Vermont, the Green mountain state (Volume 4) online

became a prominent man in that State, Before the end
of the year 1876, he was transferred from the War
Department to the position of Attorney General. Presi-
dent Arthur appointed him United States Minister to
Austria, and, in 1884, Minister to Russia.

Although two Vermont members of the House of Rep-
resentatives, Hendee and Joyce, voted against the
measure and only one, Denison, in its favor. Congress
passed a bill authorizing a Centennial Exposition to be
held at Philadelphia in 1876, in order properly to observe
the one hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of
Independence.

As early as March 15, 1876, a citizens meeting was
held at Burlington to consider Vermont representation
at the Centennial. The following committee was ap-
pointed to solicit funds. Gen. P. P. Pitkin of Mont-
pelier, Col. Redfield Proctor of Rutland, Henry Lane of
Cornwall, M. S. Colburn of Manchester, C. F. Thompson
of Brattleboro, John W. Hartshorn of Lunenburg, J. D.
Hatch of Burlington, F. S. Stranahan of St. Albans,
P. S. Benjamin of Wolcott, Joseph Bates, 2nd, of Derby,
W. W. Grout of Barton, Hiram Harlow of Windsor,
Roswell Farnham of Bradford, Jed P. Ladd of Alburg
and Dudley P. Hall of Lyndon.

Governor Peck had declined to call a special session of
the Legislature for the purpose of appropriating money



74 IIISTDRN' UK XlvRAHWT

for a State building but expressed sympathy with the
project and at the request of the citizens' committee he
appHed for a site for N'ermont headquarters. The State
was given until April 18 to get building material on the
exposition grounds. Then followed a period of inde-
cision and uncertainty. N. T. Sprague, Jr., of Brandon
had offered, under certain conditions, to erect a Vermont
building. Later this oiTer was withdrawn and O. S.
Bliss of Georgia, Vt., secretary of the Centennial Dairy
Commission, offered U) furnish space for Vermont
in the headquarters of his commission provided the sum
of two thousand, five hundred dollars was raised for
necessary expenses. Mr. Sprague changed his mind
and authorized the erection of a two-story building,
48x34 feet in size, with a French roof, a broad hall
through the center and a piazza on three sides, which
was constructed. An executive committee was ap-
pointed, consisting of State Treasurer John A. Page of
Rutland, Gen. P. P. Pitkin of Montpelier and Col. M. S.
Colburn of Manchester. Norman Millington of Shafts-
bury was made superintendent of the Vermont head-
quarters.

The Vermont exhibits included live stock, maple sugar,
marble, granite, lime, platform scales, lalhes, saw mill
machinery, cottage organs and woolen goods. ( )ut of a
total of thirty-eight prizes awarded to exhibitors of sheep
and goats, Vermont secured nine, or nearl\ one- fourth,
on Merino sheep. Josei)h T. Stickney of Shorehain was
given a prize for the best flock of Merinos of any age.
The State of \'ermont was commended for a fine display
of nu'nerals. buildine: stone and marbles. An award



REDFIELD PROCTOR

id graduated from
ERRATUM from the Albany

Should read: Born in Vermont. f the Civil War

, — w.v^n Army, reaching

the rank of Colonel. After the war he practiced law until he
became interested in the development of the marble business.
He organized a company which has become the largest
marble producing corporation in the world. Colonel Proctor
served in both branches of the Legislature, was elected Lieu-
tenant Governor in 1876 and Governor in 1878. In 1889
he was appointed Secretary of War by President Harrison
and instituted many reforms. In 1891 he was appointed
United States Senator to succeed George F. Edmunds,
who had resigned, and he was given successive elections
during the remainder of his life. He was a Senator of great
influence and ability and for many years was chairman of the
important Committee on Agriculture. His speech on Cuban
conditions following a visit to the island, just before the
declaration of war with Spain, had a powerful influence in
shaping public opinion in Congress and throughout the
country. He died March 4, 1908.



74 llKSTC)k\' OK \1£RM()XT

for a State buildinp- hm e\'nn^<;v;er] ^vnin;ithv with tlie
project and at t
applied for a sit

was given until April 18 to get building material on the
exposition grounds. Then followed a period of inde-
cision and uncertainty. N. T. Sprague, Jr., of Brandon
had offered, under certain conditions, to erect a Vermont
building. Later this offer was withdrawn and O. S.
Bliss of Georgia, Vt., secretary of the Centennial Dairy
Commission, offered to furnish space for Vermont
in the headquarters of his commission provided the sum
of two thousand, five hundred dollars was raised for
necessary expenses. Mr. Sprague changed his mind
and authorized the erection of a two-story building,
48x34 feet in size, with a French roof, a broad hall
through the center and a piazza on three sides, which
was constructed. An executive committee was ap-
pointed, consisting of State Treasurer John A. Page of
Rutland, Gen. P. P. Pitkin of Montpelier and Col. M. S.
Colburn of Manchester. Norman Millington of Shafts-
bury was made superintendent of the X'ermont head-
quarters.

