Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1903-04-17
Ex-Gov. Holbrook's Reply.

In his reply eX-Gov Holbrook says:
Our State has often given a healthy
and successful tone to the public affairs
of our whole country. During the late
Civil War she acted her part in the
struggle with dignity and important eff
feet. The call for 100000 three years
men and 300 900 nine months men had its
origin in letters to President Lincoln
from Vermont. and was the means of
bringing the war to a speedy close there
after. President Lincoln said to Sec
rotary Stanton and Provost Marshall
Simeon Draper, at a meeting held with
them at the secretary's Office the morn
ing after receiving my letter urging such
a call for additional troops Il have here
a letter from Governor Hobrook that
solves all our difficulties respecting call
for large additional force. Buried six
months of the year in the SHOWS of a
Vermont winter, | would give more for
his judgment and opinion than that of
all these politicians that surround us in
Washington
| can hardly realize that | have. lived
through nine decades of mortal life, and
am now started on the tenth decade
which, however, in the nature of things.
is of uncertain tenure, being on the eX-
IRENE outer edge of human life. But
shall endeavor to follow the advice of
the Angel to our forefather Adam:
Nor love thy life nor hate; but what
thou livst
Live well; how long. or short, permit to
heaven.
Longevity is largely due to two fac
tors; good hereditary inheritance, and
sufficient strength of will power for self
government and control on this matter
of self-control Milton in his Paradise
Lost has some apt words. wherein he
relates an imaginary interview between
the Angel Michael and our father Adam,
in which the Angel foretells the various
aches and pains and ills the human race
would be subject to; whereupon Adam
asks him?
rs there then no other way. besides
These painful passages, how we may
come
To death, and mix with our connatural
There is said Michael if thou wilt
observe
The rule of Not too much; by temper
ance taught,
In what thou eatst and drink'st: seek
ing from thence
Due nourishment, not gluttonous delight
Till many years over thy head return:
So may'st thou live; till like ripe fruit,
thou drop
Into thy mothers lap; or be with ease
Gathered, not harshly pucked, for death
mature;
This is old age"
What changes 1 have seen in my 80
years! Progress in the world, and in
mankind, seems to be the design and
plan of "Our Father which art in Heav-
en-" And although His ultimate designs
are often kept in sacred reserve which
we mortals cannot penetrate, still We see
that
1T is love that makes the world go
round;'
and that his all pervading Fatherhood
Lives through all life, extends through
all extent:
and compasses and directs all. with ma
Jestic and consummate munificence and
love!
This is a comforting thought for all
ages, and especially for old age and how
much the light which comes streaming
in so fast upon us in these later days is
directing the religious views of man
KIND to the true inwardness of the first
words of the Lords Prayer'-"Our
Father which art in Heaven" Preachers
especially our young ministers, with
modern education. direct their audiences
more to love of God so amply shown in
all MS works and ways. than to an angry
God, intent on the endless punishment of
sinners for the imperfections and infrmi-
ties of human nature. So progress of the
human race is seen in these results of
more enlightened teachings. as well as
in the vast discoveries, inventions and
facilities, elevating and improving the
world and mankind.
In my old age l love to consider these
things. And | am daily thankful now
that through life | have cultivated a Iova
and taste for sentiment. for now it
warns the heart, cheers the spirit, en-
larges the observation and quickens the
imagination, thus keeping the heart
young and fresh. In fact, what color is
to nature, that refined sentiment Is to
human nature and each We're impover-
ished indeed if robbed of its distinctive
coloring,
With this letter | enclose a copy of my
thanksgiving Proclamation of 1861; :"
and though ii is quite egotistic i'm me to
do so perhaps still it is an index of the
deep feeling in all loyal hearts at the
time of the then great crisis our country
was undergoing.
And now | have to beg your pardon for
this too long letter, and hope you will
indulge old age for thus giving its index
of a propensity to enlarge in retrospect
ton and introspection, so incident to a
prolonged period of life.
Very cordially and sincerely your friend
FREDERICK HOLBROOK.