Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-11-21
The Late Senator Collamar.


| We announced last week the decease OF Hon.
Jacob Collamer, United States Senator from
this State. Mr.. Collamer was born at Troy,
New York, in 1892, and was consequently sew
enty-three years of age at the time of his dea tn.
His father was Samuel Collamer, who was
native of Scltuate, Mass, and a soldier of the
Revolution. In childhood, Judge Collamer re.
moved to Burlington, and was graduated at the
Vermont University in 1910. He studied law
at st. Adams, and was admitted to practice in
that place in 1872, after be made the frontier
campaign as lieutenant Of artillery on the
detached militia Of the United States service
lie accomplished bis course Of preparatory, col
legiate, and professional studies without any
other pecuniary means than such as bis own
industry supplied. Until 1888, he practiced
law in Washington, Windsor, and Orange coun-
ties In 1921, '22, q, and '2S, he represented
the town Of Royalton in the General Assembly.
In 1888 he was elected an Associate Justice of
the Supreme Court Of Vermont, and continued
in that position until 1913, when be declined a
reelection. In the fall of 48, after the election
OF Gen. Taylor to the presidency, the whig mem
bers of the legislature Of this State recommend
ed Mr. Collamer for cabinet appointment and
in March of the following year, he went into
President Taylor's Cabinet as Postmaster Gen
eral, where be remained until 1850 His dis
charge OF the duties of that office were oharac-
teriaed by the clear Judgment, the orderly and
systematic method and the self reliant energy
which marked all his public life. In the fall Of
1850 he was elected Judge of the Supreme
Court, and received successive annual elections
until 1854, when he was chosen United States
Senator. In 1860 he was reelected Senator
without opposition. In IS49 he received the
honorary degree of Ii. D. from the Universe
ty Of Vermont, and Dartmouth College justly
recognized his eminent legal ability OF con-
ferring upon him the same degree in 1857.
10 bis public career Senator Collamer had a
national reputation. There was no sounder
lawyer, no safer or wiser or more prudent or
more honest statesman in Congress than he.
Ills legal studies and his judicial mind inclined
him to be conservative and steady in bis poll
slcs, though no Senator loved freedom better or
believed in it more sincerely. lie was ascot
ated with Senator Douglas on the Committee
on Territories at the time Of the great struggle
in Congress respecting Kansas, and was then
the Acknowledged leader of the republican side
of the Senate in resisting the efforts of the de-
mocracy to make Kansas slave State and
Senator Douglas regarded him as his most for
midable opponent in debate. Although there
were men in the Senate who exceled him in the
, per lection of their eocuton, in the polish Of
their rhetoric, and in the stateliness of their
periods, there was not in that body a clearer
brain, better reasoning powers, quicker percep-
tons, or sounder judgment than those of jacob
Collamer and certainly no servant of the peo-
pie was ever more conscientious and faithful as
public officer. lie was the peer of the best
man in the Senate In all the elements tina. con-
stitute the real statesman, as well as the Chris
tian gentleman.