Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-10-21
Charles Reed.
MEMORIAL sSrrcH HEAt nHroHr I'M vHHuoNr ms
fcAL socfHff, ocroBEH 70, 1874, ~ n. A. nrsE.

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Those who have been accustomed TO meet here
from year 10 year need not tonight 10 be told
whose place In this gathering is vacant nor many
words 10 recall his ncstimablc services 10 this so
ciety. And all words could not express all our
sorrow that that man is not here.
CHARLES REID was born In 1hetford, Vermont,
on the oath day Of November, 1914, and the mem
ones Of his boyhood and early days clustered
around the old Hill Of that town lie was the
eldest son Of Hon Joseph Reed and Elizabeth
Burnap Reed. In the winter Of 1927 Joseph Reed
moved with his family to Montpelier, and here
Charles finished his studies preparatory TO college
life. Entering Dartmouth College he graduated
in 1873. In the class Of that year were Cyrus
Richards, longtime principal of Meriden Acad-
emy; Harry 1Iibbard and Amos Tuck Of New
Hampshire and Peter I. Washburn, of Vermont
In the class next following, that Of lNi, We're
Stoddard B. Colby and Timothy F. Reddcld.
In college he became intimate with Governor
Washhurn and they afterwards together read
law, for a time, in the office Of Hon. William Up
ham, Of this place, and then attended the law
school connected with Harvard 1 University; there
receiving the degree ~ Bachelor Of Laws In 1882
Mr.. Reed was admitted ~ an attorney Of wash
ington County Court on the 18th Of April, 1898;
the committee of examination iu his case consist
ing Of Newell kinsman, Luciu- li. Peck and SAM
ucl B. rrentiss. ON the lst Of September OF the
succeeding year, 1889, he formed n partnership
with Homer W. Hoaton, whose intimacy with him
began when they were in attendance A. students
az the Washington County Grammar school Mr.
IleatOn had entered the office of Col. T. 4 Miller
six years before, and had subsequently formed
a partnership with Colonel Miller, which lasted tc
the year prior ~ the formation OF the finn ul
Heefon SReed This firm far,uo.i ~ 1870. s....si,,'
ued unchanged, in the same office, for over thirty
three and q half years, and until dissolved hy The
affll a f. La e f.I
Of a century's steady work might well b. needed
by many in this erratic and hurrying age
Mr.. Reed married, June 9th. 1872, Emily Eliza.
daughter Of Hon Daniel Baldwin, Of Montpelier
who survives her husband. Two Of their five
children are living Elizabeth B wife of Colonel
J. II. Lucia, Of Nergennes. and Minnie G..
In 1877 and again in lsis MIR Reed was elected
states attorney Of Washington county In the af-
fairs Of the town Of Montpelier he took pr0mi-
nent part and repeatedly held various offices oi
trust BY the choice Of his fellow citizens Ia lsi2
and 1853 he represented the town in the general
assembly and during the three Succeeding yoar-
was one Of the state senators from Washington
county. lie was also a member Of the last couu-
Gil Of censor- which met in 1862
For the last fifteen years Of his life be took au
active interest in the Vermont Historical society
aud % him is largely due it, present hcalthm con-
diton. A. one Of the cumtor-, as its Librarian,
and associated with Ex-Governor Hall and Hon
T. 7 Walton his old school mnte and lifelong
friend rs one Of the publishing committee his ef-
forts for the discovery and preservation of our
early history were unting.
Appointed state Librarian on the 10th uf No
ycmber 1853 he made the Vermont State Library
an honor tn the state
An early advocate of Teiumatory instead Of
penal measures for the young, he was one of the
Trustees Of the Vermont Reform School at Water
bury from the commencement and did a great
and enduring work for the prevention Of crime
and the reclamation of those just entering upon
careers Of vice.
Mr.. Reed might be called one Of the founders
of the Church OF the Messiah, and nowhere out
side his own home Is he more missed than in it,
work and counsels
lis last illness was occasioned by cold caught
in the state Library and added to by exposure mat
tending the March meeting Of 1873 At the close OF
that meeting he went 10 the Office examined the pa
pers and facts in new case, gave with his usual
clearness his judgment upon them, and for the
last time passed the office door. That night the
illness assumed a serious form and in two day.
appeared as the congestive stage oi pleuro-pneu-
monia. At four o'clock Friday morning, March
eth, 1873, he peacefully died. So ended a useful
life, such as would be lived by one needing the
words Of Sir William Jones:
.on parent knee, a naked, newborn child.
