Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-03-14
SENATOR EDMUNDs.
A Personal sketch.

MARY 0emmer, in New York Independent
Perhaps the leader Of all the other Re
publican candidates is Geo. f. EImunds, Of
Vermont. 1t makes not the slightest diff
ference that over and over he has declared
he will not accept the candidacy. The
country pays net the slightest attention to
his declaration, but continues to name him
as the chosen one. lie is the greatest law
yer, the kcenest debater In the Senate. Ills
slow measured, incisive tones command
every ear, He goes to the bottom of things,
root and branch he holds his subject clean
before you, not on one side, but on every
side. With certain grim humOr, and
measurcless power OF sarcasm, his orgu-
ment is the two-cdgcd blade that is never
dull. Such is Geo, +. Edmunds, the Sen
ator. And being one OF the most potent OF
Senators is his weakness as a candidate. No
President of the United States has ever been
taken from the United States Senate. The
very fact Of his senat )rship ia his hndranCe.
The Senate is the most Independent, the
most potent of all legislative bedlcs. It is n
court and kingdom in itself No American
citizen Cai aspire to loftier place than that
of Senator # The United States. No wonder
1
public office that could have afforded him
happiness would have been to be a Senator
of the United States from Massachusetts
Whether it be its elevation or iss)-
lation, or BOTH certain it is the cs-
tate OF Senator seems TO remove a
man and set him apart, high above the
chances OF mere popular favor. A Senator
George n. Bdmunds, is u Presidential can
didate, despite lis own protest Meanwhile
| his senatoiship removes him from the near
approach of the people. Born of the reople
and betraying no lack of interest 10 them, he
never seemed to be one of them. lie is a
| tall, rather slight nan, his frame indicating
| no marked muscular strength. His face and
| head have been likened to st. Jerome's. Be
yond the fact that both are venerable beyond
his years they suggest nothing of saintship to
| the urimaglnatiye mind. His eyes are Of a
frosty blue, fun Of light and kindness, but not
sympathetic. His face il long, his features
strong, bearing certain marks OF the good
liver" who has stopped short of the Don
| oirnnt. lie measures too keen'y and clearly
the infrmities of human nature, and holds it
| to too high standard to be weakly pitiful
of its shortcomings. lie expects man to
| be q man in the competest sense; and Il the
man fails him, he gives him the opportunity
| to repent and to reinstste himself, but does 1t
with -disdainiul misgiving not easily
put down. A perfect Roman among men
another side of his nature, open always to
| he few who know and love him best, is that
| lie is alive TO every form of beauty and OF
| poetry. Il poem that touches hi; heart VIII
| fill his eyes with tears, though his heart is
never carried on his sleeve and at home he
| is the most devoted and tender of husbands
and fathers. Two years ago he seemed
4 D., Is,- Iii f.ir dam a
broken heart, and TO the gifted one who
survives he is a never failing, sympathetic,
wise, tender guide and friend. Questions
concerning the public recognition and adj
| vancemeut If women which have come
| up in the Senate have never met with his
encouragement or support. Ills prcJu'
dccs and his associations run in too deep a
conservative groove for that yet, like many
other large Drained men of the same sort, he
seems instnctIvely, by all his associations
with her, to try to atone 10 the individual
woman for everything narrow, bigoted and
denying IN his mental attitude to that por
ton Of the human family to which sht
belongs. lie is the most courteous aud
delightful of friends 70 any woman so for
tunate as to possess his friendship.
| Pre-eminent in the Senate, both for char
acter and ability as u man, h" is little more
than name IN the States A. large. The re-
serve and rcticence of his personal life ant
associations make the emotional following
which belongs to Blaine impossible to him
His friends know him, aud, knowing him
honor him; the innumerable mulu.nle'
guess at him, but know him lot
These elemental facts would enter int
any campaign in which he would be can
ddate; yet scarcely n doubt exists, if nomi
nated of his election. His high, unblem
ished personal reputation, his splendid
national repute for distinguished talent am
unquestioned honesty, would carry ever
Republican State, and, under such Presl
dent, the nation ought, indeed, ID flourish il
peace for more than four years