Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-07-18
Death Of Chancellor Rodgers.

Death OF Chancellor Rodgers.
Died in this city, after lingering illness, at i
o'clock, A. NJ, on Monday, the 10th instant Hon
SAMUEL R. RODGERS Chancellor of the 8th District
of the State 4 good man has left Us one who's
loss viii long be felt and deplored. For the SAX
Of those who will come after u.s. Tsther than for on
contemporaries 1t is proper 10 have on record >
memoir Of his life and public services. HIS sctiv,
participation in the proceedings of the Constitution
al Convention of January 1855, over which h.
presided attracted towards him the attention Of tn
country Shortly afterwards, widely published
biographical sketch which we reproduce.
There is il each of the UuiJcl States d ytas ol yer
able men and valuable citizens, scarcely known u eve
heard Of outside their State, because they happe
not TO have been concerned in the conduct Of national al
fairs. This results naturally, almost necessarily, iron
our peculiar system 0f National and State government
To this caIs belongs the President Of the late mpgrlan
Convention Of Tennessee. laUliDe desire il II" put
lie mind know something more Of Ouo thus brought
prominently before the country from the retirement
private life requires, at least sketch Of his personal his
tory.
Samuel Ramsey Rodgers was bora in Greeu-yils Eas
Tennessee one OF 2 numerous fam Of sons and daugL
ters In early life be employed IL the calling Ui hL
father that blacks NTH rhu aging the iounda iyn
vigorous physical constitution and healthy syupah,
with labor! that have CONTRIBUTED little 10 his Succe
aud usefulness. II addition mcdaniel skill, . La
turc aspired 10 intellectual cuuTe. lis academic stud
les were pursued a. the College now the LnINefsy II
East Tennessee then under the Presidency Of Mr. Dayi
Sherman, gentleman Of NoEilera birth, branch ~
The family made illusTioUs by the memory Of Roge
Sherman and understood - have been uncle ut laj"
General ". I. Sherman. Few better instructors hayt
left name Ia the schools 81 East IoEues-ecF and -,
well did his pupils profit by his Instructions, tIa- site
his graduation ho was retained years assoc
,ia;c member Of the College Faculty To bis habits
illustration and paasUn lulreu by teaching Is al
.-ibuable in small degree DOUBTLESS LIS suhse 4uen
skill in so presenting iuTie the most intricate ega
propositions lat They sCC4e clear = me lapE"essonH
mind bugs~e- t.a r,Esoi II tie matters q law. For
although OF religious paIeugEg. and himself lTOnl ear n
youth connected gill Tie PEely Church lea ling
comfortably irrcpraa-a-5o lie that seemed % many H.
dcauye 81 peculiar ltucss iar ZIG CHRISTIAN ministry, IL
own tastes ed him into jhe ahstIu-e realms Of ess
study Has law pregcptyr WAS the .Gte distinguishes
Judge Hugh Lawson White. lie came 10 .he lar J.
1881 The twenty years # uninterrupted study ldcu-
braoncs vigur aun05ua-pray erbiaIy required by h
Law, Is condition piece cnt OF success, were nevr
more faithfully rendered aF he most enthusiastic - ag
HIS labCrs have not been l.LlL reward both n pro
fessi5nul reputation and ls more s.ud advantages
worldly increase. Il -.ailed -ueL Standing Law
vsr that ~ lStS s appointed By Genera! Taylor
United States District Attorney for the District OF Eas
Tennessee and held the office until the close u Mr.. Fill
roorc's administration
When the Black Hawk var broke "a, IL iS5G, !. MAY
k said Of him with literal exacIness as Il has been sac
Of Abraham Lincoln, che joined volunteer cpmPaD,
aud was made captain" The services u me cUmpar,
were rendered 70 he Government. through GuverUeI
Carroll bul the eAgeucy was not deemed sl-h as % II
aarC their presence IN the HELD subsequently, he bel
.be position Of C0mmssary General the stan Of Nal
General Clswcu. with The rank Of Colonel The mui
.ary titles, FIRST Of Captain and then d Colonel the lac
eth associated with his name in the community where BE-
live. every one deemed 10 have been wOrhy bestowed
until The experience Of the present war has Testrcte
.heT those who have been actively engaged in Yea
hgSrent operations.
His views on The subject oI slavery were carly pro
uouuced and uncguiyycal. When he STATE CoaTcniiu,
was led 1884, to revise tho Constitution, sroD
RuTt IaadeO have Incorporated III IL the principal
Ct gradual emanci paIJn, 30 tl-s "a aa' q 5l"ud Ia
made free agaius. The year 1886. Meetings OF citizen
IN various parts Of the State prepared memorials q TIA
effect Such one WAS he } in tie county Of kloE.-
Nj Rodgers was prominent IN lis action With the a1,
Iudyo Robert NJ Anderson, ". Is. a Ramsey, late See
reorv OF State and Dr. W. J. Baker. eminent ci'ize
Il The county, al Shareholder IS wei as a nScl be
ported the resolutions, adopted and prepared The memo
-ia Their efforts failed il Tie Convention, but yhcl
eonsunmaton has been Effected in manner one lhn
could have anticipated. LACEY ilteE ted tins specIcs
Of property bis treatment Of his servants has exhibited
more the protection Of guardian th.H the authority
mister IN his intercourse with his friends, be II,
constantly eA pressed wish that the ure should con,
when they might. with proPriety, &c Ipaicd.
In sC he elected tho Senate of the State, from ID,
Fifth Senatorial District very popular competition, by
majority 50 decisive as 70 make unanimous
nc chairman Of n, Judiciary committee b. left
pou Legislative Journals during single term, that sci
As citizen Of Knoxville. where d. resided the pruc
pal part of his life aua n The municipal government Of which
he has largely shared " have been more useful OF hoATed
HE and readiness as the presiding uicr Of public Assem-
tbers Of his flggcitizea III, practical skin anu Ga-i
thus acquired combined his recognized ability and
state Conycuti55 ~ Nashville on She OH Of January last
temper and official bearing in that difficult and trying POI
ton and it is not strange mat his name even now, promi
tho candidate ir Speaker a t Senate ID aiew DAY
ID be elected.
He WIS elected to the Senat,. ii. the election oI|
lth Of March, 1865, and al the meeting ou the Sd
u April following was elected Speaker OF The body
During the first Session, be took prominent par
in the legislation which has resulted in the reestab
lshment Of the State Government. While in al
teadan, Al this session, ne contracted, al leas
confirmed the disease, Pulmonary Consumption, oil
which he died Being appointed Chancellor, he re-
signed MS pos. in the Legislature and assumed th,
.abOrs OF the bench. The business OF the Court I'll
Chancery had 50 accumulated, that the position wa-
very arduous. During the period be presided il j.,
not TOO much 10 say thai he secured tn general re-
spect and confidence. Few judicial officers have
made more successful administration. vt the
time OF his death he siAty-eisht years Old and
at no time o. his life would the announcement OF
his death have fallen 80 heavily upon the cCmmun-
ty and the country. Had he 10. been elevated O.
the bench tee highest and t-,t trait OF his charac
.eE-judcial fairness and love OI eAac. Justice
would have remained u1ae.e.oped. As citizen,
interested in all th4t looks to the general welfare
The pose ana balance o. his mind made his coun-
sells Invaluable 10 -ne people the everish and ex-
cited times Ne are passing through.
Thus, one by one the old councillors OF the State
are called away, leaving a higher measure Of re
sponsibility TO the share Of their survivors.