Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-04-24


following tribute from Mr.. May;
Thirty years ago first attended the
county court in the pleasant towa OF
Guildhall. Judge Jonathan Ross had
then recently been elected judge. The
bar of Essex county was then a very
strong one. Father VIM. Haywood,
careful. learned, and well known to al
most every citizen Of the county; Fietch-
ed. the elder, small in figure, but not IN
brain, aud sarcastic; Ray, the natural
fighter, aud in practice the Custer OF
the bar, hard To down, aud harder still
to keep down; Ladd, heavy and slow,
but the great legal scholar OF the bar OF
Northern New Hampshire; Henry Hey
wood, the man of great patience, accu-
rate in details and of logged persist
ence; George A. Bingham, the tireless
worker, then rapidly growing to the
thorough lawyer he became; Bartlett,
the Rufus Choate of Vermont; Belden,
young aud alert, and even then possessed
Of the great mental vigor he has since
displayed; Bates, then novice in law,
but then in preparation for the good
work he afterwards did and Dale, the
brilliant advocate, the well equipped
lawyer, were in attendance upon court,
or had been very recently. IL will be
great many years before the bar of this
county will see so many members of the
mental size of those have named. Ia
some gifts one surpassed, in others an
other, but Gov. Dale was at that time a
match for the best of them; kind aud
courteous 10 everyone never making
claims he did not believe TO be sound
fair in the presentation of facts to the
jury, aud of the law to the court. lie
was then the leader in that court. He
remained leader till his death.
"Ot his many aud varied qualities as
mau it is not possible to speak. He
was cast ia a mold larger than most OF
his fellows. lie could never tolerate
meanness in practice, and no member of
the Vermont bar ever had cause to com.
plain of the Governor as ready to take
advantage of technicality. lie treat u
his opponents position fairly, but that
opp onent had to follow the logic OF his
case, or he would learn the result of his
folly in the verdict of the jury, or the
Judgment of the court. Great as he was
as an advocate in the county court, or
as a practitioner in the supreme court,
in many other qualities he was still
greater. He was greater in his love for
his fellowmen-for poor humanity. No
man whose rights were invaded was too
poor to appeal to him for assistance. lie
was greater in his affection for the mem.
bers of the bar. The young lawyers
found him friend, and in their misfor.
tunes in court an able assistant. He
was greater as a true friend of the court
and no Judge ever had occasion to sus-
pect the Governor of double dealing. lie
was greater in his love for the county OF
his adoption, aud in which he won his
reputation. lie was greater in his love
for the state where his whole life wa
nobly spent. lie was greater in his love
for the American Republic, in which he
gloried, and of which he never failed To
speak in fitting words.
Among all the men have known,
never knew, and never shall know, but
one George n. Dale. All young men
who were ever brought into intimate re-
lations with him, at the beginning OF
their acquaintance admired him; in
their practice they feared him, aud par.
ticularly so when brought face to face
with jury; aud as years passed, and
they learned the honesty and kindnes,
of the man, they loved him. was born
near the beautiful Connecticut, III the
little county of Essex, My father aud
mother sleep in the sacred soil of the
same county, so speak rs a child oil
Essex. No man has in my time 80 com
pletely won the sincere love aud atfrc.
ton of the children of Essex as did
Gov. Dale, aud no man ever showed
greater affection for the sturdy, hard
working men and women of this county
than did the Governor. His last wol
has been spoken in this old court hous
that has heard for nearly century many
great men plead for their fellows; but
so long as there lives man Or woman
who knew the Governor in life, jus SC
long will he be called the favonte sol
of his adopted county"
In concluding the exercises, his Honor
James NJ. Tyler, presiding Judge, said
ain behalf of the Court, all the mem
bers OF which long enjoyed the friend
ship If Gov. Dale, wish to add brie
tribute to his memory. Ex-Governor
Dale was justly regarded as ranking il
| "A h.. nf la -
He had large natural eudowments and
extensive requirements. He was
scholar, lover of, and well read in
general literature, able to read books il
!, several foreign tongues. In the nobl,
impulses of the heart he was truly great
Nature gave him great soul.
"One man goes along the way of lif,
: intent upon success in his chosen pro
fession or pursuit. Necessary studies
: and demands of business leave him bu
little time to cultivate the finer sensibili
ties. Another man loses sight of moth
ing within the scope of his vision. Hi
eye sees the grandeur of the hills, tn,
) beauty of the valleys and of the way
side flowers. He hears the murmurug
brooks, the songs of the birds and all
the sweet voices of nature. Men are
different in those respects. Governor
Dale had the gift of eloquence. He hac
the magnetic voice and presence tina
charm and captivate juries and publ,
audiences, but the great secret of his
power was that he spoke from great
sympathetic heart. He believed hi.
clients cause was just. When he spoke
upon public questions his eloquence was
almost irresistible. His speech was