The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-10-29

Governor OF Vermont, was the first native
Of the State who filled that Office, and was
the only Lieutenant Governor who has
been called upon TO discharge the duties
thereof, by reason Of vacancy in the Of
flee CT Governor.
He was the son of Levi and Ruth
(Hemenway) Jenison, and was born in
Shoreham in tho county Of Addison, on
the 17th day of May, I791. When
scarcely year old, his father died, and
left him 20 the care Of his mother ''the
only son of his mother and she widow"
She was n woman If remarkable energy
industry and judgment--to her remarkable
energy, industry and judgment-to her
watchiu care and prudence may be
ascrlbed that early training which SO well
fitted her son for the future duties of life.
In early life was devolved on him the
care of his mothers farm, and it was only
during the winter months that he had
even the benefit of a common school edu-
cation. How well he employed the few
months may be seen from his future life.
In 1926, 81, %, 80 and 80, he rep
resented his native town in the Legisla-
ture of Vermont and also in the Consti-
tutional Convention of 1913. Although
several important amendments TO tho
Constitution had been proposed to this
Convention by the Council Of Ceusors they
were all rejeclel by decisive majorties
In 1929 he was elected assistant Judge
OF the Addison county court and received
six successive annual elections to ths
oilite. end in 1871 he was elected Judge
of Probate for the Addison Probate Dis
tr.ct and was re elected in 1912, '43, "A,
'45 and 46
In 1882, he was elected one of the
Councillors of the State, and continued
as such three years and till his election as
Lieutenant Governor.
In the election of 1885 he was tie
candidate of the AMI Masonic Party for
the office of Lieutenant Governor, and wa,
elected by n large majority of the popu-
lar vote--but 80 nearly were the parties
balanced, that there was no election of
| Governor by the pcople-and after bal
loting almost daily in joint assembly for
more than three weeks without effectng
any result the Joint assembly was dissolved,
and Sllas III Jenison, being Lieutenant
Governor, became the acting Governor
The next year he was elected Cover
nor, and was re elected by constantly in
creasing mginri'ies, in 1897, '3s and 80
-nnd IN 1910 he received majority of
over ten thousand votes,
The importance of the measures that
were adopted, and the events that we're
tran-piring aroun1, renders his admins.
tration one of the most eventful period.
in the history Of this State 1t was during
this period that occurred the great com
mcrcial crisis of 1887, concerning which
h thus speaks: 'Btieving the unwise
and unauthorized measures of the late
executive Of the general government to
have been the primary cause of producing
the dis s.rouS ate of our NON ntary af-
ttirs, | could moi tlhtter myself that anv
State legislation could cure the evil TO
the General Government we must look
Gov rnmphy commensurate with tho evil
1t was in October. 1887. that was com.
menced the "Patriot War" in Canada.
The sympathies of the people of Vermont
we're warmly enlisted in behalf of tho
Canadians, and manifested itself in pub
lie meetings--in inhamatory speeches and
inconsiderate resoluiions-and in collect
ing together mer and arms on the from.
ters,-but Governor Jents.n was equal
to he emergency. lie issued his Proc
lamation warning the inhabitants of thi.
State of the p r Is TO which they would
i, NV the laws of the land-lf
" eAposer :. violate that ncu-
they should in their yea. =. INV
trality established by Congress or 10
acts inconsistent with the treaty relations
fexisting bet ~een the United States and
Great Britain. This Proclamation mtt
with almost universal ensure and con lem
natl n from the entire press and people of
the State, but the Gro, ,erlor 'relying upon
the intelligence and candor of the people.
and conscious Of the purity Of his inten-
tions, did not fear the result and was
p g Jared to sustain his views, when tho
returning reason OF the people prevented
the resort to uteriur measures To the
frmness, ability and integrity of Governor
Jenison, we were without doubt in a
great measure indebted, for the preserva-
ton OF friendly relations between this
count " and England
During his administration the Senate
was established as CO ordinate branch
of the Leg,lature-imprisonment for
debt was abolished-the only general re-
vision of our laws since 1867 was made,
the State House at Montpelier was COM
pleted and general banking law was en-.
acted.
In his message to the General Assem-
bly, in 1910 he declined re election and
assigned IA his reason that he had always
esteemed ''that distinguished feature in
democratic gov r menls, rotation in office,
one of the most efficient safeguards OF the
purity of our Institutions
sin person he was tall, stoutly built,
with large, well formed head, manners
unaffected and pleasing, easy in conversa-
iion; but through distrust of his own
p 'wers. or extreme caution, he never en-
gagged in public debate. If he possessed
little of the brlliancy of genius, he had
what is no less valuable, prudence
correct, though not highly cultivated