Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1869-05-25

opportunity pass without offering WORD
to the memory of the departed. There
was time, in the highest tide of his prae
t.c,,-I speak without knowing personal
ly-that his practice exceeded, perhaps
any man in the State of Vermont, at d
time, too, when there were members oil
the Bar in this state who have not been
excelled, and so far as | have heard, he
was quite match for any of them under
any circumstances. 1t is true that very few
men are great in all respects; most great
men are great in some particular things
| never met with any who had great
er fund of anecdote. | think it is rare
that any man was his equal. So far as |
for sudden emergency. He was remark
able for his power of making the best Of
circumstances. Now there are great
many who can prepare suit, who can
stick their stakes, but when their suit
comes into court, if they have made some
mistake, or some unforeseen emergency
arises, they are confused-they can do
nothing This has been the case with
some of the most distinguished members
of the bar, but Joshua Sawyer, under
such circumstances, always made the most
Of his case. Apother trait was his gen.
iality-his sociability-which have had
occasion to witness and enjoy. On the
occasion of his death think it is meet
that we give it, not only the notice of
these resolutions, but few words to his
memory.
Mr.. Benton said :-"Although am
not member of the Lamoille County
Bar, still | cannot omit this opportunity
to render my tribute to the memory of
Esquire Sawyer, for it was in this County
that commenced my practice.
1t was not my good fortune to become
acquainted with him in the prime Of his
life, AMI can only Judge from tie pres
ent what it must have been, When |
came to this County IA years ago Esquire
Sawyer was advanced in life. *
1t was the universal testimony that
when he met such men as Mattoc.,s,
Crafts and others, the great lights of the
profession in their day, he proved himself
their peer.
A characteristic trait of Judge Sawyer
was his genial spirit and social habits.
He was always remarkable Tor his ready
wit and his fund Of anccdotc. Most men
at the age Of Esquire Sawyer became
garrulous, but he was never so. His wit
was the most brilliant and sparkling |
ever witnessed in any man old or young,
always pointed and appropriate to the
matter in hand.
On my return from the last session of
the Orleans Go. Court, | met an old ac-
quantance of Esq. Sawycr's of City years
ago. liz said that Esq. s. was in the
habit of attending that Court in the days
of Gov. Gratis and his compeers, and that
that he was the only one left of that
brl liant circle who practiced at that tine
at the Orleans Co. bar.
Mr.. Powers said
All men have in the chambers of the
mind Daguerrean gallery. on the walls of
which many felight to hang the pictures
OF departed friends, and as we strobe
thaough its halls to-day, what wonder is
it, that We Of this Bar find our eyes soon
est'attractcd and our footsteps soonest
checked by the face Of him who is the
sub tOfthesc commemorative resolutions.
) Joshua Sawyer was peculiar and a re-
markable man; he came to the Bar of
State at an early period in its judicial
history, when the throcs of civil commo-
tion and border strife had left our people
keenly jealous of personal liberty and
personal rights. He thus had a golden
opportunity 10 display the genius and
force of his character in aiding, as he Of
ten did in Ia high degree, in the formation of
what may, not inaptly, be called the
Common Law Of Vermont. HIS entire
practice was before Court who had no
long line decision and well settled law to
guide them. but who were forced in The
administration of justice to conform the
philosophy of the common law of England.
ordained for another and different peo-
pie, to the stern life of the early Vermont
ers. lie rendered the Court in the dis.
charge of the high trust very material
aid in the critical and patient research
and sitting analysis with which he loaded
down his briefs. How wol our Court
succled in their mission let the universal
y rccognizant authority of our early de-
clsions attest. Dealing thus with element.
airy principles, it is not surprising that he
became an original thinker and an origin
nj man