The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-04-15
Senator Edmunds' Original
Appointment.

appointment
The original appointment of George
F. Edmunds to the senatorship made
vacant by the death of Solomon Foot
was probably the greatest surprise of
his life. Not only the appointment, but
the manner in which it was conveyed
to him, marked an epoch as memorable
in the life of rising attorney as it has
been fortunate for the welfare and
fame of the state and the nation. At
the time of the death of Senator Foot,
Paul Dillingham; was governor of Yer.
mont and Andy johnson president of
the United States. The times were
perilous. Congress was in session, and
the political crisis precipitated upon
tho country by the accession of the
headstrong vice-president to the Office
of chief executive was throwing its
threatening shadow on the future of a
country barely emerged from the most
stupendous civil war of recorded his
tory. 1t was a dangerous hour for the
stricken nation. A vacant senatorial
chair, and that chair the seat of sena-
tor from Vermont, the state famous
in history and tradition for men and
for their devotion to the cause of
freedom on the battlefield and in the
forum, was source of grave appre-
hension throughout the free North.
Governor Dillingham; felt the full
weight of his responsibility in the mat
ter of filling the vacant senatorship.
The Office was the object of the honor
able ambition of several aspirants. The
governor received many urgent appeals
from all parts of the country for early
and decisive action in the matter of
the appointment. The burthen OF
these appeals, the venerable ex.magis-
trate says, was, sandy johnson is
raising the devil at Washington
"They said so, not l." the governor
naively protests in recounting the Incl.
dents of those days. The pressure
upon him was immense and the cor.
respondence voluminous. The general
sentiment among the younger class OF
men, rivals for the Office, was in favor
of the appointment of some elderly
man, some one of the large class who
had been prominent in state affairs in
his day, and to whom the temporary
filling of the senatorial vacancy would
bring a graceful rounding out of an
honorable career. But Governor Dill.
ingham had other ideas of official duty.
The times demanded the appointment
of an able, active and aggressive man,
not makeshift.
At the funeral of Senator Foot at
Rutland, in April, greal influence was
brought to bear upon Governor Dill
ingham to appoint some man who
would not be a candidate for the office
before the legislature. Here his de-
termination crystallized. A senatorial
commission was in his pocket, lacking
only the name of the appointee and
the executive signature. AT the close
of the dead senator's obsequies the
governor took the train for Burlington.
Driving to his hotel, he dispatched a
messenger for Mr.. Edmunds. The
governor explained to him that he de-
sired to send him to Washington on
very important business, and inquired
if his affairs were in such condition
that he could leave. The attorney re-
piled that he would subject his bust.
ness to the exigencies of the demands
of the state. "Can you go tomorrow
morning2" asked the governor. 81
will 60 at once" answered the lawyer.
Governor Dillingham; drew the sena'
torial commission from his pocket,
filled the blank with the name OF
George F. Edmunds, signed the docu.
ment, and handed it to his visitor.
The nature of "the important bust
ness " was then first disclosed to Mr..
Edmunds. His emotions overwhelmed
his powers of utterance. His name
had been publicly mentioned in con-
nection with the vacant senatorship,
but neither directly nor indirectly had
word passed between him and the
governor previous to the dramatic
scene in the hotel at Burlington. Thus
was made an appointment that reflects
the highest honor on Governor Dill
ingham's integrity, good judgment and
patriotism: thus began senatorial
career rarely matched in usefulness