Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-04-18


there was never any doubt or speculation upoI
any question a. to where he would be found
When he spoke, therefore, he brought to bear
not only cogent argument, but the influence o.
"a true man, the weight of an experienced leg
isator.
| As chairman of the Committee on Public
Buildings he had for long period taken 9
deep interest in the work of the Capitol ex
tension. His ideas were NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
with the grandeur of the nation-and be
would build we'll and for all time. He felt a
pride in the splendors of the structure, fondly
contemplated the time of it's completion in all
| its parts, when all the vacant inches as well
as the old Hall of the House of Representa-
| sives should be filled with the statutes of ouI
fathers, when the surrounding grounds should
| be enlarged, and believed in the end the world
would not be able to show Government build
ings and grounds more imposing or so appro-
priately magnificent. 1t was the Capitol of a
nation of freemen What wonder, then, that
he should in bis last hour close the drama by
wishing to be SO raised in his bed that his eyes
might once more behold the rays of the morn
ing sun glittering upon the majestic dome
and illumining those Halls wherein he had
long been so noted an actor.
| He was a modest man, and obeyed thei Cos
, pol precept, " not to think of himself more
highly than he ought to think, and esteemed
others :" better than himself. Few men who
| spoke so well have been able to content them
selves with speaking 80 unfrequently. He
always appeared to underrate his own per-
formances, and never, believe, circulated any
of his speeches in pamphlet form, but he was
generous and hearty in his appreciation and
| circulation of those made by others.
| He was man OF courage. When he served
in this House, belonging to the old Wing party,
the great radical abolitionist from the Ohio
| Ashtabula district was also member. Anti
slavery sen timents in those days found little
| favor any where, and here encountered fercesl
| hate and frequent violence on the part of
slave-holding Representatives. Mr.. Glddings
once told me that upon one occasion, when
he had uttered some unwelcome truth about
| the institution of barbarous memory, one OF
these chivalric Represen atives rushed to-
ward him evidently bent mischief, and that
Foot at once sPrang to his aide ready meet
the aggressor. The promptness of this &C
| ton an 1 the firm port of Mr.. Foot awed the
| would-be assassin, and he retired to his seat
Nobody, said Mr.. Giddings, could doubt the
meaning OF the one or the other.
The delicate as well difficult duty of
making up of the various committees of the
Senate frequently fell to his lot, and it was
always performed with great discretion and
| fairness. Here his modesty was apparent, for
ne neVer b carved as to leave the CHI DIGEST
parts to himself.
Mr.. Foot was Industrious, methodical,
puntual to all appointments, and never post
poned the work OF to-day for the greater eis-
ure of Tomorrow. Whatever he aimed to do,
he aimed to do WELL He was proud of Yer
mont, loved her history, and wore her honors
worthIly. But he was not 100 proud to labor
Tor the humplest OF his constituents, and by
his labors he added luster to his State and
honor To the nation.
If it be that God loves those who are ready
for his coming " In such an hour as We think
not, or those He takes while yet in the full
enJoyments OF all their strength and hopes,
with mind and reputation as well as faith IN
the grace of God undimmed, then was Senator
Foot fortunate as he was happy in the time
of his death. Life was at its acme and he
filled as large d space in the world as his
highest ambition has ever coveted He had
not tired himself, nor was the world tired by
his presence, but he seemed to see, as with a
heavenly vision, welcome awaiting him in
the new world 10 which he WAS fastening and
exclaimed, - see it | see it The gates are
vide open Beautiful Beautiful -
Senator Foot was pre-eminently u large
hearted man, nursing no ill-natured lealousIes
IN himself nor In others =; far less did he in
dulge IN any malice, and was the readiest man
log neglect or actual injury. Opponents
lever found his tongue fabricated by the ser
pent's poison, nor did friends ever tnd himself
" damned by faint praise, for be was IKE
warm IN nothing, but distri bu ted praise and
blame openly, mantuily, and with a most re-
treshing JUNCTION. For his friends he was
ready to make any sacrifices, aud he obeyed
heir behests with a cordial alacrIty never to
be forgotten by those whom his position, off,
~ al fhar kf,l l.,
volunteer soldiers anc officers so suddenly
called from industrial avoc atoms to put down
the great rebellion, received his homage and
tenderesr sohcitude. OF these he felt that
the dead We're all martyrs, the living all he
roes, and his gratitude was unbounded. N
his own State no public man ever possessed
more of the affection of the people, as was
sufficiently shown by Ills almost unanimous
election by the Vermont Legislature for a
third term TO the Ssnare of the United States
lie always met his colleagues with the most
cordial SITUATIONS; no ili-wInd ever rippled
over the surface OF their intercourse, and the
most genial and affec donate relations were
main tanned up TO the latest moments of his
lie HIS loss to has family Is lrrepirabe and
so profound Is their griet as to find no solace
save In the contem platoon of the subimity of
the dying Senator'S Christian faith. The last
utterances OF great men a:e often treasured
up and serve to prove the strength of some
ruling, possibly petty, passion of lie deceased,
but rarely have the last words of any man
been so bit to be reported to the world, or such
as to be more likely to be forever engraven on
the hearts of his friends than those of the
lamented Senator Foot. w .thout an enemy
In the world, loving God and glowing with
affection tor all, and especially for those who
visited HIM In his last hours, with eyes still
beaming with all their wonted brilliancy, his
unlmpassioned words, SO clearly articulated
40 lovingly rendered, were we'll calculated to
touch every heart by their won derful pathos.
Honored Senator. true patriot faithful
friend farewell
The resolution was adopted and the House
accordingly at four O'Clock and forty minutes
T. NJ, adjourned.
Mrs. JEFFERSON DAvIs.-The Burlington
Times says Mrs. Jefferson Davis passed through
that city 90 Saturday morning. on her way to
Montreal, accompanied by several Southern
gentlemen and three walters. She was plainly
dressed in black, with short loose cloak or
man. We learn, that while the train stopped
at ST. Adams, she came from the car into the
Depot, where large crowd gathered to look
at her. She at once turned her back upon
the assemblage, and appeared to be lost in
deep thought, perhaps thinking of the St.
Adams raid Some of the men asked each
other if she wore the same clothes jeff had
on bright, sunny morning last May. She
overheard the remark, but only looked upon
it with silent contempt. She told several gen.
tlemen that JEFF was soon to be released