New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-18
\ SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
BRILLIANT SERVICES IN CONGRESS. As MINIS
TER TO GERMANY AND TO AUSTRIA

SEY'S HIGHEST COURT.
William Water Phelps was Of English descent
the first OF his ancestors who came 70 America
bavinr been william Phelps a brother Of the John
pae;ps who served oliver Cromwell in the capaoi'F
Of nrlva,e secretary William PAeps came 10 TINS
country IN 1890 and made his home near SirAsonIS'
Conn John LAY Phelps father Of William Walter
and grandson u William. was the frs OF me ilih!
20 leave the original American HOMESTEAD he came "
Nsu.-yo-k made a fortune a. an importer AMI or
gained the Delaware. Lackawanna ana western
Rolroad Conpa0y Here his son, The subject o.
this sketch was born August ~ lS". N"l'"''
walter was provided with the customary prepare
tory education and then sent 10 Yale from "l''n
college he was graduated in lS0 staining S'03N
IN his class lie now spent several years N Flu
ropean travel and study. and on his return 10 Ne"
York took up the study Of the law at the Coium"i
College Law School. where he repeated the success
which had attended his Classical stulies anu "@S
valedictorian Of his class at graduation IN lo'''
After entering upon the practice OF law III lh'S
CITY he became a director Of the Nauonal O''y
pork .ba second Nationa, Bank the United States
Trust Connneny the Farmers Loan and Trust COM
pany the Delaware Lackawanna ana western h"''-
road the Oswego and Syracuse Railroad, the Syra-
cuse and R!nghamton Railroad. the Nayuga ana
Susduehanna Railroad. the Texas lnternaroh'' hi'-
road The Houston ard Great Northern RllroAd' inc
N.w-IJ,ven and Northampton Railroad ana the Nor
rls and Essex Railroad Men Ike Moses laylor'
Marshall O Roberts. Samuel Sloan and William T.
Dodge engaged him largely ana constantly III pro-
fessional work either for their corporations OF ''m-
selves and some Of them expressed much "lS"pp'""-
,ncnt and sense Of personal loss when he gave up
proc,ice 20 enter public Ne Mr. Phelps retired large
Nv from general professional work as lawyer III loo'
on the death Of his father. lie had shown such ap''
as a young lawyer and had been so succesSIu' a.
TO cal especial attention 20 his work Nheh 'u'''e
Barrett resigned his seat on the Bench OF He
Sixth District Court. Governor Fonton appointed Nj
Phens - tne place. 1t a most gratifying tribute
10 the earning talen; AMI serious-mndeinoSS OF "e
young 1urst. who was however. constrained 10 az
cline the Office because OF the multiplicity OF LIS
private duties. That he retained an ardent love for
the Jaw. and a profound respect for me Judi'ial
office he demonstrated when. after over twenty
years of brilliant political NE, he chose TO make an
end Of his public on the bench OF the court
of Errors and Appeals Of New-Jersey, place 10
which he was appointed by Governor Nerts WINE
he yet United states Minis-er 70 Germany
IFS FIRST TERN IN CONGRESS.
In 49, Mr. Phelps who then now made his
home at Teaneck. near Eng,ewocd y J. was NOM
mated for Congress by the RepubIcans Of The N'n
New-Jersey District. composed Of the counties OF
Be-gen Morris and Passa.c lie was elected by
majority Of 27i5-only 9s9 less thar Gr1nts-ihe
vote being: Phelps 27o1; \. 3. Woodruff dADerap
e9Ss He took his sea; in the Mild CONGRESS on
December !. 1873. and his term expired On MAFoA D.
1870. Although his first period OF service IN Con
gress was Only TWO years. Mr. Pne.ps's career VAS
50 b-ilicn; that 4 sad q HIM that 10 man. IL
many years had made such mark In 50 short
time His reputation In Congress was iiT"; maHe 10y
his attack upon the franklng privilege. In us
speeches upon this subject ne displayed rare powers
81 sa,cSs am pir.,I. , by ,teTs tha; coon m -
hin an ~ "a ne mos, co9srjcI51s Of Inc younger
members Of Congress. Although an ardent iti"',
aSa0 MI P1f hdsg was he GT sh 6 woad
work 'njagy rather than bench, 20 ihc co.QreI rag
and moreover he cons Tered it unconsutnu nal. he
on financial questions gave him stu greater iepudc
ton. and his was printed on the pages OF
nearly every newspaper in the land These speeches
gave clear synopsis OF the leading princ.piNs o.
men suggested that he should be secTetary Of me
Treasury While in Ceng Ge; MN rne5 1Ra9re
into the Condition Of Affairs in the Southern states
Ranking and Currency Writing in 1850 Of Nh
Phelps's first term In Congress. ne"sptl'r cor
respondent who had had many years experience d"
":SWniie cther new members were occupied Ike
iongitude Of their seats. ana growing accustomed
TO their strange surroundings ne f,eppru az o5'.e
laton aud treated as one OF mem. ne niaae
s s%G 0J uds sI 1s oT Their vii and hgmor hc
drew everybody's attention 10 him. and ms charn
Rs s SaO's strong Rep16iican but very Independent
He opposed the methods Of the Gran, Ad MINI
and expcdient for the party TO do, and II the men
% yar9v d4 o wh him he wen, his way an
iet them 60 theirs He was not what TREY can =
fered from Gn' the D ms5ry ani ken this occurr(
he held his views in frank and many way, II
Der no man who made 50 much OF ma e gd VI 81
Who knew how 20 value brains and independence
used 10 predict great career for MN, ana We VIZ
Of pubIe ne Hi-heaith. the demands Of bushes
upon his time and the charms OF his lCU-acIe iafn
caused his reluctance 10 wrestle again with Demo
cratic dsrG ,h9agn al 5af ' sncc ns IN pd
should have shaped his futureLout when a i Nv
s SaTs aiS house e ha, is desh to he and
comfort 10 the soul and Doqy-ana toie over rs -
10 plant trees and enjoy his library AMI andscap
to struggling IN the hot and dusty arena OF pubh
. II met him the train the Other day
e conveTs al in washington just after the cvi
Rights bill passed the House Mr. Phelps was IN
only Republican who had the courage to speak an,
vote against that measure declaring as a%}yer
that Il was Unconstitutional and as phoIop a .p
Yes said Mr. Phelps I remember y well. It wa
j did that my friends. who sat in mournful sllenc
around me. believed that was sealing my poltica
are Very numerous in my district were made
think that vote proved me their enemy, ana me
Tney are e an I'd Ig h ac unconstuiiona as knew
bin was a bad one that no one, even in the south
5nur saes eH Tofc n the a% so they
that they had done me injustice. and ne conse
quence IL. for they are a magnanimous set OF fel
lows. they are very anxious 70 show their regIe
and make up for the past Why 1t was one OF IN
pleasantest sights In the Engewood primary 0
last month 10 see a long line Of their smiling face
as they passed I'm line by the box dropping thei
ballots for Colonel GrosYenOr. Each man Of then
smiled and nodded. and several Of them seized m
hand to say T Is pleasant to * Pscs so al You
ONCE and wanting none. there are few men in New
Jersey who know the political currents OF the stat
so thoroughly. who well Informed as
the course OF National affairs"
UNITED STATES MINISTER TO AUSTRIA
In 1874 Mr. Phelps again the nominee Of hi
marty for Congress but was defeated by seve
majority. the vote being: Phelps. 1850; Augusta
w. Cutler Dem). l1.s77. In 1875 he was PROMINENT
mentioned in the contest for the seat OF John
S.ackton NlernN In the Cnited states Senate Con