Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-02-06
I THE MEN OF VERMONT.
~, JOHN q. ~


and once represented the town of Ben
nington in the General Assembly of Ver-
mont He was the son of Moses Robin
son, the second Governor of Vermont,
and grandson ofSamuel Robinson of Hard
wick, Mass, who was Captain of the Mas
sachusetts troops, and served as such near
Lake George, and at other places, during
the old French War, and who died of the
small pox at London as mentioned in an
other article. YEA 81. .-...
JOHN STAMFORD ROBINSON, was born
at Bennington in the County of Benning-
ton and State of Vermont on the tenth
day of November 1904. He graduated
at Williams College, Massachusetts, in
1924, in the class with Rev. Mark Hop
kins, NJ d., ID. d., Ill. d., the learned
and philisophic President of Williams
College; William HerUey, one of the pio-
| HccT NlSSiOLdfico W inuia, anu 1seo' Jun"
Wm. YtomonS, d. d., President of La
fayette College, Pennsylvania.
At the conclusion of his academical
studies, he commenced the study of law,
and having completed the usual course,
he was admitted to the Bar, in Benning-
ton County, in 1927. He then open ed
an office, and remained in the active prac-
tice of his profession, at Bennington till
his death.
He represented the town of Benning-
ton in the House of Representatives OF
Vermont, in 1882 and 1888. He was
the eighth of the immediate descendants
of Captain Samuel Robinson, who have
served the people of Bennington, in that
capacity. He was, also, a member of the
Vermont Senate, from Bennington Coun-
ty, in 1888 and 1889.
I" Mr.. Robinson belonged to the Demo-
cratic Party, and was frequently support
ed by his political friends for Member of
Congress, Governor and other important
offices, but his party being generally in
the minority, he was unsuccessful except
as before stated and in the election as
Governor as hereinafter mentioned.
He was, again, the candidate of the
Democratic Party for the Office of Gov
ernor in 1858. and at tho annual election
in September of that year, received S,142
votes. Erastus Fairbanks, the then in
cumbent, was the Wing candidate, and
received 20,849 votes. Lawrence Brai-
nerd, afterwards United States Senator
from Vermont, was the candidate of the
| Abolitionists and received 1921 votes
and there were 1873 scattering votes. --
There was no choice by the people. On
the assembling OF the Legislature, neither
party was in majority. The greater mum
Der being divided between the Wing and
Democratic parties the Abolitionists
having only few Representatives and
therefore holding the balance of fpower.
The Legislature convened, joint assem-
bly, was formed and then commenced the
attempt to elect Governor. Ballot after
ballot was taken, day after day passed
and night after night was spent without
result. But ON the eleventh day of the
session was formed, as described by Rev.
William HI. Lord, that celebrated Goa
lition between the pure National Demo-
Gratis and the pure sectional Abolitionists,
An election which demonstrated how
much stronger is the cohesive power of
Office seeking than is the attraction OF pro-
fessed political principle. On that year
the scepter fell from the nerveless grasp
of the old Wing party, and the star
which never sets suffered disastrous
and final eclipse" On that day, on the
26th ballot, in joint assembly, John S.
Robinson was elected Governor of Ver-
mont. The remaining State offices we're
divided among the adherents of the par
ties forming the coalition. They had con-
troll of the State government but for a
single year.
| In 1860, he was elected one of the del
egates from Vermont to the Democratic
/ National Convention, which assemb led at
Charleston, in April of that year, to NOM
mate candidates, to 5e supported by that
party, for the offices of President and