The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-11-13


he became widely known and formed an
extensive acquaintance. He was 40 years
old when made Trustee and Manager
of the Vermont Central and Vermont
and Canada Railroads. In 1859 he
served with distinction in the State SEN
ate, being elected thereto two terms from
Franklin county. He acted as sole Trus-
tee of the above named roads during this
period. In 1861 both railroads went into
a receivership, with Messrs. j. Gregory
Smith, Joseph Clark and Lawrence
Brainerd as Receivers. During the ad-
ministration of Gov. Fairbanks he acted
as confidential counsel to the Executive
of the State and was associated with him
in the work of prosecuting the war and
organizing troops.
In 1860 he was elected Representative
from St. Albans, and subsequently was
chosen Speaker of the House. His pre-
eminence as legislator and his popular
ity led the Republican State Convention,
which met July s, 1868, to nominate him
by acclamation for Governor, to which
Office he was elected by handsome ma
jOrity. The accession of the Governor
elect to the Executive Chair infused new
life into the prosecution of the war on
the part of Vermont. The untlring zeal
and patriotic efforts of Governor Smith
in behalf of the Union cause won for him
the title of "War Governor"
He was renominated and reelected in
1864 with the same unanimity on the
part of the Republican party as that
which marked his first election. During
the two years that he was Chief EXecu-
tive of the Green Mountain State he was
frequently called to Washington to con-
suit with President Lincoln, Secretary of
War Stanton and the loyal Governors of
the North, and his advice and counsel
was sought by the President in common
with that of Andrew of Massachusetts,,
Morgan of New York, Curtin of Pennsyl-
vania and Morton of Indiana.
Charles Carleton Coffin, the famous
war correspondent of the Boston Journal,
paid the following just tribute in his
writings to the services of Governor
Smith during the war: among all the
loyal war Governors there was none that
excelled him in energy and executive
force. He was here, there and every
where one day in Vermont, the next in
Washington, the third in the rear of the
army looking after the wounded. re-
member seeing him at Fredericksburg
during those terrible weeks that followed
the struggles at the Wilderness and
Spottsylvania-directing his assistants,
laboTing with his own hands-hunting
up the sick and wounded, giving up his
own cot, sleeping on the floor, or not
sleeping at all-cheering up the despond-
ent, writing sympathetic letters to
fathers and mothers whose sons were in
the hospital, or had given up their lives
to the country"
He often visited the Vermont troops
in camp, and was also visitor at the
Union hospitals to cheer up the sick and
wounded soldiers from his State. After
the st. Albans raid, in 1864, he was
called to Washington by President Lin
coin to confer in regard to the defence
of the Northern frontier, which was
threatened with invasion by Southern
refugees in Canada. At his suggestion
it was decided to raise provisional
army of twelve regiments of militia in
Vermont. Governor Smith, on his re-
turn to the State, raised the troops,
which were mustered into the service.
This action of the Government saved the
withdrawal of troops from the Union
armies, which could not well be spared
Gov. Smith was thrice elected dele
gate to Republican National Conventions
in 1872, 1880 and 1884. He was Chair
man of the Vermont delegation in 1880
and 1884, and took prominent part in
the conferences held by Republican
leaders at these conventions. He was
frequently consulted by Roscoe Conk
ling, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harri
son and other party leaders during the
memorable contest at Chicago in 1885,
when Garfield was nominated. His ex
tensive acquaintance with public mel
and his political sagacity gave the Yer
mont delegation an influence dispropor
tiOnate to its its size and proved to be o
much advantage to the delegates from
Vermont.
In 1880 and 1884 he voiced the ex
pressed sentiment of the State in advo
eating the nomination of Hon. George
f. Edmunds for President. He hai
several times presided over Republican
State Conventions. Governor Smith hat
several opportunities presented hin
since the war closed to represent hi
State in Congress, but he invariably re
fused to be a candidate for either tn
House or Senate. In 1866, when a Sena
, torial vacancy occurred, by reason o
the death of Hon. Solomon Foote, h
, was offered the appointment by Cover
nor Paul Dillingham;, but declined tn
proffered honor. His name was fire
quently mentioned for the Senatorshi
by prominent Republicans in 1856, as
! successor to Senator Edmunds, who's
3 term expired the following year, but
Y declined to be candidate. Again i
1891, when Senator Edmunds resigne
the Senatorship, the people of Vernon
3 indicated their preference for the dis