The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-10-24
Address Of Hon. Solomon Foot, to the Leg
islature and Citizens of Vermont, DeliY-
cred October Odd

eT6u UCC0Der G0Q.
Mr., President, Senator's and Representatives. of
the Legislature, friends and teilo,O citizens
1t Is but 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 in his intro
ductlon. 1t is but a feeble expression of my
profound sense of obligation and gratitude to the
people Of Vermont and her Senators and Repre-
sentatves 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 uttelance. Ny own experience upon
this present occasion is but verfcation 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 APP
preclate the kindness and the confidence of nv
fellow citizens Of 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, my sense of
that kindness, and my feeling OF obligation.
Aside from the approval of his conscience and
his God, the public servant can receive no
higher and no more gratifying reward, than the
approval OF those who have committed to his
hands responsible public trusts. In what man
ner have discharged the high trusts which
have so often been conf1ed to my charge by the
people OF Vermont, speak not but acts, pub
llc acts are upon the records of the country.
That record must speak my approval or my con.
demnaton. 1t is my high satisfaction however,
and 1t is my abundant reward that [ have
the approval Of those whose commission | have
borne, and for whom have been authorized to
speak and to act | have already had a long
service IN the two Houses Of the National Leg
ature,-quite too long, fear, for the best
interests OF lay State and my country. 1t had
oeen my cherished purpose, a purpose long en-
tertalned and often and freely expires ed, at the
expiration OF my present Senatorial terra, 10
fttro from pubic service, though still little,
ana but a very little on thesunny side Of sixty
IL Il can De sad that there is any sunshine
either SIDE ct that line. But y0u Senator's and
Representatives, constituting the Legislature IF
my otate, and speaking the popular will,
'!usI' III ehat oeh III, have seaE TIT to commits
son me for another and third term to the Senate
OF the United States. In my own view of what
yet owe 10 tie people Of my State, have no
choice but to obey their behests Pardon m,
Ii say again, have no words whcrewith ad-
eqaately to express my feelings of gratitude
and obligation Tor this last and highest ,estimo.
NAL OF the regard, OF the confidence, and of the
good esteem OF my fellow citizens, of this, NV
uatIVe State, thus h0noring me beyond all claim
or merit OF my own. How well | shall serve
you, how faithfully, how dcvotedly, in the high
position to which you have again assigned me,
my past service, the many years in the halls
OF me National Legislature, whether for good
or Tor evil, whether for honor or dishonor, is
'he peSt pledge can give you. THIS is the best
guarantee can oner you Of my fidelity and nv
0eVotl0n to your interests and to your honor in
the time to come.
am not insensbe to the great and the SOL
emn responsibility which at ali times rests upon
those who are charged with making the laws
Of this great people; and far more weirbtv
are those responsibilities now, in the present
and changed condition Of our puJIic affairs.
than ever before. | am not unapprlsei that
great and grave questions, questions novel,
ana intricate and perplexing, questions inyoIy.
ing the highest interest aud honor of the coun.
try, questions Involving the very existence and
life itself 1t may be of the government must
necessarily demand the consideration and the
action OF the Federal Congress. am not nm.
aware that questions 50 great and So grave and
s. momentoous, require Tor their consideration,
lor their due and proper consideration the high
est Wisuoil' the largest experience, the clearest
lhteilectS ana Inc coolest Judgement, supcradded
to the most lncorTuptibe integrity and the
most devoted loyalty, which the country can
inrnish. We'll, indeed, may distrus myself;
well indeed may | hesitate, well indeed NAV
stand appalled, before such II requistion, and in
tne presence oil 50 great and 50 trying response
billtcs can say, however and it is all