Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-03
Communications.
Letter from Hon. J. N. shar.er.

In a recent Vermont paper in an obituary
of the Hon. Chas. X. Field, l find this from
your paper: with one exception, Jas. Nom.
Shafter, living, Mr.. Field was the last Of that
generation of men, composed Of the Brad
leys, the Kelloggs, the Skaters and the Fields,
who for more than half a century gave emf
hence to the bar Of Windham county, and
whose names will always shine in the galaxy
Of Vermont's distinguished men,"
Though personally as far removed from
Vermont rs our national barriers will permit,
cannot pass this notice-this echo Of home
in silence. As to the dead of the genera
ton of men you name, after making all allow
ance for the glamour which time aud distance
always lend, the grandeur of their living
presence comes back to me with such force
that place them among the best of those,
| the memory OF whom Vermont should cher
ish with pride for their ability and reverence
for their virtues. When l left Vermont, Mr..
Field was but arrived at the zenith of his life.
do not doubt that he went forward and up
ward from that time. It was my good for
tune to DO his intimate acquaintance. His
mature at the core" tods gentle aud genial ="
! His wit and sarcasm" on more than one oo-
casion made me their object Of attack but il
was always humorous or witty, and always
| for honest advice or wise reproof.
The name Of Mr.. Field must have recalled
that of his brother, Roswell NJ, the genial
graceful gentleman, the able lawyer and silver
tongued orator of his day. Leaving, hope,
the memory Of an undeserved misfortune be-
hind him, he was long leading lawyer Of St.
Louis.
OF General Kellogg" need not speak he
must still be perfectly remembered-lawyer
aud judge-as one who looked through the
form to the substance Of things, and as pos
sessed Of that keen perception which detected
the subterfuges of fraud and clearly saw the
Justice of the case submitted for Judgment.
Among these men was one, not only in age,
but in soundness of judgment, learning, and
versatility of talent who wns Justly to bc call
ed the Nestor of our tribe-the Hon. Vim. c.
Bradley. In all my observation have never
met one who was in himself the embodiment
of so much humor, wit, pathos, power OF
statement and true cloquence, as Mr.. Bradley.
1t is one of the few unsatisfactory recollec-
tions of Vermont that the misfortune Of deaf
ness, and his political opinions, deprived the
state and nation of the full benefit of Mr.
Bradley's extraordinary powers.
OF my brother | cannot permit myself &c
speak-at least, not as his memory deserves.
''He was a scholar from his youth and ripe
aud Good one" Not, perhaps, possessed OF
the highest and keenest perception, be haC
the higher possession of solidity of judg
ment and such extraordinary powers of all
straction, concentration and generalization M
are rarely exhibited in one person. After ht
had gone through his examination of ques
ton, it was his habit to call me into his room
and go over his process and conclusion will
me. Almost invariably, at least to my vision
the hay, wood aud stubble of false doctrine
had disappeared as in fire, and nothing bu
the imperishable monument of truth and jus
tice remained. As to the opinions of others
l send you an account OF the proceedings o
the supreme court, aud Of the obituary ser
vices at the burial Of his remains on their ar
rival from Italy, where he died.
For many years have been tho debtor o
the Vermont press for friendly notices Of my
self. Your own seems to authorize a response
l feel and am very grateful for the kind.
recollcctions Of me which have not as ye
persisted from my birthplace. While | shoul,
not presume to assert a right of place anon
the distinguished men with whom you 1850
ciate me, the distinction is too hattering to b
declined.
II my brother or myself have done any
thing good in our day and generation Il ma.
speak for both, we acknowledge that we ar
indebted to the parents God gave us, and T.
the schools and moral and social influences o
our early home, which taught US TO live hon
estly, sobcrly and industriously, and, il W
could not ourselves become great, in the Ian
! guage of your constitution, to honor thos
, only "most noted for wisdom and virtue"
/ has ever been our maxim that it was not necel
sary for us to hold office, nor even TO be HAP
Ply, but that it was necessary to be right.
have a deep, abiding hope for the groa
4 future Of California believe and hope II
earth will finally cover me; but when the
time comes-and you admonish me that al
the last of my generation-I know that Vel
mont and the heart upon which it is write
will fall into dust together.
! i McM SnATrrn.