Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-03-13

elected Tor years. lie mus represented
the people of Vermont in the Senate o!
the United States twelve years. He re-
tired at his own instance, (havins dsclin-
ed reelection, y on the 4lh Of March.
1888. 1t was not his habit to make any
formal addresses in the Senate. The rea-
son Of this may b. inferred from the fol-
lowing incident in his collegiate life,
which he was accustomed at times TO TO-
late.
In Yale, as in other colleges, part of
the exercises of "Commencement Day"
consist Of original orations-some classi.
cal, but mostly English-pronounccd by
the members OF the graduating class, Sc
lected according to their standing for
scholarship, Asa part of tn Q commence
ment exercise at the graduation of the
class OF which he was member, the Fac
ulty OF the college assigned to Mr.. Sey-
monr an English Grafton. His diff Ience
forbade his undertaking such an xhibi-
ton before such an audience, and he
went TO the Rev. Dr. Dwight, then the
President Ct the College, and requested
TO be excused. The President urged
alm with various encourageTentS and ar
guments to PERFORM his part-but all in
vain. Mr.. Seymour told him it would be
impossibIe-that he could not 90 through
with 1t, and that, if he could not be excus-
ed, he must take a dismission from the
College. This settled the point, and he
was excused. Mr.. Seymour him self con-
iessed that his diff lence prevented him
from making formal speeches in Congress.
1t seemed to him too much like mixing
display of himself. To him "Buncomb
speeches" had no attractions. Yet when
III court as an dvocate, he seemed TO
merge himself into his client, and ''pour.
ed forth IN quiet way, comprehensive
argument that his opponent found it hard
to meet, and manifested great ingenuity
am tact in the management of his causes. 8"
He was elected to the Senate as a Re-
publican, (more generally known as D
ocra', } and firm supporter Of the lead
ing measures and views of Jefferson and
Madison, who were the fathers and ex-
ponentS of that party. In 1921, at the
time of the second election of James
Monroe 10 the Presidency, there was
general union and consolidation of all the
parties. 1t will be remembered that in
the entire electoral collection, there was
but vne vote against Mr.. Monroe. At
the close of his administration, in the strife
| for the succession, there was grand
breaking ~ of the Republican Party, and
new parties vera hen formed. From
this period dates the origin or me- since
well known, Wing and Democratic parties.
MIR. Seymour favored the election OF job n
Quincy Adams, and supported his claims
with considerable zeal Upon his cleo
ton, he became warm supporter of his
administration, and ever afterwards re-
NAMED member of the Wing Party.
AT the termination. of his Senatorial
career he returned to Middlebury, and
resumed the practice of his profession.
In 1877, he succeeded Governor Jeni.
son as Judge of Probate for the Addison
Probate District, and was annually re-
elected in 1913, 1919, 1850, 1851, 1852
1858 and 1854. At the close of the last
Official year to which he had been elected
on account OF his advanced age, being
then in his 18th year, he declined a f,r-
Their reelection, for the porpose of passino
the remainder of his life in quiet and re-
tirement.
In addition to what has been mention
ed, Judge Seymour was for twentv-Eour
years a Justice OF the Peace for the Coup- |
~ OF Addison. lie was, also, one Of the
managers of the Vermont Colonization
soclety, at various times a Deleoate from |
the State Society to the American Colon |
Izaiion Society, and Vice President of the
Vernon Bible Society. lie took an nc.
tive part in the formation of St. Peters |
protestant EpiscopaD Church at Mid !
dlebury, and was for several years its !
Sen'on Warden, and one of its lay dele |
gates to the annual Diocesan Convent;or