The Vermont exhibits inckidcd live sti>ck, maple sugar,
marble, granite, lime. jjlattOrm scales, lathes, saw mill
machinery, cottage organs and woolen goods. ( )ul ol a
total of thirty-eight prizes awarded to exhibitors of sheep
and goats, Vermont secured nine, or nearly one- fourth,
on Merino sheej). Josej)b T. Stickney of Shorcham was
given a prize for ibc best llock of Merinos of any age.
The State of X'ermont was commended for a line display
of minerals, buildinjj stone and marbles. An award



REDFIELD PROCTOR

Born in Cavendish, Conn., June i, 183 1, and graduated from
Dartmouth College in the close of 1851 and from the Albany-
Law School in 1859. At the outbreak of the Civil War
he left his law practice and entered the Union Army, reaching
the rank of Colonel. After the war he practiced law until he
became interested in the development of the marble business.
He organized a company which has become the largest
marble producing corporation in the world. Colonel Proctor
served in both branches of the Legislature, was elected Lieu-
tenant Governor in 1876 and Governor in 1878. In 1889
he was appointed Secretary of War by President Harrison
and instituted many reforms. In 1891 he was appointed
United States Senator to succeed George F. Edmunds,
who had resigned, and he was given successive elections
during the remainder of his life. He was a Senator of great
influence and ability and for many years was chairman of the
important Committee on Agriculture. His speech on Cuban
conditions following a visit to the island, just before the
declaration of war with Spain, had a powerful influence in
shaping public opinion in Congress and throughout the
country. He died March 4, 1908.





u\XaX^




%v^



VERxMONT STATESMEN 75

was made for a display of Vermont copper. The names
of Joseph S. Patterson and P. P. Pitkin are given as
the State Board of Centennial Managers.

October 27 was observed as Vermont day at the Cen-
tennial. Owing to the fact that the Legislature was in
session, Governor Fairbanks and other State officials
were unable to attend. Ex-Gov. John B. Page held a
reception, and an address was delivered by Henry Clark
of Poultney. Gov. Rutherford B. Hayes of Ohio and
Gov. John F. Hartranft of Pennsylvania called at the
Vermont headquarters, during the day. Many Ver-
monters visited the exposition during the summer and
fall.

Among the important House bills of the session was
a measure introduced by Congressman Hendee, reor-
ganizing the government of the District of Columbia.

The Republican State Convention, held at Burlington
on March 29, elected as delegates-at-large to attend the
National Convention, Luke P. Poland of St. Johnsbury,
Col. W. G. Veazey of Rutland, George Howe of Brattle-
boro and George H. Bigelow of Burlington. The dis-
trict delegates elected were: First District — Mason S.
Colburn of Manchester, F. E. Woodbridge of Ver-
gennes ; Second District — Warren C. French of Wood-
stock, Roswell Farnham of Bradford; Third District —
Silas P. Carpenter of Richford, John S. Mason of Rich-
mond. The scandals arising during the second Grant
administration are hinted at in the platform, which de-
clared: "We are in favor of the untiring prosecution
and punishment of public fraud and crime wherever
existing, and we repeat the declaration, 'Let no guilty



76 HISTORY OF VERMONT

man escape'." The delegation was uninstructed, but
was supposed to be divided in its preference for Presi-
dential candidates between James G. Blaine of Maine
and Secretary of the Treasury Joseph H. Bristow of
Kentucky.

The Democratic State Convention, held June 1, 1876,
nominated W. H. H. Bingham of Stowe as its candidate
for Governor, and elected as delegates to the National
Convention, Marcus D. Gilman of Montpelier, Bradley
B. Smalley of Burlington, P. S. Benjamin of Wolcott,
Jasper Rand of St. Albans, James H. Williams of Bel-
lows Falls, Joseph W. Bliss of Bradford, C. M. Chase of
Lyndon, Thomas B. Kennedy of Fairfield, John Cain
of Rutland and George M. Fisk of Northfield. The
platform favored a tariff for revenue only. The dele-
gates were not instructed but a resolution was adopted
recognizing the "eminent ability, courage and fidelity of
Samuel J. Tilden, the reform Governor of New York.''

