Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-27
Hon. Luke p. Poland.


present legislature has been more prominently
few months, than Hon Luke 7. Poland, the pres
ent Representative from the town of St Johns
bury and am quite sure that no one has had
greater influence in shaping the legislation Of the
present session. When it was announced in Sep
TENDER last that Judge Poland had been elected
to the Legislature, it was almost simultaneously
made known that he would be n candidate for the
seat in the United States Senate to be made va
ant on the fourth of March next, by the expra-
ton of the term of Hon. Justin S. Morrill, and
the friends of Mr. Morrill, were not slow to give
the impression that he had accepted seat in TIE
present House of Representatives the better to
enable him to secure that high position.
Judge Poland public record, during the nearly
two years he was in the United States Senate,
from 1865 TO 1861, and the eight years he was the
Representative from the Second Congressional
District of this state, is that is unexceptionaIly
honorable and praiseworthy, and one of which
any man may justly be proud And undoubtedly
the fact that he had already won for himself a
national reputation by the independent and Wig
orous manner in which he had defended what APP
peared to him to be right, without regard to the
OF Mr.. Morrill, great cause to fear that in the
existing peculiar emergency of our country, the
present legislature would recognize the peculiar
fitness Of Judge Poland to become the successor
OF Mr., Morrill, at the present time. The Senate
rial canvass and its result are too fresh in the
minds Of your readers to require even refer
ence To it for our present purpose. The part
taken in it by Judge Poland was alike digniied,
honorable and commendabe.
But it is rs an indefatigabe worker In the pres
ent legislature that desire TO speak of Judge
Poland at the present time. The Judiciary Com
mittee OF the House, of which he Is the chairman,
is by far the most important, as well as the
hardest worked, committee in the legislature. To
1t are referred all matters OF judicial character,
and fortunate indeed is the state in having at the
head of so important committee of such
legal acumen, to detect :" the seeds of future
lawsuit" as he once so APPLY characterized n de-
feet in bill which had escaped the notice Of all
but his quick perception. 1t is casting no renec-
ton upon the Judiciary Committees of former
legislatures when express the belief that never
has the work of that committee been so expedi-
tously and efficiently performed as during the
present session, a fact that is largely due to his
uhihihH uhNlSNt ANY StSbHhtu W MI ilust VI
Montpelier and other co-workers upon the com
mttee. believe there has been an unusual de-
gree of harmony in the deliberations of the COM
mittee, and good degree of unanimity in their
decisions; and whenever any members of the COM
mttee have differed with the chairman on any
question of Importance, the House have almost
uniformly sustained Judge Poland.
His labors also, upon the floor OF the House
have been marked by an Independence and sound
judgment that have continually added to his inlu-
ence, The clearness OF his statements, and the
logical force OF his arguments upon all matters in
debate, have seldom failed to carry conviction to
majority of the House; and when aroused by
the petty goadings and sharp invectiyes OF some
inciter OF class legislation he has administered
well deserved rebuke it has been with such power
and force that none have cared to provoke him to
a second attempt. In debate he is always courte-
Gus, and Is always listened to with the closest at
tention, and without unnecessarily consuming the
time Of the House. his influence has been percep-
tibly felt from the very commencement of the SEES
sion, and has never been FILTERED away upon
frivolous and unimportant matters. His prompt
and continued attendance upon the daily sessions
of the House. and the persistoncy with which he
hinder or delay legislation, have won for him the
respect and esteem of the better class of his
brother members. 1t cannot be said that he has
made no mistake during the session, now so near
its close, for to err is human but it can believe
be truthfully said, that no man upon the floor OF
the House has given himself more assiduousy to
the work of the session, and no one has done
more TO promote the best interests of the state.
One of the marked characteristics of all Judge
Polands actions has been his entire disregard of
personal friendships, and his persistent refusal 10
do anything that should have the appearance of
promoting the personal or pecuniary advantage
of any man or any class of men, to the disald-
vantage Of any other man or any other class of
men. While having watchful eye upon the
treasury of the state, and the burdens Of tax
alton that must necessarily be laid upon the people
OF the state, he has been honorably mindful of
all the responsibilities which the people, through
their Legislators, have voluntarily assumed, and
in no instance has he attempted to withhold with
a parsimonious hand where the plighted faith of
the state would be broken. Laws calculated to
do away with the crying evils of the day and
make men better, by making them sober and in
dustrious citizens, have found in him firm de
fender, and all retrograde movements in legisla-
ton and all attempts to punish sin by doubtful or
uncertain expedients have found in him per-
sstent opponent
In fine, permit me to express what know to be
the sentiment of not a few of the members of the
present House OF Representatives, when say that
WHILE at the opening OF the present session of the
legislature, they were introduced 10 Judge Poland
under the excitement OF political antag onism by his
candidacy for the United States Senate as against
Mr. Morrill, yet by eight weeks Of intercourse
and familiarity with him, they have learned to
respect him ~ "A man of no ordinary power and
ability, and man whose integrity of purpose
aud exalted craftsmanship entite him TO filter
recognition than that which he has received at
the hands of this legislature. And, could the
people of the state understand as thoroughly the
entire disinterestedness Of his life work. as do his
more intimate personal friends, and were the
work of the 10th and 18th of October last yet TO
he accomplished, in the light Of events which
have transpred since that time, the result might
be quite different from what IL then was Al least
such Is the firm belief of more than one
LOCKER ON.