Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-09-21


also belonged to it, nothing of the sort was
alluded to, either in the committee or in the
Convention. Yet by some means q meeting
was got together of members from fire lodges
(thcrc being Ten in the County, for this un
derhanded and dishonorablc proceeding. At
this meeting we are told only twenty one per-
SONS were present, and some Of them did not
favor it. 1t seems too that in an important
sense it was an irregular proceeding within
the order. Notice the remark Of our cor
respondent, " NoRTn AMERICAS" himself one
of the order, whose communication appeared
in tho Daiiy Free Press, Aug. 18th, Gin the
weekly issue, Aug. 24th),
q believe convention was held as you reported,
but do MT believe it authorized to represent
the Councils of the County, nor do believe that it
did represent the wishes OF any considerable number
OF the members of the order in this County for
less we admit that when joins the order he lays
aside ali the obligations of consistency and honor
which he before owed to his fellow men, it is
p9ySibic to believe it,
The change which was after wards made in
tie new ticket whereby tho effort was conScn
trated on two instead of four new men. does
not need to be spoken of In some form
many more were brought ovei to sustain it
than North American" believed possible,
yet beyond doubt the instgators of it were
very few. Mr.. Josiah futile Of Essex, it is
well understood, was very DESTROYS of re-
ceiying the nomination Of Senator in place Of
Mr.. Gleason, declined, His right to indulge
in such wish was as good Us any man s,
nor could any one complain of his using any
honorable means to bring about lis own
nomination by the convention. But if he spoke
the truth it did not enter into his plan of
operations to defeat the denomination Of anv
enc who served the county last year. Ger
tainly, before the Convention WAS held, he OK
pressed himself OF his own accord, and ~,
Pcatediy, to some whatever he may have said
to others) in favor Of having the Convention
do just ,chat II did do, with the exception of
its way Of filling Mr.. Gleason's place in the
Senate. Why, after all was over, he labored
so bard to break up tho nomination, and es-
pecialy to defeat the election of Mr. Bene-
dict, We do not know, unless from disappoint-
ment he felt like hurting somebody, and sup
posed the means he was going to use,
could be brought to bear more effect
! lively against him than any ono else.
| That he was bound to defeat the regular
nomination he admitted openly, and that "he
hould mdic the best bargain he could" for
that purpose.
Mr. Wires OF Undcrhil, was selected as
the new candidate to run Mr. Benedict off the
course (lt is well to remember that he was
one Of the nominating committee of the regu-
lar ticket. Mr.. Wires Of Burlington, is his
brother. Those facts. for want Of some bet
cr reason, may suffice to explain their rcadi-
ness to work for the same result which Mr.
! futile was aiming at, OF course, too, they
! looked for the honor of being cGcicnt mana
! gers if they could succeed. They are vel
come to all the credit and influence which
they have secured by the operation.
The plan being entered upon " tn dishon-
or, it was natural that it should he carried
/ on with dishonesty. For fear that some
members Of the order would not readily ad-
nit that their obligations to follow the dicta-
ton Of a few leaders were superior to their
obligations to the principles Vi truthful and
| fair dealing among men, efforts wero not
wanting to poison their minds by gross
Measurements, which had they been made in
| in open daylight would have found their re-
futation within twenty four hours For in
stance it was said that Mr.. Benedict, as one
/ Of bn tpn on n
/ Convention of June 9th, WAS rcsolutely OPP
| posed to the preamble then adopted, which
| spoke with commentator Of the resistanc,
made at the Philadelphia Convention by the
northern minority to the pro Slavery demands
of the majority.
/ The statement whoever made it, was nhto
/ lutey false both in form and in spirit. There
/ WAS not particle Of disagreement in thnt
committee about either the preamble or the
resolutions which were adopted, and this
well known not only to the committee, but
to Others who heard their entire deli,
/ berations. 1t was co0lly stated also in some
/ Of the councils, that Mr.. Benedict no matter
what he said nop in the Free Press, was no,
/ at hea,t an anti-Slayery man An open
statement Of that sort would have found men
! enough to have testified to his public declarn-
tions on that side made as long ago as 1870
and circulated in print also, nor could a man
| be found who would dare to say, as Of his
own knowledge. that Mr., Benedict had ever
written u line or uttered sentiment in dis
agreement with the views which the Ere.
| Press advocates from week to week
Other Influences were in operation to de-.
feat the election Of Dr. Peck The Demo
cratic party Convention placed Mr.. Harmon
on their ticket for assistant Judge, Such a
| course was consistent enough with their tao
tics perhaps, but We must leave it FOR Mr..
Harmon to explain how be could with honor
accept that nomination. when lie had been one
/ 10 nominal, ana ro!e for Or. Peck in
I tn; nominating conBattc Of 4 conven-
ton Of totally different character-such
action being moreover in agreement with his
own previously declared opinion. Personal
differences between DR.. Peck aud some others
were made uncommonly efficient to his Inju-
~, and while he lost the votes given usclessly
for Mr.. Whitney, he was borne down by the
votes thrown by members of his own party
for tho democratic nominee The split
ticket practice was resorted to against
both him and Mr., Benedict, very extensively
and by many who ought to be worthy Of letter
Things.
The r'gM Of every political party to nomi-
nate openly and fairly it, ticket 10 ono can
gansay. The right of every man who ha,
kept himself Gloof from convention. aud
a,owed his disconncction with all political
parties, to make up his own ticket to suit
himself, is also unquestioncd, whatever may
] L. ,nil IF tho ~, ,do,, If II