Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-04-22
30 feet from the ground before the snow
ALctter from Florida.
THE MURDER or DIR. FINLAiSof.

latter. have received numerous letter.
from my New England friends inquirine
of the circumstances of so horrible al
affair. I am induced, even at this late
day, to answer these inquiries through the
columns of your paper, as ] learn that
many of the newspapers that have
reached your region have given distorted
and false explanations of the causes that
led to this bsrbarous murder.
The immediate facts are these MAJOR
w. J. Purmln, State Senator, and Dr
John J.. Finlay+ son, clerk Of the Circuit
Court. were returning from concert at
about o o'clock, walking arm in arm,
very near their homes, in one Of the streets
Of this town Some assaA-in fircd--' load
of huckshaj from behind troo, and fled
inc4ntincntly, and no trace has yet been
found of him, except the bloody work
that he left Dr Finlays"n tell dead, and
Major Purmin received a bullet quite
through his neck, from ear 10 car
DR.. Fiulayaon was a southern man
young, active. s.tgacious, brave and kind
Born III 4 nei2hboring eounty and raised
in this community, hc has never exhibited
trait or performed an action that the
community can condemn, except it bc an
uncompromi-ing loyalty to. the Union,
and IN unass uming, but energetic and
-tetlf.s-t cftoyt in fnrtherance of the con
gre,,iolrll plan If rcnonatrnctlon
Compared with other Southctnars, IN
this respect, aud even with most genuine
southern Union men, he stood forth
sraudly pre-cmincnt lie subscribed to
the Republican creed with 10 Jesuitical
provision that This Shall ~ a white man 5
government" and knew no north or
South in devotion To tho Interests of hi
common country.
The po,p OF this county have lost friend
,nl counsellor that cannot be replaced.
His large and successful medical practice
was almost entirely gratuitous among
this class.
He had but lately accepted the office of
Clerk OF the Circuit Court, and was faith
FULLY, and with universal comlnend,tion,
performing the duties of that Office With
40 enemies hut tho enemies Of the State,
John L. Frnlayson is a clearly Il political
IN lrtyr as Lincoln or Ellsworth, and III
the same sacred cause.
Major Purman was from Peunsylyania
ana was sent to this part Of the country
rs au officer Of the frccdman's Bureau
His services in this position were signally
Efficient, aud called out the highest Ell
coniums of his superior officers. At the
first dawn Of reconstruction. Ec enthusi-
astically entered the lists, and his energy,
foresight, and convincing clo4uencr, have
placrd him among the foremost of its
lie was member Of the Florida Con,
9titutional Convention, and in those
stormy sessions, his skill and boldncsS III
debate. and sagacity in counsel, alone
saved the Reed-O-born party from utter
defeat, and secured the present Constltu-
tion OF our State
He was then elected 10 the State Senate,
but was soon appointed Secretary Of
State, which office he immediately de-
clincd in favor Of colored man, and to
secure the unity of the Republican party
in this State. H. was then appointed
Judge but resigned this office last Janu-
ary, during thc impeachment tornado, for
a reelection to the State Senate, and the
that he had served, judici-
ally and legi-latively, gave him an over
whclming majority, Here he again took
the position Of the loader of the Republi
IN party. By far the most eloquent
man in either house, he was second to
none in achieving the defeat of impcach-
men,. aud il downfall is universally ac-
credited to him
His Excellcncy, Governor Reed, lately
appointed Major Purman the head of the
to negotiate with Alabama for
The transfer of West Florida, and it is
hoped that his recovery will be sufficiently
to enable him to proceed to
on that mission i'll May.
y young man of rare promise, eloquent,
patriotic, of great foresight, and untiring
energy, and the sworn foe of political in
equality, he has, | trust, escaped the
laundering assassin by good Providence
that will still preserve him to do his
State and country signal service.
Both these gentlemen were chosen
friends of Colonel G. NJ. Hamilton, our
able representative i'll Congress, and with
him had shared many danger and many
a delight. To the unparalleled bravery,
tireless zeal and vigilance of these three
gentlemen is due the success of the Re
publican Reconstruction in this western
region of the State. Their lives were re-
peatedly threatened, but they were pre-
pared for an open foe, ard exercised all
sination. But as many faithful senti-
mel of the night feels moro confident at
the approach of morning, so they hailed
the election of General Grant as the dawn
of their deliverance, and somewhat relax
ed their vigilance, and the watchful assas-
sin has his victim.
And yet these are the men that one
Democratic paper of this State chooses to
pretend were assassinated from " motives
of personal animosity and not from politi-
cal feeling
Both these gentlemen were remarkably
courteous and affable in manners, and |
am sufficiently familiar with them to say
with perfect confidence that they had no
personal differences with any party.
No, this was judgment against them
for loyalty-a penalty for devotion to the
government of the State-a
partial fulfillment of the threat often