Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-04-10
Mr.. Ednunds as a Statesman.

statesmen or tho American republic. Hav-
ing served five terms in the Vermont House
of Representative and two in our State
Senate, from 1854 to 1862 during which
period he was active in the organization of
the republican party, and In the enactment
of the measures which enabled Vermont to
DO its prominent part in the support of the
war for the Union-having been also thrice
chosen speaker of the House, and twice
president pro tempore of tho Senate-Mr
Edmuuds was appointed United States
senator by Governor Dillingham;, to fill the
vacancy occasioned by the death OF the
lamented Senator Solomon Foot. He took
his seat April ), 1866. Twenty We years at-
ter, to a day, he wrote h s letter of resig-
nation to the governor of Vermont.
Mr.. Edmunls came first prominently to
the front, in Congress, 10y very able speech
made in April 1866, on the bill to admit
Colorado as a State with a constitution re-
strictng the right OF sufr rage to the whites
! This feature Mr. Elmunds opposed in a
speech which won for him the praise and
thanks of Charles Sumner, publicly express
cd in the Senate
About this time he was made chairman of
the important Committee on Rarenchment,
and made report on the various issues of
government bonds and paper money which
finally settled the question of the alleged
frauds and overissues of government bonds
during the war of the rebellion.
From this committee he reported, advo-
Gated and sustained to its passage the famous
Tenure of Office law.
In 1867 he became a member of the Com
mittee on the judiciary, and from that time
on he was intimately and prominently CON
cerned in the framing and passage of the
reconstruction acts.
In November 1867, when the public cred
it began to be questioned, and the right to
pay all government debts in paper was as
serted, Mr.. Edmunds introduced the Joint
resolution pedging the public faith 10 the
payment of the public debt in coin, sup
ported it in a speech and carried it. This
resolution was in substance, and almost in
form, enacted as u law, and was the first
bill signed 10y Gen Grant as president of
the United States.
As part of the results of the work of the
Committee on Retrenchment, and largely
through Mr.. Edmunds's efforts, about $40
COO, 600 were paid into the United States
treasury, as the proceeds of captured and
abandoned property which was rapidly be-
coming returned to rebel claimants, under
tho numerous pardons granted by Andy
johnson.
He was member of the select committee
of the Senate to arrange the proceeding, on
the impeachment of President Johnson
At tine time Of Gen. Grants first election
he took an active and successful part in the
very important exclusion Of the electoral
votes of late rebel States not yet readmitted.
Mr.. Edmunds introduced and carried
through the bill to stop the payments, which
were going on under an old statute, to late
owners Of slaves, for their slaves which had
enlisted in the Union army or had been
drafted during the war
Mr.. Elmunds was the first to propose
and urge that no more money be paid from
the treasury to the Pacific railroads for
transportation, etc, until they repaid what
the treasury had paid out for interest on
their bonds, and he persisted In tho effort to
compel them to protect the United States
until the sinking fund act was passed which
those powerful companies have been obliged
to obey, greatly to the benefit Of tho public
treasury.
He introduced and the Senate adopted
the resolution which stopped the further
issue of bonds or land certificates to the
Union Pacific railroad in respect Of branches
and connections with Its main line.
lie reported and had charge of aud car
ried through tho great civil and political
rights act Of May 81, 1879, which now
forms the principal body of the law ON that
subject. lie did the same in respect Of the
act TO enforce the fourteenth amendment.
of April 1871. The Importance OF Mr. Ed
munds' services in regard to these meas
sures cannot be exaggerated
lie introduced and reported aud managed
the bill to distribute the British Geneva
award Of $40, SOC, 900 among the proper
claimants and to exclude the immense insur-
ance companies which had made profits on
war premiums.
lie was active in causing the Senate to
declare, before the election Of 1876. that the
joint rules which gave each House a right
to reject the vote Of any State and SO, il in
force, gave the democratic House of Repre-
sentatives full negative control Of the cleo
ton, were no longer in force
lie reported from the select COMMITTEES Of
which he was chairman, the Electoral Count
bill, under which Mr.. Hayes was peaceably
installed as president Mr.. Edmunds's wise
and statesman-like and able leadership at
this time, perhaps saved the country from
another civil war, 1t certainly earned for
him the cordial animosity of all unscru-
pulous and bigoted democratic partisans.
lie introduced the resolution adopted by
the Senate providing for putting in the APP
preparation bills effective means for hasten
ing the disposition Of pension cases In the de-
partmsnt, and again for providing for ex-
pedlting tho disposition of pension cases APP
pealed from the decision Of the committee
to the secretary of the interior.
During the time when the democrats had