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

of the Chipnaan Monument.
The most lifting service this day to be
rendered to the memory of the man whom
the State has determined to honor in an unu-
snail way, would be an elaborate and discrim-
ipati7e account of that great mans life,
services and character; but to be most ftly
done that service requires the best talents of
one who is not only equal with, but superb
or in scholarship and profound learning in
arts sciences, history, law and statesman
ship to him who is to be measured. A tyro
can fippantly praise or foolishly criticize,
hut the Just Judge should be wiser than was
the man VINO is to be judged. With this
conceuton of the work to be done, /
deemed myself utterly unfit to undertake it
and f ltly refused broad invitation sent to
me When that invitation was changed to
specfc request to prepare biographical
sketch, determined to attempt it, and have
come with grateful and adnIring heart to
Law my humble offering on the grave of
Chapman.
Nathaniel Chapman was descendant, in
the fourth generation, from John Chapman
of Barnstable, England, who came to Mas
sachusetts in 1880, married daughter of
John Rowland, 1.-The last male survivor but
one of those who came in the Mayfower,
and settled in Barnstable, Mass. Nathaniel
was born in Salisbury, Conn.,, November Is
1852 the first son of Samuel Chapman OF
Salisbury and Hannah Austin of Sufheld,
Conn.
The father Of Nathaniel was both black
smith and farmer, an Industrious and meth
odcal man, who kept all his sons in constant
employment; either in the shop on the
farm. A descendant of the Puritans, he
was himself puritanical. He subjected all
the affiirs of his family to an orderly system,
one rule rigidly enforced on every member
being to retire early to rest, and to rise early
for work. The days were given to labor,
Nathaniers on the farm, and the evenings to
reacing books drawn from a well selected
town library, and to free conversation on
the topics suggested by the books.
At the age of twenty, with mind and body
well disciplined by this sort OF domestic edu-
cation, aud fixed habit of untiring Indust ry,
Young Chapman entered upon preparatory
classical studies with the minister of his
parish, and in nine months he fitted him
self for Yale college, which he entered in
l773 In college he took high rank IN the
regular course of study, but being both in
dustrous and wisely independent, he went
far beyond the curriculum into a course OF
general reading and literary studies. He
quit college for the field as lieutenant in
the continental army, before his senior
term had ended but he had well mastered
the prescribed studies, and more, and was
honored with the usual college degree in
his absence Of his service in the army
little is known, except that he maintained
high staining for an officer of his rank.
We know from the dates of his letters,
rather than from any descriptions or COM
plants in them, that he endured the horrors
OF Valley Forge in the winter of 1778, when,
to use the language of Washington the pay
of the officers as insufficit Mt for their decent
subsistence, and the army was now naked
and starving"
He also endured all the " pressing alarms
and dangers of the campaign of l777."
One OF Chipman's letters indicate that he
was in the battle of Monmouth, in which
Washington defeated Sir Henry Clinton
The dates of his published letters at this
time show also that be was under the eye
of Washington. And We may safely cor
lecture that there and then be received the
inspiration which determined his future po-
litical lille to the end. October 10, 1778, he
reluctantly rendered his resignation te
Washington, on the sole ground that bt
could not remain in the service without be.
coming either beggar, or debtor to ar
amount that would embarrass and perhaps
ruin him for life ! This resignation wa
accepted as many had been for the SAM
reasons nine months earlier. Chapman
patriotism and patience carried him to tn
verge of ruin, and W Washington excused hin
from further sufferings and sacrifices. Tba
is good plea in bar to censure from an
source.
March 20, 1779, being less than fg
months from the date of the letter resignin
bis lieutenaucy. Cbipman had complete
his course of study for the bar, and was ad
mitted an attorney in the courts of Connec
ticut. On that day he wrote letter con
ceived in pure fun, which proved, however
to be en- n sntly prophetic.-"I have beel
dubbed an attorney he wrote to brothe
student, 50 and propose in few days to tax
upmy abode in the state of Vermont. Ha
ha ha | cannot but laugh to think wha
a flash we shall make when We come to b
members of Congress. And then, again,
am vexed when think how many steps ther
are by which we must mount to that pinnacl
of happiness Let's see. First, an attorney
then "a selectman hufhng justice; depu
ty, an assistant [couneillOr IN Vermont, G
representative in the court or assembly
Connecticut. | a member of Congress. Now
is not this little vexing? However, "
must make the best of it.'(2)
And he did make the best of it, gainin
nearly every one of the offices which tie
dazzIed his ina gination, The ' huthng Ju:
tice'' became Judge of the United State
Court for Vermont and chief judge OF tn
highest state court, and the prophetic men
Der of Congress proved to be an honore
member of the United States Senate, tt
highest legislative body in the world, full
equalling the British House of Lords IN ia
en., and surprising even that body in tt
scope and dignity OF its jurisdiction.
On the 10th of April, l779, less than
month after his admission to the bar
Connecticut the uufedged lawyer reached b
fathers houseIin Tinmouth where he entere
upon the practice of the law; here he ma
ried Sarah Hill of Tinmouth, and reare
seven children; here he resided for the mos
Of his life and here be died Feb. l3, 1s42.
his nlnety-frst year, being the oldest We
mont lawyer and having been blest durir
all his Lille after his college course with
vigorous constitution and almost uninte
rupted health.
From this point a brief summary OF
professional and official life in chronologic
order constitutes my task.
June, 1779, he was admitted to the Dar
Vermont at the session OF the Superior Cou
In Rutland, which was then IN Bennlngt
county. His was the third admission to t
bail and his professional circuit embrac
what are now the counties of Benn'ngto
Rutland, Wndham and Windsor.2
From 1881 to 1885, (iour years,) he serV
as States Attorneys
March 9th, 1884, he was appointed CO
mittee with Nj. townsend, to revise the st
utes of the state, and in October OF the sa
year, Isaac Tichenor, Sam. Knight and Stef
en- r. Bradley-all eminent men in their Q
were addrd to the committee. lG Is e
dent from the legislative journals that
task assigned to this committee was
Preparation of complete state code, and