The Newtown bee., 1900-12-14

vn Library Association.
 tioned, we'll hammered, cultivated, re- fined, thriving.
 The reason for this Is not far to seek. Prior to the end of the. first quarter of the present century, before the growth of manufactures, before the opening up of the Wertern prairies, when we had our home products to look to for food and clothing and all the comforts and most of the luxuries of existence, land repre- sented wealth, the best land the greatest wealth, and without some accumulation of wealth, education, cultivation, refiae- ment, could not thrive, for where land was poor the struggle was too hard, the contest with nature too depressing, but where rich land produced an abundance and with something to spare, the men who could afford 1t gave the best advau tages to their children; schools were good, domestic life was comparatively easy, homes became first comfortable, then elegant, then luxurious with won derful facility. The men who were first at home soon became of importance abroad and the town wielded an Influence throughout the state.
 That all this was true of Newtown is easy to show. I wonder if most of you here to-day have fonsidered what . prominent position the cit'z ens of New. town hold in our States history. Three governors, three justices of the Supreme Court, near . dozen distinguished law yers, some of them of unusual pre-. emtnence, not to mention other profes- sional and non-professional citizsns of distinction. This is your noble record, quite sufficien: to fill your hearts with pride whenever you allow yourselves to think of 1t. Who were these men of renown?
 First, the Rev John Beach, of whom we have already heard and who, sturdy old tory as he was, has given us a line of descendants as patriotic and loyal tt their country and their flag as he was te his king and his church and one of whom evsn in these latter days has given hit life for his country's defence; and if the old man could be with us to-day, nay, ii he now sees us here, whether from nea, or far, we know that we have his bless ing, and that he eays ''good son, good daughter, thou hast been faithful and shalt reap thy reward"
 I do not pretend to . knowledge of the local history of Newtown only of such al might be gathered from State history but the next name that have in mind i. that of William Edmonds, physical and intellectual giant, . soldier of the Revo lution, wounded in the service, an able Ia wyer, . member of Congress and s judge of the Supreme Court of the state
 Next in order comes Asa Chapman also judge of the Supreme Court and se skilled in the science of the law tha, young men came to him from all parts of the country for instruction and Judge Chapman's law school became we'll and widely known. If you read. those brief records of the lights of the profession in the Connecticut reports you will see how many distinguished men began their legal training under him. And in con. nection with him 1t Is natural to speak o1 his still more distinguished son, Charles Chapman, one of the most powerful ad- vocates, expert examiners, and shrewd managers that ever graced the Concecti- cut bar. His name, hls fame, his wit, his kindly smile, his ready repartee, still live in its mem ories and traditions, and will long remain.
 Isaac Toucey, attorney gen eral of the Uni ed States, Secretary of the Navy, governor of the state, as famous in quiet dignity and intellectual power a was Chapman in his more versatile and bril-. liant methods, a noteworthy man where seen.
 Henry Dutton, not born here but giv. ing the best of his early professional life here, governor of the state, member of the Supreme Judicial court, reviser of it's statutes, head of it's law school Newtown can claim him as a son by adoption and by choice.
 Alfred Blackman, born and educated here until ready to enter college and re- turning here::for his legal training, ap able advocate whose orderly methods and we'll kept office were at once the envy and despair of his brother members of the bar; judge of the County court and the Court of probate, and clerk of the District court of the United States. He passed away at an advanced age In the full enjoymen. of the respect of the com munity in which he lived.
 Luzon B. Morris, governor of,the state, . man whose name was . synonym for honesty. good judgment and level headed sense.
 Neither should leave out from this list John Beach, judge of the New Haven County court and cle rk of the Superior court, nor his more distinguished son, John Sheldon Beach, admitted on all sides to be one of Connecticut's ablest lawyers, who tried his cases and made his arguments in almost conversational