Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-02-10
the citizens and the soldiers to lay their
tributes on his grave"

X X
The great lawyer, the brave soldier, the
master mind to organize, the incorrupt-
ible patriot, the public spirited citizen,
the able Governor, the faithful friend has
passed beyond the scenes, and Peter T.
Washburn is no more. His best years
and services were given to his State. His
fame will be her guardian care.
The following extracts are made from
the Free Press:
The death of Governor Washburn is a
serious loss to the commonwealth, as well
as to many public interests with which he
was specially connected. He has left a
worthy record on tho pages of its history,
and he will be sincerely mourned by the
people of the State he loved, and to which
he gave his best powers and most faithful
service.
OF him as Adjutant General it says:
Of the enthusiasm, industry and eff
cheney with which he executed the res
ponsible and laborous duties of that Office
during the war, it would be hard to speak
in terms of too high praise. Under his
able and energetic direction, Vermont
promptly filled her quota of every call
for troops, had always balance to her
credit in the amount of men furnished
for the war, and at its close stood credited
on the books of the War Department with
a credit, over the aggregate quotas under
all calls, of fifteen hundred and thirteen
men.
Governor Washburn was a man of
marked character. Perhaps his most no.
ticeable characteristic was his strong will.
Obstacles which would have daunted most
men, only stimulated him to action. He
was man of great independence. While
not above asking and carefully weighing
advice from others, on points of doubt or
difficulty, his decisions were always his
own, and once made were adhered to with
singular tenacity. 1t was his character
istic. in which he resembled the late Sec
rotary Stanton, which at the risk of tenn.
porary unpopularity, enabled him to go
right through and over the many perplex-
ing questions arising between towns and
districts in the allotment of quotas and
enlistment of troops in the war, and made
him, in great measure, so valuable pub
lie servant in that time of need. He was
a man of spotless integrity, of immense
industry, neglecting nothing which he &C.
cepted as duty Vermont, and espec-
tally her soldiers and her record in the
war, were his pride, and anything which
affected the great educational and ma
terial interests of the State, could always
command his interest. He was good
friend aud good hater, an able lawyer,
an earnest and forcible public speaker,
man of courteous manners and dignifed
presence Gov. Washburn was twice
married. His first wife was Miss Almira
Ferris of Swauton, sister OF Hon. Y. S.
Ferris of that place none of the children
by this marriage are living. His second
wife Miss Almira Hopkins of Glen's
Falls, n. Y, who, with three children,
now survives him.
The State loses in his death a good
Governor and faithful public servant, the
community an upright and public spirited
citizen, the University a careful guardian
of its interests his family kind hus-
band and father, and we and many others
who shared his intimacy and confidence,
a valued friend.
THE FIRST ONE.-We learn there is
an impression that Gen. Washburn is not
the first Governor who has died while in
office, as was stated in our obituary arti-
Gle on Tuesday morning. This misappre-
hension grows out of the fact that once
before the duties of Governor have de-
volved on the Lieutenant Governor, but
that occurred from the fact that the peo-
pie or Legislature failed to elect a Gov
ernor. In 1885, when the existence of
two political parties prevented an election
by the people, and when the General
sembly, after a trial of three weeks in
joint Committee of the House and Coun-
Gil to elect Governor, abandoned the eff
fort, and Lieutenant Governor Silas II.
Jennison, of Shoreham, took the position
of Acting Governor, and performed the
duties through the year.