Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-12-03

he taught school during the winter Of 1888.
In the following April lie commenced the
business of shoe manufacturing, which he
continued until the fall of 1913, a period Of
ten and half years, during which time he
manufactured more than half a million
pairs of shoes for the Western and South
ern trade, employing about sixty hands,
and paying out for labor alone during that
time more than Sl3000O.
The reader of this record thus far, even II
he knew no more about the matter, would
conjecture that such a young New Eng
lander could not but have made his advent
in politics and made bis mark, too. Henry
Wilson did both. The campaign OF ls4O,
resulting in the overthrow of the Demo-
cratic party which had held power from the
days OF Gen. Jackson, stirred the country
with extraordinary interest. Mr.. Wilson,
who had been brought up Democrat, had
already changed sides In consequence OF
his visit 10 Washington. In 1888 he voted
the Whig ticket, aud In 1889 was nominat-
ed by that party for Representative, in the
town of Nalick. lie was not, however,
successful. The next year, therefore, he
was ready for the Presidential campaign,
and he took the stump, being heralded far
and wide by the Wing presses, as-'the
Natick cobbler." He spoke In some sixty
towns that year, aud was considered by his
nor,v IN I,ave dane a yreat deal toward the
brilliant nolitic,l sucress which rewarded
tboir efroris in this State. This year ne was
again candidate for Representative and
was elected by large majority. He was
also elected in Is4I. During these wears he
lock n leadinu mari In the House. and ad-
yanced his reputalion among his political
friends and the public. In 1872 tho Wbips
of Midtesex countv nominated him on
tboir Seu.torial iicie, I'm, This was tbe
voor or Deuocroiic fortuno in tbe State
and couptv and he Ios, his e,ection. In
1914 and acain in 1914 he Was chosen. The
next wear. 1s45. lie declined re election
and ayoin went into the uonse from Ma
tint
Abopt This ti,po came the signs of anoth-
er political crisis. The Whig leaders in
many instances were accused of recreancy
TO their old anti.slavery sentiments, aud
when the question of the annexation of
Texas came up they did not make the re-
sislance expected of them, the solution be-
iu: that they were desiTous of saving the
"larjG of 'A2'-a phase once potential in
politics. though now nearly forpotleu. In
tho LEGISLATURE of 1915 Mr.. Wilson. being
one OF committee on the anti.slayery
question. repoued A resolve against the
oninions of the other members of The COM
miltee. coming fully up TO the old-lashiou-
ed Wbip anti. slavery resolves of the few
years previous. lie made speech in its
support, which took strong and radical an-
u-slavery grounds, and the resolution was
carried through by ninety-lwo majority.
The differences in the Wing party rapidly
wldened after this time. The conventions
called in several of the counties TO protest
against the admission Of Texas as Il SLAVE
State were encouraged by the anti-slavery
Wings, among whom Mr.. Wilson was al
ways earnest, and were discountenanced
and deprecated by the pro slavery section.
The popular feeling was aroused through
Out the North, and was nowhere stronger
than in Massachusetts. Anti-s!ayery meet
ings we're the order of the day. Sixty
thousand persons signed the petitions TO
Congress, aud Wilson and John G. whitti-
er were depulied to carry them to Wash
ington, which they did. In the State Con-
ventions of these years, which were the
most interesting the Wing party of this
State ever held, Stephen c. Phillips, Pal
frey, Allen, Sumner and the anti slavery
Wings did their best TO make the party do
its duty, and in these efforts Mr.. Wilson
aided.
In 1s4s J,bu Ouincv Adams died. leav.
inc n vacaucv-we may sav a ,reat vacan.
cv-in the Conyressional district of MAssa.
cLuse,,s U,roco Mann y,,s nominated os
his snccessor Inv the Whig Convention
Mr. WiIsor rocoived .ayoroI vo,os bnt
withdrew his name ON tbe tbird balIot. He
wos oer,ed IN tho Wbic National Conven.
,ior u, his limo and no his ti.slavory
on;uiors ,yero rerrec,iv woIt L,ow, ,n5
40 ,,o oon,o,tion ,yhiob on,oin,od hin,
toll ,ho .,,onoo., on,i.sIavor, oronrd his
conrse In the N,Iion,I Cnnvept,on was
Main onopoh when cor T.v,or vos
nominated and alI ofr,rts IN ,nduce tho
Conveniion to mass resolve in favor or
the WiIn,o, nroriso ware nn, o,lv rrov.,,.
inc I'm, we're mo, with hisses and con,on,n,
MI Wilson and his dis,inouisbed coI'
laaoue Jndgo Allan deuon,cod Tho Con.
vention and took their leave. Mr.. Wilson
called meeting of a few delegates and 9TH
ers who were indignant at the proceedings.
and from this informal gathering proceed
ed the Buffalo Convention and The Free Soil
party, the beginning of new era in the
country and the beginning of the end of
the slavery system. Mr.. Wilson took the
field for The cause. and made more than
fifty speeches during the summer and au-
tumn.
In September OF that year Mr.. Wilson