Weepng thou satst Nhile ah around thee smiled
Calm thou mayst sinie, while ali around thee weep"
To give sketch Of Mr.. Reeds life L. not to
bundle together mere dates, but 10 tell what he
did, and how, and what manner Of man he was
Charles Reed was true lawyer, taking pride
in his profession, and loving the law as science
wherein reason has her most perfect work, and be
cause his knowledge Of it enabled him to be truly
a counsellor to 10 those in trouble
Grounded by severe study in the foundation
principles his drectness and the impatience with
which he viewed worthless and irrelevant matter
made him a good pleader. His papers always
gave him standing in court. OF scholarly tastes
and studious habthe used his knowledge Of Latin
which was kept bright through life, rather as a
light house to warn him of the shoals Of eXuber-
ance and redundance Of expression, than ac "a
harbor where he might ride ON the harmless and
forceless swells Of language, He was true Saxon
in character and speech.
Believing that the statement Of a legal propo-
sition should be as hard and dry pine knot %
II was constant endeayur to get at the real facts
Of every case presented, that his statement of the
law Of the case should not fall to the ground nm
less by the dropping out Of portion Of the under
pnnng Of fact Surprises were distastcful to
him. and his disgust most strong If 1t came out on
trial that client had deceived him The cross
examination in the office was therefore often more
rigid than that from opposing counsel IN court.
Frequently advising settlements in doubtful
cases, and always discuurgng litigation in prof
itless or hopeless ones, he kept clearly in mind
that the duty Of the LAWYER and that of the iudge
client and that Of the other to the two parties lit-
giant. Wishing brief made in lame case
and being questioned as to his hopes Of sue
cess in so unpromising condition Of affairs, the
that case, not to decide it.
Mr.. Reed ON trial Of a case, presented clearly t.
court or Jury the facts proved and the law applt
cable to them This was done not by the use OF
rounded periods, impassi0ned gesture or appeal q
the emotional nature. His Imagination supplied
him neither with facts not in the case, nor Will
the cOloring and magnifying power which Otter
distorts things from their true relation and give
what is unimportant undue prominence.
But il was, ! think, in the court Of Chancery. and
perhaps still more in the supreme court that Mr.
Reed showed the qualities most clearly that STAN
ped him as one Of the leaders of the bar In th,
court of last resort the premises were fixed anC
unchanging. and from them hc worked most un
erringly TO the conclusion. The brief method d
statement, the condensed argument, had ther'
their true sphere and always their due weight
While it was not given to him TO charm by sil
very speech, IT was given him 70 convince by th'
closenes< Of his logic
The clear cut intellect trained by careful study
made him invaluable as legislator. During hi
term OF service the laws passed received more care
iul scrutiny, and were more carefully france
from the very fact OF his presence and much q
the intelligible legislation Of the last few year
owes its shape to his skill as well since as durini
his occupancy of a seat in the law-making body
In yet another direction was his ability
lawyer called into activity. Before 1858 the Stat
Library WAS mass of legislative documents with
out form aud void OF any use. A few law re
ports were interiningled and formed a stock from
which impecunious and oOnscience-acking mel
plundered at will To make this one of the bes
libraries in the Union in the department of Ameri
can Law, without large expense to the state, wa
labor of years with Mr. Reed His success
with the means at his command, has am sure no
been PARALLEL. The bar and bench Of the count
and State owe great debt To him for the thor
oughness of the work
Bnt il Is not alone as lawyer that Charlie
Reeds friends like to think Of him, They knew
the kind heart and genial spirit that lay back q
the sometimes abrupt manner and sharp speech
They knew him as "a man with the truth II
him." Aud so knowing him, they gave him botl
love and respect.
This place needs not an estimate, or long ac
count OF Mr. Reeds service To the past generation
In searching for its story, and preserving 1t whel
found, but here ii may be said that this was tn
labor which he loved, and herein is he our bes
exempar IN II the place for discussion of tn
benefits 70 the young arising from his far-sighte'
care OF our public schools, and the establishment
Of one of the most successful reformatory institu
tons in New England. His treatment Of tn
school question, and of the reform school enter
prise was always practical and completely
matter Of fact did he make the necessity Of tn
latter 10 the Legislature that they sustained hin
In everything asked for
His advocacy OF Temperance and Of woman
right 10 the ballot, was known Of all men. Til
one peculiar thing that was first to strike an ut
server was the fact that Mr. Reed never took int
account the personal consequences TO himself O
doing what be thought right. lie spent no tim
In morbid questiOnings as to conditions Of mind
In introspecton and the dissection Of his motive
TO see whether he had done wrong OF not, bu
ever aimed TO do the thing which his hands ioun
10 do. On the sick bed, two days before deaf
came, he tried 70 sign his name as United state
commissioner 10 legal document; but the han
had lost its cunning the bold and peculiar sigma
ture was never 10 be made again, and the work 4
the man on earth was done.
Mr. Reed was Unitarian from his youth NJ
and was one Of the most earnest supporters of th
I elaA atul