The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-04-01
Denth Of EIr. iulian Q. YerpIanek.


. author, politician and philanthropist, die
1 at his residence in Fourteenth street tb
| morning, in the eighty-fourth year of b
= age. ~
Mr.. Verplanck was of an old Dutch fan
ily, and was born in this city in Angus
1856. Before he was twelve years OF age
; he entered on a collegiate course of STUD
IN Columbia College, where he was gradU
ated IL 1901. He then studied law, rattle
as a science than as a business; aud, ate
his admission to the bar, spent severs
: years in travel in Europe. Upon his rC
turn he entered into political life as
skirmisher, and soon distinguished him
self by some pamphlets of temporary IL
ferest; bat still more by an address, befor
the Historical Society of New York, o.
''The Early European Friends of America,
which was published in 1878.
In in 1929 Mr. Verplanck was membe
of the state legis ature; and WAS mad
chairman of the Committee on Education
! A year later, ne accepted the char Of tn
I Evidences of Christianity in the Theolof
ical Seminary of the Protestant EpiscOpa
church in this city; and in 1924 published
the results of his professional studies in
volume of Essays on the Nature and Use
of the Various Evidences Cf Revealed Re
| ligion," the style of which was much ad
mired. -.
In the following year. Mr.. Yerplanck'i
work on contracts appeared. 1t IS curl
Gus discussion on the verge between Law
and morals, and including many applioa
lions of the principles of both; under tht
title, Essay on the Doctrine of Contracts
being an inquiry how contracts are affect
ed, in law and morals, by ooncealment
error or inadequate price.
! In 1925 Mr.. Verpianck was elected tC
Congress from this city, and held his seal
for eight years. He identified himself with
the principle of protecting the rights Of
authors by laws, and took prominent part
in promoting the copyright act of 1881. Il
was, in a measure, as a recognition of his
services in this respect that many literary
men Joined in rublic dinner to him at the
close of the session of Congress. During
his Congressional service he had leisure to
pursue his own literary tastes; and in
connection with Messrs. W. c. Bryant and
r. C. Sands he published for three years
an annual called The Talisman," contein-
ing prose and verse, which was afterwards
republished under the title of ''SIiscella-
Mes MIR. Verplanek also published a col
lection of his own addresses in 1888.
In 1874 Mr. Verplanck began to publish
in Numbers an edition of Shakespeare, a re-
vised text, with notes written under his
supervision, which was completed three
years later. In several minor literary
labOrs, as a member for many years of the
State Senate, and as the first president of
the State Board of Commissioners of Emf
grafton, his active mind found constant
employment After his active life had in
most respects ceased, he continued to act
as president Of the Century Club, of which
he had been one of the founders, and in
which be never ceased to take lively in
terest.
Mr.. Yerplanck was Vice-Chancellor of
the University OF the state, and mas held
the Office Of Regent for forty one years,
having succeeded Matthew GARRISON, who
had filed the same place for forty years.
In the death of Mr.. Verplsnck the coUn-
try has lost one of It's most accomplished
scholars, one of its ablest writers, ard one
of its wisest statesmen. The greater part
of his life hes been devoted in some way,
either as an author or as a legislator, or Sc
a public officer IN an administrative capaci-
ty, to laborS which cODtemp plated the public
good. HIS few public addresses are among
ihe finest Of their kind; his work on the
Evidences of the Christian Religion is one
of tie ablest treatises which have appeared
on that subject, and his book on the Doc
tIine OF Contracts Is at least creditabls to
his i'll as 3. reasoner, and TO the value
placed by him on scrupulous and high
toned integrity in matters of trade. He
was one of our best prose writers, and, If
he had addicted himself more sedulously
to literary pursuits, would have won
for himself a distinguished name
in the literature Of his time Although
taking decided part in politics, and sew
eral times member of Congress and the
state Senate, he never stopped to any of the
arts by which nominations are obtained
and elections carried. What public trust
was given him was simply a tribute to his
acknO Eledged merit. Although his man
ners were quite uudemonsuative, his per-
sonal attachments were shown to be strong
by the services which he quietly and
silently rendered to his friends. He was
sincere and oLtspoken in his opinions, and
never abstained from their full expression
by any fear of unpopUlarity. For more
than half century he has been one of the
of the public and social life of
New York, and we cannot but feel that,
the great age to which his
life was prolonged, with some infrmities
in its latter stage, his removal is loss not
to be easily suppled.-M 7. Post, 18th.