News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-07-22
About VermonterS

| Il was called to Chicago in 1891 to
speak to the sons of Vermont there, and
one of the things talked about when |
reached Chicago was the preponGerance
of Vermont strength in this honorable
body in the year 1891. Upon an exami-
nation found that we had Is times as
| many senator's as we would be entitled
to have were the representation based
upon our population. The chair of the
Vice President was occupied by Morton,
born in Shoreham, Vt. On this side sat
the great constitutional lawyer, Ed
munds. l speak of these men because 1
believe that not only in numbers but in
real mental strength we were perhaps
very much larger than our size numeri-
cally. On the Democratic side of the
Senate sat one of the ablest Senators of
the West, former Postmaster-General
Villas of Wisconsin. | remember that
either Mat. Carpenter or Philetus Sawyer,
1 do not now recall which, then repre-
sented the state of Wisconsin in this
body, both of them sons of Vermont.
On this side was that great statesman,
who longer than any other served his
country in Congress-the distinguished
author of the agricultural college bill
Justin s. Morrill,.
"Senator Morrill, sat in the Senate not
quite as long as Senator Allison, but as a
member of Congress he was in both
Houses longer than any other man that
ever will live. For almost A consecutive
years he occupied seat in Congress-.
Il might 60 on and mention the many
distinguished Vermonters who have sat
in this Senate, but time will not permit;
but do wish to impress upon my friend
from Colorado the peculiarly of these
Vermont Senators. Not single one of
them came from town having as many
as 1880 population. They were boys
who had to break their own roads through
the snowdrifts to the little red school
house. Mr.. President. our Vermont farm
ers and their wives are notably thrifty, |
and they have been compelled to lead
prudent lives in order that they might |
rear their sons and daughters and give !
them an education suitable to fit them !
for life. The moment the Vermont bows |
reach manhood and are able to take a |
broad view of life, they start for wider |
fields, and the result is that Vermont |
supplies the rest of the country with the |
best of her sons and daughters"
The Senate was enlightened historical |
ly during the debate about the famous |
naval engagement upon Lake Champlaiu |
in which Commodor Macdonough fought |
the British fleet decisiyely. The story |
was told of how 1900 of Wellington's |
veterans, fresh from the campaign against
Napoleon, were cent to Montreal for the
purpose of gaining control of the Cham
plain valley and separating New England |
from the rest of Il e states. But Mac
donough came into Vermont, went into
Otter Creek at the foot of the falls. near
Vergennes, on the Vermont side. and
built the fleet with which the battle of
Plattsburg bay was fought. The Sara
toga, from which he commanded the bat
tie, was completed in 40 days from the
time that the trees were cut in the forest.
and the victory cut off the English army
from its base of supplies. The Duke of
Wellington had been asked to come to
and take command of his veter-
ans, but declined to do so, following Mac
donough's victory, and peace between
Great Britain and the United States fol-
lowed. Senators said in the debate that
achievement was more i'm
portant in its results than Perry's famous
victory on Lake Erie. "Macdonough's
said Senator Dillingham;, "vast-
Y outranks that of Perry. l do not mean
u valor, but in its effect in shaping the
history of our country"