The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-05-19
VermOnt's Fourth Governor.

VermOnts Fourth Governor.
Much has been said already about
the conditions of neglect existing in
the Old West street cemetery in
Rutland, says the Herald, where lies
the body of Israel Smith, fourth Gov
ernor of Vermont. The grave is
still utterly neglected, as are most
others in this old burying ground.
Although several men who took
part in the forming of the State and
nation are buried there, no effort
whatever seems to have been made
toward preserving the cemetery. On
the other hand the work of the van
people have used the grounds as a
dump for old cans, ottles and other
rubbish. Some effort will be made by
the cemetery commissioners to clean
up the place and put it in order, but
no attempt to properly mark the
grave of Gov Smith has been plan
ned, so far as known.
Israel Smith, the fourth Governor
of Vermont, was born in Suffield,
Ct, the 4th day of April, 1859, and
He first came to Vermont in 1888,
and Immediately commenced the
practice of law at Rupert, in the
county of Bennington. He was the
representative from that town to the
Legislature of Vermont during the
years 1885, 1888, 17S9,and 1890, and
was in 1856 elected one of the JUS
tees of the peace for that county
this being the first election of that
officer under the State government
In 1889, he together with Isaac
Tichenor, Stephen f. Bradley, Ma
thaniel Chapman, Elijah Paine, Ira
Allen and Stephen Jacobs, were APP
pointed commissioners ito ascertain
agree to, ratify and confirm a jIris-
dictional or boundary line between
the State of Vermont and State OF
New York and to adjust and final
ly determine all and every matter OIL
thing which in any wise obstructs q
union of this State with the United
States" Having accomplished the
object of their appointment, he was
chosen a delegate to the conven'
ton which assembled et Pennington
in January, 1891, to consummate the
measure by ratifying the constitu'
ton of the United Stlt
Soon after the close of the con.
vention ard during the same year he
removed to Rutland, deeming it q
better field for the prlctiCa of mis-
| profession; but in the fall of 1871
Vermont beng now one of the Unit
ed States and emitted to two reDre'
sentatives n Congress he was eject
ed with great unanimity to repre-
sent the district composed Of tho
towns west OF the mountains aNt
was reelected in 1893 and again il
1895. In the spring OF 1871 he wa:
again a candila'e for re-r'e,tlon
but having identified himself Will
the anti-feJc"al party, then begin
ming to be Known rs the Repuolcan
he was 9,eared. IN tie fall OF The
same year however, he was elect
ed to represcnr the TOM &C Rutland
IN the Statc 'r,i aturc, and on III.
assembling Vt that body it was fount
that there had been a change in the
political atA0sl 19re Of tn Stat,
and that the Republic Il 5 wer2 II tb'
majority, AMI ne W. elected enc
Justice of the Supreme Court.
1t was, says one of the historians
oe Vermont, during the session o
the Legislature of 1898 that pros
cription on account of political OPP
iniun was first practiced in the dis
tribution of civil offices in Vermont
Israel Smith, who held the office o
chief justice of the State, and whC
was a man of interrupted integrit!
and Virtue, was dropped on accoun
Of his attachment to the Republican
party and another person chosen IL
his stead
In 1901 Judge Smith was the can
1idate Of the Republican party FOL
Governor and was defeated for tina
office, but during the same year wa
again elected to represent the west
ern district of Vermont in Congress
at the close of that term, March
1903, he took a seat in the Senate o
the United States, having been elect
ed to that position the October pre-
vious.
In October, 1907, having been b,
the people, elected Governor of tn
State, he resigned his seat in tn
United States Senate. In his mes
sage he called the attention of tn
Legislature to the penal code of tn
State. and recommended the aboli