The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-10-25
Address of Hon. Solomon Foot, to the Leg
islature and Citizens of Vermont. DeliV-
cred October 23d,

eI6u UCL0UeT EOu.
Mr.. President, Senator's and Representatives. Of
the Legislature, friends and feNow citizens
1t is buta poor acknowledgment of so kind
and complimentary manifestation, only to say,
thank you, | sincerely thank you, for this kind
and generous greeting, and for the compliment
tary words OF your presiding officer 10 his intro
duction. IL is but feeble expression of my
profound sense of obligation and gratitude to the
people of Vermont and her Senators and Repre-.
sentatlves to assure them of my grateful appre.
citation OF their oft repeated manifestations Of
confidence and good will toward me. 1t is said
there are sometimes occasions when the heart is
too full for ute, ance. My own experience upon
this present occasion is but u vericaion Of the
truth and force of that remark and beg you
all to believe and accept from me the assurance
that fully recognize and most gratefully ap-
precate the kindness and the confidence of my
fellow citiz?ns o. the Legislature and the State
at large, so often and SO generously manifested,
even though may fail adequately to express,
In fitting and appropriate terms, ply sense oil
that Kindness, and my feeling OF obligation,
Aside from the approval Of his consc!once and
his God, the public servant can receive no
higher and TO more gratifying reward, tam the
approval Of those who have committed to hls
hands responsible pubic trusts. Ia what man
ncr have discharged the high trusts which
have so ol.cn been cJnfIcl to my charge ny tic
people OF Vermont, Spe4k not bot acts, pub
lie acts are upon the records Of the country.
That record must speak my approval or mg con-
domination. 1t is my high satisfaction however,
and it is my abundant reward, that ! have
the approval Of those whose commission | have
borne, and for whom have been authorized to
speak and 10 act. | have already had q long
service in the Two Houses of the National leg
islature, quite too long, fear, for the best
interests OF my State and my country. 1t had
been my cherished purpose, u purpose long en-
te1tained and often and freely expires ed, at the
expiration Of my present Senatorial term, to
retire from public service, though still little,
and bot very little on thesunny side of sixty,
it it can be said that there is any sunshine
either side of that line. But you Senator's and
Representatives, constituting the Legislature Of
my State, and speaking the popular will, |
trust, in that beh ilf, have seen fit to commits
sion me for another and third term to the Senate
of the United States. In my own view of what
yet owe 10 the people OF my State, have no
choice but to obey their behests. Pardon me
! il say again, | have no words wherewith ad-
equately to express my feelings of gratitude
and obligation for this last and highest estimo-
! NAL of the regard, of the confidence, and of the
| good esteem Of my fellow citizens, of this, my
native State, thus honoring me beyond all claim
or merit of my own. How we'll | shall serve
you how faithfully, how devotedly in the high
position to which you have again assigned me,
my past service, the many years in the halls
OF the National Legislature, whether for good
or for evil, whether for honor or dishOnor, is
the best pledge can give you. This is the best
| guarantee can offer you of M fidelity and my
devotion to your interests and to your honor in
thu time to come.
am not nsensible to the great and the sol
emn responsibility which at all times rests upon
those who are charged with making the law,
of this great people; and lar moro weighty
| are those responsibilities now, in the present
and changed condition Of our public affairs
than ever before. | am not unupprised tina
great and grave questions, questions novel
and intricate md perplexng, questions involy
ing the highest interest and honor of the c0un
try, questions involving the very existence and
life itself 1t may be of the government. mus
necessarily demand the consideration and the
action OF the Federal Congress. am not un
aware that questions 50 great and so grH"e and
81 momentuous, require fof their consideration
for their due and proper consideration, the high
est wisdom, the largest experience, the cleares
intellects and the coolest judgement, superaddeC
to the most incor.uptbe integrity, and tn,
most devoted loyalty, which the country car
furnish. Well, indeed, may dstrust myself
well indeed may | hesitate, well indeed may
stand appalled, before such requisition, and il
the presence of 81 great and SO trying RESPONSE
tilites. | can say, however, and it is all