The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-03-21
THE CALIFORNIAN.
From the Rutland Herald.
THE MEN OF VERMONT.
Is. WILLIAM SLADE.


and settled at Cornwall in 1856. Colonel
Slade was an officer in the Revolutionary
War, but how long his term of service was
it is now unfortunately, too late 10 ascertain.
The most that is known, is, that he was TAX
en- prisoner by the British, and was, tor a
time. confined in the notorious Jersey Prison
Shin. During his residence in Cornwall, he
was an active politician. and became one Of
the most prominent citizens Of Addison
County. lie repeatedly repre- sented that
town in the General Assembly of Vermont.
was Sheriff of Addison County ten years. and
one of the Electors of President and Vice
President OF the United States in 1912. He
died at Cornwall, in 1926, in the seventy
fourth year of his age.
William Sade, the subject of this sketch.
having finished his preparatory studies at the
Addison County Grammar School, entered
Middlebury College where lie graduated in
1907. This class, although numbering only
seren, contained as many, and in proportion
to their number more, eminent men. than
any American Colleg, can boast Of in a
single class. Among them were Ira Bascom,
afterwards Tutor of Middebury College
Rev Nathan s. S. Beaman, ID. d.. ILL., d.,
an eloquent and learned Divine; Hon Dan
iel A. A. Buck. Captain N the l. $. Army
in the War Of 1912, Speaker of the House of
Representatives of Vermont, six years, and
for three terms Member Of Congress from
Vermont; Mills purdy. native of Rutland,
an eloquent Lawyer of Pittsburgh. y. V:
Stephen Royce, Chief Justice and Governor
of Vermont the only remaining one was
Oliver {. Stewart. u native OF Shoreham, wEo
was teacher at Brandon, and afterwards
went to Pennsylvania.
Immediately after graduation he comenc-
ed the study Of law in the office of Hon Jo-
Ell Dooltte of Middlebury, afterwards for
many years Judge Of the Supreme Court of
Vermont. He was admitted to the bar in
Addison County in 1910, opened an Office
and commenced the practice of his profess
sion in Mlddlebury. but legal practice APP
pears to have had for him very light attrac-
tons" In 1914 he closed his office and be-
came Editor of the columbian Patriot" Il
political newspaper printed and published at
Middleburv, aud at the same time engaged
himself in bookselling and in the general
printing business His connection with
this newspaper terminated in lSl6-the
pressure of his official duties. reluctantly.
compelling him to retire from the Editorial
Chair.
In 1915 he was elected Secretary of State
of Vermont, which office he continued to
hold until 1923. While discharging the du-
ties of this office, in pursuance Of a resolu-
ton Of the Legislature, lie prepared and pub
lished, a most valuable volume, of official
documents. connected with the early history
of this State, vermont State Papers," being
a collection OF records and documents, con-
nected with the assumption and establish
ment of Government by the people Of Yer
mont Containing the Journal Of the Coun-
Gil of Safety, the first Constitution, Journal
of the General Assembly of Vermont tor
l71S, Laws from 1919 to l.SG, and much
other valuable matter which can be obtained
from no other source. 1t vas a work of
much labor, and any man might we'll be
proud to have his reputation rest upon that
alone.
In 1916 he was elected one of the Judges
of the Addison County Court, and was con-
tinued on the bench till 1922 when ne declin-
ed to serve longer. In 1920, being still Sec
rotary Of State and one OF the judges Of the
County Court, he was appointed Clerk Of the
Supreme Count for Addison County, and il
1921 became Clerk Of both the Supreme and
County Courts sor that County. and remain
cd as such till 1921. This, If We mistake
not, will be found to be the only instance in
our history, OF the same person being both
Judge and Clerk of the same Court at the
same time.
In 1924 he was appointed to first class
clerkship in the Office Of the Secretary Of
State of the United States at Washington
where he remained till 1929. when he return
ed to Mlddlebury and resumed the practice
Of law. He was elected States Attorney for
the County Of Addison in 1880 and was re
elected in 1881 at the close of his term O
Office he once more retired from the practice
OF law and again "embarkcd on the storm,
sea of politics" He Was, in 1881, elected
Member of Congress from Vermont, ant
served the people Of Vermont, in that carac
ity, twelve years, having been. with singh
exception, longer in Congress than any othe
Nermonter. Daring his Congressional Ca
reer, he supported, both by his speeches am
his votes, what We're known as the leadln,
measures of the Wing party.
Upon his retirement from Congress !;
1913. he was elected by the Legislature, Re-
porter of the Decisions of the Suprem
Court of Vermont. lie held this Office but
single year, ana the result of his laborS ma
be seen in the fifteenth volume of the Yer
mont Reports.
He was the candidate Of the Wing Part,
for the office OF Governor of Vermont il
1911, and was elected by a majority of tn
popular vote: and again in lS4I, after recei
wing plurality of that vote, he was re-eec,
ed Governor, by the Legislature, in Joint as
sembiy, receiving 1872 votes to - for DAME
Kellogg and II torWiilam r. Shafter.
Ills messages to the General Assembl
were unusually lengthy. The first was devo
ted, MAINLY, to his !avorlte sub ects, Educa
ton aid the suppression Of the sale of ;ntoS
icatlns liquors. \ considerable portion {
both, and especially the latter, was devote
to the tariff and slavery. During his al
miniStratiOn Geological survey of the Stat
was commenced, and measures were take
10 procure from the General Government ii,
cannon captured by the Green Mountai
Boys at Bennington August 10th. III.
AZ the clos. Of his term Of office he b.
came Corresponding Secretary and Gener'
Agent Of the Board of National Popular e,
ucatlon. The object of this Association wa
to supply the West with competent fen,a]
teachers. In the discharge of the respons
Die duties of this appointment, Governc
slade found his most congenial emplo,
msn'. here MS beneyoence had full scop,
As companies of female teachers were. fro,
time to time, prepared for their chosen VOC;
ton, he accompanied them, with all a father
Solcltude, to their several fields of labor Ga,
them properly cated,and indicted into ,he
work OF enlIghtenlng and training the Mn