Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-04-05

strengthened asking no favor OF any
man, how often has he assisted Others
what success was ever his, which did
not benefit Others more than himself
Speaking of Mr., Foot's public spirit,
Mr., Seayer said; You remember, we all
remember how, in his last address 70 his
townsmen he made VOW of personal |
conservation to the public weal-you
remember how he told us that there was
not muscle, an atom of flesh, a dropof !
blood that he would not spend for your
welfare and the public good. In the
mouth of another man this might have
been only the rhetorician's flourish, only
the demagogue's bid for popular APP
plause; but on his lips it was the
truthful record of his past services, 1t
was the prophecy of their continuance
even to the end That word was kept,
that prophecy has been fulfilled. That
brain, that blood, that heart, that life
has now all been spent for us. He kept
nothing back. We saw with pain
when last among us that continual toll
and care were beginning to bow and
shake that erect and noble form, He
might then have resigned his office un-
spotted, and enjoyed an honorable, hear
ty, hale old age. He might have
claimed exemption from further duties
to the State in view of the services of a
quarter of century. He might thus
have realized what seemed to be his
only personal wish he might have
built himself a home here in our vii
lage, and dwelt here among his own fell
low citizens, loved and loving. Who
could have blamed him if he had but
to have done so would not have been
Solomon Foot. No; his state had bound
around him for the third time the Sena-
torial robe, and he went forth to wear 1t
until death should tear it from him.
And so he toiled on, weaving in his last
public utterance a wreath of cypress
and laurel for his colleague, Jacob Col
amer, -toiled on, experimenting the
arrangements for the due observance Of
the anniversary birthday of Abraham
Lincoln, toward whom he felt that love
which knits together kindred, noble
souls,-tOied on in his Senatorial duties,
voting for the people Of Vermont on the
great questions of the day,-tOiled on
till tired brains and burdened heart, and
exhausted frame refused their office
and then, and not till then, he laid him
self down to rest in Jesus, leaving this
last request Of earth, that he might be
carried home TO that people who had so
houored him, and whom he had tried to
honor, that he might be buried by them
and among them.
To grant that request, we are now as
! sembed. We lay first upon the Coffined
dead this wreath Of amaranths from his
own hills, these timely but hearty words
of our love and reverence, and then we
| bear him home to his chosen resting
place. And there, by the side of sainted
kindred, there in this centre Of the state
| Of which he was proud, and which was
proud of him, there in the midst of that
thriving village whose welfare was ever
dear to him.-there beneath the shadow
of those grand old mountains, which he
so much loved, there where the breezeS
of his own native land chant among the
sentinel pines his requiem, there We give
! his dust into the keeping OF Almighty
! God, his Savior
AS population increases that city Of
the dead, now thnly settled, may be-
come thronged and crowded. But many
times must the winters snow spread
there its white winding sheet, many
| times must the summers sunshine gid
with reverential glory its tOmbs and
monuments, many times must autumn
hang out on yonder hillside it's crimson
banners, ere we or our children shall
beaf thitherward one who in all the
qualities of head and heart, in intellect in
integrity, in affection, in patriotism,
shall be the peer and equal ofhim whom
| God to day takes from us,-Our hOnOra-
BILE man, our unstained counsellor.
DECLINED Rev. H. NJ. GrOut has de-
clined the office Of Superintendent Of