Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-08-12
5Aiscellamu.
Joshua IL. Giddings.
DEDICATION OF A MONUMENT.

N'Ni ~AaNNs 'S -A7Aitttpula NbHlOsr lNh
weeks since, and the proceedings will be
received with interest by many of our
older readers at least, who always admir-
ed the Roman and patriotic frmness
with which he stood for the right while
in Congress. We therefore copy as fol-
lows:
The monument is massive block of
granite, with medallion bronze likeness
by the late Joseph Carew of Boston
The Hon. j. A. Garfield, Mr.. Gidding's
present successor in Congress, delivered
an address. He first reviewed the life
of Mr.. Giddings, who was born October
6, 1772, at Athens, Bradford County,
Pennsylvania. His ancestors came from
England in 1850. When he was 10
years old he came to Ashtabula County,
where he resided during the remainder
of his eventful life. His educational
privileges were only those afforded by
the log school-house of his district dur
ing portion of the winter months. His
father had fought in the battles of the
Revolution, and at his fathers freside
young Giddings learned to respect the
rights of man, and that human liberty
was worth dying for. In 1917, he stud
led law with the Hon. Elisha Whittlesey
was admitted to the Bar in 1920, and
elected to the Legislature in 1926. He
declined reelection, and practiced law
until elected to Congress in 1888, where
he was continued until the end of the
XXXVth Congress, in 1858. In 1912,
16 years of age, he volunteered to serve
in the army against the British. He
took part in the expedition to Sandusky
Bay, in which our forces lot in two bat
ties occurring on one day one.ffth their
number in killed and wounded. Mr.. Gar
field continued with glance at the po-
litical situation as it existed at the time
of Mr.. Giddings's advent into Congress
The founders of the Government be-
lieved they had so adjusted affairs that
Slavery would slowly but surely disap-
pear They had provided for the aboli-
ton of the foreign slave treaty, and pro-
hibited its extension into Territories then
free. Unforeseen events, especially the
invention of the cotton gin and the ac-
QUESTION of Louisiana from the French,
set in motion a great reaction. The
spirit of avarice guided the ambition OF
politicians, perverted the wisdom Of
statesmen, and seized ali the places Of
power and influence in the National
Government. 1t even entered the sane.
tuaries of religion, and converted the
great mass of the American churches
into bulwarks of Slavery. In the sum-
mer OF 1924, the American Anti-Slave.
ry Society was organized at Philadelphia
with IA members, and began to make
protest against Slavery. During the ten
or twelve succeeding years, the appeal
had reached the public conscience that
both political parties, taking the alarm,
determined to suppress agitation by
every possible means. In order to fix
the place which Mr.. Giddings occupied
in this great movement against Slavery
it is necessary to give an analysis of the
forces at that time opposing the institu-
ton. There were, first, the followers of
William Lloyd Garrison, who insisted
on Immediate, unconditional emancipa.
ton second, those who believe the Con.
stitution TO be anti.slavery in spirit, and
could therefore support and defend it,
and who ultimately formed the Liberty
party; third, those who were thoroughly
anti-Siavery in sentiment, but who
thought it best TO remain in one or other
of the great political parties and carry
out the reform by electing men who
would oppose and limit slavery by all
constitutional means. In the beginning
of his political crreer Mr.. Giddings be-
longed to the third of these classes. He
was whig and acted with that party
except on questions pertaining to slavery
during the first ten years of mis- political
life. He was elected in 1888 to fill an
unexpired term of his old law preceptor
Elisha Whittlesey. Martin Van Burer
Tas President and james K. Polk Speak
er of the House of Representatives
President Jackson's inaugural had re
ferred to Anti-slavery publications IL
the free States, and declared that they
were calculated TO stir up iDsurrectior
and produce all the horrors of civil war
Mr.. Giddings found but two men in Con
gress who had made any public demon
stration against slavery. There were the
venerable John Quincy Adams of Mas
sachusetts, and William Slade of Yer
mont. Even Mr.. Adams. though tho
roughly anti-slavery in sentiment, had
expressed the desire that all debate OF
/ a, ,,l>;oo. &c Slavery in the District o