Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-06-23
The Meeting of the Office
\ Holders

ear mark of the administration, checked
like baggage, Frank Pierce holding the du-
attorney, collector and
deputies. marshals and subs.-postmasters
and public printers, hangers .on,and lick-and-
spttle Of the administration with enough
spectators to half fill the Court House,
composed the convention, directed the
movements, engineered the thing tho
there was some matter, or male, i1i present
for them to operate upon and through. There
were two or three ardent lovers Of the party
present, but us the event proved, rather re-
belIious customers, who came to counsel
moderation, and went away to cry over the
headlong counsels which prevailed.
The plan Of operations was concocted be-
forehand The old ticket was first nomin.
ated, but as expected, declined, except the
treasurer and MERRITT CLARK, WILLIAM
MArrocks, and ]. A. PAeE, were finally
put in nomination for the office Of Governor,
Lieut.. Governor and Treasurer
CLARK was and is an old liner of the most
strictest sect, and Douglas Nebraska Kan
sas bill man. He was last year kicked out
of the convention after being nominated for
Governor. by some spirited free democrats
Of this place, who once went to Rutland and
couldn't find a convention which CLARK was
holding in a bedroom in the hotel.
They remembered the trick aud the insult
then, but have forgotten, OF forgiven it noe
MArrocKs is one of the burning and
shining lights that formed the celebrated
truck and-dlcker Free Democracy of 1919,
and has since been that or nothing. Whose
turn has now come to cry "bribe, " cor
rup,ion,' truck and decker" coalition z"
Who is now irving to " buy free soil yotes'"
Such is the ticket, as heterogeneous, aud
ncongruous as could be imagined, and Ger
tainly having but one feeling in common,
and that IS, love of office. y
But by far the richest scene that was ever
witnessed. outside of Congress was exhibited
on the Introduction of the resolutions, endor-
sing the administration, the principles OF the
Nebraska Kansas bin, the constitution,
praying for more territory, aud with an unc
ton denouncing the Rutland Wing Conyen-
ton.
All the resolutions but the 2d were pas
and without opposition. When that was
reached there were symptoms" Of trouble.
H.K. SlaytOn, of Calais, young man appar-
emily of talent and promise, and Of hitherto
unwavering devotion to the party, and Hiram
Atkins, Editor of the Bellows Falls Argus,
earnestly and manfully opposed the resolu-
ton as wholly unnecessary, and mol express
sing the feelings of the mass of the party
In honest and manly terms they begged Of
the convention TO 10y that resolution on the
table.
But it had been otherwise determined and
the tactics and science of the Office holders,
the mercena'y troops o,cned by the admins
tration, now shone Respondent.
Smalley sneered at " the young converts"
and his "wise young friends, > Barlow,
Kidder, Coli, aud Plympton, oppIauded the
resolution as embodying the glorious, and
well-known principles OF the democratic
party, the principles for which our forefath.
ers fought and bled, and for which freedom
| ~ was everywhere struggling" One OF
two DULLES near ATKINS constantly interrupt
ed him by insulting and abusive remarks
Plympton, tho president, left the chair tc
Mr.. Colt, IA perfect Old Hickory, in form
feature, gesture, intonation, character anC
temper and commenced a speech which h,
suspended at Smalley's suggestion, an,
cheers, Kisses, stamping, hurras, groans
bullying, blufing, laughing, sneering
contemptuous remarks, and cries OF "ques
tion," question:" while twenty men wer
attempting to speak, were resorted TO, l.
suppress free discussion, and a frank ayowa
Of opinion. The game was successful. Col
was in the Chair, and he was bound to pa
the thing through, whether the convention
wanted il, or not. He came down upon ey
cry man who opposed, with a peremptor
mandamus to 3" sit down" lie YVES fit en-
gineer for such a train, a fit presiding Office
for such meeting Free discussion wa
strangled the gag applied and while
dozen men were trying TO get the floor, h
put the quastion-very prudently calling 70
a standing vote. Fifty men sprang to thei
feet to expostulate-cries Of" Mr.President
came from all pirts of the house, from ou
neghbor OF the Patriot among the rest-bu
the presiding officers determined and shri
scream resounded above the din and storm
and uproar aud "noise and conilsion," de
clariug the 4" resolution adopted almost unan
imousy!" and the convention broke up il
n little better than a row. y
\ Ourloco friends appear with a sorry smile
or forced laugh in the street, while they a,
good as give up the battle. They stand al
unsteadily upon the PLATFORM as a landub
Der upon the rolling and pitching deck of
vessel at sea, and from their yisages on,
would almost suppose that they were a I'M
sick.
But the Office holders are expected t,
stand there it would be unkind and an
grateful and dangerous for them to refuse
yet we kaOv that the rank and iile of tb'
party ioiH do no such thing.
They will now march to different music
II a corporal's guard of voters, beside Franz
Pierce's hired men, can be found to supper
the principles promulgated by the convention
we confess that we have mistaken the feel
ing Of the freemen of Vermont.
T Some Of the convention, packed, assert
ed, and free irom combustble material as i
was,-are smarling under the ungraciou,
> and insulting treatment met by the minority