Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-02-12
George 5. Boutwell,.

The present Secretary of the Treasury
announces his discrimination to retire from
the Cabinet at the close of Gen. Grant first
term. This retirement, he insists, is in nc
way dependent on his success in the contest
for Vice President Wilson's seat in the Uni
ted States Senate for the next four years.
1t seems to be question with our Massachu
sets neighbors, however, whether this an
nouncement is not made in hopes of inhuen
cling the choice of the legislature.
The friends of Mr.. Dawes so consider it
and think that the wide world would wag for 6
time at least, Notwithstanding Mr.. Boutweil''
initiation into private life. He has held
Office so contin uously that he can scarcely be
said to return to private life. But the chan
ces are evidently in favor of Mr.. Boutwell,
election, although the Boston Journal sounds
the alarm ID the faithful and warns them thai
| there is danger of a third mans slipping in
whom the State doesn't want.
Brief biographies Of Secretary Boutwell,
are plenty, but whether they are to be taker
as obituary on departure from the Secretary
ship, or salutatOry on entrance into the Sen
contained in them are of interest in either
case.
Mr. Boutwell, was born in Brookline, Mass
achusetts, and is now ffty-fve years of age.
He had common school education and to
the age of thirteen became clerk in a store.
At seventeen he entered into mercantile bus
mess in Groton, beginning the next year the
study of law by himself. His life as a mer
chant was busy and studious, and he began
with other work, the study of Latin and
French. His interest in politics was great
and he organized the unterrifed, unwasheC
and improper Democracy of Groton into
compact body, by which the highly respecta
BILE Wings were overthrow and Mr.. Boutwell,
sent in 1912, when twenUy-tour years old, tt
| the legislature. Here he became a leader IN
his party, receiving many elections to the
| House, and, in the time of the coalition, 81
prominent had he become that he was made
the Democratic candidate for Governor
There being no election by the people he wa
chosen by the legislature. This was wher
he was only thirty-three years of age. Afte
his service as Governor he was a member o
the Constitutional Convention of 1853
That was the highest point ever reached IL
| his career, as seen by Massachusetts, eyes
! Lit COHsglIutlOu ItdHCu luI5 1CAdi hbOl
! convention was rejected, but nevertheless i
ould seem to be enough to fill the measur
of any one mans ambition to have been on
of body which dared to handle tamlllarl.
the sacred constitution of that commonwealth
John Quincy Adams accepted place IL
Congress after being President, and, fortlfe
by his ilustrious example, Boutwell, ha:
since he left tn at convention, condescend de-
to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue
Member of Congress and Secretary of tht
Treasury. The work which he did as Mem
Der of the Massachusetts Board of Eiucatio
added to his reputation, and he has don
well in all the many places that the goo
will of the people of Massachusetts, ha
called him to occupy.
The friendship Of Gen. Butler and tn
enmity of " Warrington " will perhap
neutraIize each other, and the contest resul
in fair expression of the choice of the pee
pie between Boutwell, and Dawes, in eitht
of whom the Commonwealth will have q
upright and able representative.