Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-10-08

ing to elaborate and critical essays by orators
of the highest repute on each topic.
think may safely say, however, that had
Judge Chapman been permitted to choose
any one field for his life's work, as linguist,
philosopher. theologian, lawyer, judge or
statesman, he wouli have reached the high
est emnence in either profession.
He was great in almost all the best sorts
of knowledge 1t is wonderful to US that he /
was 80, when we remember that his classical
course of preparation was brief. his law |
course brief, and his practical experience in |
any one branch was both brief and at broken !;
intervals of time. The secret, then, of his |
great and varied attainmeDts is a valuable |
one for students in all coming time, and
happily the explanation is as simple as the |
example is va liable. Given a sound body |
and mind, taste for reading and profound
reflection, and once grasped-all the rest
was accomplished by persistent industry and
a systemat course OF study, labor and rec
reation. Six hours Of sleep were all that he |
required during his active life; six hours of
reading or study or writing were thus gain
ed daily above the average student of toler-
able industry, and that ls just half the aver
age mans life of work. In a word, Chip
man doubled the usual term of real working
and living by bis indomitable industry.
We need not wonder, then, that g he contin-
ued through life to read the old testament in
the Hebrew and the new testament in Greek,
with Homer, Virgil, and the minor Greek
and Latin poets, calculating to 60 through
the course once IN q gear" All this, fam
cy would be quite reading enough for mod
ern men; but with Chipman this course of
familiar reading was for relaxation from
severer studies; and for mere amusement he
scorned not to add novels ~. 1t is OF course
| probable that this prescribed round of an
nual reading was always surrendered when
other studies or labors demand ed; but the
fact that he did by his industry accomplish
this annual feat, demonstrates the ease and
rapidity with which he could scale the
heights and depths of legal or other lore,
and appropriate to himself all that it was
useful to know. Indeed, Daniel Chipman
declared that '' in his professional studies he
was equally Industrious and equally success
iul, and his legal learning became deep and
extensive. But his attention was not con-
fned to legal science; it extended to the
whole circle of tie arts and sciences, to ali
the various trades and occupations OF men,"
In short, he was a systematic and laborious
student, finding his pleasure so completely
in acquiring knowledge and applying it to
the pursuits n which he was engaged that
|
eminently practical and useful as well. Men
who so live and labor, so study and strive,
may become eminent in any profession.
The writings of Chipman, which have
been printed, are not very voluminous
and suspect the re remains much in manu-
script, which, though probably not of great
interest in this day, would show both bis in
dustry and great learning. His " Reports
and Disser tatlons ~ are yet In demand, hav-
ing been reprinted in 1871; and 1" Chipman
on Government" edition OF 1888, and Chip
man 8 lectures. printed in the '' Life," are
vet and ever will be valuable textbooks for
students in law and craftsmanship.
OF his other published writings | will re-
fer only to his letters to Alexander Hamil-
ton, and the correspondence of the Vermont
Commissioners, of whom Chapman was one,
and the New York commissioners on the
settlement of the old controversy between
the two states. Chapman was anxious for
the adoption Of the federal constitution and
the admission of Vermont to the Union, but
he believed that this would strip multitudes
of Vermonters of their possessions, as the
ultimate decision of their land titles would d
lall to the United States courts. At the
same time Hamilton feared that the requi-
site number of states might not be secured
for the adoption of the federal constitution,
and he therefore desired the vote of Vermont.
} Still iurther, he looked to the selection o
New York city as the capital of the Union
and hoped to strengthen the chances by the
, aid of Vermont. 1t was obvious to both
} that Chittenden and his friends, who ruled
l Vermont, would never join the federal union
if it was to be at the sacrifice of large
: portion of the people. The only possible
solution of the difficulties which troubled
D Chipman and Hamilton was TO remove the
/. claims of the New York grantees to lands il
Vermont, by buying them out. AMI thus
the controversy was settled, at cheay
}, price to Vermont and large loss to the New
York grantees Hamilton and Chapman
e were the saviours of Vermont iD that omer-
gency. The speech of Hamilton in the New
' York legislature in 1887, In favor of the bill
9 for declaring the independence of Vermont
was, said his son, - among the most able
a fragments of his eloquence which have beer
: preserved" ID
i This project of settling the controvers,
0 by the independent and voluntary action oil
t New York failed then followed the CORES
pondence of Chapman and Hamilton; thel
: the diplomacy OF the commissioners of tn
: two states. The fruits were the peaceful
z settlement of the controversy, the adoption
e of the federal constitution by Vermont, anc
q the Submission of the state to the National
: Union Justly does the whole state thi
l. day render it's homage to Nathaniel Chip
!. man.
IS The politics of Chipman were of th
= purest and highest order, which, in the day
e of mere party or personal STRIFE, in the po
8 ltical arena, We are forced to distinguish
n by specific name, as craftsmanship. III
> sought and adopted true principles, rathe
oIuo, Il tbo,
b principles which he persistently followed lie
q him to present victory or defeat. Hence it
e observable that his speeches in the Unite
d States Senate were not on local or sections
't matters OF policy, but on graver topics. sucl
n as the privileges and powers of the Senat
IS and the judicial system of the nation and
l. am glad to say that the system which no
prevails, a ter more than seventy years ez
,f perience, is in harmony with Chapman
oi opinions in 1902.
ID ii. was Federalist of the school {
l. Washington, which meant with him, IN th
d most com prehensive terms, that he adhere'
it to the constitution and government OF th
IS United States, perfectly administered an
re obeyed, according to the original intendmen
II of the people of the United States in adopt
8, ing it. A single sentence, written by Judg
be Chapman to Moses Robinson, in 1892, is tt
is essence of Washingtonian Federaiism( y an
is pure gold without the admlxture OF an
US baser metals. The principle Of the fedora
nd government is Virtue by which kunderstal
in a sentiment of attachment to the governmel
i'm and laws, ID Hence, when federalists of Ne
ce England, VINO were less purely and tru
at federal than himself, seemed 20 contemplat
a hostility to the government and Union /
ON the Hartford convention, he fastened
n Montpelier and prevailed upon the epr
Gor sentaIlves of the federal party of Vermont
,is withhold all countenance and encourageme
n from that movement. '' Tne Union, it mo
we and shall be preserved was as much Ct
sentiment of Chapman then as it was