Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-04-16

nectlon was of great value to the party
in the State. On April 5th, 1866, he
took his seat in the Senate of the Uni
ted States, having been appointed by
Gov. Dillingham; to fill the vacancy
caused by the death of Solomon Foote
la the fall of that same year he was
chosen to fill out Senator Foote's unex-
pired term, since then he has receiv-
ed four successive elections. His letter
of resignation was written just twenty
five years after he first took his seat in
the Senate, so that his Senatorial ca
reer may be said to cover period of
a quarter of century. Though be-
ginning after the close of the war it has
covered a period Of important events in
our history in most Of which he has
borne a distinguished part. The term
upon which he is now serving expires
March 4th, 1898. We condense from
the Free Press a statement of his work
for the country. He made himself
prominent very soon after taking his
seat in speech upon the admission of
Colorado, in which he opposed clause
restricting the right of suffrage to the
whites. For this he received the pub
licly expressed thanks of Hon. Charles
Sumner. He was soon made chairman
of the Retrenchment Committee. From
this committee he reported and sustain
ed to its passage the famous Tenure of
Office law. In 1867 he became mem.
ber Of the Committee on the judiciary,
and in this connection had much to do
with the reconstruction acts. In Nov.
1867, when the public credit began to
be questioned, he introduced a joint
resolution pledging the public faith to
the payment of the public debt in coin.
This resolution grew into law and
was the first bin sigued by Gen. Grant
as president of the United States. As
chairman Of the Retrenchment Com
mittee he was largely instrumental in
saving to the government millions Of
dollars that would have been returned
to rebel claimants. He was member
of the select committee of the Senate
to arrange the proceedings for the inn
peaehment of Andrew johnson. AT
Cen. Grants first election he took an
active part in excluding electoral votes
of rebel states not re-admltted. He in
troduced and carried through bill to
stop the payments that were going on
under an old statute, to late owners OF
slaves, for slaves that had enlisted in
the Union army or that had been draft
cd into service. He was the first to
propose and urge the stoppage of pay
ments from the treasury to the Pacific
railroads for transportation, until they
had repaid what the treasury had pald
ont for interest on their bonds, and
succeeded in carrying out his plan in the
end to the great advantage Of the pub
lie treasury. He was chiefly lnstru-
mental in securing the civil and politl-
cal rights acts of 1879, ard the act
of 1871 TO enforce the l4th amendment.
His service in this regard is worthy OF
the highest praise. He was author
and manager of the bill securing the
distribution of the Geneva award am
ongst the proper claimants and exclud-
mo the insurance companies that had
made profits on war premiums. lie
,as chairman of the select committee
that reported the Electoral Ooun' uiii'
and probably did more than any other
man in securing the peaceable accession
Of Mr.. Hayes to the presidential chair.
His services to the country at this time
were of great value. He did much in
nroviding for the Fastening of the dis
position Of pension cases both in the
denartment and when appealed to the
secretary Of the interior. When Con-
oress was under democratic control he
onnosed vigorously all measures tackled
on to appropriation bills that were IN
tended TO weaken or repeal republican
oil