position of Postmaster General, but declined, and subsequently, a judgeship in the United States courts in the territory of Indiana, but the strenuous opposition of his friends to his leaving the State induced him not to accept the appointment. He was possessed of a good mind, sound judgment, and was an excellent reasoner. He was of great in tegrity, and one of the few who held and was offered positions of trust without seek ing them; he was a man of unusual ability. In describing the speakers at the great war meeting in 1812, Mr. Thompson says: "On one side sat the small-sized, keen-eyed, ready-witted and really talented James Fisk of Barre, who was then a member of Congress and who had now come on to act as the champion of the Democrats at this meeting." The parents of William Adams Palmer came from England prior to the Revolu tionary War and settled in Connecticut. He lost a part of one hand accidently and chose a professional life, studying law in Hebron, Conn., in the office of Mr. Peters, afterwards a judge of the Supreme Court. Soon after 1800, Mr. Palmer came to Chelsea, studying in the office of Daniel Buck the statutes and rules of practice in the courts of this State. He was admitted to the Bar in Chelsea and spent a short time in the law office of William Baxter of Brownington, moved on to Derby, but not liking the place settled in St Johnsbury about 1805. He was soon after appointed judge of probate for the Caledonia District, and also county clerk. He then removed to Danville, the county seat; he held the first named office seven years and the latter eight years. His public offices were num erous, three of them of the highest dignity, judge of the Supreme Court, United States senator and governor. He represented Danville in the General Assembly many times, was one of the first State senators chosen in 1836, and a delegate in three con stitutional conventions. After his term as
senator ended he was appointed judge in the county court, and served for two years. He was elected judge of the Supreme Court in 18 16; was re-elected but declined further service, and in 1818 was elected United States senator to fill the unexpired term of James Fisk and the full succeeding term. He voted in Congress for the Missouri Com promise and for a time was unpopular. He was a candidate for governor upon the anti-masonic ticket from 1830 to 1835 inclusive. There was no election by the people in any year except 1833, when he was elected at the polls by a majority of more than two thousand. In 1830 Mr. Crafts was elected by the Legislature; in 1831 and 1832 Mr. Palmer was elected each year, in the Legislature, by one majority. In 1834, he was elected by the Legislature by one hundred and twenty-six majority, the Whig and Democratic candidates at the popular election declining the candidacy before the Legislature. In October, 1835, there being no election by the people, the Legislature failed to elect, and Mr. Jennison, who was elected by the people as lieutenant-governor, discharged the duties of the office for the year. The governorship terminated his public career, except as a delegate to constitutional conventions. Beginning as a Jeffersonian Republican, he adhered to the Democratic side from Jefferson to Buchanan, save during the antiLmasonic excitement, when ordinary party lines were obliterated. He was honest and just in his business transactions and estimable in all relations of life, was a man of strong natural abilities, possessing a decided and penetrating mind; it is said that he was " too benevolent, loving his neighbor better than himself. He had high social qualities, with great simplicity of manners." Dudley Chase was a native of Cornish, New Hampshire, a descendant of Aquila Chase, and uncle of Chief Justice Salmon P.
