The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1883-01-04

We copy tue iopNsihH foltofthi HVn
he Rutland Beriad md 6i,Ss which seem,
10 lie jus, estimate Of the legal scuienes'
Of the late r W Park
The late r. W. Park Was one OF the
ablest and most acute minds that Vermont
has gwen 10 the nation during The last III.
" years He started in life with the
smallest equipment Of scholastic education.
OF pos,r parentage he was a ceaseless work.
81 hons rsfly baybood 10 keep the vol
irom The family door He Was OF short
stature aud trail physique, resembling
eoine4 bat 10 mental quality ADD bodily
habit. that great lawyer, the late Jacob
Mack Of Burlington. He rose early Ia
distinction as a lawyer IN California. but
practically abandoned his profession In
his prime for business pursuits; be won
great success In oil bis financial undeftAk.
inps. il the piling up Of q vast deal more
money than any one man can possibly en-
Joy virtuously. or nse TO the greatest good
Of the greatest number, can be called de.
sirable success. And yet Mr. Park was
not money lover. or lover OF the things
which money buys; be was very gener'
Gus man: nay. more, be was benevolent
man. aud entirely without osteLtstion in
his beDevoence be was simple In his per.
soual tastes, in his dress and in his table;
he Was 10 lover OF the flesh pots Of Egypt;
he held all sorts VI snobbery in contempt
his early wrestls with want had not made
him hard faced or egotistical; be was spar
ing Of speech; be wrote aud spoke with
simple vigor and conciseness, rs witness
his model letter to Gov. Fairbanks at the
opening OF the war, . letter that for sim.
plicity and strength Of patriotic statement
Is in grateful contrast with the fro'hy elo-
quence OF other men OF that time, who
waved the American flag vigorously and
kept their hands on their wallets. Mr..
Park was not saint. and he never pos
tured ms saint. but he WAS not man Of
pretence, hypocrisy, or gross sell esteem !;
he was altogether too intensely an intel.
leetual man to stoop to these cheap ref
uges OF superficial men Whether he was
for good or evil be fought his fight bit
terly and boldly; be did not lie in am
bush or wear mask upon his face. The
pity OF il to us Is that SO bright, bold and
an intellect should have left
the law for the espricious and infinitely
lower field Of speculation. The pity Of it
is that the world did not get Mr.. Parks
best; nature made him for an acute and
able lawyer; for resolute and powerful
man OF public affairs. Had he never left
the law and politics for the world Of bust
ness and speculation. he would unques.
lionaby have risen 10 the first rank OF his
and would have been man OF
HE power Of the late Senator Morton in
politics; his fine natural talents would have
won him sn ample competence in his pro.
fession aud he would have had free play
for his noblest powers. As it was he died
with the cheap and comparatively tran
,ient fame OF successful Spectator and
man OF business. when nature intended
him for great lawyer and able statesman.
There was altogether TOO much Of L. W.
Park TO have been wasted in the demoral-
zing campaign of Wall street; he was fit
ed for nohler and better work than win
ping wealth. and the fascination OF the
street lost 10 Vermont and the nation the
best OF Mr.. Park He was no land shark;
40 greedy creature; no natural born pi.
ate or railroad wrecker like Gould, or
Vanderbilt or Drew or any OF that ordina-
y type of sordid scalpers; he loved pow
~; be loved TO win in fight; he was not
Always as scrupulous as he ought to have
been to conquer, but Mr.. Park was not 0
sordid money lover for mere moneys sake,
vas true aud generous friend, man OF
beneyolepce in many d.
ections; hater OF sham and Hypocrisy,
md take him all in all, il is pity he ever
eft the law and public life for the world
II speculation. for he might have risen to
cry high distinction before the courts,
nd made a large figure in national poll
les. The void lost the best OF him when
le turned bis back on fame and went TO
making money. Meaner and smaller men
han be have made as much money as he,
mt few men had his rare natural powers
or the high intellectual pursuits of pub.
ic distinction.