Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-03-08

The Orleans Standard has taken the field for
some young man for Governor, and is of the
opinion that Frederick Holbrook is the man for
the place, both as respects age and agricultural
endowments. We agree with the Standard in
two things, viz, that Mr.. Holbrook is young
enough, and knows enough about cattle and
sheep to qualify him in the judgment Of the
most fastidious to occupy the Gubernatorlal
Chair He has one other qualification
the Standard doubtless forgot to mentlon-viz.:
he was an old line Wing long after the Repub-
lican party was formed. Perhaps the Stand
ard, on reflection, will reckon this as an addi-
tiOnal reason why Mr.. Holbrook should be nom
mated. Mr.. H. has also been candidate,
certainly, every other year, since 1888, and has
always had the good sense to present his claims
to the Convention whose nomination he sup
posed would be successful. This accounts for
his beginning with Wing Convention, and
pursuing his efforts in the subsequent Re-
publican Conventions. He was found in 1855,
we believe, conserving with Democrats and
fighting the regular Republican ticket in his
own County. But this ought not to be set
down against him, as it was not then certain
that the Republican party would succeed. 1t
was something of an experiment, and Mr.. H
who wanted to be GOvernor-might well hesi-
tate about joining party, when it was by no
means certain that it would not damage his
political prospects.
The Standard favors Mr.. H. on another
ground. 1t is opposed to paying any debts of
the old Wing party, and it knows very well
that the party either owed Mr.. H. nothing or
it repudiates the debt. In this respect Mr..
II. occupies position entirely different from
that of Mr.. Fairbanks-as is quite clear. The
Wing party did owe Mr.. F. a reelection in
1858. With the exception Of a few rummies
in that party, they did their best to pay that
debt. The Free Democracy had it in their
power to elect Mr.. Fairbanks, or Robinson and
Kidder. They elected the latter, and, we be-
lieve, have been ashamed of their course in 90
doing ever since. The Wing party, as far as it
was concerned, had discharged its debt to Gov.
Fairbanks. The Free Democracy, through
hasty and mistaken policy, prevented Mr.. F.
from receiving the benefit of that payment,
and thus, in our judgment, took upon them
selves the obligation, whenever the opportunity
again occurred, of righting that wrong.
Now we entirely agree with the Standard, in
its position that the Republican party assumed
no debts of the old Wing party. 1t in fact
assumed no debts of that concern, or any other.
We hope it owes no debts to anybody. Gov.
Fairbanks has no right to demand nomination
at the hands of the party; neither has Mr..
HolbroOk. When either of these gentlemen
presents himself>for the suffrages Of the Repub-
lican party, he must stand upon his merits and
his record. And as between these two candi-
dates, we could not have a moments hesitation
in prefering EGr. Fairbanks as the more thorough,
consistent, and active Republican; and we be-
lieve he is not disqualified by the constitution
or laws of this State or by the usages of the
Republican party thus far, by reason of his
age. And we certainly think every man who
in 1858 was Free Democrat, and is now a
ought to rejoice at an opportunity
Of setting right, what VIC cannot but think
was then an act of injustice to Mr.. Fairbanks,
committed heedlessly, perhaps; at any rate,
through mistaken policy, in pushing him
from his Office, and elevating to his place Rob-
inson, thechampion of the free-rum Democracy.
Since another article upon this subject was
written, we have received lengthy commune
cation from an esteemed correspondent and