Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-04-19

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He was excellent in judgment. He
was excellent also in speech, so that
whenever he spoke the wonder was that
he who spoke so we'll should speak 50
rarely. He was full clear, direct, en-
phatlc, and never was diverted from the
thread of his argument. Had he been
moved to mingle actively in debate, he
| must have eXerted q commanding in
tluence over opinion in the Senate and
in the country. How often We have
watched him tranquil in his seat while
Others without his experience or weight
occupied attention, The reticence whiCt
was a part of his nature formed s. ron
trast to that prevailing etlusion where
sometimes the facility of speech is less
remarkable than the inability to been
silent and again, 1t formed contrast
20 that controversies, spirit which too
often, like ~ unwelcome wind, puts out
the liShEs while it fans flame. And
yeI IN his treatment of questions he
was never incomplete or perfunctory.
Ii he did not say with the orator and
parliamentarian Of France, the famous
founder of the D0ctyinairs school of pol
ltics, NJ. Roger Collard, that he had too
much respect for his audience ever to
ask attention to anything which he had
net hrst reduced to writing, it was ev-
ident that he never spoke in the Senate
without careful preparation. You do
not forget his commemoration of his
iate colleague, only few short weeks
ago, when he delivered a Funeral Ora
tlon not unworthy of the French school
| from which this form of eloquence is
derived. Alas as we listened to that
most elaborate eulogy, shaped by study
and penetrated by feeling, how little
did we think that it was so sooE to be
echoed back from his own tomb!
In the long warfare with slavery Mr.
Foot was from the beginning firmly &Ed
| constantly on the side Of freedom He
was against the deadly compromises of
1850. He linked his shield in the small
but solid phalanx of the Senate which
opposed the Nebraska bill. He was
faithful in the defense Of Kansas, men
aced by slavery And when at last this
barborOus rebel took up arms, he accept
ed the issue, and did all that he could
for his country. But even the cause
which for years he had 20 much at heart
did not lead him into debate, except
very rarely. His opinions appeared in
votes rather than in speeches. But his
sympathies were easily known. | do
not forget that when | first came into
the Senate and was not yet personally
familiar with him, / was assured by Mr.
Giddings, who knew him WELL that he
belonged to the small circle who would
stand by freedom, and the anti slavery
patriarch added pleasantly that Mr. Foot
on his earliest visit to the House of Rep
resentatives after he became Senator,
drew attention by coming directly to his
seat and sitting by his side in friendly
conversation. Mr.. Foot by the side Of
Joshua r. Giddings in those days when
slavery still tyraniZed is a picture not
to be forgotten. Ii our departed friend
is not to be named among those who
have borne the burden of this great con-
trOversy, he must not be forgotten
among those whose sympathes with
liberty never failed. Would that he had
done more. Let us be thankful that he
did SO much.
The Office Of President pro ten1p0re
among Us grows out Of the anomalous
relations Of the Vice President to the
Senate. There is no such officer in the
other house, nor was there in the House
Of Commons until very recently when
we read Of a deputy Speaker" which
is the term by which he is addressed
when in the chair. No ordinary talent
can guide and control a legislative as
sembly, especially if it be numerous or
if it be excited by party differences. A
good presiding officer is like Alexander
mounting BuCephalus. The assembly
knows its master "as horse knows its
rider. This was pre- eminently the case
of Mr.. Foot, who was often in the chair,
and was for a considerable period our
President pro tempore. Here he showed |
special adaptation of power. He was
in person every inch" a President so
also was he in every sound Of the voice. |
He carried into the chair the most |
marked individuality that has been seen
there during the present generation. |
He was unlike any other presiding Off |
GER None but himself couldsbe his par
allel. His presence was 1elt instantly. |
1t filed this chamber from floor to gal |
lery. 1t attached itself to everything |
that was done. Vigor and dispatch pre-
vailed. Questions were stated so as to |
challenge attention. Impartial justice |
was manifest at once. Business in every |
form was handled with equal ease. Or |
der was enforced with no timorous au-
thority. If disturbance came from the |
gallery how promptly he launched his |
Illumination. If it came from the floor, |
you have often seen him throw himself |
back, and then with voice Of lordship, |
as if all the Senate was in him, insist |
that debate should cease until order was |
restored. "The Senate must come to or
der, he exclaimed and meanwhile, like
the god Thor, he beat with his ivory |
hammer in unison with his voice, until |
the reVerberations ratified like thunder |
in the mountains.
Appropriate remarks were also made |
by Senators Edmunds, johnson, Brown,
Pomeroy and Cragin. Senator Edmunds' |
remarks we shall notice tomorrow.