Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-10-25
senator Ednunds ON Senator Foot,

senator Edmunds ON senator Foot,
Hon. George F, Edmunds delivered an
address upon the "Life, Character and
Services of Hon. Solomon Foot" before
the Vermont Historical Society at its
annual session in Representatives Hall,
Monl elier, on the 10th inst. Succeed
ing, as he DIES, Mr.. Foot in the U. S.
Senate the address could come from no
one with better grace, than from Mr..
Edmunds, and in points of truth, schol-
ership and oratory it is rare produc-
ton, we'll worthy of its distinguished
subject, and rejecting new honors upon
its author. We regret that our space
will not permit us to print it entire, but
as the next best thing extract, as fol.
lows, commencing with Mr.. Foot's
entry into politics;
In 1882 the rising young lawyer es-
poused with great enthusiasm the cause
of Henry Clay as candidate for the
Presidency, and prepared the able ad-
dress issued by Convention held at
Montpelier, to the freemen of Vermont
upon that subject. He thus entered up
on political life with that party which
has, with most rare intervals, been COM
posed OF the large majority OF the citi-
zens of Vermont and the legitimate
progress and growth of whose principles
has ever since opposed a bulwark against
interference with the largest personal
liberty and equality, as we'll as against
the latitudinary and separative doctrines
of what was called democracy.
In those days hollow truce had been
concluded by the Missouri Compromise,
between Liberty and Slavery, and the
"irrepressible conflict of opposing civii-
cations, had been thus postponed until
later day.
But the theories of government identi-
cal with the one side or the other of that
great question, thus left to smother for
mighty confagration, were in active
contest.
On one side, based upon the grand
idea that the people were, under the
Constitution, nationalized, and that the
interest of the whole was the interest of
every part, were the doctrine of a pro-
tective tariff, whence only could come
the largest development of our resources,
"A national currency regulated by the
national law and the national necessities,
and system of internal improvements
whereby easy and constant intercom-
munieation between remote parts of the
country, should make the people homo
geneous, and indentify their interest and
feelings.
On the other side were the opposite
doctrines of free trade,-the selfish
scheme of that class whose occupation
it was to import foreign merchandise to
sell, and Of that other class which en-
joyed, as it thought, the kingly monopo-
ly Of producing cotton and tobacco for
sale in foreign markets,-and the high
State rights doctrine of local currency,
and commercial regulations, and means
of transit. The basis of these latter doc
trines was a professed jealousy of CEN
tralized power. But the real controversy
was logically the same as that which
eliminated in rebellion and national
victory the fair fruits of which, after
thirty years struggle, some people it
is said, are seriously disposed to turn
over to the enemy.
As a member then, of the whig party,
Mr.. Foot accepted its principles with
real faith, and defended and propagated
them with all his power, standing by
them and their legitimate outgrowth,
with an answering fidelity to the end
of his life.
In 1888 he was elected to the legisla-
ture, by the people of Rutland. He was
again elected in 1886. In that same
wear, also, ne was a member Of the con-
stitutional convention, which abolished
the governors council and established
the Senate, change now generally con-
ceded to have been an eminently wise
one but which met with great opposi-
ton, and VAS entered upon with much
misgiving. Mr.. Foot was among the
foremost advocates of the measure, and
contributed as largely, perhaps, as any
one man to its success.
In 1887 and 1888 he was again a
member Of the House and its speaker.
The duties Of this Office he discharged
with admirable ease, dignity and cor
rectness, so that he became in the minds
Of the members the model of good
speaker.
Mr.. Foot entered Congress, taking his
seat with mis- eminent colleagues, Col
lamer, Dillingham; and Marsh, on the
4th day OF December, 1S43.
His first act aside from voting) was
to present a petition from mis- constitu-
ents praying FOR practical recognition
of the Vermont doctrineof protection Of
American producers against the I'M
friendly and ruinous competition Of for
eign nations. He served through both
the sessions Of that Congress on the
then important committee on Indian At
fairs.
His first speech was delivered on the
4th day of June, 1874, on the politica.
principles of the Wing party, defending
them as essential to the welfare OF the
country, and prophesying their ultimate
adoption, although then thwarted by
the adverse circumstances have named.
In the 29th Congress be again served
on the committee on Indian Affairs.
In this Congress he gave active sup
port to the Wing side on the great
questions then pending, namely, the ad-