Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-10-09
HIsroRr OF THE Town OF CORNWALL
BY Rev. Lyman Matthews. Mid
dlebury Mead & Fuller. Published,

This volume, which has just made its
appearance, is designed, as stated by its
author, "to commemorate the sacrifices,
the successes, and the virtues of the ven-
cradle Fathers and Mothers of Cornwall,
and to note the blessings resulting from
their forecast" and most interesting
olume it is--not merely to the natives
and residents OF that good old town, but
to the general reader, throwing as it does,
a food of light upon the domestic history
of Vermont at an earl period. We be-
leve this work was undertaken in pnrsu-
ance of purpose of the Mid dlebury His
torical Society, formed several years
since, of securing, so far as possible, an
authentic history OF each town in Addison
County. Hon. Samuel Swift has already
prepared that of Middlebury, with brief
historical sketch of the county; John M.
Weeks, Esq, that of Salisbury, and Rev.
Josiah f. Goodhue and others, that of
Shoreham, which works are before the
public.
Mr. Matthews has certainly succeeded
in producing racy, juicy, and captivating
book. Besides the mere local incidents
which mark the History of Cornwall, the
author has introduced various topics of
general interest, such as observations on
the character of the Puritans a history
of the controversy between New York
and New Hampshire, respecting the
"New Hampshire Grants )" biographical
sketches of eminent men, natives of Corn
wall, &c, &c. Scarcely a town in the
State has produced so many men distin-
guished for talent and moral worth.
Among these may be mentioned Joel ii.
Linsley, d. D., at one time pastor OF
Park Street Church, Boston, and after
wards president of Marietta College,
Ohio; Reuben Post, DID,, for long time
pastor of the Independent Congregational
Church in Charleston, S. c., where he
died in 1859; Mics P. Squler, DID,,
professor of Mental and Moral Science in
Beloit College, Wisconsin Hon. Solo
mon Foot, Gov, William Slade, Hon.
Charles Linsley, and many others. a..
The author relates the following aimee
dote of our distinguished Senator, which
we do not remember to have seen II
print:
One spring morning Mr. Bond sent
young Foot into the field with his team, to
ssdrag" in some seed which had beer
sowed the evening previous. About thu
middle of the forenoon, he went out to see
what progress he was making, and as he
came in sight of the field, discovered the
team standing without driver. Sup
posing him to be absent after water, ht
waited until he had ample time to return
and then commenced a search tor him
At length he found him in corner of the
fence laying fat upon his back, on the
grass. g SOL" said he, what are yo'
doing here?" Sol replied, II am think
ing what I shall say when L get to be
member OF Congress"
"Coming events cas-; their shadows before"
In closing this brief notice we cannc
forbear at this juncture, to make the fol
lowing extract from the work, containin
as it does, a just and merited tribute t
Senator Foot.
In 1860, Mr.. Foot and the arch rebe
jeff Davis, were, by the President of tn
u. S. Senate, appointed Commissioner
, ''to examine into the organization, system
= of discipline and course of instruction c
! the U. S. Military Academy" at Yves
Point. TIE service was performed
though with very different motives on tn
|, part of the Commissioners-one havin
been actuated by characteristic devotio
to his country; the other by covert b'
settled purpose, at the first favorable me
$ ment, to involve that country in ruiz
2 One has gained the unenvable notorie'
q of being made the nominal head of TO
and infamous conspiracy the other by
easy coincidence might appropriately b
: made the real head of the country he b
f served so steadily and SO ably.
Few members of the U. S. Sena
have secured more fully the respect
v that body, for ability and for uniform u
+ banity in the discharge of official dut
Even during the administration of Pre-
dent Buchanan, Mr.. Foot was elect
President pro tempore of the Senate
oA,oo which he still fills IN the accentan