Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-11-24
From the ST. Albans Messenger.
ThelSpecial Session of 1861.
AN INTEREsrINa INcIpENT.

urged Its passage for the repeal OF the
Personal Liberty Law" which had
been construed by the South as hostile
measure and an attempted notification
of the Fugitive Slave Act At the spe-
cial session in the Spring of 1861, it was
expected by all republicans that he
would again urge the repeal Of the OBJ
noxious law, and many were prepared to
vote for it as measure to pacify the
South. On the eventful day when the
attitude of Vermont in the war was to
be determined, two other leading demo-
Gratis were walking with him from the
hotel to the State House, when one of
them was heard to say to him that if
the House would not vote to repeal the
law he would not vote one man nor one
dollar for the suppression of the Rebel
lion-to which Judge Thomas made no
reply.
When the Committee of Ways and
Means, of which Mr.. Thomas was MEM
ber, held their meeting to determine
what sum to recommend the House to
appropriate to aid in suppressing the re-
bellion, it so happened that his seat was
partially behind the door and another
member of the Committee so that his
presence was not noticed until they had
agreed all around that halfa a million
would be amply sufficient. CHANGING
then to discover Judge Thomas, the
chairman called for his opinion. He
stepped forward to the table and gravely
recommended that the sum be doubled.
AT first the others thought he meant to
kill the bill by overlooking it, but he
went on with brief but powerful speech
in which he told them that he was sat-
isfed we had got a great work on our
hands and had best arouse ourselves in
the first to an idea of its magnitude -
that if it should happily turn out that all
the money would not be required, it need
not be used and they had a governor of
their own choice, not his, but that if he
had confidence enough in him to trust
him with all this money, they certainly
ought to have. The argument prevail
e1, and the committee voted unanimous
ly to recomend the appropriation of one
million dollars.
That afternoon, when the question
came up in the House, on the commit
tees report, every nook and corner of the
spacious hall was crowded with an anx-
ious and excited populace. The mem-
bers were startled when the report was
read and after moment began whisper
ing with each other all over the hail.
1t was evident that they considered the
sum too large. Soon Mr.. Myers of Ja-
maica (we think it was) rose and in a
cautions speech gave expression to his
opinion. He was followed by another,
in the same vein and then Mr. Gleed of
Morristown, who was the acknowledged
republican leader of the House, made an
earnest speech in favor of cutting down
the same to half million. 1t was not
known to any but the committee who
was the author of the pending PROPOSE
ton, so when Judge Thomas arose to re-
ply to Mr.. Gleed, expectation was on
tip-toe and curiosity in breathless sus-
pense to see what attitude the democrats
we're going to assume. Never before had
we seen an orator SO nerved with his
subject as Judge Thomas seemed to be.
T" One million, too much p exclaimed he
:" | tell you we have got to measure our
steel with as gallant foe as ever drew
the blade and it will severely tax the en-
tire resources of thecountry to overcome
them. But we can do it, we shall do it,
we must do it, and now let Vermontlead
the van by an appropriation which shall
show the grandeur of our purpose p
He sat down. For moment even the
ticking of clock could be heard, then
the galleries burst forth in tumultuous
applause and the members Joined it with
a total forgetfulness of dignity or order.
There were no more speeches and the
vote was taken. The names of the DEM
ocrats were all we'll known, and just be-
fore each was reached in calling the roll
there was most breathless Stiffness
But one after one filed in with bold and
noble Yes" and when the last letter of
the alphabet was reached it was found
that not a single one, not even the man
who, few hours before had declared he
would not vote man or dollar unless
the Personal Liberty Bill was first re-
pealed, and not even Mr.. Gleed, who had
so much feared that so large an appro-
priation would discourage the people,
was found in the negative. The an
nouncement of the unanimous vote was
received with tumultuous applause, and
when Col. Hopkins and select choir,
each holding little flag, struck up in