Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-03-16
EDWARD ], PHELPS.
Noted Vermont Diplomat Died Friday
in New Haven, Conn.

| was En-MInIster 20 the Court OF ST.
James and Kent Professor OF Law Ia
Yale UnIversIty--.the Burial In Bur-
IingtOn.
Edward j. Phelps, the eminent Yer
mont jurist, statesman and diplomat,
| Kent professor of law at Yale university
and former United States minister to
| Great Britain, died Friday afternoon at his
! home in New Haven, Conn, at the age OF
! rs. Death was due to an abscess OF the
! lungs, caused by severe attack of pneu-
monia. He was taken i'll early in January,
| and until few days before his death IL
was thought that he would recover, but
! hemorrhage Of the lungs left him so weak
! that he was unable to regain vitality. BY
his death the country loses an accomplish
ed diplomat and the profession OF the law
one of its most distinguished members.
Edward J. Phelps was born in Middle
bury July IL, 1922. His father, Samuel
! S. Phelps, was graduate of Yale, pay
master in the navy during the war of 1872,
a notable lawyer, justice of the supreme
court of Vermont for a number of years
! prior to 1888, United States senator from
! 1889 to 1851 and again in 1858 and 1854
! by appointment to fill a vacancy, and alto
! gether conspicuous and honored figure in
!
Edward John Phelps, graduated from
! Middlebury college in 1S40 He studied
law with Horatio Seymour at Utica, n. Y,
and then for year at the Yale law school.
| He was admitted to the bar of Vermont in
! 1913, and began the practice OF the law in
his native county.
Two years later he opened an office in
{ Burlington. On September 80, 1851, he
| became second controller of the treasury,
and retained that Office until the close Of
| President Fillmore's administration. De-
string larger field, Mr.. Phelps removed
! to New York in 1857 and formed a part
nership with Abraham Wakeman, but he
remained there only year or two, return
ing then to Burlington, which continued
| to be his home and centre of his activities
! for % years.
He was regarded as a representative of
| Democratic sentiment in Vermont, as one
| entitled to speak authoritatyely for the
| party. He was member Of the Consiitu-
/ tional convention, the last held in Yer
mont, and in 1850 was named as the Demo
| cratic candidate for governor. In 1881 he
was elected Kent professor Of law in Vale.
which at the same time conferred upon
! him the degree of A. NJ, his alma mater
! having already made him an Ii. D. In
! 1882 he lectured before the law students OF
| Boston university on constitutional law.
Mr.. Phelps's name was familiar to the
| people of Vermont, but beyond the Dor
ders of the state he had no general reputa-
| ton outside the courts, and great was the sur
| prise, therefore, when on March %, 1885,
| President Cleveland nominated him TO the
| post OF minister 10 England. Secretary Bay.
! ard told him Of the Presidents wishes, and
! after some hesitation he concluded TO &C
cept the appointment and his subsequent
career fully justified the Presidents &C
! ton.
Mr.. Phelps made for himself a congenial
! place in the official and social life of Eng
land. His tact, urbanty and easy elo-
! quence were appreciated at their full value
! When, during his early illness, the news
that Prof Phelps was critically III was
sent out Queen Victoria sent a personal
telegram to Mrs. Phelps, inquiring about
| his health. On his retirement from office
Mr.. Phelps devoted himself 10 his law lee
| lures, and was at one time spoken of as a
| possible president Of Columbia college TO
! fill the vacancy caused by the death Of
! President Barnard. In 1855 he contribut-
ed series Of articles on THE Constitu-
ton of the United States to THE Nine
teenth Century,
When the Behring sea controversy be-
| came the subject of public discussion Mr..
| Phelps championed the American cause as
| presented by Mr.. Blaine This course
brought down upon him a storm Of CT It'll
cism from former admirers, who could not
forgive any good word for the foreign pol
! icy of a Republican administration. He
stood boldly by his opinions, however, and
when the case "a as before the Tribunal of
! 4 rbit inn ha Nua 20
of the counsel for the United States, his
colleagues being two other eminent Demo
Gratis, Frederic r. Coudert and James G.
Carter. Mr.. Phelps made his closing pres
entation of the case for the United States
and soon after returned TO this country.
Mr.. Phelps married, while a young
man, Miss Mary Haight. Two children
survive him, Mrs. Horatio LOOMS of Bur-
lngton, and Charles Phelps, a graduate of
Yale in the class of 'S3 Another son,
who had early gained distinction as a civil
engineer, died in 1884. The Vermont
homestead is a commodious and attractive
place in the heart of the city of Burling-
ton, which has often been filed with
guests and always generously maintained.
One OF Mr.. Phelps's neghbors was Sena.
tor Edmunds, with whom, until the latter
took up his residence in Washington, and
Mr.. Phelps went to New Haven as profess
scr, he was associated in much profession
al business and constantly enjoyed friend
ly and social intercourse.
The funeral was held in Battel chapel
New Haven, Sunday afternoon. Timothy
Dwight, formerly president of Yale uni
versity, delivered the funeral address. The
honorary pallbearers were: President
Arthur M. Hadley of Yale university,
Prof. William Graham Summer, Prof.
John F. Weir, Judge Simeon E. Baldwin,
ex-Gov. Charles r. Ingersoll and Dean
Francis Wayland. The body was taken to
Burlington, where the burial in the family
plot took place Tuesday.
Bishop A. G. A. Hall officiated at the
service in Burlington, and the honorary
bearers were Gen. j. G. Mccullough of
Bennington, ex-Gov. j. W. Stewart of
Middlebury, b. F. Fi6eld of Montpelier,
President M. II. Buckham of the Univers.
ity OF Vermont, Prof. II. A. p. Torrey,
Col. b. b. Smalley, Mayor Robert Roberts
and John A. Arthur.
The state was represented by Gov. E, G.
Smith and his entire official staff. Yale
university was represented byProfs. Francis
Wayland and A. M. Wheeler. President
ID. Brainerd Kellogg and the faculty from
Middlebury college, of which the deceased
was an alumnus, and President Matthew
| RnnEhQm N n nd h.