Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-03-13
SENATOR PROCTOR.

niuety-two metni-rs OF tue upper hohSr
of Congress one does not fud nan
who has accomplished so much IN so
many different lines As Senator Purtor,
aud each of his undertakings was sue
eessfully concluded.
There are only niue senators IN Wash |
ington who were there when he WAS aP- |
pointed by Gov. Page in 1891. aud two
of those went there that same year.
The two great senators from New Eng
land. Hoar of Massachusetts and Morrill,
of Vermont. had been there about II
quarter century when Proctor took his
seat. While his name eau be meu-
toned with theirs to-day, it is hardly
possible To compare his life with theirs,
because they were specialists, and he ar
Piled himself TO macy important mat
ters. While senator Morrill, was fol-
lowing out, in the house and senate, the
course that established for him So dis
tinct aud estimable reputation, Red
field Proctor had gone from the college
aud the law { iiice TO the battlefield aud
become Colouel of his regiment, aud at
the close of the war he had returned
home and represented his town in the
house and his county in the senate, had
become prosperous in the management
of large financial enterprises, had been
elected LieuteHant-Governor and Gov
ernor of his state, had been appoint
ed Secretary OF war in the cabinet of
President Harrison, and then served
more than one term in the national sen-
ate.
Senator Proctor was very quiet and
sauve, and always "self-b alanced for
contingencies" What he purposed he
had the innate ability to accomplish.
rhe public felt that he would never lose
his patience only i'll most righteous
cause, and that whatever he undertook
would be done persistently and wisely
1t was generally known, though the
reasons were never displayed, that his
influence with the administration was
broad and deep, aud that any individual
fur whom it was exerted almost invari-
,bly obtained what he desired in politi-
:al affairs.
He approached all the duties which
,alled him, even the smallest, with a
,pirt and result similar to the way he
,rasped the couatry's obligation to Cuba
aud shaped the best opinion of the
world in that affair. His characteristic
qualities, recognized at that time because
the great crisis brought them out SO
clearly, were described in commuuica.
ton to the HERALD 10y the late George
n. Dale, in part as follows;
"IIe started for Cuba He said moth,
: ing on the subject, or as little AS pos.
sible, aud that only to ward off any al
) fusion to the purpose of his going. But
the eyes of the whole country followed
. him. The character of the man, his
} deep, heavy, almost sluggish, yet i'm.
mense, accurate and practical concep-
tions of national affairs, his fearless in
, dependence, with the uubounded conf
/ dence the whole country had in him
] made the act of his going more siguiti-
= cant than any language could have
made it. In the minds of the people he
= rose to higher position than any paper
commission could have elevated any liv
ing man. He was by sort of silent
spontaneous impulse the representative
: of the desires and hopes of the who'll
S country.
; "lie went. He saw the situation in it,
! realities aud details. He saw suffering
). and woe. Stop moment, and in i'm
= aginaton listen to the story of miser,
s ard wrong which he brought back anc
e with which he filled the great heart o.
t the nation. With an art that was tn,
: want of art he told the story with tina
| plainuess with which truth asserts
: itself, and simplicity that touched al
1 hearts. That story, in the manner il
e which it was told, was power, argument
conviction. Never was such re-adiust
ment of national sentiment accomplish
, ed by such quiet, simple and common
sense methods, and we cannot suppress,
: feeling of pride that Vermont has con
s tributed so much to bring about the
= changed conditions"
/. Senator Proctor has been so conspicu
S Gus figure at the nations capital tina
Il not only the great number who antic
| pated meeting him as matter of per
t sonal friendship, but visitors FROM al
d over this land aud abroad will regre
e that the privilege of seeing him is Ut
4 longer possible. The loss to the nation
}. and directly to Vermont, is immeasur
6 able. BY the veterans he was special,
l. beloved, and as they recall their reunions
a as guests at his home, we'll may they
l. say, aud the state and nation unite witt
g them in spirit,
" "Hushed be the camps to-day.
d And soldiers let us drape our