The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-10-15
For tho Register.
The Congressional Question

We regret to state that the District Commit
tee who met here, last week, to determine whcth-
er they would comply with the request of many
citizens and call convention, for the purpose
of placing in nomination candidate for Con
gress for the unexpired term, were unable to
agree upon plan by which harmony could DC
preserved. 1t is understood that the Commit
tee were divided upon this question, the mem
bers for Addison and Bennington being in ia
vor, and the members from Rutland and Wash
ington being opposed to complying with the ex
pressed wishes of the people This is precisely
as the matter stood in the District Convention
held here, and in their nominating committee.
The policy which inaugurated the movement is
TO he carried to the end. 1t is proposed to elect
u member of Congress for the District. by the
counties of Rutland and Washington alone, and
it is said, they can . do without Addison and
Bennington. The proposition is very much like
that attributed to Mr.. Douglas in reference to
"subduing - Free Sellers: And the proposcrs
of it may succeed in efIecting their purpose, pre-
cscly as Mr.. Douglas has in cilecting his.
1t is said the nomination of Mr. HoDGEs is
binding upon the people of this District because
by vote of the convention, the propriety of ma
king nomination was referred to a committee
and that the committee reported tavorably to
making nomination and presented candidate;
and that the proceedings of the committee, were
subsequently ratified in convention.
Now in the first place, this statement though
one of fact does not contain the whole truth.
To it must be added the further fact, that the
committee for Addison and Bennington both de-
clincd to act in this nomination; and bcfore ii
raS made explicitly said they would not be
bound by any nomination then made. And al
so made minority report, in which the same
declaration was distinctly announced, and re-
fused to take any further part in its proceedings.
How then are they bound by the action of this
convention!
But in the second place, the convention clear
ly had no authority or jurisdiction in the prem
ises. They had no power to bind the District
or any persons but those acting in the conven-
ton The fact that they referred the matter to
a committee and subsequently adopted its re-
concentrations can confer no possible title of
authority.
That convention could legitimately act on the
subjects 0Riy Ramcd in The call. To suppose
otherwise would confer right on that conven-
ton to nominate n Governor or District
Judge. had it seen fit so to do. Now the call,
it is said, in three of the counties, may be con-
strued to apply to either the nomination for the
long or for the short term; but it is not pretend
ell by any body that it can by any construction
apply to b0th. The question then Is, what was
the manifest intention, u it would he construed
by nine tenths Of the community, was it to nom
mate for the long or the short ? There was no
candidate nominated, and in the one case the G.
lection was close on the heels of the convention.
An absolute necessity existed to present can
ddate hcH for the long term. No such neces-
sity existed for the short term. A proclamation
for an election had not been made What then
would be the inevitable conclusion, and how in
fact was il understood in some parts of the Disl
trict? Unqncstionably that the convention was
callel to meet the HcccSSitB of the case and not
the convenience of candidates, The extremely
short and inadequate notice. unusual in itself
could be justified on the most imperative ground
of necessity only, and pointed to the same con-
structou
But in Rutland County, the call was cry'icH- n
" for The l0Rg term mt f0r ROthiHg else, show
ing concusiyely how the managers there UNI
derstood it, and putting it out of tteir mouths
70 question the construction claimed for the call
in the other co,p,tics.
If then the convention had no authority by
the call for their action, what right had they to
nominate? And ifthey had no right, are we
not left without candidate,
We think it would have been better for all
concerned had the committee done their duty in
the premises. We are yet in the hope that some
arrangement will be made to meet the difficult y.