desired, with en-
tir+ Jutic..
AT the olart in life, young Collamer was JEFF
iehonian Republican. Later, when parties as
sumed other names, he was Whg and always
distinguished for the thoroughness with which be
examined all questions, for bis moderation, fr
The courtesy With which he ever treated political
opponents, and for bis scorn, which he took no
pains 10 conceal, Of demagogues. Though stou,ly
maintaining his own predictions, be reyed With
cruel words neither parties nor persons, and now
that bis course is run, he !, at peace with all the
world.
As Judge, he was distinguished for sviftness
10 the dispatch Of business, for ability and stern
lmpartiality and for the peupicaeity Of his opin-
onsi as orally delivered or as recorded in reports.
Whle in otiice, though habituay urbane, be never
forgot ,he gravity and dignity Of bis judicial po-
stion, which sometimes gave the impregsion Of
hGuteur not actually felt. lie was good disci-
pllnarlan, and, therefore, occasionally curt, as
when the time Of the court was unnecessarily
consumed by illogical or irrelevant speeches, and
the unfortunate members Of the bar, or partial
obssrvors, may raye thought hs was sour aud
eod when be was really, to those who knew
him, man OF excellent humor, and as apprecil.
tive OF merit as OF demerit. While he had q full
grasp and comprehension Of tue principles Of
law, bis memory never failed to supply instances
10 which those principles bad been illustrated and
applied. Under his administration, iuries had
lltIe difficulty in the solution Of nice questions
Ol law aud fact however intimately blended and
the authority OF luries under his guidance and
teachings suffered no depreciation, but ihei. fun.
clors and capacity appeared TO be vIndicated up
cn every trial 10 State which ha, not been
deficient in eminent juri,ts, including such men as
Chipu.-n, Ch.se, Van Ness Phelps, Prend-s, and
Williams III The past, not To say anything OF the
living, the name OF LoIamer is, and will be,
ranked asa worthy peer Tie was an upright
Judge.
IL Will be remembered that the Cabinet Of Gen.
Iay.or, N rs lgA order Of character and ability
has rageiy, II ever, been ,urpasss d in the history
OF our country and It vas in fact, what cabinet.
we're desgued TO be the wise council of the Pres
dent. Among stch distinguished associates it is
fair to say tue ATE Senator was not dwa.ied by
contrast With any. In the discharge OF tie prsc.
teal duties Of his department he is still remem.
bertd by official ve,erlus Yet lingering there Tor
hs uutring devotion and ltgligeut spphclion
to that business Of ths Government which comes
TO the knowledge and touches the daily acoommo.
da,lons OF more persons than that Of any or all
other of the Executive Departments. BY hi.
report Il appears that the excess OF the revenues
OF the General Post Oilce over the expenditures
in 1919 was 100000, but soon after il ceased to
be even sei-sustaiHlng, presenting annual dtfci 5
until the present year. While Postmaster Gene
raj he organized division in bis Department to
attend 10 all foreign NALL foreign postal arrange.
ments, and ocean steamship lines, The existing
postal treaty with Great Britain, at his entrance,
Just agreed upon, was carried out by him, and all
tle cst4lu i,r that purfcse pert, e,ed lha yati.
Gus subsequent international postage arrange
IA. us SHOW The wisdom isuch treaties, and they
ege still txttu,td 10 the Department according to
the original plan The administration of the
Office white IN the hands Of Mr.. Collamer met
with 40 complaint which is TIE highest clmp
meut this extended ana ever extending Depart
ment can achieve.
While 10 the Senate he commanded the conf
dsGoe Of all is members, and the measures he
we're not Only olrri.d n the commit.
tees VI which he was chairman, but when they
eere Thought into The Senate neary Away passed
Without even division, lie participated in al
The Important debates, bringing those acceptable
offerings which AID Ia the solution OF subjects
under GHcusson and without making any daz-
llns display OF aspiring TO any domination, Justly
sitldsd hfg IA iiuence over bis fellow members
II h was not their Mentor, there was no other
senslor wCoae ocuoso upon all subjects were
more frequently s3ushi or more generously ap-
pree,a,eG.
Nature had deait lilera.ly with him, having
given To him a fine figure as well as lull ana
well poised mind and in MS youth the grsces Of
his person bespoke iavJL Ia hs age he not only
,pJAe ike Senator, but with the mastery Of
PIERCING eye, that spoke audience ere the
tongue looked like one, and, Is such, his words
were accepted as w,,e among vie men. 10 bis
be led when he led at all, with use
iul topics lor discussion, and then pursued them
With unhaggng animation, not monop0lzng oil
the time, Dut ever and anon showing himself an
engaged and gentle li,ener, as ready to be pleased
with the wit Of Others as with his own, an hour
with rim produced no impression Of a sermon or
a comedy, but his sense and humor we're so COM
mingled that those who enjoyed such intercourse
et that neither the one nor the other could have
been more dign.hed aud useful. nor more pleasant
and exhanling. 10 all bis natural advantages,
to all his varied experience, he added patient IN.
1ustfy and force OF character. tie decided moth.
Ing by intuilion--not looking for Jupiter TO come
TO his aid from the clouds hut, 'elping himself