Edward John Phelps (1822–1900) was an American lawyer, diplomat, and prominent public figure known for his significant contributions to legal thought and U.S. foreign relations. He is best remembered for his influential career as a legal educator and his role in shaping international law through his work as a diplomat.
Born in Middlebury, Vermont, Phelps was educated at the University of Vermont, where he graduated with high honors before studying law at Yale Law School. He began his legal practice in Burlington, Vermont, quickly earning a reputation as an adept and thoughtful lawyer. His expertise and dedication to the field led to an academic career, where he taught law at Dartmouth College and later at Yale, imparting his knowledge to the next generation of lawyers.
Phelps’s most notable public service came when he served as U.S. minister to the United Kingdom 1893–95 under President Grover Cleveland. During this period, he played a crucial role in facilitating negotiations related to the Bering Sea arbitration, which resolved a dispute between the U.S. and Great Britain over hunting rights in the Bering Sea.
Phelps wrote essays and delivered lectures that often emphasized the importance of legal principles in achieving justice and peace. His work The Conflict of Laws (1882) is considered a foundational text in the study of private international law.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Edward John Phelps
Better a hundred times an honest and capable administration of an erroneous policy than a corrupt and incapable administration of a good one.
—Edward John Phelps
The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.
—Edward John Phelps
Topics: Courage, Mistakes, Failures
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