The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-03-07
THE CALIFORNIAN.
From the Rutland Herald.
THE MEN or VERMONT.
II. JOHN NATTOl rs.

=
OF Boston, (who was the son of Jameas Mat
locks whose father James, Mtattocks ,sea ag1Bs s
from the town of Totpess in the. CQBatyio OF
Devonshire in the west ofIKnsland ando VAS
one of the first Settlers of Boston, @feed at
Middleto~m in Connect. in New England
Mays %b,ei76e aged 60 years. and was bur
led =! II zoe Grst burying grou nd inthat place"
Samuel Ma,tocks was born in 1879 and wa,
married March llth, 1863, to Miss Sarah
Burdell, (who was also born in 1880 ard
died at Midd!ebury, VT. in 1901.
John Mattocks, the fourteenth Governor
Of Vermont, was his youngest child and Was
born at Hartford, in the County Of Hartford
and state of Connecticut. on the 18th day OF
March, III. He came from that State,
with his father and family, to Vermont ABOUT
the Year LIS or l...9, and settled 1t lin
mouth, in this County. lie renamed with
hi, father in that town I'll. he was about six
teen wears Of age, when he went 10 Middle
bury and commenced the study Of law Ill the
office Of Samuel Miller, ESD, (who was prob
ably his bro,hrr.in-law, as find that his SIS
t-r HeJecco married resident of Middle
bury by that name, in 1902 lie remaned
however, but Il short time in his office, and
went from thence, on .to"t TO st Albans, and
continued the study 0! his profession, proja-
dly. in the office of Hon Bates Turner, after
wards Judge of the Supreme Court Of Yer
mont, when, after three or four years study
in that office, he was admitted to the bar il
Franklin County.
In 1871, Immediately after his being ad-
m:tted to the bar. he opcned an Office and
commenced the practice of his profession in
Danyllle, Caledonia County, and after re-
manning there short time he removed to
Peacham, in the same County, where he con-
tnued to reside till his death.
In 1907 he represented the town Of Pea
cham in the General Assembly Of Vermont,
and again in 1915 and Ii, and also in 1923
and y and was the delegate from that town
to the Constitutions, Convention Of 1886
He was a Member of Congress from Yer
mont from 1921 to 1923, and from 1922 to
1927, and again from Isl to 1913.
During his last term in Congress he stood
firmly by the side Of John Quincy Adams, in
the advocacy of the Right OF Petition
no matter who were the petitioners, or what
was the subject matter OF the petition. \
rule of the House of Representatives declar-
ed, That all petitions, memorials, rcsolu-
tons, propositions or papers, relating in any
way, or to any extent whatever, to the sub
.lect Of slavery, or the abolition of slavery,
shall, without being printed or referred, be
laid upol the table, and that no further ac-
ton whatever shall be had thereon" This
rule was adopted by a large maoritv-the
whole South and nearly the entire North
voting in its favor. In addition to ,his-anv
Member Of the House presenting petition
on this subject was met with insult, abuse
and threats Of personal violence. and even Of
assassination. Regardless of these threats
and in defiance Of what he declared to be "a
dsgraceful and unconstitutional rule"-he
repeatedly presented such petitions a. wer.
sent to him; and upon presenting to Com
gress petition from some Of his constitu-
ents for the abolition Of Slavery in the Dis
trict of Columbia, he said, Il present this pc
tillon, not for the idle purpose of voting, my.
self. against it, bat because believe, in my
soul, that the prayer thereof ought to be grant
ed, so rs to free this land of liberty from the
national and damning sin of slavery in thi,
our own Baliwick, the District of Columbia.
In commenting upon his course on this sub
ject, and the remarks above quoted, in cir
cular 20 his constituents, he said the riches,
legacy ne could leave TO his children woulc
he the fact that they had a father who hat
the courage to utter such sentiments at thai
time and al that place.
In 1888 l.e was elected Judge of the Su.
preme Court Of Vermont, and reelected il
1884. when he declined a reelection. The
reason Of his decination has always been :
mystery to many Of his friends, and the gen
tral opinion seemed to be. either that the
dates of the office were distastelul to him
or that he conceived in his own mind that h,
was not qualified to discharge, in prone.
manner. the duties thereof. and was too hon.
est to retain the office with those views
Neither of these reasons is correct. Do.
nestle affections led him to this. In letter
whicn one Of his associates describes as "elo
quent with atfiictIon," after mentioning the
cause, he says, Il shall hold no more courts
Some other Judge must finish the sprin4
terms. and the momen: it is over shall re-
sign. 1t is fixed no remonstrancc. II is ;
matter Of feeling of which none but myself i
any Judge in my case. This is a touch of
real trouble, the first in my life." He, also
declared his determination to retire. final,
and forever, TO private life He was subse
qnehtIy' however, as We have seen. elec.e,
- congress and in 1918 was the canLila.,
OF the Wing party ior the office of Governor
= which. after receiving a majority Of H.,
plurality vote BE- WIS elected by the I.,;,l,
tlrr. IN l.!rt assembly