Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-05-20
In. Resignation Of cans..ns All Plat.

the Resignation Of s5Ss.:as All 3.a:-.
INTERVIEW WITH .-FSAfoE LpMrSDs.
With the view of obtaining bis opinions on
the political complications which are the talk
of the whole country, just now. a FI:lE PEEss
representative Tuesday morning waited
upon our distinguished tovnsman Senator
Edmunds. when. after the usual Ciyililies,
the following conversation cnsucd in which,
as will be seen, the Senator manifested Ea
verY ardent d-siTt to give his views to the
public:
''Scna:or Edmun!i, | have been drputcd
to ask you if YOU would he willing to give
the public your opinion of the resignation
of Senators Conklins and Platt."
Certainly not Il would be hardly court
eous i'll one Senator, under the crcum-
stances, to oriticise the action of another.
At present have nothing to say
Then in the course of n few days,
perhaps, yon would he Willing 10 cypless an
opinion
Il can't make any promise
And your position on this firstian Of
Senatorial courtesy AZ" vuu willing 10 say
anything on that =
Nothing"
But there is great intcr,.. i,,t every
where as to your position IN! gn,. have been
quoted ss ON both sides.
Indeed -
''IIave you anything to say ,i't.t IA. con
lirmaton of of Stanley Matthews -
Nothing
"About iha praa-hie continuation oil Mr..
Chandler -
Nothing"
May ask if it is true that you have, Or
have had, an idea of resiguinE y"ur position
as chairman of the Senate .uGirn.fv Com
mittee in certain contingency, - i las
been in,imatcd YOU mi,ht 10
i have no.!iing 10 say Oh lhat subject
There is, thea, no aspect Of any oi these
matters on which You would hc willing to
make your views public
NO, none. The fact is, my health, as
You know, has been very poor, and think
| am serving my country quite as well in
nursing that, - in publishing my views.
And this dismal weather isn't provocative OF
talk or thought.
In answer 10 further questions Senator
Edmunds stated what every one will be
glad TO hear Inst his health has improved
considerably Since his return to his home
here. lie will remain here about . month
and then 80 on 4 fishing trip 10 thu Bay Of
Chaleurs lie will not return t. !, ,-..,,agtan
until the beginning Of :ha regular session of
COag.es next December. Senator Eimunds
conducted his monosyllabic part Of the inter
view in the pcasantcst possible manner,
but with an evident determination not to be
quoted on any Of the points on which infor
nation was sought. On taking his
departure the scribe expressed the hope
that the distinguished Senator's health and the
weather might both improve 81 that he
might he willing to indicate his views to
some extent, on some If these interesting
points, for tie benefit Of the public to
which tie Senator responded pleasantly that
there was natural Tendency TO ''.-,lsl.' more
under midsummer skies than unJ,: lie pes
ent lcaden ones. And with this piece IF pSy-
Geological information TIE reporter departed,
cheered by the hope that the dcnl rs Of the
fishing grounds of the BAY of Chaleurs, may,
next Summer, obtain some CT the Informal
ton. which he had failed TO secure.
But one inference beyond the Obvious fact
that Senator Edmunds chooses t. withhold,
as it is Of course his perfect right TO do. any
expression of opinion on the peculiar situa-
| ton oi affairs at Washington, can he drawn
from his words, viz that if he were 10 say
anything at present regarding Senator Cork
lings course, it would h. in the way f crit.
icism rather than approval Eat r,rlaps it
would no. be fair to make even this dcluc-
ton. The truth druhtless is, that the
Senator does not consider the cmcr-
gency one which calls for any dtclara-
tion whatever of hi opinions, on one side
or the other; and that If the time should
come VIXEN he deems il his duty 10 define his
attitude on the point ia question, lac would
prefer to take his own way of indicating it.
When he docs, OF course, there need be no
fear that h. will not make himself under
stood.
DEAru OF HARRISON SrEruENs.- Harrison
Stephens of Montreal is dead. aged ~. lie
was born in Jamaica. VI. his mother
being the first white child bora in that Town
ship Mr. Stephens left Jamaica al Il very
early age, and was taken by his parents 10
st. Adams, Vt, and, subsequently, 10 Shell
don and other places in the same State. At
the age of II he entered ON his career by
contracting for Il portion o! the wnr!, on he
Whitehall canal. He was rewarded with the
handsome sum OF so He started IL, the
shoe business at Swantou, making shoes
himself, and soon became owner 81; liz mop.
On the a2d of February, 1925. h. I.a.fricd
and soon after left for MSSlsIuoi Bay, Nhere
he entered Il tanncry and carried ON the bust
ness on Il large scale. In two years h:' NOV
ed to Stanbrdsc, purchased :; water power
! and built factory. From thence h. came
| to Montreal, where he arrived in lS2S. AMI
started business rs an importer ot American
Goods from New York. subsequently he
| trifted into real estate AMI money l1anin,.
In 1860 he found the Bank of Montreal un-
friendly to him, and it would not discount 4
dollar for him, although he Kept an
| extensive account in the establishment
soon after the refusal, he drew upward Of
$50, 900 in silver, which he carried 10 New
\ ork in the winter, riding on the sleigh HIM
self. For this amount ct silver weighing
two tons. hc required two double teams lie
deposited il in New York and drew his
drafts against it, lie continued this policy
until the bank came to terms. From that
time his business relations with the bank
were satisfactory. lie WAS Il parinrr for
some time with the late Hon. ,lphn Young.
They did a large business in provisions. and
eventually controlled the pork market corner
in.s il on several occasions and making hand
some profits. They remained in partnership
10 vars, diSsolvin@ in 1879, When hr retired
/ from business. lie was Il strong ir"ni oi
the North during the war ol the Rebellion.
AMI offered President Lincoln To- raI9' and