Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-03-26
WILLIAM C. BRADLEY.
Ono OF Vsrmonts Most Distinguahed Citi
z-ns of a Former Generation.

William c. Bradley, born in Westmins-
ter, VT, In 1852, was the ron of Stephen
Rowe Bradley who was one of the pioneers
of Vermont. In the year 1910 he wrote and
published a mastery pamphlet. asserting
the claims of Vermont to independence,
entitled "Vermont's Appeal to the Candid
and Impartial World" He (Stephen RI
was one OF the first two United States
senators elected from Vermont after the
admission of the State to the Union; was
president pro tempore OF the Unite States
Senate during the vice-presldency OF Aaron
Burr; and was again president pro tenn
pore In 1908. In the absence of Vice-Presi-
dent George Clinton, who had been an old
adversary in the controversy with New
York and had been wont to dcnounce
Bradley as n 'rioter."
His son, William Gar Bradley, began to
write poetry at six years of age, published
his first prose work, entitled THE Rights
OF Youth" when he was but IL years old .
was expelled from Yale college for some
alleged mischief when he was lad OF "a;
delivered the Fourth of July Grafton at
Westminster when he was II; was a prac-
ticing lawyer and States attorney of
Wlndham county at I'll member Of the
Legislature at "a; and a member OF Con-
gress at so. At the close of the war of 1912
he was selected as the agent of the United
States under the treaty of Client, to fix the
Northwestern boundary of the United
States. He subsequently had two terms in
Congress. His biographer. Pliny II, White.
said of him: IAN things considered, he
was the greatest man Vermont has yet
produced. Williams may have equaled
him as lawyer, Collamer as a reasoner,
Phelps as an orator, and Marsh In null
tifarious learning; but neither of them nor
any other Vermonter, living or dead. has
been at once lawyer losician, orator and
scholar to so eminent degree
A granddaughter of William C. Bradley
resides In Washington. ID. c., In the person
of Mrs. Sarah p. Willard, who is daugh-
ter of the late Judge Daniel Kellogg of
Drattleboro, OF honored memory. and wife
OF Mr.. Henry A. Willard OF this city, who
is also a native Vermonter.
The Vermont veterans will remember
that the camp Of the 18th VT Vols. at
Brattleboro was designated as camp Brad
ley, In honor OF Hon. william c. Bradley,
then an octogenarian, but full of patriotic
fire. and that he acknowledged the compli-
mcnt In letter. which Is printed In the
history OF the 18th regiment OF Vermont In
the civil war. and was as follows;
Brattieboro VT, Aug. &c. 1859.
Major r. c. Benton. Commanding 18th
Regiment, VT. Vols.
Dear Sir-I have receive at your hand the
certificate of baptism of the camp Of the
18th reg. of Vermont volunteers-a favorite
cumberland beg through you to express
my sense OF the honor done me.
Although largely incapacitated by my in
frmty from taking any part IN the mill
tary service OF my country, ana although
this is not the time to cherish mere State
pride. yet cannot forget that In my child
hood the fame which the Green Mountain
boys had acquired and established In the
revolutionary war, then hardly closed,
was ringing In my ears; and afterwards
the praise OF their vigilance. GOODNESS
courage In the battle of Tippecanoe. which
saved Gen. Harrison certainly from sur
prise and probably from defeat, and then
in the last war with Great Britain. their
exploits on the Niagara frontier. which !
have often heard acknowledged by Lieut..
| Gen. Scott. not, forgetting the battle OF