The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-05-06

( began to have q reputation IN this oil
rection He was solicited to write
for the agricultural press, and though
undertaking the work with hesitation
he finally entered into a contract with
the Albany Cultivator of Albany, and
the New England Farmer of Boston,
both then monthly journals. by which
he was to furnish each of them lead
| ing article each month. His writ
ings were largely copied by the Yer
mont papers and it was by this means
that he first came to public promi-
hence.
Governor.
In the years 1919 and 1850 Gov.
Holbrook was elected a member of
the Vermont state senate. At the
session of 1919 joint committee was
appointed to enquire into the exped-
iency of recommending the establish
ment of a national bureau of agri-
culture, and Gov. Holbrook drew up
a memorial to the President and Con-
gress stating in detail the reasons for
establishing such bureau.
It attracted much favorable notice,
and was followed by definite recon-
mendation, in President Taylor's an
nual message of that year, for the
! formation of such a bureau. This
was undoubtedly the primary move
ment which has led up to the depart
ment of agriculture as 1t exists today.
From the organization of the Yer
mont State Agriculture! society In
1850 up to the time of his election as
| governor Gov. Holbrook was the
4 4, % Tt- fafr
were held in the several larger towns
of the state in rotation and through
| his appearance at these exhibitions
| Gov. Holbrook became we'll known
both to the farmers and the public
men of the state There is probably
no doubt at least, that at the time of
| his election he had a wider personal
acquaintance in the state than has
ever been enjoyed by any other Yer
mont governor.
The Republican convention of 1861
was held at Montpelier. 1t was a
mass convention, and its nominating
| committee brought in, as its state
| ticket, for governor, Frederick Hol-
| brook Of Brattleboro; for lieutenant
/ governor. Levi Underwood of Burling-
ton; for treasurer John A. Page OF
Rutland This ticket was unanimous
| ~ nominated and its election by an
| overwhelming majority followed in
| September. Gov HSlbrook had been
a Wing. but at the formation of the
Republican party he joined it's ranks,
and was a member of the first Repub-
| lean convention ever held in Yer
mont.
GOV Hobrooks grst official act
was 10 suggest to the legislature the
policy OF paying off one-half OF the
| war expenses IF tho state by direct
tax9tion and funding the other half in
ME bonds to be paid by those OF an
! other generates who would reap
| oNally the benefit Of The sacrifices of
the time The legislature approved
| This suggestion and enacted laws in
conformity With H. The result was
that at the close OF the war Vermont's
! debt was less than that of any loyal
| state in proportion to aid furnished
and percentage Of population and
was the first state war debt TO be
paid In full
no a speech y a Grand Army camp
! .iro a few ,eara ago. Gov. HOlbrook
Briefly related the part which he had
| ST. suggesting 20 President Lincoln the
! calling out of a large body Of addit
ional men in The early summer OF 1852
| after the Union reverses in Virginia,
| and when the whole North was in a
| state OF dependency IL is not neces-
| sary TO repeat the facts about this
important war measure, but the in
| cident is mentioned as showing the
| intimate relations which existed be-
| tween Mr.. lincoln and Gov Holbrook
and the confidence which the former
reposed in the governors good judg-
ment
Gov. Holbrooks letter suggesting
the calling out OF 100000 men was re-
ceivod one Tuesday morning and as
soon as he had read it Mr. Lincoln
exclaimed to Secretary Stanton that
he had there a solution of the whole
difficulty. Provost Marshal General
Draper was Immediately dispatched to
Vermont to consult with Gov Hol-
brook. bringing frem President Lin
coin request that such an endorse
ment of the proposed call be formula
ted as Gov Holbrook and the other
loyal governors would be willing to
sign.
Under the presidents call the nine
months men were to be drafted but
Gov Holbrook protested that draft
would dampen the enthusiasm of the
people of Vermont and by his request
the state was allowed to raise its
quotations by volunteer enlistment.
Gov Holbrook was reelected in
1862, serving two full terms during
the most trying time of the war.
Throughout his administration Gov.
Holbrook melted the people to active
loyalty with tongue and pen and in
his utterances were epigrammatic and
deserve to become historic, as when
he wrote, in his Fast day proclama-
ton, April, 1862, that He has already
lived too long who has survived the
ruin of his country
The Hospital at Bratteboro
One of the most valuable services
performed by Gov Holbrook for the
people of Vermont was in securing the
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