The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-03


most forgotten mans Without attempting
to write biographical sketch of Nathaniel
Chapman, let us, as fitting to the dag and
hour, glance briefly at the principal datss
In his history and the salient points Ia bis
career, which cannot be too often called to
the attention Of the young man of Yer.
mont, for their instruction, encourage
ment and imitation. Born on the 18th of
November, 1859, In Lltchneld county, Con
necticut, the nursery Of 80 many leaders Of
the nation the residence, or birth place Of
our Aliens, Warner, Mosleys, Grahams,
Baker and others while working on his
fathers farm lie was struggling with all
the means In his power for an education,
and was SO far successful that he was en-
ablod 10 enter Yale College. where he
graduated In l7T7, ri the age Of 25 years
Although his inclination and the "bcnt of
his mind" Urged him TO the study of the
law, he exchanged the loga FOR the sword
and entered the army. having been appoint
cd io licutenancy III the Connecticut
isllNs iiNA btiiI~s III lttl, III wv ltlu W llll
his regiment at tho iimcof his graduation
more properly, perhaps, when his degree
was conferred. The record OF his service
Is ncagc, but tina, he suffered for his
country Is sufficiently evidenced by the
fact that he passed ihc pcrilous winter of
t17;-1s with the army of Valley Forge.
In 1872 hc camc to Vermont, located at
Tinmouth, and none Of the earliest if not
the earliest records Of Our court will be
found the following entry: AT n superior
Court holden ut Rutland, in the county
Of Bennington, on the 2nd Tuesday &C
June, \. ID. 1919. Nathaniel Chapman
twas appointed attorney at law, sworn
ana licensed to plead Il; the bar within
the state" This was his beginning al
the bar, the first Of the Rutland county bar,
and almost Of the state there being but
Two attorneys sworn and licensed" prior
thereto, namely. stephen X. Bradley, Of
Westminster, and Noah Smith, of Berning.
ton, and their admission" antcdates Chip
mans only single month. AZ this time
not single judge of our highest court-or
OF any court, for that matter had legal
education, and il was upon this chaotic con.
dtion Of the law and courts than Nathaniel
Chapman was to bring his mind to bear,
and. if possible as it proved to bc-to
bring ORDER system and harmony out Of
utter confusion
We must pass rapidly over his extensive
professional practice, his services AS states
attorney, in the Legislature. and. even. in
the United States Senate, where he became
the friend, confident and correspondent Of
Alexander Hamilton and the adviser, in a
measure. Of Washington, and come to the
time when he made all impershablc i'm
press upon the laws and institutions of the
state, to which reference has already been
made, in the language Of one Of the most
eminent jursts of Vermont. Prior to this
time, however, he had become a citizen of
Rutland, and it was, as one of our citizens,
that he served the state and nation, thereby
making his name and fame par, of Rut.
lands history In 1901, he was appointed,
by Washington, Judge of the United States
District Court for Vermont the frs, in
cumbent of that oflicc--but the duties not
being suiiicicn, to occupy his active mind,
he resigned, entered again upon the prac-
! tee OF his profession, in which hc cOntiu.
ucd until 1895. when he was again made
Chief Justice OF our Supreme Court-hay-
| ing been Judge thereof from 1886 10 79I,
Chief Justice the last two vcaLs, and the
first lawyer Of Vermont who was placed
upon the bench. /, is at this timc--l,96
that he, also, entered upon those labors,
which were to prove so lasting and Of such
inestimablc benefit to the state, probably
for all time. We refer to his appointment
AS one Of n committee to revise our statute
laws. The work Of this committee was
mainly performed by him and forms the
basis of our whole system Of written law
even unto this day, and has been pro-
nounced by those competant to judge, and
who have made careful comparison, to
be ''thc best code of laws that can be found
in the congressional library at Washing
ton His decisions, as Il judge, declared
the common law his revision of our stat
utcs forms the foundation and basi. of our
written law; his services as member of
the Council of Censors and OF constitutions
al conventions, and his Interpretation of
the principles of government" have given
tone and character to our organic law ;
and yet, withal, his name has passed from
memory. Holding almost every Office in
the gift of the people, the foremost mind
of his day in New England, il not in the
country; rendering such and so many val.
liable services to the town, county, state
and nation, he died in obscurity and pen,l-
ry but now, after a lapse Of thirty wears.
the state, to-day, pays small tribute to
his memory, so that his last resting place
may not longer remain unmarked but to-
morrow, what of ii Will his name, MON.
DRY ana services again he forgotten eyccpt
by the few whose profession leads them TO
study his works: We fear such will be
| the case, because he was not military
hero but whether his name may be recall.
ed or not, we will constantly probably
through all time reap the result of his
toll aud studies
|
Allen X Drew. q Merchants Row, are
selling goods at cost for 80 days. TO close