Edward J. Phelps holds a distinguished academic background, graduating from Middlebury College and Yale Law School. He began his career as a teacher and principal before practicing law in Vermont and New York. Phelps held various significant roles, including serving as Second Comptroller of the Treasury and as state's attorney. He was a founding figure in the American Bar Association and held professorships at Yale Law School and the University of Vermont. His career also included diplomatic service as an envoy to Britain and legal counsel in international disputes. Phelps's conservative political stance and advocacy for traditional judicial principles are evident through his speeches and writings.

Edward J. Phelps's political identity is marked by a blend of conservatism and calculated pragmatism, particularly in his opposition to both the anti-slavery movement and the free-silver movement. Despite his conservative leanings, his stance against American foreign policy expansion after 1898 reveals an unexpected anti-expansionist streak. His rhetorical style, exemplified in speeches on judicial sovereignty, underscores a deep commitment to constitutional principles, yet his policy positions often juxtapose traditional conservatism with surprising isolationist tendencies.