Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-11-22
Speech of Hon. =. VI. DOrr OF Rut
land.
ON THE SUBJECT oP STATUES TO BE PRO-
CURED BY VERMONT FOR THE NATION
AL sTATUARY HALL, WASHINGTON.

On The 81 BJECI or STATUES 10 DE FhO-
CURED BY VERMONT FOR THE NATION
AL sTATUARY HALL, WASHINGTON.
Delivered in tile State Senatc, No, ch5cy 14H.
The question before the upper branch
Of the Vermont Legislature on the 14th
inst, being on the adoption Of the Joint
resolution authorizing and requesting
the Governor to contract with Hiram
Powers for an heroic statue in marble of
Jacob 'COllamer, aud with Larkin G.
Mead, Jr., for an heroic statue Of Ethan
Allen in marble, to be placed in the Ma
tional Statuary Hall at Washington,
Hon. S. NJ. Dorr of Rutland spoke as
follows
Mr.. President Were II not that
this subject is one which has excl
ted good deal Of interest in our State,
and the decision OF which will affect the
character, standing and reputation Of
our State abroad, | should not beg the
indulgence of the Senate while | present
for its consideration such views "a, in
my Judgment, should conclude our &C.
tion ia the premises.
The subject was originally brought to
the people by an act Of Congress ap-
proved July :. 1861 entitled an act
making appropriations for sundry civil
expenses of the government, for the
year ending the 30th Of June 1865, and
for other purposes" Section two Of
that act provides, in its first paragraph,
for the reconstruction Of the old hall in
the House Of Representative at Wash
iD2tOn, and the last paragraph is as
follows:
"And the President is hereby author
lied to invite each and all the States to
provide and furnish statues, in marble
or bronze, not exceeding two in number
for each State, Of deceased persons who
have been citizens thereof, and illustriOus
for their historic renOwn, or from dis
tiOguished civic or military services,
such as each State shall determine to be
worthy Of this national c0mmemoration;
and when 50 furnished the same shall be
placed in the old hall of the House of
Representatives in the capitol Of the
United States, which is hereby set apart,
or so much thereof as may be necessary,
as National Statuary Hall, for the pur-
poses herein Indicated"
Thus brought to the notice of the
people, the Legislature at its session in
1866 adopted joint resolution, which
was as follows, viz:
ReS0IUed By the Senate md House of Repre-.
seatatyes, That his Excellency the Cover
nor be authorized and requested to ap-
point one or more commissioners to ex-
anime the subject SO far as it relates to
this State, and to report such facts, and
make such suggestions to the Legisla-
ture, at its next session, as such COM
missioner or commissioners shall deem
material and best calculated to enable
the Legislature, at that time, to take
definite action in relation thereto"
think we have right to presume
that the legislature of 1865, had given
to this whole subject that mature de-
liberation which its Importance de-
mands, that that legislature at least re-
garded the invitation of Congress with
favor, and that 10 its judgment Vermont
should accede to the proposition of the
general government, and furnish the
statues contemplated by this act. The
whole scope and purpose of the resOlu-
lion was TO provide for GcGa@s action of
the leg stature which shOuLd succeed
them. Upon no other hypothesis eau
we harmonic their action with the pur-
poses of the joint resolution. 90 any
other theory their resolves become a
simple mockery.
This resolution having been adopted
] and [ believe with entire unanimity In