The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1909-11-04

mont commanding position among
the States of that Union which she
had Joined. And upon this young law
yer as he went on in life this serv-
ice seems to have fallen. In his char
acter he seemed to represent those
qualities which had carried Vermont
through her early struggles, and had
led her to adopt constitution based
on the soundest principles of free gov
eminent In the War of 1912 he closed
his office and joined the army of the
United States as lieutenant of artil-
lery, and placed his name in that
martial roll for which Vermont had
already become distinguished. In
1921 he was called by his townsmen
into civil service, and commenced
public career which closed only with
his death in 1865, and during which
he secured the high positi0h as the
representative citizen of Vermont in
her early wears as an independent
Commonwealth.
The statue, which has been carved
with such severe and touching and
expressive simplicity, and has been
placed by his grateful fellow citizens
in the historic Hall of the Capitol, re-
minds us that he, more than all
others, shaped and nodded and gave
character to the State in whose SER
vice he was so long engaged. He
thoroughly comprehended that con-
stitution which / have laid before
you, and instinctively and without eff
fort was guided by it as citizen and
magistrate. He was a Christian gem
tleman, and accepting that freedom
of conscience in matters of religion
which was recognized in the consti-
tuition, he was liberal and tolerant
while firm in the faith. Strong and
honest in his convictions, he demand
ed freedom of speech and the press
for all men. Temperate and frugal
in all his ways, he stood as an ex-
ample of those virtues which his
State required by constitution in her
rulers. Incapable of bribery himself,
he recognized no temptation in
others, and, called to office which he
never sought, he discharged his du-
ties faithfully and exercised such
economy as the small rewards of pub
lie position rendered necessary He
believed in the genius of that consti-
tuition which laid these principles and
characteristics at the foundation OF
the State. His mind accepted readily
the high requirements of constitution
and law in the State of his adoption
and to whatever pubic service he was
called he was recognized as the EN-.
bodiment of that stern Puritan code.
This, then constitutes his greatness
that he was true to the spirit of his
Commonwealth, and the highest doc
trines of State and society in his
country, and that he never falteret
in their defense and advocacy. HI
brought to the bench a sound knowl
edge of the law, an unerring judg
ment, and keen perception. HI
brought to the halls of legislation al
honest purpose, quick understand
ing, and great power of statement. HI
brought to all his public service ;
fearless conscience, great devotion
and undoubted courage, great simple
ity and great prudence, which seem
ed to the more demonstrative ant
!, impetous like timidity and indecision
For more than forty years, however
years of great moment, crowded witt
, critical events, he so bore himself a
to secure the confidence of his State
the admiration of his friends, the res
, pect of his opponents During thes
, years from 1921, when he entered tn
Legislature of Vermont, to 1856
when he died, there was written tn
most remarkable chapter of American
history; and in that period he unos
, tentatiously performed his part well
! and in accordance with those doc
r trines which he adopted when he en-
: tered upon his career as citizen an
) servant of the State of Vermont.
= While it did not fall upon him t
= create and organize and expound a
1t did upon Parsons and Marshall
= while he followed in the footsteps O
e great judicial wisdom on the benc
, of that State, and had before him tn
brilliant career of Royal Tyler, VIII
d, as jurist, scholar, poet, novelist, ha
e illumined the early intellectual his
3 tory of Vermont, it was left for hir
A to lay down body of law which TO
e freedom from bias, broad comprehen
a sion, logical precision, and purity @
4 diction has not been surpassed. In
S spired with profound love of hi
!, profession, and with religious fait
!, in the wisdom of the Constitution uI
: on which his opinions were founded
= he filled In every way the measure G
I a good lawyer and wise judge. Pass
I ing from the severe training of thi
n service into the stormy arena of leg
d islative debate, he displayed the cali
r determination of an enlightened an
: approving conscience, the READINGS
}, of clear understanding, the force {
Il wit, and the power of an amiable an