The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-10-09
THE LEGISLATIVE REUNION.
A STORY
Of the Programme for the Two Days
Copious Extracts from the Speeches
that Sparkled with wit, Eloquence and
Pathos-The Affair "a Gratifying Success.

decorators had been busy far into the night.
Main and State streets were a mass Of flags
and bunting, tastefully draped and fes-
TONED from every place of business and
private residence. The hotels presented a
very animated appearance, and the Pavil.
ion, the headquarters OF the executive com.
mittee, was packed with a mass of hui.
manity.
The morning trains were heavily loaded,
as were the noon train from the north over
the Central Vermont and Montpelier and
Wells River railroads. AT half past ten the
procession was formed in the State House
yard with General Henry OF Burlington as
marshal, and, headed by the Montpelier Mil
itary Band, marched to the Golden Fleece,
where the ex -rcises of the morning were
held. About 800 were in line. AS Senator
Morrill, and General Stephen Thomas were
escorted to the platform, the audience rose
and gave three rousing cheers for the states.
man and the old soldier.
On the platform were seated Governor
Woodbury., Governor Mansur,
Hon. w. =. Dillingham;, president of the
association, Hon. George w. Wing, mayor
of Montpelier, Speaker w. W. S%tickney,
Ex-Governor G. s. Page, Eek Governor s.
e. Pingree, Congressman II. II. Powers,
Eek Lieutenant Governors Fletcher and
Stranahan, Major Josiah Grout, Colonel
r. j. kimball, Judge l.. II. Thompson,
Hon. j. l.. Martin, Hosea Mann OF Vii.
mingtOn, and others
The galleries were packed with an inter-
ested audience, composed principally of la
dies. The band was stationed in the gal
lery Immediately over tho stage, and rem
dered several fine selections.
Governor Dillingham; called the assem-.
blage to order, aud, in asking Chaplain
Haynes to invoke the divine blessing, he
said:
Gentlemen Of the Vermont Legislative
Reunion Association: We have chosen upon
this occasion for our chaplain a gentleman
who has ministered in spiritual things to
the citizens of Vermont in their capacities
as business men, as soldiers, and as legisla-
tors. Will you please now join with Chap
lain E.. M. Haynes while he invokes the di-
vine blessing?"
Hon. George w. Wing, mayor Of the new
city of Montpelier, was pleasantly intro.
duced by the chairman to deliver the adj.
dress Of welcome. Mr.. Wing said:
MAYOR wING's ADDREs OF WELCOME.
"Mr. President and Members of the
Legislative Reunion Society: Il gives me
greaj pleasure in behalf of this new mu
nicipality to bid you a cordial welcome to
Montpelier on this your second legislative
reunion. When, ten years ago, l had the
pleasure, from this platform, of extending
a welcome at your first meeting, I expressed
a wish that these gatherings might be
oftener than once in ten years, but we are
none the less glad to see you on this occa-
sion. We thank you for your coming. We
have decorated our streets, have opened
wide our hearts and homes, and extend to
JOo ~ l. AStA CbAO
what embarrassed upon an occasion like
this, in making this address of welcon me to
you, from the fact that, were you strangers
and coming here for the first tue, L could
point out the beauties of our streets and the
points of interest which it would please you
to visit; but you became familiar with those
things / would point out to you while you
were members of the legislature. So the
welcome l give you is more that which one
citizen who has been long away gives
to another on his return. We rejoice at
every act of the legislature which assures
us purity OF government, progress and i'm
provement. We welcome you as representa-
tives of the great majority of the people;
and we feel grateful to the members of the
legislature that, as early as 1903, they were
pleased to name this city as the capital of
the state. In 1851, when an accident befel
the Capitol, such a showing was made Of
the wealth of beauty and desirability OF
situation of Montpelier that it was decided
the capital should remain where 1t now is.
Gentlemen, in many of our states the
officers have a longer tenure of office, but is
there any state where tenure of office has
been any more secure than it has in the
state of Vermont, where the tenure of office
has been from one legislature to another?
The state is kept in t%ouchlwith its officers,
and have you ever heard OF any scandal
connected with the legislature Of Vermont,
Notwithstanding the fact that in the heat OF
politica controversy one great party has
dominated the policy OF the state? Has any
smirch ever been found upon the judicial
ermine of this state? Can any state show a
longer tenure of office for their representa-
tives to the national congress than the state
of Vermont? Has there ever been any
who has had a wider or more extended in
huence? Gentlemen, L congratulate you
that in this small state of Vermont, extend
ing only from the Connecticut river to Lake
~Champlain and from Canada to Massachu-
sets, there has gone forth an influence such
as has gone from no other state in the
Union. l congratulate you that to-day we
meet when everything is prospecting and
when the country Is recovering from one of
the most severe financial panics that has
ever been known. Gentlemen, 1 congratu-
late you that, through the action of the
legislature, such things as this reunion have
been made possible, and we esteem it an
honor to have you come at this time and
hold your legislative reunion among us.
We trust you will experience all you hope
to, and all you expect and anticipate.
thought this morning, when / first saw
the bright sun indicating that the day had
been made for the reunion, that some of
you might think you had come to a strange
place, or that such a day could not have
come at any time but on an off year. Gap
plause). Once more, gentlemen, let me bid
you a hearty welcome in behalf Of the citi-
Zens OF Montpelier"
When the applause that greeted Mayor
Wings address had subsidized, President
Dillingham; responded in the following
happy and eloquent words:
D~ILLINGHAM's SPEECH.
"Mr Mayor:-The committee have placed
upon me the duty of responding, in behalf
Of this body of intelligent gentlemen, and to
express their thanks, not only for the well
come which you have given us this morn
ing, bat also for the welcome which the cit
liens have given us as we have come into
the town. We know very well, from per-
sonal experience, that your hearts are not
only open but your doors are open also, and
that Montpelier is as glad to have us come
upon this city as we are to come; and l
thought, as you spoke of the progress of
Montpelier and her desires for the legisla-
ture, that there was something beside the
mere fact that you had asked to have the
capital located here in '57. Tnere is some
thing in the air that makes the citizens Of
every town desire TO come up here, and it
seems perfectly safe for mt to venture this
suggestion-that at no time has there been
absent, on their part, a desire to come to
Montpelier. (Applause). 1t may be in the