The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-05-31
Ths Aattana daily Slobs
MONDAY, MAY 81, 1875.
MouR ABEL

James Best, a larceny-committing memper
of the Massachusetts legislature, we cited
the somewhat similar case of Abel Spen-
GER -" our Abel" they would call him In
Massachusetts speaker of the Vermont
house of representatives, and member
from Rutland, who was expelled the house,
in 1907, for stealing money from his lei
low members. The facts then stated have
been quoted extensively, both within ana
without the state-without credit, OF
course-and various comments made there
on, and queries suggested relative thereto.
For the benefit of these querists and those
who talk so much about the " earlier and
better days of the republic we will state
some further facts relative to 6 our ADei, |
thus answering some of the inquiries and
perhaps, suggesting lesson.
Abel Spencer furnishes an illustration OF
the old saying that what is born In the
blood is bred in the bone. His father,
BENJAMIN Spencer, was justice OF the
peace, and an assistant judge of the court
OF common pleas, under the jurisdiction OF
New York, and had rendered himself so
obnoxious to the people of Vermont, that
Ethan Allen caused his arrest, declaring
that he and others had made Durham, now
Clarendon, "hornet's nest A "judg-
ment seat" was erected in the fall of 1773
Allen, Warner, Baker and Cochran being
Judges. spd Spencer was tried on various
charges, found guilty and "his house de-
clared a nuisance which must be burned,
which sentence, at his request, was "com-
muted" into having the roof taken ott,
which was carried into effect. Ira Allen
8 saws that he was "an artful, intriguing and
designing man who from being 'stickler
.'for New York had been suddenly con-
"ycr,ei 10 an advocate for new state, and
go ingratiated himse,l as q good whig,
'.,hat be was elected member of the
"conncil of safety He, however, as
Allen predicted h. would, deserted to the
British, carried, ,ho secrets OF the council
To Burgovne but died soon after without
haying received the price of his treason.
How similar was the case OF John Z.
Breckenridge, in our own day? Ira Allen
in recountipg bis treachery, dcducts this
lesson: "ThG may show the proprie'y oil
carefully examining the conduct Of men,
before electing them to important offices.
The people of Vermont, however, for
got that lesson, iu elevating the son to i'm
portant offices. The voters of Rutland
when they made him their representative
took him with the endorsement of Clare
don, of the county and the state. He hat
been. before he became resident Of Rut
land, a representative from Clarendon
states attorney for the county of Rutland,
and speaker of the house of representa-
tives. With that endorsement Rutland
took him and was badly sold. Not SC
with Clarendon. His record was bat
when she took him up, and she ought, il
this case at least, to have visited the sin
of the father on the son. When the leg
islature, in 1907, purged itself of Abe
Spencer, they again taught Ira Allen
lesson of the ''propriety of examining th
''conduct of men, before electipg them I
important Offices" but the lesson was fo
lowed only, for few years. We fin
some years after, the legislature electing
man of some prominence to high judicia
station without examining" his conduct
He, however, preferred the profits of an
other calling to the salary of a judge, an
declined to accept the appointment that h
,;oht III IN, tbo pc;p
which profession" he followed assiduous
ly until he and life parted. From this
time, Vermonters "examined the condut
.'of men," so that another Clarendon ma
desiring to "do the state some service
preferred to go to Ohio and become one {
her representatives in congress, ratht
than to perform other services" for We
mont in her state prison.
This last example was rather contagou
Vermonters began carefully to examir
" the conduct of men" and as they WEI
" examining" Abel Spencer, like Bill Kim
" sloped" for Canada, but, unlike him, d
not come back again. They continue
to "examine" and, rs the result, we pr
scented Illinois with Joe Smith Utah vii
Brigham Young; Wisconsin with Ma
Carpenter; Ohio with Columbus Delanc
and Virginia with ''the great Americs
franker." But, If we may believe the
Adams papers, Vermont, some years ag
ceased carefully examining the co
g duct Of men, before electlng them to II
'portant public Offices Whether the
newspapers are correct or not in dealil
with ex-governors, certain it is, that
there had been a little more "examinin
in reference to candidates for the legisl
ture, we would have been spared an ind
rubber, railroad charter, aud right sms
little fight for the control of the Cent?
Vermont railroad.
But to return to Abel. He stole, was
vestigated and was expelled. He was
dicted, and ''sloped" for Canada, and U
of this grew another investigation and t
report of the investigating committee ia
pearl in it's way, and has served rs a moo
even down TO the present day. The COZ
nittee report that Spencer was arreste
and late in the evening, while in the C,
iody Of the officer, requested that
- might be INDUCED by having some of /
- members pass their word that he shot
- be present in the morning" To this I
officer consented, and member was call
in WHO CONSENTED If Mr.. Fox would i
him" upon which, the report &C
tlnues "Mr. Fox was called and said Il
if Harrington was was willing to pass
. word, he had no objection to being ,
swerabe with him but he said he h
for some days, been unwell. and co,
nniIhar eli I'M MIR knpn awake