The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-04-12
ST. AIBANS, VT, FRIDAY, April 10, 1867.

necessary his commentaries were to
students and lawyers, every prachcion-
er knows that other books arc indis-
pensable to qualify one for practice,
and for tho purpose of frequent con-
sultation in his daily business Prob
ably more attornies have been admit
ted to the bar under Mr.. Turner's
management than have been admit
ted under the training of any one else
in Vermont. He removed to Middle
bury III 1872, and set up law school
in that place. But not succeeding
well, he soon returned to Fairfield
In 1914 Mr. Turner's wife died, and
in year or two afterwards he re-
moved to st. Adams. About the
same time he married his second wife,
Mrs. Webb of North Hero, who died
several years before him. He built
the house lately owned and occupied
by the late Benjamin Farrar, and after
the death of Mr.. Farrar, by his wild
ow. In this house Mr.. Turner resid-
ed with his family -his wife and wife's
chidren-till he died.
In the year 1927, and again in the
year 1928, he was elected Judge of
the Supreme court At the expiration
of the second term he returned to the
practice of his profession. But his
practice at the bar was never very ex-
tensive His business was generally
that of an associate counsel, seldom
being the sole attorney for either par
ty in any important case. He had
little to do as collecting lawyer. He
had no relish for such business. 1t
too much resembled the drudgery and
details of tax-gatherer's or book
keepers employment, to which he had
not been educated, and for which he
was not fitted He had a preference
to that department of the profession
which required a knowledge of the
jurisprudence, and skill in their appli-
cation. He deemed this to be the
appropriate business of a lawyer, as it
required the exercise of the faculties
which none but those who were learn
ed in the law were supposed to pos
sess. Judge Turner, like most othermen
was not Indifferent to the distinction
) which legal lore and judicial accumen
confer ON men. Few persons are SC
} regardless of their reputation as to be
Indifferent TO praise, whether on ac-
} count of their professional skill, then
learning or their virtues. There is
something worry Golf gratifying IL the
consciousness of possessing merit
, apart from the belief that it aids us IN
2 the accomplishment of the objects we
may have in view, and apart from the
, consideration that it is christian at
= tainment and entitled to divine APP
probation in future life The mere
consciousness of possessing merit
) whether it be real or imaginary, is, a
, every one knows, one of the substan
: tial clements of human happiness, IL
: both strong and feeble minds, and
l whether it be regarded by the world
t as self-esteem, or as an honest conylc
ton of mind arising from acts which
r all good and wise men pronounce
| meritorious.
5 Judge Turner was not powerful adj
+ vocate, but he was facetious and jocu
: lar in argument, which interested anC
| amused his hearers. He was not wha
9 is called deep-read lawyer; and his
t standing at the bar did not entitle hin
. TO be ranked in the first class of law
e yers. His education was of YER.
a superficial character. Seldom does on
}, venture on the profession of law Will
e so little preparation to understand 1T
= reasons, and unrayel its mazes anC
J, mysteries. 1t has been generally sup
r posed that some knowledge of classic
|. literature and of English history, in
: Guiding the feudal system, in whicl
: many of the principles of the commo
S law have their origin, is necessary t
: qualify one for the ready understand
: ing of many of the important princi
n pies of Jurisprudence, and their appll
cation to the cases that are presente'
a in "a lawyers practice. Sometimes
d indeed, deficiency in these respects /
a compensated by powerful intellect
: with perseverance and industry tha
e overcome ali impediments and sup
; plies all defects of education. The dc
) ficicency in Judge Turner's education
q was somewhat remedied, but not full
l. compensated by such means. A
q though his education was very super
SO fetal, and did not much exceed its II
lr diments, and gave him but little clair
le to any distinction in authorship, "
nj he prided himself in writing essay