A Good Man Is Gone

After a long life of probity and honor, a happy oíd age, blessed with the love and veneratiou of thousan ds vho knew him, ex-Governor Alphens Felch died Saturday afternoon, at 2:15 o'clook. The sad news qnickly spread and the flags in the city were at once placed at half mast. He had been in vigorous health, considering bis age, nntil during the past winter, ■svhen his friends became aware that he was rapidly failing. Four days before his death he becama unconscious and he breathed his last without having regained consciousness. Arouud his bedside were his five children, Mrs. Dr. Jennings, of Detroit, Mrs. Judge Grant, of Lansing, Mrs. E. H. Cole, of this city, Dr. Theodore Felch, of Ishpenring.and Frank Felch, of Columbus, Ohio, and his grandchildren, Rev. Lawrence T. Cole aud Miss Lillie Cole, of this city. Alpheus Felch was born in Lirnerick, Maine, September 28, 1804, so that his life covered nearly the nineteenth century, only fonr years at each end of the century beiug lacking. Hig father and rnother died when he was flve years of age and he lived with his grandfatber, who had been a soldier of the revolutionary war. He graduated at Phillips Exeter aoademy in 1821 and f rom Bowdoin college in 1827. After a tuorough preparation in law, he was admitted to the bar about 1830 and opeued an office in Honlton, Me., where he remained for three years. His health requiring a ohange, he carne to Michigan in 1833, locating at Monroe and practised law tbere for ten years, i reruoving to Ann Arbor in 1843. In 1835 he was elected to the state legislature from Monroe county and served three years. In the legislature he gained distinotion by being the only rueruber who spoke against the law ! which opened the way for wild cat banks. In his speech he poiuted out all the disasters which followed the passage of the reckless measure, bnt only two other members voted with him. Two years later he was made state bank coinmissioner and did his best to reinedy the harmful effects of the measure. After a year's service he resigned the positiou, which owing to his vigorous adrniuistration was occupyiug too miich of his time. In 18-12 he was appoiuted Auditor General of the state, but had beon in office bat a month, when he was appointed a judge of the state supreme court. He had not completed his term as judge, when in Jannary 1843, he was elected to the United States Senate for an unexpired term. In 1845 he was elected governor on the democratie ticket and in 1847, before his term as governoi had expired, he was elected United States Senator for the fnll term of six years. He served with Webster, Clay and Calhoun and steadily rose in prominence. He was for four years cbairi man of the cornmitteeon Pnblio Lands. I As soon as his term in the senate was over, Marob, 1853, President Pierce appointed hiin ooe of the corumisiouers to settle the Spanish aud Mexican laud claims in California, according to tne treaty of Gnadaioupe Hidalog. He was eleoted president of the coinmission, wbich began its labors in May, 1853, and continued them nntil March, 1856. In this conneotion, Gov. Felch perforiued nis greatest services for tbe government, for the questions involved were of vast and iucreasing irnportance, inclnding the fortunes of the new state and of thonsands of uative Mexicans as well as American immigrante, besides the claims of tbe Pueblo Indians to their lands aud of the Catholic church to the lands of the missions. That the commissiouers' labors were not light is shown by the facts that thers are uow forty or more large volumes in Washington containing their proceediugs. In June 1856, Gov. Felch returned to Aun Arbor where he has Bince lived a private citizen, though always in the public eye. With the rise of the republican party in Michigan, Gov. Felch's offiee-holdiug days were over. In 1856, be was the democratie candidate for governor being defeated by Gov. Biogham. He was twice the party nominee for justice of the supreme court and received the compliment of the votes of tho democratie mernbers of the legislature for United States senator. In 1873, he retired from the active practise of law. Iu 1875, he made a European trip. In 1877 the degree of LL. D. waj conferred upon him by Miohigan Uuiversity and in 1S79 he was appointed Tappan professor of law in the Uuiversity, a position which he held for about stx years. For some years he had the distiuction of being the oldest surviving member of the legislatura, the oldest surviving bank commissiouer of the state, the oldest surviviug meniber of the Supreme Court of Michigan, the oldest surviving Uciited States senator and the oldest snrviving Michigan lawyer. In politics, Gov. Felch was always a firni deinocrat. Until the past few years almost every party meeting beheld him ou the platform. He made an excellent speech at the ratification of President' Cleveland's election in 1892. He was on the platform at the Washington birthday exercises in (Jniversity hall in 1895. His last sneech in public was at the bauquet gh e a by the Washtenaw bar in September, 1894, in honor of his 90th birthday. Prominent lawyers were present frorn all over the state and from otber states, and the Fpeech of the occasion was made by Gov. Felch. He seemed that night in fuil possession of bodily and mental vigor. Upon receiving intelligence of Gov. Felch's death, Governor Rich issued a proclamation ordering all the flags on the state buildings at half mast and the state departments closed on the day of the funeral. In the proclamation reviewing Govemor Felch's career he says: "He rendered signal sevice in laying the foundation of Michigan's statehood. " "As a lawmaker, espouuder of the law, and exeoutive, charged with its enforcement, he bonored his state, and iu the broader field of natioual legislatiou as a colleague of Webster, Clay, Calhoun and Beuton he served with distinction and honor." Judge Cooley pays Gov. Felch the followiDg tribute: "I had known him for 53 years, most of the time intimately. He was a man of most noble qualities, and one for whom I have always had the highest regard. It was before him that I tried mv flrst oase. I first met him in Adrián 53 years ago, when he eatae therfi as the jnstice of the supreme conrt did in those days, to hold circuit court. He was a very Continued on Eighth Page. "ï GOOD MAN IS GÖNE CoiiMnued from First Pag-e. fiue appearing man, of imposiug personality, and one of the best presiding judges I ever kuew. His public duties were discharged with great credit to hiniself, and he was able to render huportaut services to the people iu his several pnblio capacities. He was a noble hearted man.well worth the universal esteem - alinost reverence - in which he was heldÉ"duriug all his later years. " President Angelí says of him : "He was a man of a wonderfnlly simple, transparent. beautiful character. Benevolence was a very marked trait in him and was most clearly written upon his face. I have been freqnently impressed by the legal acouraoy of his mind, and its thoroughly logical processes, and these qualities he maiptained to the last rnoments His writings are iu a delightfully simple, clear, vigorous style." The fnueral services were held at 3 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. The body lay in state f rom 10 to 1 o'oloek on that day and many friends took their last louk at oue whom they esteemed so highly. The business places of the city were all closed as -was the postoffice by special direction of the department at Washington. The servioes at 3 o'clock were held at the house and were conducted by Rev. Henry Tatlock and Rev. J. M. Gelston, the beautiful Episcopal service being read. At the grave, the services were conducted by Kev.LawreDce T. Cole. Two beautiful solos were sung by Gerald Brown. The houorary pall bearers were Judge Cooley, Presidenè Angelí, Governor Rich, ex-Gov. Luce, Judge Champlin, B. M. Thompson, Andrew Ten Brook, E. B. Pond, Rufus W spies and Raymond Davis. The active pall bearers were Judge Kiune, Dean D'Ooge, Dr. Herdman, Judge Harrimau, John F. Lawreuce aud S. W. Clarkson. The Wasbteuaw bar, the Monroa bar and the A nu Arbor council attended and there were present a uumber of distinguished meu from different parts of the state.