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 The Supreme Court of Vermont. cases appeared as dissenting in the re ports. When associated with Rufus Choate in a case in the circuit court, Choate was as tonished at the arguments of Judge Peck, and said, "There are very few men like him in Massachusetts." After his services as Governor, he retired to his farm in Jericho, and although con sulted in matters professionally, he did but little work, and died soon after. He was without prejudice; it is doubtful if he ever spoke ill of any one; he was a benevolent man, one of the kindest, and often met with trouble in obligations assumed for others. I doubt if any matter of relief for the poor or for any one unfortunate ever suggested itself to Judge Peck; but a story, however improbable, if upon its face was sad and unfortunate, would at once enlist the active sympathies of the Judge if he was applied to for relief. He died leaving quite an estate, consist ing principally of real property, but I think none of it, except his private office, was ever acquired in any way except by being taken from one for whom he had assumed obliga tions, either by way of surety upon official

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bonds or endorsements upon promissory notes. It was alleged by many that Judge Peck favored certain suitors in the county court at at the time he was circuit judge, but this arose from the fact that he was determined that one who apparently was being perse cuted by a powerful combination of his adversaries, should be protected and have what rights the law accorded him. This was notably true of the litigation of William P. Briggs; the proposal to change the judiciary system, by which his opponents intended he should be retired from the courts was strongly aided by the opponents of Mr. Briggs, known as the " Richmond Clique." About three years later, the same parties aided in sending him to the State senate, when he was elected judge of the Supreme Court, and assigned to duty in the county courts in the eastern part of the State. He always read every paper presented him for signature, even the informal interlocutory orders certified by counsel, and generally made an alteration in the paper. When he subscribed the gubernatorial oath required by the Constitution some wag wagered he would interline or change it in some manner.