Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1859-01-14
lTren, and candid State. Selfrespect de.

L lirent and candid Stale. Self-respect de
mands il, and calls upon us 10 scrutiniz
. also the character for good faith Of Bar
: hagton herseLf-the utterer of these char
: ges.
a At the Session of 1S56--the Session
previous to the destruction of the State
House-the name of Mr.. Merrill of Mont
peler, was freely used in connection will
, the Speakership. But he declined 10 have
his name used in opposition TO Mr.. Grandy
: Afterwards, and prior TO the October SEES
sion, A. ID. 1857, Mr.. Merrill, Mr. Ed.
munds of Burlington, Mr.. Pierpont OF
Rutland, and Mr.. Deane of Cavendish
were spoken of by different influential per-
sons and papers as candidates for Speaker.
The friends of Mr.. Edmunds suggested to
prominent citizens Of Montpelier that it
would be generous and uagnanimous for
Montpelier to yield all pretensions as to the
Speakership that Burlington regarded the
State House question settled forever; that
Burlington intended to take an honorable
course, TO favor the policy of the States
proceeding to build the State House by APP
preparations and that the election of Mr..
Edmunds would be "buryins the Ratchet"
The subject was discussed at Montpelier,
and more or less over the State, and con-
| dieting opinions were expressed as to the
policy of Mr.. Nerrilps Withdrawing in ia
vor of lMr. Edmunds some of the citizens
of Montpelier, and their ablest friends in
other parts Of the State, doubling as to the
expediency of Montpelier thus placing her
self under the power of her hitherto i'm
1 placabte foe, 1t was under these circum-
stances that the Representatives assembled
on Wednesday, the day previous to the
session. and the subject was freely canvass
ed. 1t was considered to be clearly the
right of the friends of the location at Mont-
pelier 10 claim that it was the settled policy
of the State TO proceed and finish the State
House, and to make the necessary appro-
prtation for the completion, and to claim
that the action of the Chair should ia all
respects accord Nth his policy. And in
order to ascertain whether the policy of
Kr Edmunds, if elected, would correspond
with their own, some of the leading men,
bers of the House called upon hin to as
certain his views and lHr. Edmunds, in a
frank and free manner, stated that he was
in favor Of making an appropriation to COM
plete the State House; that the location
should be treated as settled; that the friends
of the location at Montpelier had the right
TO be treated as the majority; and that he
should regard the withdrawal Of Mr.. Mer-
rilfs name rs a generous tender of concilia-
ton. We do not claim to use the precise
acords, bur we do claim that we express the
precise ideas, as understood by able and
wachful auditors. And, upon these ex-
pressions being thus made. Hr. Edmunds
was told that his views and policy were
satisfactory, and that Mr.. Merrilrs name
would be Withdrawn.
! AT the caucus in the evening, 1--WE quote
from Walton's Daily Journal,) 1Ir. Brad
ley, of Brattleboro, "aluded particularly to
the position OF Mr. Merrill as having been
last year suggested as candidate, because
of his peculiar fitness for the Chair, by his
acquaintance with all the details of legisla-
ton, and his qualities as a presiding officer.
| Hr. B. said that he and many others had
expected, last year, that, by common con-
sent, Mr.. Merrill would now be placed in
the Chair. but now circumstances had arisen
out OF the late contest on the State House
question. In that contest Mr.. Merrill had
won the tonors; and now perhaps it would
be Just, as well as courteous and generous.
in him and his friends to tender the olive
branch, and leave an open field. Acting
upon this ground, lHr. Merrill was not a
candidate for the Speakership. These
views were highly satisfactory in all quar-
tiers, and the friends of Messrs Pierpoint
and Deane acted in the same. No name
was presented but that of Mr.. Edmunds
who was unanimously nominated by the
caucus Our readers have seen how that
nomination was ratified by the House, and
the honor received by Mr.. Edmunds."
On taking the Chair, Mr.. Edmunds used
the following language:
81 accept, with gratitude, and in the spir-
it in which have no doubt it was offered
the unsolicited honor you have rendered me
with SO much unanimity. l take il as To-
ken that whatever of temporary and local
causes may have created for time feel.
ing of sectional jealousy among us, Yer,
mont is yet, and is to be, in her General
Assembly, a unit, indissoluble in the light
Of her noble history, and of rising future,
fraternal and harmonious"
So then tie solve branch" spoken of by
Mr. Bradley, was not only sought and ten
dered, bnt accepted accepted not privately
or by one man merely, but with very great
formality, and in transaction most impor-
tant in its effects upon legislation.
Later. when the bill making an appro-
priatiou was pending in the House, Mr. Ed
munds took the floor, and used the follow
ing language:
Nov he would say that Burlington is
ont of the ring as to location; and moreover
cares not, so far as she herself is concerned
one copper whether the bond is paid or not.
Her people are ready to pay their proper
ton, just as the State chooses to levy it,
I He advocates an appropriation of $4,000
instead of $4,000, and said he would pre-
fer to raise it by tao then.
/ This whole transaction, during the ses
sion of 1857, was statesmanlike, and honor
able alike to Montpelier and Burlington
, and to Mr.. Edmunds. And the recent EN-
Uttered and complicated embarrassment ha
been caused by Burlington and her friend