Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-03-04
Tho collamer Sta tue.

Collamcr for the hall of statuary at the Ma
tional Capitol, was signalized by three strik-
ing addresses, the first by Mr.. Tyler of Yer
mont, the second by Or. Loring of Massa-
chusetts, the third by Alexander ii. Stephens
of Georgia. The last, 10 which wo have al
ready alluded, was specially interesting on
account of its "reminiscences, and the sources
from which they came, and we reprint it
from the Record:
The occasion is to me impressive and sug-
gestive The distinguished statesman whose
statue is now presented, under the act OF
Congress of 1864, by the State of Yer
mont, l knew well and intimately for
several years. We entered Congress together
in lS43 and remained in the House together
until 1Si9, when he WAS appointed 10 the
office of Postmaster-Gen During the
three Congresses twenty eighth, twenty
ninth and thirtieth-of our joint service In
the old legislative hall, for two years We oc.
cuped adjacent seats. We were also OF
the same mess at Mrs. Carter's boarding
house in the old Dowson row, on Capitol
hill, over yonder, little northeast OF the
present Senate chamber, which has within
the last few years been removed for the
enlargement of the Capitol grounds. lie
contributed much "to the light of the
life" of that mess, where were Taney, Story,
Mclean and Mckinley of the Supreme
Court bench, and Peters, the old reporter,
with John J. CrIttenden (scnator) and Henry
Grider (membcr) Of Kentucky. Henry 1.
Cranston of Rhode Island, Meredith L. Cen
try and Edward II. Ewing of Tennessee;
Allen +. Owen, Toombs and myself of
l,norUio with other SInnll ylSltlnt law
yers attending the Supreme Court, among
whom were the elder Thomas Ewing ofOhio,
with his little son bearing his fathers name,
who is now distinguished member OF tins
house, and the present Chief ef-Justicc Waite.
and Mr.. Evarts, now Secretary OF state L
well recollect Judge Collamer's first speech
in the house. 1t was i'll support oil the con-
stitutionality OF the law of Congress provid-
ing for the election of members OF the house
in all the States by districts, instead OF what
was called the general-ticket system. Ma
caulay says that on the celebrated trial OF the
bishops in the reign of James II, Lord
John SOmers (then an unknown barrlster)
made speech of little over five min
utcs, with such force nnd power that
when he sat down his ''utalon as hn
orator and constitutional lawyer was estab-
lshed. This speech of Judge Collamer, not
over thirty minutes in length, was 50 point
ed, clear logical and Conclusive, that 1t put
him ut once in the front rank of debaters,
lawyers and iurists in the House, where
were Robert C. Winthrop, Daniel Barnard,
Meredith p. Gentry, the two lngersolls
(brothers, Jared and Joseph K }, K. Barnwell
Rhctt, Kenneth Rayncr, Alexander Droom-
COLE Dixon II. Lewis, Cave Johnson, Henry
A. Wise, and ''the old man eloquent, John
Quincy Adams, many of whom and others
had already attained National and some OF
them worldwide reputation VI the new
members who came in the House with my
self and tho distinguished deceased, in honor
of whom we received this statue, only three,
believe, besides myself are now in public
life These are the learned and scholarly
George p. Marsh of Vermont, distinguish
ed colleague of the deceased who Is still IN
the service of the country abroad, the pres
cnt senior Senator from Maine, MIR. Hamln,
cx-Vice President of the United States, and
Alexander Ramsey, the present distinguished
Secretary of War.
THIS occasion, Mr.. Speaker, | have said Is
to me impressive il is profoundly 50. IL
revivcs many pleasant "reminiscences, anu
also causes many sad and melancholy re
Elections. In the language of one OF natures
trucst poets ! can most truly say;
stu DER the scenes NV memory wakes,
And fondiy brooi5 with mlsrr care;
Time but the impression deeper makes,
As streams their channels deeper wear.
What changes have taken place since those
days! What changes in the personnel OF
those conducting the public affairs OF our
country, What changes in the outward,
material world What progress IN art, IN
science, in steam, i'll the telephone, III meie''-
rology, the signal service, in photography, IN
the telegraph, and other uses and apphca-
tions of the wonderful but hidden power OF
electricity But enough upon these sub
iects now The late distinguished
Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Sumner)
in cliaracterizing Jacob Collamer styled him
''the Green Mountain Socrates In this he
was right, not only in the sense in which he
| illustrated his meaning, but also in another
Collamer was not only Socratlc in his mode
| of reasoning, his manner OF handling II
subject under discussion, and the earncslneSs
of his convictions, but he came as near
the rule laid down by Socrates as
| q test of wisdom rs any man ever Knew
This great teacher said that the highest oil
all wisdom is n knowledge of the boundary
line between the known and the unknown
The subject of this tribute WAS striking cx-
ample Of wisdom of this order. He was Il
man of great probity, of most exemplary
conduct and of sincere piety, but never IN
,lulgcd in the expression of positive opinions
or even specuations upon the unknown. or
what he did not clearly understand in any
| sphere of thought. This occasion. MIR.
| Speaker, is also highly suggestive in another
respect. especially to all Of us in this House,
and Just now while we are i'll tho chilling
shadow OF death, which has so recently
stricken one OF our most distinguished asso-
ciatcs (Mr. Fernando Wood. 1t teaches
that in all our conflicts and struggles and
aspirations for success, for asccndancy AMI
distinction and worldly fame. we should re-
member and ever bear in mind the great
truth that
| The boast Of heraldry, the pomp oi power,
| And all that beauty. all thai wdith r'rr gave
| Await alike the inevitable hour
| The paths OF glory lead hni Ia the grave
Mans highest aspirations should he fol
objects md ends in another nnd higher
sphere Of existence.