Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-04-06

y ONC4 ~ " l1r OouAlAl 10 mAuAiul 10 res
2 pond to this almost universal sorrow with syn.
E bols consistent with republican gratitude anc
e republican simplicity. Mr.. Foot was anxiou.
e that Hon. Edwin NJ. Stanton should prouounc,
y the Grafton before the two houses; aad We car
: never forget his delight when both houses o.
[ Congress unanimously selected the intrepid War
e Minister for that high Office And this for the
double reason that it proved the strength Of Mr.
/ Stanton against all his enemies, and gratifei
/; the personal preference Of Mr.. Foot himself
When Mr.. Stanton declined. for reasons of his
own, Mr.. Bancroft, the American historian, ac-
cepted the invitation to discharge the same high
duty The necessary arrangements for this
august proceeding imposed much labor upon the
committee and more upon Mr.. Foot, because he
preferred to give them his personal attention
Anxious that all should be well done, and tha,
the demonstration should not fail in any one
particular, he traversed from the Capitol to the
Presidential Mansion, from the Senate 10 the
House. and from his own lodgings to the rail-
read station to receive the distinguished orator
-preferring TO leave nothing 10 others, but, az
far as possible, 10 extend a parsonal supervision
over the whole programme The weather was
colt. and changeable, and inclement; and the
interest and anxiety superinlucei BY these vol
untary lab0rs were soon followed by that cold
and fever which, acting upon a bilious temper
'--i-fs ANiNN4 aAllA 90 ts4AG us utAif WHICH
I he never was again 70 rise. And thus closed
the mortal career Of one who in the words Of
Senator Sumner-himself next in Senatorial ex-
perience-was ''ihs Oldest in continuous service
in that the highest court Of American legisla-
ton.
During his last Illness Senator Foot Eas i'm
pressed from the first with the idea that he
should not recover. This conviction was 80
strong 20 abide with him through all the
changes the disease, ami against the express
e1 opinions ami hopes Of bis physicians and
friends He frequently declared IA, should new
er take bis seat 10 the Senate Chamber again.
and on the last Sabbath, when there were no
symptoms especially unfsvcrable. he informed
his friends, il face OF an Increlulity which they
scarcely took pains 20 conceal, that il would be
the last Sabbath he should spend with them on
earth. His pastor and friend, Rev. DIR. Sun
deraud, vas cfteu with him. and through this
source We derive the Information in regard 20
the religious views anl sentiments Of the IA
mcnted senator. His faith was that Of pious
ancestry; a full ard earnest acceptance Of the
truths Of revealed religion. and Of the way Of
salvation for mankind through the g0srel Of our I
Lord Jesus Christ.
He bad been faithfully Instructed in the fun I
dImeutal lessons Of Christiauity-the child Of .
many Irayers-aul the subject Of influences I
ia tAA Atlc WHICH, nlNNfEI. suspended anna /.
the occupations and engrcs-ments ofsn eveutful /
private and public career, now at its c.0se ap- /
peared TO return upon him with great impress /
siyeness. He abiurei all hope Of future hSppi- .
ness through any merit ofhis own, and sought /.
that justification which is by faith alone in the .
Son Of God, and in the atouemeut which He has .
made for the sins Of men. HIS conversation /
ani prayers were clear, calm, consistent, and .
often most subiuing and awe-inspiriny. nthe
last DAY Of his life, having before arranged all .
his worldly afairs, and committed his soul to .
the sovereign disposal Of his Almighty Father .
AMI Friend, and as if forevarned by some ce- /
lestial messenger, ne spent the time in taking .
leave Of those who came to inquire after hun .
To each one as they approached his bedside. he 1
addressed the most appropriate and affecting .
language, and for many absent friends he left I
the most tender messages His interviews with .
members Of the Clbinet, hIs fellow Senators, and 4
others, were markell by expressions Of CRATE
ful and generous friendship, which moved all
present to tears # unaffected sympathy and
s0rrow. ASA example Of the beauty and pow
er Of some Of those incidents not soon to be for
gotten, be said 20 one Of bis associates in Sena-
torial life. As be approached and took his out
stretched hand ''Aly dear friend Fessenden.
the man by whose side / have sat so long, whom
have regarded as the model Of the salesman
to whom hsvs looked for counsel and guid-
ance-the grief I now feel Is only that the silver
that has 50 long bound Us together must be sew
cred But, my dear Fessenden, If there is ne
mory afer death then my memory will be active
shall call 10 mind the whole Of our earthly in
tercourse-frewell, and may God bless you
forever more" To this the Senator addressed
was only too much novel to reply in words.
but silently bent over and imprinted kiss on
his 6rehead aud then turned away.
About two O'Clock be desired the symbols Of
Christ's tody and blood 70 be communicated to
him, that he might Join with his Christisn
friends then present in leaving final, open tes-
timOuy Of his faith IN crucifed and arisen
Reieemer, and on receiving the bread into his
mouth be solemuly uttered these words " This
bread is the symbol Of the broken body Of
Christ Jesus, through whom alone hope for
the mercy Of God and the gift Of eternal life"
At one time, in reply 10 a question if the
prospect Of the future was bright and uncloud- |
ed before him, be answered by repeating clearly
and solemnly the following lines
Jesus, the vision Of thy face
Hath oyerpowering charms;
l shall not fear deaths cold embrace
If Christ be in my arms.
Thus while ye hear NY beart-strings break,
How sweet my moments roll,
4 mortal paleness on my cheek
And glory in my soul
To those Of his associates whom he knew to
be Christian men, and who called to exchange
their hrewells, he spoke with an unusual ten ,
leruess and fraternal affection; while to all he
testified, in language as fitting as it was ex- ,
pressiye. his unwavering faith IN God and his
belief in a future state and the life eternal
lis only regret and contrition from first to last
vas the common mistake and aggravation Of
human guilt in rejecting so long and postpOning '
20 carelessly the terms Of profered mercy de- I
clared in the Gospel Of the Son Of God Thus
be fingered during the day and the night with !
out much physical suffering. down to the hour
n seven o'clock yesterday morning Then, as
Il he would take last lock at the sun in
heaven, and Of the CspitOl-the scene Of his
abors-On which it shone, he signIhed that the T,
curtains Of the window might be drawn
aside, and that he might be lifted up to behold
the prospect. But as his request was complied
With the film Of death had already covered hrs
mortal vision, and be saw more than any earth
ly capitol and more than the visible sun that I
had lighted up the armament with the beams Of .
another morning. After lying quiet for some
half hour more, he suddenly lfted up his hands,
and, with eyes nov open and full Of unearthly |
light, exclaimed, II see it see it, The
gates are wide open Beautiful beautiful -
and almost Immediately expired without a
struggle or a groan. So has passed away one
Of the purest and the noblest Of cur statesmen
and patriots, in this time Of our country's need.
MR FOOr's LAST HouRs.-SenatOr Foot
was unvarylngly hopeless of recovery for the
last two weeks Of his life, although his ply
sicians and friends at times had strong hope
that he would recover. Last Sunday, he
said to Mrs. Foot that it was the last Sab
bath he should see On earth lie made bis
Will and gave directions for his funeral, on
Tuesday retained lis reason to the last;
eonyersed on Tuesday morning with Judge
Poland and his ,orrowing friends aud then