The Republican National Convention was held at Cin-
cinnati, opening on June 14. The chairman of the Ver-
mont delegation, Luke P. Poland, had been mentioned
as a possible presiding officer, and Vice Presidential can-
didate, but neither honor was awarded to him. Gov.
Rutherford B. Hayes of Ohio was nominated for l^resi
dent on the seventh ballot. On each of the first three
ballots Vermont cast one vote for Hayes, one for Blaine
and eight for Bristow. On the next three ballots, two
Vermont votes were cast for General Hayes and eight
for Bristow, and on the last ballot all the Vermont votes
were cast for the Ohio candidate, and he was nominated
bv a narrow margin o\'er James Gi. Blaine.



VERMONT STATESMEN 77

A young blacksmith named Rutherford Hayes came
to Brattleboro, Vt., in February, 1778. He was a
farmer and tavern keeper. A son, Rutherford 1 [ayes,
Jr., engaged in the mercantile business in Brattleboro and
accumulated what was considered a competence in the
early years of the Nineteenth century. He removed to
Delaware, Ohio, in 1817, and died in 1822. Rutherford
B. Hayes, the future President, was born soon after his
father's death.

Judge Poland, who had been a Bristow leader, placed
William A. Wheeler of New York in nomination for the
Vice Presidency, and Mr. Wheeler was nominated. He
was a resident of Malone, N. Y., a student in the Uni-
versity of Vermont in the class of 1842 with Robert S.
Hale, John A. Kasson and other men who became
famous. He was unable to graduate on account of a
weakness of the eyes, but was given his degree as in
course in 1876. He became a well known lawyer and
banker, was president of the New York Constitutional
Convention of 1867, and became one of the leading mem-
bers of the National House of Representatives, serving
from 1861 to 1863 and 1869 to 1874. President
Mathew H. Buckham of the University of Vermont
wrote a "Life of William A. Wheeler," which was used
during the campaign, William D. Howells having written
a "Life of Rutherford B. Hayes."

The Republican Convention, called to nominate State
officers, was held on June 27. The result of the first
ballot for Governor was as follows : Gov. Asahel Peck,
144; Jacob Estey of Brattleboro, 129; John B. Mead of
Randolph, 93; Horace Fairbanks of St. Johnsbury, 62;



78 IIISTORN' OF X'ERMOXT

Charles Dewey of Montpelier, 35 ; scattering, 28. The
names of E. P. Walton of Montpelier and B. D. Harris
of Brattleboro had been mentioned frequently as pos-
sible candidates for the Governorship. l)ut they were not
placed in nomination. The second ballot showed no
marked change from the first, although Fairbanks gained
thirty-two votes and all the other candidates but Colonel
Mead lost slightly. Before the third ballot was taken all
the candidates except Fairbanks were withdrawn, and he
was nominated without opposition. Col. Redfield Proc-
tor of Rutland was nominated for Lieutenant Governor
by acclamation. Mr. Fairbanks had declined to enter
a political contest. On the day of the convention he
was travelling across the State on a business trip when
he received a telegram which said: "You are to be
Governor of Vermont in s])ite of yourself."

The Fourth of July, 1876, was generally celebrated
vvith music, processions and patriotic speeches, this day
being the one hundredth anniversary of American
independence.

An active political campaign was waged in Vermont.
Former Postmaster General Marshall Jewell of Con-
necticut and Ex-Secretary B. II. Ilristow of Kentucky
spoke in Vermont, and William A. Wheeler delivered an
address in St. Albans. Senator Ivlmunds spoke in Ohio
and New York. In 1876 the Liberal Republicans of
1872 generally returned to their former political affilia-
tion in Vermont.

Fairbanks was elected Governor 1)\ a majority of
23,662. The official vote was as follows: I'airbanks
(Rep.). 44.723; P^ingham (nem.). 20.0SS; scattering



VERMONT STATESMEN 79

7Z. Congressmen Hendee, Denison and Joyce were
reelected.

Horace Fairbanks was born at Barnet, March 21,
1820, being the son of Erastus Fairbanks, Governor of
Vermont at the outbreak of the Civil War. His educa-
tion w as obtained in the public schools and at academies
in Peacham, Lyndon, Meriden, N. H., and Andover,
Mass. He became a clerk in the office of E. and T. Fair-
banks & Co., and in 1843 became a partner, and later
the financial manager of a corporation which manu-
factured more scales than any other firm in the world.
He secured from the New Hampshire Legislature a
charter for the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad,
furnished financial backing and was identified with the
construction of the road from the beginning of the enter-
prise. The Athenaeum, containing a library and art
gallery, was given to St. Johnsbury by Mr. Fairbanks,
the formal opening taking place November 27, 1871.
He was a delegate to the Republican National Conven-
tions of 1864 and 1872, a Presidential Elector in 1868
and a Senator from Caledonia county in 1869. He died
in New York, March 17, 1888.

