Edward John Phelps
Encyclopedia
Edward John Phelps was a lawyer
and diplomat
from Vermont
. Born in Middlebury, he graduated from Middlebury College
in 1840, studied law at Yale University
, and began practicing in 1843.
had been a U.S. Senator from Vermont. Edward Phelps, completing his undergraduate education at Middlebury College
, became a schoolmaster for a year in Virginia
. He studied law
at Yale University
and was admitted to the bar in 1843. He began practice at Middlebury but in 1845 moved to Burlington, Vermont
.
until 1857, when he returned to Burlington, Vermont
. He became a Democrat
after the Whig
party had ceased to exist. He was debarred from a political career in his own state, where his party was in the minority, but he served in the state constitutional convention in 1870.
He was one of the founders of the American Bar Association
and was its president in 1880-1881. From 1881 until his death he was Kent Professor of Law in Yale University
.
. In the gubernatorial race he was excoriated as an unrepentant Democratic copperhead:
in Britain from 1885 to 1889, and in 1893 served as senior counsel
for the United States before the international tribunal at Paris
to adjust the Bering Sea Controversy. His closing argument, requiring eleven days for its delivery, was an exhaustive review of the case.
Phelps lectured on medical jurisprudence at the University of Vermont
in 1881-1883, and on constitutional law at Boston University
in 1882-1883, and delivered numerous addresses, among them The United States Supreme Court and the Sovereignty of the People at the centennial celebration of the Federal Judiciary in 1890, and an oration at the dedication of the Bennington Battle Monument
, unveiled in 1891 at the centennial of Vermont's admission to the Union.
In politics Phelps was always conservative
, opposing the anti-slavery movement before 1860, the free-silver movement
in 1896, when he supported the Republican
presidential ticket, and after 1898 becoming an ardent "anti-expansionist."
President Grover Cleveland
intended to appoint him as U.S. Chief Justice
in 1888, but Phelps was concerned that his tenure as ambassador to the Court of St. James's in Great Britain would cause the Democratic Party
to lose the support of Irish-Americans, and he declined.
Phelps died in New Haven, Connecticut
. Former Yale University president Timothy Dwight V
eulogized Phelps.
in London on January 24, 1899, quoting Bishop W. C. Magee of Peterborough in 1868.
"Better a hundred times an honest and capable administration of an erroneous policy than a corrupt and incapable administration of a good one." Spoken at a dinner of the New York Chamber of Commerce.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
from Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. Born in Middlebury, he graduated from Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
in 1840, studied law at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, and began practicing in 1843.
Schooling
Phelps' father Samuel S. PhelpsSamuel S. Phelps
Samuel Shethar Phelps was a United States Senator from Vermont. He was a member of the Whig Party.Phelps was born in Litchfield, Connecticut. He studied at Yale University and served as a military paymaster during the War of 1812. He then settled in Middlebury, Vermont and became a lawyer, soon...
had been a U.S. Senator from Vermont. Edward Phelps, completing his undergraduate education at Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
, became a schoolmaster for a year in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. He studied law
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and was admitted to the bar in 1843. He began practice at Middlebury but in 1845 moved to Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
.
Professional and academic life
From 1851 to 1853 he was second controller of the United States Treasury. He then practised law in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
until 1857, when he returned to Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
. He became a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
after the Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
party had ceased to exist. He was debarred from a political career in his own state, where his party was in the minority, but he served in the state constitutional convention in 1870.
He was one of the founders of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
and was its president in 1880-1881. From 1881 until his death he was Kent Professor of Law in Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
.
Political activities
In 1880 Phelps was the Democratic nominee for Governor of VermontGovernor of Vermont
The Governor of Vermont is the governor of the U.S. state of Vermont. The governor is elected in even numbered years by direct voting for a term of two years; Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every two years, instead of every four...
. In the gubernatorial race he was excoriated as an unrepentant Democratic copperhead:
Failing to gain office, he was Envoy to Court of St. James's
Had he maintained his resolution to accept no political nomination, the memory of his attitude from 1860 to 1865 might have quite passed away ; but the Democratic nomination and his speech of acceptance, in which, with surprising want of tact, he aired afresh his old hatred of the African and attacked the Southern Republicans, white and black, with a virulence which few Southern Democrats could equal … have brought it into strong prominence. Still stronger light has been thrown on it by the publication of a careful stenographic report of a speech made by Mr. Phelps in September, 1864, before a little club of Copperheads in Burlington. In this he called Mr. Lincoln a 'wooden-head' and a 'twentieth-rate back country attorney,' declared that the North was fighting simply to 'turn loose all the [racial epithet]' and 'whitewash the [racial epithet] in the blood of millions[.].
Court of St. James's
The Court of St James's is the royal court of the United Kingdom. It previously had the same function in the Kingdom of England and in the Kingdom of Great Britain .-Overview:...
in Britain from 1885 to 1889, and in 1893 served as senior counsel
Senior Counsel
The title of Senior Counsel or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, typically equivalent to the title "Queen's Counsel" used in Commonwealth Realms...
for the United States before the international tribunal at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to adjust the Bering Sea Controversy. His closing argument, requiring eleven days for its delivery, was an exhaustive review of the case.
Phelps lectured on medical jurisprudence at the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
in 1881-1883, and on constitutional law at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
in 1882-1883, and delivered numerous addresses, among them The United States Supreme Court and the Sovereignty of the People at the centennial celebration of the Federal Judiciary in 1890, and an oration at the dedication of the Bennington Battle Monument
Bennington Battle Monument
The Bennington Battle Monument is a 306 ft stone obelisk located at 15 Monument Circle, in Bennington, Vermont. The monument commemorates the Battle of Bennington during the Revolutionary War....
, unveiled in 1891 at the centennial of Vermont's admission to the Union.
In politics Phelps was always conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
, opposing the anti-slavery movement before 1860, the free-silver movement
Free Silver
Free Silver was an important United States political policy issue in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Its advocates were in favor of an inflationary monetary policy using the "free coinage of silver" as opposed to the less inflationary Gold Standard; its supporters were called...
in 1896, when he supported the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
presidential ticket, and after 1898 becoming an ardent "anti-expansionist."
President Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
intended to appoint him as U.S. Chief Justice
Chief Justice of the United States
The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
in 1888, but Phelps was concerned that his tenure as ambassador to the Court of St. James's in Great Britain would cause the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to lose the support of Irish-Americans, and he declined.
Phelps died in New Haven, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Former Yale University president Timothy Dwight V
Timothy Dwight V
Timothy Dwight V was an American academic, an educator, a Congregational minister, and president of Yale College...
eulogized Phelps.
Quotes
"The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything." From a speech given at the Mansion HouseMansion House, London
Mansion House is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of the City of London in London, England. It is used for some of the City of London's official functions, including an annual dinner, hosted by the Lord Mayor, at which the Chancellor of the Exchequer customarily gives a speech – his...
in London on January 24, 1899, quoting Bishop W. C. Magee of Peterborough in 1868.
"Better a hundred times an honest and capable administration of an erroneous policy than a corrupt and incapable administration of a good one." Spoken at a dinner of the New York Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber of Commerce of the State of New York
The New York Chamber of Commerce, founded in 1768 by twenty New York City merchants, was the first commercial organization of its kind in the country. Attracting the participation of a number of New York's most influential business leaders, such as John Jacob Astor, Peter Cooper, and J...
External links
, contains the text of Phelps' 1889 farewell speech in London.- Orations & Essays of Edward John Phelps: Diplomat and Statesman (1901). Phelps, Edward John, and John Griffith McCullough. Published by Harper & Brothers. 475 pages