Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-10-28
Senator Edmunds' Speech.

members of the Legislature, on Wednes-
day, Oct, Dist, rs follows:
.M'. President anl Senator's Gch'eAteu OF
the House Of RI prtScntatireS:
am profoundly grateful for this mark
of Your confidence in me. and in the
small service | have been able to perform
for our old commonwealth. am perfect
w we'll aware. and | know that you all
are, that the election which Won have con
ferred upon me, finds its motive much
more largely in the generosity which char
acterizcs the people of Vermont. in look
inc rather to the fidelity with which your
representative may attempt to perform
his duty, in dschargin@ the trust which
YOU reposc in HIM, than in the amount
that his poor services may have been able
to accomplish in the service of the coun
try. And so take it more largely. there
fore, in 4 personal sense. and with a pro
founder and deeper feeling Of gratitude.
that Your generous Kindness should regard
rather the fidelity and f,ithfulness of the
public servant. than what he may have
been able to do or to prevent. And 50.
gentlemen. accept with sincere thankful
f ness this high trust that You have again
coniided to me.
When we look back over the period of
: eight wears that have passed since have
: in part represented this commonwealth II
Washington, we cannot full to observe
how grcat-how radical, may say-have
been the changes that have occurred IN
the fundamental structure of the common
wealth, and the very extraordinary events
that have now become \ part OF our COM
mon history. which have taken place IN
that time The constitution of our com
mon country has received into II. to stand
forever, rs | hope, three flndrmental
: principles. which in the constitution of
, our state have been. for the whole OF It's
history, cardinal objects, but which, now
for the first time spreading themselves
into every part of the Great iatlon winch
the American people now compose, have
taken their place among the foundation
stones of the prosperity and. hope, the
happiness of the republic. And besides
: that. we have seen in this comparatively
! short space of time 4 vast army and Il
treat naval establishment reduced to pro-
portions indeed almost too slender. think,
lur the due performance" of their lmpor-
tant functions.
We have seen systems of impo-t and of
| taxe-. complicated, AMI in some large de
gree. it may he. oppressive. borne by I
} Wiling anu ptlrlout P'ol'l'' 'Iii''' '!-
treIH aboIl>hrd; anu N'>' army - J."
might ne t'E'''" OF P"l''' ',''i'>' 'iii-
pi"Ntd III 'llo>c ID 'il''''' ~ - nav
retired to ih'lF place, Is prIN'''t '.'iA' n,
And We have seen IN tl'> same SNORT
space Of time. following the disasters and
the turbulence of rebellion and of warfare.
, the debt of the nation, incurred, ~ we all
know. in the contest, reduced 10y almost
Conn, h,D,lr,I millions of dol lars 4 rlrCum-
: stance. | think l am >2lr IN saying, uhl''F-
aHcl'd III the history Ui 'l' ""[!''' Ana
we have seen a.S". IL tAr same 'Ili' win
TINS reduction OF Ith'' WIN 'hI> diniinN-
! ton If taxation. with lhl> dl>"Ah"hlch' "l
! armies. taking tie nation At large; Il pros
Pcrl'y among the people, = "rirL"lmrnt
OF industry, an extension an" I'NNI 81
commerce. ,Ucl tlt we may 10 ~ h'cN-
: ward. with Il "''p Tl''ll"''' MOI - 't9-
lie servants. NOT 10 Senators, h"' 10 l''lp-
rr~cn,ttlNr~. but I"ok Backward /" that
broad FroN'dr winch, out @. ministry
: and oHt "l the patience "l j lFcr people,
. has wrought these grra' 3nd b"H'htI'I IN
- lF"N'in'i'0'
I Bat It i tHr, '.""'''I, tA'i W." must
.""N At 'i4' NA't'9 Is WI - ~ IN
NgH'~ "i lH' hIG''"'' = ~. ".'' ~
T. many OF the states "l me rrlNhI'. Il! i.''
,'ll,h' 'N'~' I'I'' ','.'' w. - ~. Il
/ NV t.l
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!, / MOT 'nnrb 10 ~,v that il could NO,