The Legislature organized by electing Ex-Gov. John
W. Stewart, Speaker. He had been called to New York
on business and did not reach the State House until the
roll call had begun. Ten minutes after his arrival he
was elected Speaker, on the first ballot.

In his inaugural message, Governor Fairbanks re-
ferred to the one hundredth anniversary of American
independence. Attention was called to the fact that ten
years before, "after having cheerfully met the enormous



80 HISTORY OF VERMONT

taxation necessary for the support of the war/' the State
had a funded debt of $11,625,000. At the close of the
last financial year, the State had on hand assets, mostly
in ready money, to the amount of $72,907.11 in excess
of all existing liabilities. Although a portion of the
State debt was not due for several years, and really due
from the State to the State, the Governor said: "We
have the proud satisfaction of having entered upon the
second century substantially free from debt, and with no
State financial burdens for posterity to bear." He con-
sidered the system of prison discipline radically wrong in
principle, and criticised the methods used in appraising
property for taxation. He urged arbitration where it
was possible in place of jury trials. The creation of the
office of Attorney General was favored.

The important legislation of the session included the
establishment of a Board of Agriculture, to consist of
the Governor, the President of the University of Ver-
mont and State Agricultural College, and six persons to
be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the
Senate. Not less than one meeting was to be held an-
nually in each county in the State. A new law was
enacted relating to the appraisal of property. 'J'he right
of ap|)eal from the appraisal of listers was granted.
County e(|ualizing conventions were authorized to be
held each year when a quadrennial appraisal was made,
and a State Equalizing Board completed the system. A
Work House was established under the management of
a board of three commissioners and the control of the
State Prison was given to a board of three directors and
a superintendent. Courts f)f insolvency were created in



VERxMONT STATESMEN 81

several probate districts and the Judge and Register of
Probate were made officials thereof. The Railroad
Commission was authorized to establish a uniform sys-
tem of railroad accounting.

Places where intoxicating liquor was sold unlawfully
were to be declared public nuisances. Any graded school
was authorized to establish a department for the instruc-
tion and training of teachers. Town superintendents of
schools at annual county meetings were directed to choose
one of their own number and two practical teachers to
constitute a county examining board. Provision was
made for licensing practitioners of medicine.

The President's action in sending a military force into
South Carolina for suppressing domestic violence and
threatened insurrection was "cordially approved."
Other resolutions favored a resumption of specie pay-
ments by January 1, 1879, and the repeal of the national
bankruptcy law.

Vermont's Presidential Electors chosen were Charles
E. Houghton of Bennington, Jacob Estey of Brattleboro,
Henry N, Sollace of Bridport, Roswell Farnham of
Bradford and Avin C. Welch of Williston. The early
election returns indicated a victory for Tilden and Hen-
dricks, the Democratic candidates, and members of that
party celebrated the supposed victory. Vermont's Presi-
dential vote by counties in 1876 is given herewith:

Hayes Tilden Scattering

Addison 3,787 835 150

Bennington 2,428 1,733

Caledonia 2,885 1,558 16

Chittenden 3,962 2,287 4



82 HISTORY OF VERMONT

Essex 755 467

Franklin 3,152 • 1,895 3

Grand Isle 424 271 1

Lamoille 1,841 707

Orange 3,079 1,727 4

Orleans 2,822 835 3

Rutland 5,237 2,480 2

Washington 3,653 2,246 8

Windham 4,395 1,298 11

Windsor 5,671 1,915 6

Total 44,091 20,254 208

Majority for Hayes, 23,629.

After election it was discovered that one of the Ver-
mont Electors, H. N. Sollace, a brother-in-law of John
G. Saxe, the poet, was ineligible, owing to the fact that
he was Postmaster at Bridport. As the result of the
Presidential election was very close neither party could
afford to lose an Elector to which it was entitled. It
was reported that the Democrats would attempt to secure
a writ of mandamus from United States District Judge
D. A. Smalley, himself a Democrat, ordering the Board
of Canvassers to declare Amos Aldrich of Woodford
the Elector chosen in the First District, rather than
H. N. Sollace, who was ineligible. This complication,
and one of a similar nature in Oregon, was the cause of
considerable anxiety to President Grant, members of
his Cabinet and other Republican leaders.

