St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-03-24
In Memory of Judge Bates.

Chamberln Post on Saturday evening
honored the memory of Judge Henry c.
Bates, past commander of the Post.
The speakers were E. L. Hovey, L. P.
Slack, W. P. Smith, Elisha May, D. P.
Celley, and John Mcdonald, and all
whom all admired.
The following letter from Gov Ide was
received by Capt. Montgomery too late
to be read to the Post and is therefore
given to the public.
1905 Rhode Island Ave,
Washington, D. c.,
March 10, 1909.
70 the Comrades of Chamberlin Post,
of the Grand Army of the Republic, St.
Johnsbury, Vt.
Dear Friends:
The announcement of the death of
Judge Bates has just reached me, and
at the same time learn from our local
papers that, at its meeting on Saturday
evening Of this week, Chamberlin Post
will conduct a memorial service devoted
to brief review of his life and services.
| would like to take part in those exer-
cises, but distance forbids, and | fear
that this letter may be too late for use
on that occasion. Yet | wish to send it,
hoping that it may arrive in season to
make its small contribution to the oc-
casion.
| knew Judge Bates intimately and
thoroughly. For many years we were
competitors at the bar. He was often
my associate in important litigation,
and more often my opponent. In the
former capacity he was resourceful wise,
and with an admirable ability and dis
position to cooperate. In the latter he
was formidable, alert, and dangerous to
his antagonist. While he was a sound
lawyer and possessed an excellent ca
pacity for legal discrimination, yet it
was as an advocate before a jury
that he shone most brightly. Here
his effective command of language, his
ability to select naturally and easily the
best and most forcibe expression. his
apt and appropriate Illustrations his
appeals to the every day knowledge and
experience of his hearers, his strong sense
and power of logical statement and
graceful gesture and action, combined to
make him leader at the bar and man
to be reckoned with in all important
litigation in our section.
My intimate knowledge of his ability
and character led me to secure his ap-
pointment as Judge in the courts of the
Philippine Islands. The event justified
the appointment. He was a success as
judge, as had no doubt would be the
| He ha han
and off it, fair, patient, willing to listen,
of an open mind free from preludices,
willing to make the most careful study
of cases, possessed Of a strong sense of
justice, and his decisions showed a
thorough grasp of the important ques-
tions of law and fact involved 1t was
not an easy thing to go among people
alien in race, customs, traditions laws
and language, and win the respect and
love OF the people. But this Judge Bates
! did. There was universal confidence in
his integrity, fairness and ability. His
district was one of the most important
in the Islands, embracing more than
100000 people, more than the whole
population of Vermont, suppose, and
he was the only judge for all these people,
except on appeal to the supreme court
his judgments could be reversed as is
usual in all Jurisdictions There were no
JurieS, so that he had to pass upon both
the law and the fact in all cases includ-
ing capital ones. Thus the responsible
ity was very great and he felt it, especial
ly when duty compelled him to convict
and to follow conviction by the death
penalty. But he did not shrink from per-
forming the whole duty, even though his
kind heart would incline him so strongly
to mercy. He left the Islands with the
universal respect of all who had been
brought in contact with him. While his
career as a lawyer, as a citizen, as sol
der as public official was distinguish
ed, yet am confident that his really best
work was done as Judge in the Philip
pine Islands.
When he was in Vermont last summer
he was a part OF the time a guest in nv
nome. 1t was great pleasure to me to
nave with me one who had so long been
my comrade and co-worker at home and
abroad. We understood each other
thoroughly. But when we separated,
though no word of that kind was
spoken, we both knew that the end of
our earthly meetings had come. | knew
that should never again gaze into his
kindly eyes, or grasp the hand that was
so soon to tall never to lift itself. You
mourn for him as a comrade in arms. |
mourn for him as a true and loyal friend.
Yours IN the bonds Of common sor-
row,
HENRY c. IDE