Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-09-27

J
8 n. II. He had been i'll orSscmc weeks we
ously 50 until few daye before his decease
!, For many months his health had not been
! good. the climate and atmosphere Of Wash
! ington having unfarorably affected him. but
when we last saw him at Mortified, at the
Commencement OF Norwich University: he
was looking quite we'll, and spoke with his
accustomed vigor. He was 81 years of age
at the time of his death.
Mr.. Colby was q son ofDr Nehemiah Colby,
of Derby. He was graduated at Dartmouth
College in 1886, and was in the same class
with Hon. T. p. Redfed. He studied law
with Hon |. F. Redfeld at Derby, and COM
menccd practice in that town about 1898 in
company, we think. with Ii. +. Prentiss,
Esq, now of Milwaukee, Wis. His first
wife, daughter of Judge Proctor, of Proc
torsville, and sister of Col Rcdfeld Proctor,
of Rutland, was lost in the burning of the
steamer Henry Clay, on the Hudson river, in
the summer of 1852. His second wife, who
survives him, was a daughter Of Mr.. Caleb
Hunt. at one time resident of Montpelier.
Mr.. Colby removed to Montpelier in 1916,
and Immediately commenced practice here.
Shortly after, he went into partnership with
the late Hon. Ferrand F. Merrill. In 1913
on Hon. l.. b. Peck = election for the first
time a member Of the national House of
Representatives. Mr.. COLBY and Mr.. Peek
formed partnership which continued until
Mr.. CoLBf's appointment Register of the
Treasury, in 1864, we believe. Since then Mr..
Colby has remained in the office of Register
His business lawyer and advocate was
quite extensive. calling him to attend the
Courts Of Orleans, Caledonia, Orange and
Washington; and he was frequently en-
gagged in causes in other equities. Few
lawyers in the State had a more extensive
practice
! Until the commencement Of the Mr.
/ COLBY was Democrat and was several times
the candidate of his party for important po
sitions His first public action with the
Republican party was in 1862, when he pre-
sided at its State Convention He was also
Il member of the Republican State Commit
tee for two or three years. After President
Lincoln's assassination. we think Mr.. COL
BY, with many other officials at Washington,
was inclined to favor President Johnson
policy of reconstruction and he never sym
pathizcd with the Radical wing of the Re
publicans. He was naturally inclined to-
ward conservatism. In politics ne would
| have been more ut home in New York than
! III Vermont
| Mr.. COLBY took IA high rank in his profess
sion in the conduct of his cases, both in
preparation and on trial He was one of the
most ready men at the bar we ever saw
! Nothing seemed 10 discomfort or daunt him
! He needed little time for preparation, and,
| generally. was not obliged 10 labor much
over his cases to master them. 1t happened
! oftener than otherwise that his off hand ar
guments were among his best and most bril-
liant efforts and we have heard him speak
cxtemporaneously better than heard
! him speak from a written manuscript. As
a jury advocate he had few equals and hardly
a superior in the State; and in classes
Of cases he was excelled by no lawyer at the
bsr. He was once. Unexpectedly, suddenly
obliged to try a case of Importance in Lowell,
Mass, with b. F. Butler as opposing coun-
/ sci, and impartial spectators said that he was
fully "a match for that acute. bold. aud
skilful lawyer.
! Mr.. COLBY will be long remembered by his
/ intimate friends aud his more familiar ac-
quaintanees. for his genial manners, his
sparkling humor, his great store of anec-
dotes. not only of the bench and the bar but
/ Of all spheres Of business, his cultivated
! literary tastes, and his courteous bearing,
which conspired ma Ike him a most agree
able and entertaining gentleman. He had
collected great number of anecdotes Of the
/ earlier members of the tar of Vermont and
at one time contemplated preparing volume
for publication, but are unadvised of the
state of completeness in which he left his
manuscript. In his hands it could not have
failed to prove most entertaining book.
We think. for his fame. Mr. Colby made
mistake in accepting Office at Washington
Ii was certainly out of the line of his pro-
fessional pursuits, and placed him where his
training at the bar and in the forum were of
/
his fine personal presence, and his always
delightful conversation made him a popular
official, but the really best part of his facul-
ties, and the strongest powers OF his mind,
were seldom or never called into play. But
he had unquestionably taste for public
life, and enjoyed much of the wide acquaint-
ance with men and political affairs, which
his position at Washington offered ; yet we
doubt if he was quite satisfied with it, and
would not have been ready to exchange it
for his old popularity and practice in the
courts. But it is often much easier to leave
ones profession and business than to return
to it. and this with the destinations of public
life had power sufficient to keep him from
the work for which his education, cultivated
mind, and trained intellect were much better
fitted
| Gen. Orr Of South Carolina. who may be
supposed to understand the wants of that
state quite well Mr.. Johnson under
stands them. addressed letter to General
Sickles, that officers departure from the
command i'm that District, in which he thus
expresses his regret
| L desire to express you the great regret
which feel personally and officially at the
course taken by the President and his ad-
visers in this matter. There are many of
the orders which have been issued by You
since the passage of the Reconstruction Bills
1 L. Il.