Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-10-29
ileu,.-Covernors OF Vermont.
PAUL nRIonAN


ganized her government by the election of
a Governor, Lieutenant or Deputy Gov,
ernor and other State officers, and by the
assembling Of her FIST Legislature in
March l11S, Ninety years have now
elapsed, and thirty-one different persons
have been elected to, and Allied the office
Of Lieutenant Governor, Of which number,
PAUL BRIGHAM was the seventh, and his
term of service extended over period Of
twenty-five years, being nearly one quar-
ter OF the entire time OF the existence Of
the State government, While serving in
this capacity, the gubenatorial chair was
occupied at different times by Thomas
Chittenden, Isaac Tiehenor, Israel Smith
and Jonas Galusha,
| PAUL BRIGHAM was born about 1916,
and was, prior TO his removing To Vermont,
an officer in the revolutionary army, and,
for at least,iour years he was Captain and
was stationed with his command at Cow
entry, in the State of Connecticut.
On coming to Vermont, he located him.
self at Norwich, in the County of Wind
sor, where he continued TO reside until his
death. We have the testimony OF his i'm
mediate neighbors, that ''he was highly
respected by all who knew him, and dis
charged the duties OF the various offices
which he was called to fill to the satisiac-
ton OF his constituents and with honor TO
himself, BY the citizens of Norwich, the
town in which he resided,he was esteemed
for those traits of character which mark
the Just man and the kind neighbor."
He represented the town OF Norwich
in the General Assembly of Vermont in
1888, in 1856, and again in 1871. He was
also delegate from that town to the Con-
stitutional Conventions Of 1898, 1914. and
1922.
In 1854, he was elected by the General
Assembly, Judge of the Windsor County
Court, and he was reelected in l1Si, and
1856, He was again elected TO the same
position in 1890, and was reelected in
1921, 1,g2, 1898 and 1854; and in 1891
he was Chief Judge
In 1877, Judge Brigham was elected
Sheriff of Windsor County, and immedi.
ately after the expiration of his term OF
Office as Judge Of the County Court, en-
tered upon the discharge of the duties Of
this office Hell twas reelected Sheriff in
the years, l;sS and 1888, and continued
to discharge its duties until he was again
elected Judge Of the County Court.
The only other instances that we now
recall, although there may have been 9TH
ers, of the same individual filling the
offices Of Sheriff and Judge OF the County
Court, is that of Jonas Galusha.
In 1898, he was elected Judge of Pro.
bate. for the northern, or Hartford Dis
trict OF Windsor County, and held the
office only for single year; and again
in 1900, he was elected and continued
Judge of Probate for the same district,
for one term.
He was elected a Councillor in 1892,
and was reelected in 1893, 1894, 1895
4, and 1886.
In 1876, he was elected Leutenan
Governor Of Vermont, and was annually
a reelected each year, with the exception
e OF the years 1913 and 1914, down to, and
e including the year 1919, in which year he
" declined reelection, in an address TO the
!, General Assembly, which las a testimony
: Of the respect and regard of the house foI
; the long and faithful services of his honor
{ the observation-disclosures" was entered oil
!, the journal In his address, after stating
8 his acceptance TO the office, he goes on t
say 81 beg leave to observe, that for NOR,
] than forty years l have been honored by
my fellow citizens with various offices
, both civil and military; some of them o
:, minor grades, others of more importanc,
: all of them honorable. In the dis
charge Of the duties, incident to thos,
: Offices, to say that l had never erred
5 would be absurd; but from the repeated
! elections which have had, it might bt
$ charitably hoped that l had invariably
meant to discharge the duties which de
: yolyed upon me, in such way as would
best promote the public welfare
F. Il have now arrived at the age marked
: in Holy Writ, as a time of labor and sor
row-at period, too, in which the WORLD
has lost its charms For several year,
past have neglected making similar
communication to this, from considera.
tons, in some degree, aside from my own
judgment and feelings; but, for long
time, have been determined not to LET
the present occasion pass, without mani
Testing, in this public manner, that it is
my wish hereafter, not to be considered
as a candidate for any Office. I have
chosen the present time to make this com
munication, that the members of the leg
islature and others, might have the best
opportunity to select a citizen, whom they
could present to the consideration of the
freemen at large, to fill the Office which
/ now hold
~ cannot refrain, at this time, as it is
probably the only one which will ever
present itself, to express the deep sense Of
gratitude which feel to my follow citi
zeus, for the many unmerited favor:
which they have so repeatedly bestowed
upon me and to offer up to that Being
;, who directs the destinies Of worlds, and
of individuals in the best possible manner
my most fervent supplication for the pros.
, perity and happiness of the State"
This address, as we have already stated
was by d vote of the House entered at