Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-05-23

| Death Of EN-Judge ana A-60fernOf fech.
| We chronicle with sincere SORROW the
death of an eminent Vermonter and an hon
est man. Ex-Governor Asahel Peck, whose
| impaired health has been subject of so
much concern to his friends for a number
oil weeks past, died at his home, in Jericho,
Sunday evening, May 18th, 1879, at IL
o'clock.
| Asahel Peck was born in RoyalstOn,
Mass, in September, 1903, and was thus
in his 76sh year. at his death. His father,
"Esquire" Peck, removed from ROyalston to
Montpelier, with his family, in ls0o, and
died there some years after. Asahtl lifted
for college in Montpelier and entered the
| University of Vermont, in the Sophomore
class, in 1924. Having an opportunity to
| go to Canada with the President OF French
| College there. who proposed to take HIM
into his family and give him his personal
| instruction in the French language. he leit
| the University a few weeks before thh com
mencement at which he wOnli have aTadu-
| sted,- step which he afterwards rerr' TIED
| that he did not delay till after his q 'dua
ion,-wont to Canada, and remain.i long
enough TO acquire knowledge OF L. ;nch,
| which enabled him to read French sdily
Ia familiarity which be retained throu bout
his liie), and to speak the language to some
extent Deciding to make the law his pro-
fession, he returned to Vermont and began
the study of law with his older brother,
Nahum Peck, Esq, his senior by six years.
and the only surviving member OF Las I'M
mediate family. From llinesburgh he came
to Burlington to complete his studies. and
was law student for a year or two in the
Office of Hyde Il Bailey. lie was admitted
to the bar in this city, March ~, 1882 (thc
examining committee being lleman Allen,
Jacob Mack and John p. richardson. and
entered on the practice OF his profession.
His earnestness. ability, thoroughness. and
s,aid and trusty qualities, soon attracted
attention. lie became a partner with
Archibald Hyde, Esq in the law firm OF
Hyde 4 Peck, and afterwards with ID. a.
Smalley, Esq. in the firm OF Smslley
L cCk, anu MS pIactioo anu inSOho sio"
steadily till upon his elevation to the bench,
the latter amounted TO oyer $4,000 year,
which for this State in those days OF COM
parstively small fees. forty years sgo,was a
very large practice. In 1850, the higher
judiciary of Vermont which before, as now,
had consisted OF Supreme Court OF six
judges. was divided into Supreme bench OF
three Judges and Circuit Curt of four
judges la 1871. Mr.. Peck was elected to the
bench of the Circuit Curt and held the Cir
cult judgeship for four years. In loGo. he
was elected Judge OF the Supreme Cour: and
held that office by successive elections up to
the year 1874. Daring most of this time
his residence was in Montpelier. In 1879.
be removed to his farm IN Jericho ; and i'll
1873 he signified his mention to decline n
reelection and to retire permanently from
the bench In 1874, without hint, much
less solicitation, on his part, he was n1ip
mated for governor, by the Republicans. and
was elected by over 10000 majority. At
the close OF his term of Office he retired to
his farm. and there spent the remainder of
his days.
Originally Democrat, Judge Peck was
strongly aroused by the aggressions OF the |
slave power, and after the formation OF the |
Free Democracy or Liberty party, he identi-
fed himself with that, and was its candidate
for Congress in this district. Upon the or
ganiz alton of the Republican party, Judge |
Peck became a Republican and the party |
has had no truer and more faithful mem-
Der than he. la ls6l-2 he represented the |
County N the State Senate In 1872, Judge |
Peck received the degree Of LID. from |
Middlebury College. In IS1G he received |
the degree OF A. b in course, as OF the year
when he would have graduated. from the
University OF Vermont. In ISL he was
elected trustee Of the u. V. NJ. and 5. A.
&. lie was recently rendered by Governor |
Proctor an appointment as one OF the Com
missioners TO revise the statutes OF our |
State; but declined the office. Some six
weeks since Judge Peck was taken i'll with
pneumonia, which was followed by drcpsy |
Of the pleural sac lie was relieved by an
operation performed by DR.. Walter Carpen
ter, and for time was supposed t. be |
rallying from the disease. lila strength |
gradually failed, however. On Sun
day he became unconsciOn1, and passed |
away at IL O'Clock IN the evening. |
Judge Peck never married; and his |
brother, Nahum, and nephew, Hon. Cicero |
q. Peck, are his only surviving relatives
near Of kin.
Oar space il small in which to give |
al adequate estimate of Judge Peck's |
character. Vermont never had more up |
right and more respected citizen. Ills |
integrity was absolute. Modest, quiet, |
kindly a. man sound, studious, |
painstaking and thorough lawyer; a.
a juris., able, clear. upright and firm |
though lenieat; q cautious, attentive and |
honored Governor the architect OF his
own fortunes, man Of clear and indepen
dent Judgment. strong convictions and
unswerving devotion to truth and right,
Judge Peck made a record which may well
be held up to example Men of his sterling
stamp are none too common in our day; and
his name will long be held in honor as
synonym for sturdy honesty and absolute
trustworthiness.