Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-12-10

GKS. GEour's EnGIBInTY.-Gene W.
W Grout, member-c for the Third Dis
trict, furnishes the following letters writ
ten originally To the Richford Gd,ette-
IN regard to his eligibility a question which
seems TO have caused his Democratic friends
considerable uncasincss. The letter says
The record in the family Bible shows that
| was born in Compton, Canada East, May
"A, 1896, and this as | have often been told,
was about six weeks after my parents re
moved thithcr from Vermont.
My father and mother were both born in
Caledonia county, Vermont. NV mother,
whose name was Aver, was of Ncotch-lrlsh
ancestry and descended from family of that
name which came from Scotland 10 New
Hampshire previous 10 the year 1850, froGl
which State her father, Carleton Aver, re-
moved about the year 1873 10 81. JOhnsbury
where, in the year 1909, my mother Was
born, her mother being the daughter Of an
Irish soldier of the name Of McManus, sur
rendered by Burgoynes at Saratoga, who
never returned 10 the mother county.
MY father was of English stock, being de
scended from DR. John Grout of Cornwall,
England, who was of WATERFOWL, Mass, as
carly as l6il. My fathers name was Josiah,
grandfathers, 1heophilus, great grand
fathers, Elijah, who was of Charestown,
y. H., in l176, and a commissary of sub
sistcnce in the Continental army. His
| brother, Jonathan .Grout of Petersbam,
| Mass, Caleb Strong, Elbridgc Gerry and
Fisher Afhcs were the Representatives from
| Massachusetts in the first Congress under the
| Federal Constitution. (Scc Morses Gen
ealogics of Certain Puritan Families" and
| Congressional Directory
Theophilus Grout purchased and settled
upon a tract Of land within the limits of the
present town of Kirby, Caledonia county,
| Vt, in 1892, upon which my father was
born and which still remains in the family.
! have been thus explicit that those curious
in this maitcr-and there seems to be such
may not bc wanting in sources Of informa-
ton and perhaps the North Troy Pdiidd-
| INN will gives lis authority Tor stating, as
You say it does, that my parents were born
IN Scotland and were never naturalizcd.
| Neither ever saw Scotland.
While in Canada, which was about len
years, my father did not rcnouncc allegiance
10 the nted States nor assume allegiance
to Great Britain, as in his lifetime often
heard him declare and upon his return IL
Vermont, in 1916, lac commenced again Il
vote as before he left. Had h.. changed his
allegiance it would, of course, hc 4 matter al
record, but no such record exists.
[ ndrr Section 2,ls2 Revised Statutes
| which contains tins clause And CMldr.I
whose parents now are or have been citizen
of the United States shall, though horn out
side the limits and jurisdiction of the Unite,
States, DE- considered citizens thereof, Ia,
supposed there could bc no question abou
my political status, else | should have gon'
through the forms of naturalization year:
ago, as | could have done il any time upoi
my discharge AZ IA soldier. But if n citiZcr
by birth, as seemed 10 me perfectly clear,
did not feel like declaring myself an alien.
will barely add that in 1873, while il
Washington, | was one morning in Judg'
Poland's committee rooms the Committee
on the Revision Of Laws when the subjcc
Of naturalization was up, and hal l CONVEX
sation with him and judge lloar of Massachl
sets, in which both were equally clear tina
there was no question about my citizenship
If, however, my Democratic friends IA
, North Troy are determined To Ice unhappl
on account of the place where / was born,
am really sorry. Possibly a better mich
have been found but if, in the eye of ia
law, under the American iag, then ih
place is good enough. But though 1t wcr
bad, ! can hardly see how il should work r,
preach to me, for its selection was malte
/ about which ! WAS not consulted, and owe
which had no control. VIII these friend
. chartahly consider this fact and try Ia II
concilc themselves 10 their CdHHci Rcpr'
S sentative Very truly yours,
r WILLIAM W GI"IT