The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-03-26
The Banner.
BENNINGTON. VERMONT
Thursday Afternoon, March 20, 1891
SENATOR EDMUNps.


The Washington correspondents this
week have had two sensations. One
was that Secretary Proctor would resign
to succeed presumably Senator Ed
munds. This was promptly denied by
Col. Proctor. Senator Edmunds has
served out only twO-thirds of his term,
and in Vermont we have heard nothing
officially about resignation or otherwise.
And now, ''Webb,n under date OF the
l4th. has the following, which up to this
writing "Wednesday evening" has not
been disputed:
"The report that Senator Edmunds
contemplates Tesigning his seat IN the
Senate before the meeting of Congress
has attracted attention. There are CIR
cumstances which tend to confirm this
report or make it plausible. Senator
Edmunds some two years since moved
from the house where he had lived so
many years to occupy new one winch
he had constructed with the expectation
of living in it during the rest OF his pub
lie career, and there was every reason TO
suppose that the rest of his public ca
reer meant the rest of his active life. 1t
was supposed that his hold upon the
people of Vermont was so strong that
he could be returned to the United
States Senate as long as he should care
to do so. But this spring he has leased
his house to Senator Washburn of Min
nesota for term of years, and the an
nouncement has been made that the
family of Mr.. Edmunds, consisting OF a
wife and one daughter, will hereafter
spend their winters in the South. The
presumption has been that Mr.. Edmunds
himself would remain at hotel here,
although it is to be noticed that no state
ment was made in that connection.
Capitol officials say that Mr. Edmunds
is making a more thorough cleaning VI
of his committee room than has been his
custom between Congresses, and that he
is disposing of the books which are Il
his credit as he would do if he intended
to permanently retire from public life.
He is. in fact, taking the same DISPOSE,
ton with his effects rs the Senators who
were not reelected have done.
at is now recalled that there was
brief statement made in the press of al
occurrence which happened in an eXecu
tive session on the last day of the SEES
sion which may not be without slgniti
canoe. That executive session was held
upOn the motion of Mr.. Edmunds him
self. The story goes that then MIR. Er'
munds, there being no motives Tor ms
speech. delivered what might be called {
farewell address. He spoke of the frail
ties of human life and of public life, OF
the many things which he had done ano
of the things which he had not done
The speech was somewhat touching il
character and was exactly such speecl
as Mr.. Edmunds might be supposed t.
make if he had been intending to TAKE
leave of his associates. There was moth
ing in the proceedings of the executive
session at that time which furnished the
occasion for such speech. In the
hustle, however, of the concluding hour
of the session, it attracted little atten
ton. 1t attracts much attention now
Some insist that it was intended by Mr.
Edmunds as an announcement that IN
did not expect to return.
Another circumstance is recalled by
Vermonters who have always been yer!
intimate with Mr.. Edmunds. At thu
time of the last meeting of the Leglsla
ture in Vermont it was whispered aDou
that something important was likely t.
occur at the opening of the Legislature
A suggestion was made i'll the Washing
ton dispatches to the JOHrHdtat the time
that the important thing which nigh
happen might be an announcement b!
Mr.. Edmunds OF his intention to retire
to private life, and the suggestion tina
the Legislature should proceed to cleo
his successor. That information wa
Obtained from gentleman who has TO
years been as intimate with Mr.. Ed
munds as anyone has been, and who un
doubleday obtained it under circum
stances which gave it probability. Thes'
are some of the reasons which are talked
about here to-day as tending to confirm
the report that Mr.. Edmunds may intcnt
to retire from public life"
1t is safe to say that Senator Edmund
can stay in the Senate just as long as III
can be induced to represent Vermont il
that body The Troy Times of las
evening has a despatch which assign
Senator Edmunds to the Supreme Bench
1t will be recalled that our distinguished
Sc lator has once refused such an ap
pointment.