In order to extricate the Vermont bvlectors troni this
com])lication, P'.x-Congressman Woodbridge of Ver-
gennes, on November 10. 1876, introduced n ])ill in tin-



VERMONT STATESMEN 83

Vermont Legislature which would enable Electors to fill
any vacancy that might occur. A substitute bill, re-
ported by the Judiciary Committee of the House, pro-
vided that when a vacancy existed in the office of Presi-
dential Elector at the time provided for a meeting of the
Electors, occasioned by death, refusal to act, neglect to
act, neglect to attend, or for any other cause, the other
Electors should fill the vacancy immediately. This bill
passed the House on November 18, and the Senate on
November 20, and became a law.

S. C. Shurtlefif of Montpelier, attorney for Amos
Aldrich (Dem.), appeared before the Vermont Board of
Canvassers at the morning session on November 21 and
asked that his client should be declared one of the
Electors, as a result of the ineligibility of Sollace, his
opponent. F. E. Woodbridge of Vergennes, W. C.
French of Woodstock and B. F. Fifield of Montpelier,
appeared in opposition to the request. On the afternoon
of the same day the board adopted the following resolu-
tion: "Resolved, That this Board of Canvassers are
of the opinion that their powers are simply ministerial,
and that their duties are clearly defined. They therefore
decline to receive evidence outside of the certificate of
votes by the proper town authorities."

Two days later Aldrich served notice upon Governor
Fairbanks, protesting against the issuance of a certificate
of election to Sollace. Meanwhile Sollace had resigned
the office of Postmaster. The Vermont Electors, with
the exception of Sollace, met on December 5, and, acting
upon the advice of counsel, filled the vacancy caused by
the absence of the Bridport man, by electing him again.



84 HISTORY OF VERMONT

On the next day a formal meeting of the Electors was
held, when Mr. Sollacc appeared, declared that he had re-
signed his Federal oflice and stated that while he had no
donbt that he had a right to act as a Presidential Elector,
he refused to do so. Acting under the new law, the
Board again elected Mr. Sollace and the Electors for-
mally cast the vote of Vermont for Hayes and Wheeler.
This action was taken in spite of the protest of G. W.
Fisk of Northfield, attorney for Amos Aldrich, who
asserted that the Democratic candidate and not Mr. Sol-
lace, was entitled to vote as an Elector. The Vermont
chapter did not close here, but for a time attention was
centered upon events in Congress.

Early in the session Senator Edmunds proposed a joint
resolution to amend the Constitution by authorizing the
United States Supreme Court to count the electoral vote,
but it was rejected in the Senate by a vote of 14 to 31.
Senator Edmunds took a leading part in all the Senate
debates on the Presidential contest. The situation was,
indeed, serious. The Senate was controlled by the
Republicans and the House by the Democrats. Neither
party was disposed to yield. Only a little more than a
decade had passed since the restoration of peace, and
there was grave danger that another civil war might re-
sult. On December 7, G. W. McCrary. a Republican
Congressman from Iowa, moved that a committee be
appointed to confer with a Senate cc^mmittce on the
Presidential succession. Both House and v^enate
adopted the resolution and Edmunds of \^crmont headed
the Senate committee. This joint committee was
authorized to prepare and report some measure, cither



VERMONT STATESMEN 85

legislative or constitutional, which should determine the
result of the election by some tribunal of unquestioned
authority, the decision of which would be generally
accepted as final.

A meeting of the joint committee was held on January
12, 1877, when Senator Edmunds reported a proposition
from the Senate committee that a tribunal should be
formed consisting of the four senior Associate Justices
of the Supreme Court, and nine members of the two
Houses of Congress. The Senate and the House were
authorized to name ten members, five from each body,
and one was to be excluded by lot. The House mem-
bers agreed to the general principle but insisted that the
exclusion of one member should apply only to the Jus-
tices. All but one member agreed to a plan whereby one
of the six senior Associate Justices was to be excluded
by lot. Before a unanimous decision was reached news
of the plan was made public and a great hue and cry
was raised against raffling ofif the Presidency. It was,
therefore, decided to report a tribunal consisting of five
Senators, five Representatives, and the five senior Asso-
ciate Justices of the Supreme Court. It was understood
that the political affiliation of two of these Justices was
with the Republican party, two with the Democratic
party, and that the fifth Justice, David Davis of Illinois,
was independent of any partisan bias.

Senator Edmunds introduced the Electoral Commis-
sion bill in the Senate on January 20, 1877, and supported
it in a powerful speech. Although the measure was
opposed by Republican leaders like Blaine, Sherman,
Cameron, Hamlin, Ingalls and Morton of Indiana, it



86 HISTOID' OI^^ X'T-.RMOX'I^

passed by a vote of forty-seven to seventeen. 'I'he three