Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-06-24
THE OFFICE-UOLDERs' CoNvEN-


There were some curious things about the
recent Democratic Convention. One was
the absolute smoothness and order with
which it went Off The Convention was
composed Of two distinct factions, animated
by a cordial hatred of each other each
claiming to be the simon-p pure Democracy, &
rs such entitled to the Offices each willing
to see the other driven out Of the Convention
and out Of the State; each represented by its
leading men. and with a respectable array
OF followers, collected by weeks of active
preparation for the occasion. Under these
circumstances, a rov Of some sort was to have
been expected, and ,cas confidently expected
throughout the State at large But there
was nothing of the sort. Not jar inter
ruptcd the quiet of the day. Tho dominant
wlng-ior such they have been, and will be
I'LL the 'Woncnts assert their rights and
| wishes with molc spirit-took undsturbcd
possession of the organization Of the meeting.
made and carried without debate with the
tiiuIng exception Of that on the formation Of
the Committee on Nominations all the mo.
tons, selected their own committees. made
such nominations as they chose, and bitterly
unsatisfactory ones to the others. passed
such resolutions as they pleased. made all
the set speeches, and adjourned when they
got through-all as easily as ifthcre had not
been molcontent within fifty miles.
We think that in this matter, Mc.srs Par
fridge, Rcdiisd, Colby, Harrington. & Co..
are Justly charGoablo with disappointing the
reasonable expectations Vi the people OF the
State 1t may have been prudent in them t,
allow themselves, as they did, to be
entirely ignored throughout the Con-
vention: but it would have been
more piHcSy and we fancy more in accord
anco with thcir previous assertion, Of what
they would do, il they had insisted on at
least their share Of attention and cousdcra-
tion-ii they had. for instance boldly pro-
| tested against the unjust and unl,lrl-,f
practice for popular convention, of docid-
ing all important motions by the votes of one
side only. or by quickncss Of muscle and
strength 81 lungs had occasionally worked
a motion edsewisa into the proceedings, or
| had offered some resolutions Of their own
| supplementary to the regular set or. if de-
leatcd in all these points, had Organized a
separate convention, and chosen separate
set Of delegates, us they had been heard to
declare they would do, under certain contia
gencies.
Another curious circumstance was, that
the Convention, while controlled by Douglas
men, while it nominated Douglas man for
Governor, and IA set Of delegates who will as
surely vote for Douglas, as he is candidate
in the Charleston Convention, yet did not
venture to make any allusion to Mr.. Douglas
in their solutions or their speeches, and
dared not even give him three cheers. when
they were oalledfor. Three cheers for Douglas
are, it is true, mentioned in some Of the
accounts Of the Convention, but those who
We're there know that only half dozen men
gave him one cheer, two or three voices es-
saYcd another, while the third hurrah was
commenced but never finished, by one cnthu
siastic individual, whose voice dropped as if
the cheer had chokcd him, when he found
that he was alone.
This curious circumstance. however. ceases
to be such when it is recolloc.cd that the
chief managers Of the concern and the mass