Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-10-22

HIS ADDRESS, YESTERDAY

HIS ADDRESS, YESTERDAY.
As will be seen by the formal report else
where, Hon. George +. Edmunds was yes
terday notified by a joint committee from
Senate and House of his election as Cnited
States Senator. and invited TO address the
Legislature. Ia response Senator Edmunds
delivered the following address
SENATOR EpMUNDs's ADDRESS.
NJ. President end Gentlemen Of tie Joint
ASSEMBLY:
1t is, perhaps, unnecessary for me to say
that have no word capable of expressing
my gratitude for the confidence you have
alyiin manifested in me by your election
my deep sense Of the responsibility that you
and | are aware is devolved upon me by
such an election. In what | have endeavor-
ed to do for our noble Commonwealth, |
have strivcd to exert the utmost zeal and
ability that | possess TO so discharge the
duties with which you and your predecessors
have entrusted me that our glorious State
should not blush TO say | am her son. The
somewhat long experience that have now
had in public affairs, as well here in these
very Chambers as in the Capitol at Washing
ton, has given me, year by year, a firmer
confidence in the strength of Republican in
slitutiOns
1t is now 81 years, | think, since We
opened with imposing and patriotic ccre-
monies this hall in'thc new capitol. At that
time there was universal peace in the coun-
try although the contests OF politics and
differences of opinion existed, as they do
now, and as probably they ought TO exist in
every government that is government of
al. hn.a
been through one of the most momentous
struggles known 10 history, and has triumph
ed, and the value and possibility of unity
with freedom, such as has always been the
motto of our State, have been demonstrated ;
and in that very struggle, as we all
know, the intrinsic difficulties in
the composition OF the National
Government, whish il seemed impossible to
eradicate, have been overcome, and we now
have Il constitution dedicated TO universal
liberty, a constitution dedicated TO the equal
administration of justice everywhere among
the citizens of the nitcd States And |
may add also, as every Senator from State
should add, if he knows his duty, that We
have also IA National Constitution dedicated
to the preservation OF the rights of the States,
without which, as ! believe and always have
believed, the stability of this Republic would
be greatly imperilled.
We have seen in these long, though seem
ingly short years, how important also is the
value of our example in the spread Of uni
versal liberty and equal rights in other coun-
tries. We have seen that great Nation, our
earliest and foremost friend in the revo-
luton, France, emerge from all the
travail and turmoil OF such struggle
out of dcspotism up to Rcpublicanism
"a Republic that is modelled almost pre-
cisely upon the Constitution of the United
States and we have seen the liberty that oui
fathers established and that We believe in,
firmly fixed and rooted in the centre of the
most ilourishing empire Of Europe, and il
will spread, as the liberty of this Republic
was born, and will be maintained though the
diffusion OF universal education and intelli
/ gencc, and through the personal independ
cncc of private and political thought by tho
! .iiii,rcnt political names men call themselves
But, gentlemen this is not the occasion. mol
1 the time to discuss these questions further
Dinner is preparing, and | will address you
no Longer, and will only express again The
/ gratitude that feel for your confidence ant
assure you that | shall try to deserve it
Great applause.