The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-07-04
THE CALIFORNIAN.
From the Rutland Herald.
THE MEN OF VERMONT.
C3.-HILAND HALL.

while residents OF the state, have been at dit
ferent times called to that high position
The government of the United States had
been organized at the commencement OF the
present administration, some seventy-t~o
years. Of this period, Virginia has furnish
ed the chief magistrate of the republic thir-
ty-six years-or one half of the time. With
the present incumbent, sixteen different indi-
viduals have filled the presidents chair, and
five of them, or nearly one third have been
taken from Virginia.
In an equally appropriate manner, is Ben
nington county entitled to the appellation Of
the mother of governors of Vermont. Yer
mont having declared herself of right, free
and independent state, organized her gov
eminent by the election of a governor and
other state officers, and by the assembling of
her first Legislature in March 177S,-eighty-
three years have now elapsed. Ofwhich the
sons of Bennington county have filed the
gubernatorial chair twenty-seven years, or
about one third of the time. Vernon: was
admitted into the Union, and became one of
the United States of America in 1891 some
seventy years ago; about three lights of the
time, Bennington county has furnished US
with our governors. Since 177S, including
the present incumbent, twenty-four different
individuals have been elected to the office of
governor of Vermont. OF these, six or one
quarter have been selected from that county,
and four of them have been residents of the
town of Bennington.
Hiland Hall, the twenty-third governor of
Vermont, was born at Bennington on the
Goth day of July 1896. His boyhood and
youth was passed on his fathers farm in
Bennington. His early education was limit
ed, having only the benefit of common
school education.
He studied law, and was admitted to the
bar in Bennington county in 1919. He es-
tabshed himself in practice at Bennington.
lie has continued to reside in his native
town from that time to the present, except
when engaged in official duties.
He was clerk of the supreme and county
courts for Bennington county in 1928. He
remained as such but single year. The
year following he was elected states attorney
for that county and was reelected in 1880,
1881 and 1882.
In 1927 he represented the town of his ma
tivity in the house of representatives of Ver-
mont. Since which time, he has been, al
most constantly, in public life, till his retire
ment from the gubernatorial chair.
In 1888, he was elected member of Con-
gress from the southern district of Vermont.
He represented that district in the United
States house of representatives ten years.
receiving five different elections. During
portion of this time, he was chairman of the
house committee of revolutionary claims
He gained an enviable reputation for his
course in resisting certain claims from Nir-
ginia, for pay for alleged services during the
Revolutionary War. An appropriation for
their payment had, if we are not mistaken,
passed the Senate, comparatively without op-
position, and was before the House for con-
currence. They were referred to the COM
mittee, of which MIR Hall was chairman, and
upon a close investigation, he found and 50
reported, that they were unfounded and
fraudulent. Through his exertions the
claims were finally rejected. During his
Congressional career, he acted and voted
with the wing party.
He was from 1913 to 1916, bank commits
sioner. The duties of which office, the ex-
animation of the condition Of the several
banks in Vermont, he discharged in a very
acceptable manner.
In 1916, he was elected one of the Judges
of the supreme court of Vermont. He was
annually reelected till 1850, when a new ju.
dietary system was established, by the organ
ization of circuit court and the reduction
of the number of judges of the supreme
court from six to three.
He was appointed by President Fillmore
in 1850, second comptroller of the United
States Treasury at Washington, with sala
ry of three thousand dollars per annum.-
The accounts settled by the second, third
and fourth Auditors, are taken to this officer
for examination and certifcation, and to hin,
appeals from the decisions of those Auditors
are carried for decision. He continued in
this office until 1851, when he was appointed
by President Fillmore one of the commits.
soners to ascertain and settle private land
claims in California, in accordance with the
provisions of an act of Congress, approved
March Sd, 1851. In the discharge Of the
duties of this commission, he went to Cali.
fornia, and remained there until 1858 OF
1854, when he was removed by Presiden,
Pierce, and lie returned to Vermont.
He was nominated by the republican par
ty, as their candidate for the office of COVER.
nor of Vermont in 1858, and was elected by
large majority Of the popular vote. He
was renominated and reelected by "a simila,
majority in 1859. He concludes his last an
nual message to the legislature, in 1859
with these words :-"In closing this my last
annual message cannot withhold the ex.
preston OF my grateful thanks to the free
men OF the state, for the confidence they