The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-02-01

and was grandson of Samuel
Niles, the famous author and
minister of Braintree, Mass. A
student at Harvard, a graduate
OF Princeton, a student of medi-
cine and law and also of theology
under Rev. DR.. Bel1amy, a teach
er in New York City, a preacher
at Norwich and Torrington,
Conn.,, inventor of the process of
making wire from bar iron by
water power, popular poet, his
we'll trained and versatile powers
were competent to master the diff
flcultles of every emergency.
When with several associates he
settled at Middle Brook in Fair
lee, shortly after the Revolution
his abilities and varied attain
ments at once gained him COM
manding position. 1t was said
that the town of Fair1ee was not
big enough for two such men as
Judge Niles and Gen. Israel
Morey.
If mountains interposed make
enemies of nations which had
else like kindred drops been min
gled into one," perhaps it was the
range of separating and almost
impossible hills that decreed the
dismemberment of Fairlee in 1887
and the subsequent autonomy of
West Fairlee. Mr.. Niles and his
wife, and two others at once Or
ganized a church, he entered with
zeal upon religious work and for
twelve years preached every Sab
bath in his own house OF barn, to-
constantly increasing congrega-
tions. Elected to the Legisla-
ture in 1894, he was Immediately
chosen speaker, a position which
he filled with impartiality and
eminent ability. The same year
with Ira Allen and Moses Robin
son, he was sent on a commission
to Congress ''to transact and ne
gotiate the business of the State
with that body" He also served
several years as one of the Judges
of the supreme court, was two
years a member of the Coun-
Gil, served in the constitutional
in 1871, and was
largely influential in securing the
of the Federal COnsti-
tuition. When Vermont was ad-
nitted into the Union, Judge
Niles was elected to Congress,
and served from 1871 to '95. In
he political career of Judge Niles
We have an epitome of the course
If political opinion. He was
elected to Congress before the dis
inct crystalization of party lines
n state and nation, but being a
ta1wart Jeffersonian republican,
lis retirement became inevitable,
When party spirit ran high, and
he Federalists gained control of
he State.
He again represented Fairlee
n the Legislature during six terms,
vas again a member of the coun-
il of censors in 1899, was again
to the Governors coun-
il in 1903 and until 1903, and
ook conspicuous part in the
Constitutional Convention of 1914.
although of distinguished lin
age and select education, he was
mphatically opposed to aristo-
ratio ideas and a genuine repub-
can in theory and practice. He
-as a resolute antagonist of slav-
ry and the champion of the de-
land of the State in 1905, for
institutional amendment for
YER prohibiting the importation
f slaves or negroes into the
)untry.
Judge Niles public career
illustrates that sturdy
and originality that
as so marked a characteristic of
lie typical Vermonter. He was
;tive and prominent in local
latters and affairs of national
nportance. He was prominent
! 1901, in advocacy of the amend
ent to the Federal Constitution
IT the election by districts of
residential electors and repre-
to Congress, measure
lat passed the Vermont Legis-