Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-01-23
THE MEN OF VERMONT
Ii. CHARLES PAINE.

Elijah Paine, of whom we shall make
more particular mention in another arti-
Gle, came to Vermont in 1884, and had
four sons, all of whom became eminently
distinguished in their several professions.
The first and only surviving son, Martyr
Paine, H. d., LII. d., is widely known
as a medical practitioner and Professor in
the Medical School of the University OF
New York, and as an author of several
standard medical works,-the second was
Elijah Paine an able lawyer and eminent
iurist, well known for his celebrated deCi-
sion, in the Lennon slave ease, that slareS
voluntarily brought into a free State By
their master, become tpso facto tree.-
George, the fourth and youngest, gradua-
ted at Dartmouth College in 1877, be-
came lawyer in Providence, K. l., and
died at an early age, after having Civ
en- promise to talents and requirements
equal to those of his brothers.
CHARLES PAINE, the thirteenth Gov
ernor of Vermont, was the third son, and
was born at Williamstown, in the County
of Orange and State of Vermont, on the
18th day of April, 1899, and graduated
in 1920 at Harvard College, Massachu-
sets, where his father and two of his
brothers had been previously educated.
He did not study for profession, but,
Immediately after graduation, turned hi
attention to the manufacturing business
in which his father had long been engag
ed. a man of his energy, talents anC
business attainments was, of course, sue.
cessful.
He represented the town of Mortified
in the General Assembly of Vermont ii
1928 and 929.
In 1885, at the early age of thirty-six
he was a candidate for the office of Gov
ernor, but was unsuccessful. He wa
again the candidate of the Wing Party
for this office in 1841, and received plu
rality vote of the people, and was subse.
quently elected by the Legislature in joint
assembly, and was reelected in 1912 by
a majority of the popular vote; at the
| close of his second term he declined re.
election. In 1871 much opposition wa;
manifested to him, both in the public
prints and among the people, on account
of his age, he being at that time the
youngest man who had ever been a prom,
incnt candidate for thet office autfsia, t.tp,e
single exception, and that one of 1he same
age, is the youngest man thaS has even
filled the office of Governor of Vermont
The most important act Of his admins
tration was the revision of the laws il
reference to the Grand List, by which ta2
payers were allowed to deduct from tn
amount of their personal property tn
debts owing by them-and to pay take
only on the balance ;-previous to thi
time they had been assessed for the who'll
amount of their personal property, regard
less of tie amount Of their indebtedness
and thus the State, in numberless instan
ces, ujrtually received taxes on the sam
property twice.
But Charles Paine rendered far NOR
important service to the State than h
could if he had filled the gub8natoris
chair for life, for he was the pioneer a
well as the most important man in tn
construction of the Rail Roads of Yer
mont. LAS such, especially, the State ma
be proud of him; as such he was to tn
State its greatest benefactor; and as sucI
his name will descend to posterity anon
those of her most illustrious citizens"
Through his influence, more than c
any other, without question, was the Char
ter of the Vermont Central Rail Roa
obtained, and the Road successfully con
pleted,--of this Corporation he was tn
first President. Without doubt, als(
the Vermont and Canada Rail Road, tn
} Champlain and St. Lawrence Rail Roac
and the Ogdensburgh Rail Road, ow
, their present existence to him.
The Charter of the Ogdensburg Ra
. Road provided that unless by certai
day, therein named, a given amount