simple, dignified, appropriate, and sometimes magnificently noble and impressive. We must think his personal letter to President Lincoln, in June, 1862, urging him to call for many more troops if he expected to put down the rebellion, and pledging himself and his State to sustain him in it with all their resources, was in the perfection of style, and in the best of spirit.

We append to this chapter, a photographed copy of his letter to President Johnson, conveying to him the communication which the Council made to him, upon the "state of the country." We give it in comparison with his other photographed letter, so hasty, and with only his initials, announcing the occupation of Richmond by some of his troops, and with its bold and characteristic signature, found upon the commission of so many veteran soldiers and every State officer, and so familiar to everybody in Connecticut.

My Dear Sir

State of Connecticut.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT:

Norwich, Sept. 11th 1805

By order of the National Congregational Churches convened in the City of Boston in Jime lash I have the honor to transmit herewith an attested copy of "Resolutions on the state of the Country", a difited by that body of distinguished, and to assure you that they are a true exferesion of the senttinents entertained by the there theres affecting Churchus therim representice respecting their frust i to Gord for his merciful interposition in befield of our mind struggle of our jouemment during duty to the country and their determination to sustain in the performance of the ardeceres duties which perdelicate and vesperisible position

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507

CHAPTER XXXII.

BUCKINGHAM DAY.

Unveiling of the Statue-How Ordered and How Dedicated-Gathering of Old Soldiers-Ceremonies and Addresses-Statue Placed Among the Battle Flags.

Almost as soon as the new Capitol building at Hartford was finished, the proposal to place in it a statue of the War Governor was brought forward. The suggestion was first put in form at a meeting of the Hartford Veteran City Guard in 1881. A petition was presented to the Legisla ture in the same year, and a special joint committee of the two houses was appointed. In the following year, on recommendation of this committee, a commission was appointed to procure a suitable statue. The commission consisted of Governor Hobart B. Bigelow, the Hon. Henry B. Harrison of New Haven, General William A. Aiken of Norwich, George G. Hill of Hartford, and Thomas I. Thurber of Putnam. They gave the commission for the statue to Olin L. Warner of New York, a native of Connecticut and of patriotic ancestry. The sum paid for the statue was $10,000, and $6,000 was appropriated for the unveiling ceremonies, of which an unexpended balance was returned to the treasury. The legislative commission on the statue ceremonies was as follows:

John Allen, Senator from the 21st District, Captain S B. Home of Winchester, E. Barrows Brown of Groton, Jabez 8. Lathrop of Norwich, General William H. Noble of Bridgeport, James W. Spellman of Suffield, George F. Spencer of Deep River, James R. Ayers of Orange, Thomas B. Walker of Coventry.