The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-01-20

tpultA III I'M oll'c senate OF 1900,
Nhlcl! al ;l-N time contained such
Wc!!-inoWn men a. Hon J. 4 II,
Eou, Hon Zcd s. Stanton of Rox
bury, Hon. Charles NJ. Gates of
Franklin, Hon. II. c. Royce of ST.
Adams. Hoa. A. f. Cudworth of Lon
dondclry. iol. p. W. Cement Of
Rutland, and Hon, Rufus +. Brown
OF Burlington, and among these
strong men was recognized as a lead
CT whose counsel was worthy Of be-
lag ought. He was active in local
politics rs we'll, and was chairman on
one occasion OF the Republican State
Convention, to which he was fire.
quently a delegate. In 1916, he was
sent a an alternate delegate TO the
Republican National Convention at
Chicago. and when in June. 1920. the
delegates for the Republican National
Convention to be held at Chicago
were abou. TO be chosen. Nh Dun
nett announced his candidacy for
one OF the places. His health had
been such, for some month, prior
thereto, as TO demand. in order TO as
sist in what was hoped would be a
l'ull recovery, that he exert himself
u little as possible knowing this.
his friends feared the effect that the
strain Of attending a National Con
Ven,iOH, in a city 80 far distant,
might have on him. That he was in
tereStcd IN going, however regardless
Of consequences, is shown by the fact
that he is reported to have said 10
one OF his friends. '"I want TO go to
Chicago, if it takes six months GU.
OF my life He needed but to eX-
press his desire in order TO secure
the opportunity by unanimous vote,
TO be q delegate TO this convention.
Those who read the reports of that
conventions will recall that, without
dlsparagC ment 20 the other members.
he was the commanding figure in the
Vermont delegation, and also. that
in spite of the handicap of i'll health,
he succeeded in making himself heard
in the large Convention Hall and
secured recognition from the chair
man, to second the nomination of
that worthy son OF Vermont. Calvin
Coolidge, for the office Of Vice-Pre-
sident 1t is gratifying to know that
he returned from this convention APP
parently in better health than when
he went
An amusing incident which occur
red at this convention is told concern
ing Mr.. Dunnett. A man who had
just been talking to Mr.. Dunnett, af-
ter leaving him was accosted by one
of the lady delegates, who expressed
a wish that she might meet Cardinal
Gibbons. The man said, Cardinal
Gibbons, why | don't know him" to
which she replied, Il mean that man
YOU We're just talking to, wasn't that
Cardinal Gibbons" This is the only
case on record in which Nj. Dunnett
was taken for such a high church
dignitary, but his famous skull cap
lent such an air of dignity to him
that the mistake was entirely cX-
cusable.
There were many characteristics OF
squire Dunnett, as he was famil-
iarly called, which are in the highest
sense worthy of emulation. Perhaps
TO one point was more prominent
than u'at of his absolute integrity.
People had faith in him, as man as
well as lawyer; in fact, so fearful
wa; he that in some way he might
over-step the bounds of fairde llinQ,
tina. those who knew him best have
often seen him take action to his own
personal financial detriment lest be
considercr as approaching the border
line.
Another characteristic which made
him beloved, was his unwllingness
to speak in a deroga.oly manner of
either friend or foe. AS an advocate,
in the court room, he did what seem
ed to him to be for the best interest
Of his client, and if need required, he
could point out the weaknesses of q
witness or an opponent in no uncer-
tain terms, but he was never abusive, !
and apart from this he was never
known to speak despitefully against
his fellows. This characteristic was
part of his religion, a leaf from the
Gospel of which might be taken with /
profit by many so-called Saints.
As a lawyer Nh. Dunnett was sec
ond to none. but his counsel was
sought fully as much because OF other
characteristics as for his well-known (
ability. and that was because OF his /
sound Judgment and good common /
sense. He combined the far-scelng .
qualities of the Scotchman with the
good business ability Of the lankee;
and from his ripe experience he had
learned much, so that when compll-
Gated problems were put before him,
where the solution involved elements
of Judgment, his decision, after con
sideration, was as likely to be llght
as human advice can be.
He had rare gift of imperturbaoi-
lily. Nothing ever appeared TO disturb
him If anything ever did, he alone
knew of it. While Others lost their
heads, or exploded in loud-toned
wrath. MI Dunnett remained calm
and unrufFIed, and, if opportunity at
forded. found solace in good cigar
or pipe, until the opportunity came
for omething TO be said which would
count. when the remarks which nc
made would show that nothing had
his mind.
A story told of Mr.. Dunnett, and
there are legions of them, will serve
10 illustrate this trait of his charac-
ter: One day he drove to Rycgate IN
his automobile and stopped at n
mans house for the purpose OF tigur-
inc M the amount due on a prom