The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-07-09

brother, Samuel, Oh WHOM ~ I
been published. y
James Elliot, the father of these boysi |
died when they were quite young ana
their mothers means being limited q
tboir onnortunities for school education e
,rora Terv meager. Brief sketches OF {
them in an Elliot family history dls-
close that they were ambitious, eher-
optic. determined to make the most
Gf their abilities, that they read ana
studied bva themselves, and were what
ore termed sis self made men,, IhelF
success was remarkable for they be-
came excellent writers, speakers, law
vers and Legislators Samuel delivered
q notable address at West Springfield,
Mass when he was 26 years old, and
year later he had studied law, had been
admitted to practice in this county
and was entering upon long ana sue
cessful professional career. lie pup
fsbed a volume entitled Practical
Essays" a copy of which Is owned
by the Vermont Historical society
James Elliot was born III Glouces-
ter in November, R75, came to Gun |
ford in 1893 as clerk in a store, but
soon enlisted in the Indian war uhder
General WAYNE and served three years
pud of his term of service he returned
TO Guilford and kept store of his
own and at the same time studied
law If his store was in Guilford Cen
fer he very likely studied under the
direction of Royal Tyler afterwards
chief iudgel who resided there from
1901 till 1901 and had a large law
practice, and had time to write several
dramatic PLAYS and to do other liter
arv work. Tile wrote "The Contrast
in BostOn.)
# NAV be remarked that in the days
when Guilford was a republic ana
made its laws in town meetings, ana
even down to 1871, when Vermont en-
tered the union, that town exceeded
all others in the state in population,
and was ahead of Brattleboro until the
census of 1910. Hall s Eastern Yer
mont SAYS the whole town was at one
time so dotted with houses as to pre-
sent the appearance of a continuous
village. But the Center was the cen
trail point for mercantile business which
was quite extensive; so it Is probable
that tbe-store of this embryo lawyer
and statesman was at the Center, and we
can imagine him, when not waiting
on customers, as reading and ponder
inc over his books and discussing
them evenings with his legal preceptor
There have been limitations that hl'
store was in q Weatherhead Hollow,
which was then a populous district; il
so. it was a short walk for the young
man over the hill, by the DR.. Whitney
place, to the Center.
There is no recorded event to mari
the date of Mr.. Elliot s arrival IN TIM
town. but it probably was befor
l., oil cd aE a
eralist to the 9Th congress and was re
elected to the 9th and 10TH His as
sociate members from this state wer
William Chamberlin, Martin Chitten
den and. Gideon DIN. Nathaniel Maso
of North Carolina was speaker of tn
house in that congress which convene
in OCTOBER 1903.
once improved an opportunity
examine the record of Mr.. Elliot s 81
years service in congress, and in VIE
of his deficient education, his yout
and inexperence. it was a matter {
sunrise that he mastered all the leaC
inc measures that came before tn
house and was able to discuss them II
tellioentIv and ably. His Made
speech. made in the first month of Il
session. was an eloquent tribute to II
memory of Samuel Adams, whose deaf
had recently occurred. In the lntere
of the smaller states Mr.. Elliot spot
upon a committee report relating
presidential electors, also upon SCI
ate resolution providing that whenev
it became the duty of the house
elect president and it had failed
elect, then the vice president shou
act as president. The discussion TASTE
several weeks and Mr. Elliot TOOK
active and sometimes an earnest pa
i)nTII
the discussion he had several live
massage s.at-arms with John Ra
dolph of Roanoke. Virginia. He spol
ON the proposed Louisiana Treaty, on
hill fixing the salaries of certain ca
met and bureau officers, on bill
inquire into the official character
Judge Samuel Chase of the SUPPER
court, against whom articles OF II
peachment were afterwards filed,
Notifications and gunboats, on the \
700 land claims, on certain Georg
claims. on an inquiry into the condu
of General wilkinson, on foreign rel
tions. military courts, embargo Law
on bill for the preservation Of pea
on a bill to establish a prize court,
reouIate the clearance Of vessels, on
report of a committee on contest
elections and on a letter from
postmaster general: He also made
argument at the impeachment trial
Justice Chase (who was acquitted)
All of the foregoing relates to
Sth congress In the 9th and 10th D
Elliot was prominent in the discussi
of public measures, sometimes speak,
briefly. ofen sat length. His most n
able speeches were in relation to
defence of ports and harbors and
suspension of the writ of haheas c
pus He was especially interested
the tariff and made able speeches
the subject of duties on certain
ticles of importation.
A review of Mr.. Elliot s six yea
service in congress convinees one II