Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-05-14

ed himself, made suit TO the woman, and
did not leave the house till he took her
with him as his wife. Whether or not
this marriage in hast was followed by
repentance at leisure, tradition does not
| inform us.
Theophilus had an older brother
James, and younger brother William
and there were sisters Mary, Penelope,
Ruth, and Sally. All the brothers were
men of good natural abilities, and had
influence in their town and country
James was the representative of Clare
don in 1906 and 1907 Judge of Pro-
bate in 1903 and 1904, and assistant
Judge of the County Court in 1906 and
1907. William was a Baptist minister,
and was Judge of Probate three years,
1811-1812. Theophilus was much the
ablest of the three, and attained to more
numerous and greater distinctions. He
was the representative of Clarendon in
1895, was again elected in 1898, and then
held the office for six successive years,
in the last of which, 1S03), he was the
Speaker of the House. In 1900, he was
elected Chief Judge of Rutland County
Court, and held the office for three years.
In 1903 he was elected Judge of the
Supreme Court. A few weeks after his
election, he was admitted to the bar of
the Court, of which he had been Judge
for the preceding three years. He con-
tinued to be a Judge of the Supreme
Court for ten full years, and until few
weeks before his death. Not more than
seven of the sixty-seven Cor more) Judges
of the Supreme court have retained that
high office longer than did he and
among that select few were such jurists
as Williams, Royce, Redfeld, and Po-
| land.
The singular feature of the case is that
Judge Harrington was not lawyer
He was a plain farmer, exceedingly
plain; merely that, and nothing more"
He had, it is true, been admitted to the
bar, but it is doubtful if his legal reading
went beyond the Compiled Statutes of
1897. It'll quite certain that his read
ing was of the very scantiest, and that
his skill in writing was only enough to
enable him to write, " with painful steps
and slow" very short letter or legal
document. So far as the knowledge to
be derived from books is concerned, there
are thousands upon thousands of boys
in the district schools, who are his supe-
riors. Yet he was good Judge, an ex-
cellent Judge. He had a mind so ener-
getic and vigorous, discrimination so
acute, common sense so strong, percep-
tions so keen, and a sense Of justice so
intuitive, that while he may sometimes
have failed to decide technical points cor
rectly, it is believed that he rarely failed
to do true and substantial justice, which,
if it be not always law, is always better
than law.
| There may, with much truth, be ap-
piled ohm, the language in which Plum
mer, in the memoir of Gov. William
Plummer, of New Hampshire, speaks Of
John Dudley, Judge of the Superior
Court of that State
E g This extraordinary man, who was
for ten years judge of the Supreme Court
had not only no legal education, but lit
tie learning of any kind. But he had a
discriminating mind, retentive memory
patience, which no labor could tire, a
free elocution, rude indeed. and often I'M
couth, but bold, clear and expressive
with warmth of honest feeling which
it was not easy to resist It will not ex
cite surprise, that such a Judge carried
the jury with him.. Indeed, when fairly
under way, there was no stopping him
He trampled down and ran over every
thing that stood before him, and came
, out always first at the goal. Quick tc
feel and prompt to act, he was resolute
strong-minded man, intent on doing sub
, stantial justice in every case, though
often Indifferent to the forms and require
ments of law"
/ The truth of history, however, requir
f es it to be said that Judge Harrington
. promotion to the bench, and his long oc
, cupancy of seat there, were occasioneC
t not only by his qualification for th'
; place, but also, and largely, by politica
consideration. 1t was time when po
, litical feeling was very intense, and h
/, was bitter partisan of the Republican
school. He was elected as Republican
: and his opponents always charged hin
!. with carrying his politics ON to the bench
and with being restrained by no scruple
, from using his judicial power to protec
. his friends and punish his enemies.
:, What were his abilities as publi
S speaker, there are scanty means of know
}, ing. Daniel Chapman gave this testimo
= nv TO his noWer as an advocate 90 III