The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1891-04-16

iur FeIFtmrpt pf aifs T. AmuN'A UNu
the uDiied States Senate, closes record
OF service ss a legislator. which will s,v'
bis names place 10 history among The
leading stascsmen of the American repub
iic. Having served Ave terms in the Ver
mont House oi Roprerentstive and two II
our State Senate, from 1854 TO 1861, dur
ing which period be was active iu the or.
ganization OF the republican party, and IA
the enactment Of the measures which en-
abled Vermont to do i,s prominen, part IL
the support Of the war for the Union -ha'
ing been also thrice chosoa speaker oil the
House. aud twice president pro iempoIs
OF the Senate -Mr. 4 imuuds wAs appoint
sda United Sistes ssnsior by 0overno,
Dillingham;. to hll the vaoarcy occssicued
by the death OF the lsnented Senator So
lomon Foot. He took bis seat April q.
1866, Twenty five years after, to q dsy,
he wrote his letter Of resiyoation TO tie
governor Of Vermont,
MI isumuuus S~the ufrI fiou'uVhiy W
the frcnt. in Congress. by . very able
speech made in April, 1866. on the bill Ia
admit Colorado as State with q cons,itu.
tion restricting the right OF Suffrage to the
whites This feature Mr., Eimunds op
posed in speech which won for him the
praise and thanks OF Cusrles Summer, pub
licly expressed ip the Senate.
About this time he was made chairman
OF the important Comm OF Reirench
ment. aud made report ou the various
issues OF government bonds and paper
money which finally settled the question
Of the alleged frauds aud over,issues OF
government bonds during the war Of tue
| rebellion.
From this committee he reported. sdvo
Gated and sustained to it's passage the ia.
nous Tenure OF Office law,
la 1867 be became member OF the Com
mittee on the Judiciary. and from that
time on he was intimately and prominent.
ly concerned 10 the framing aud passage
OF the reconstruction acts
IN November, 1867, when the public
credit began to be questioned, aud the
right to pay all government debts in pa
per WAS asserted. Mr. Elmunds iutroduc
cd the joint resolution pledsing the pub
lie faith to the payment of the public debt
in coin. supported 1t in speech aud car.
ried IT. This resolution WAS in substance,
and almost In form, enacted AZ law, and
was the first bill signed by Gen. Grant as
president Of tho United States.
As part OF the results Of the work OF the
Committee on Retrencbment, and largely
through Mr.. Eimnnd's Efforts, about $40.
600 600 were paid into the United States
treasury, as the proceeds Of captured and
abandoned property, which was rapidly
becoming returned to rebel claimants, un
der the numerous pardons granted by An
dy Johuson.
He was member OF the select commit.
tee OF the Senate to arrange the proceed.
ings on the impeachment Of President
Johnson.
At the time Of Gen Grsnta first election
be took an active and successful part in
the very important exclusion Of the elec
torsl votes OF late rebel States not yet read
mitted.
Mr. Edmunds introduced and carried
through the bill to stop the payments.
which we're going on nuder an old statute
to late owners Of slaves. for their slaves
which had enlisted in the Union army OF
had been drafted during the war.
Mr.. Edmunds was the FIRST 10 propose
and urge that no more money be paid from
the treasury TO the Pacific rvilrosds for
transportation, etc. until they repaid
what the tressury had paid out for inter.
est on their bonds aud he persisted in the
effort to compel them to protect the Unit.
ed States until the siuking fund act was
passed, which those powerful companies
have been obliged to obey, greatly to tbs
benefit Of the public treasury.
He introduced aud tho Senate adopt, 4
the resolutions which stopped tbe iurtb',
issue Of bonds or lsna certificates TO tbs
Union pacidc ro.ilrosd IN resDect OF
brsncbes and connee,ions with its ,nsin
line.
He renor,ea and had charge of and car
,;sa ,h,oroh thu o,..t c;viI and nol;iical
,;,h,s ., ~ M.y Al 1870 u,,iob nov
toyms tho n,incio,l boav AZ tho Law on
~, .,h;ac, IA a;d ,be ..,s 1, ,es,oc,
q, ,hs az, 10 enforce tbs fourteeoth amsna
uoo, ~ Anrl 1871 Tha ;mno,tsocs of |
NJ. Eanrna.. .s,v,ces IN ,eosra N ,hasa
o.,,o, ha ,,aooe,a.sa
ua ;nt,oaucsd and ,eooyted and mana
ga ~. ri, n a;s,,,hn,s TIM Ro,;sh a.,