Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-04-06
STATE cow ENTIoN AT NORTH
FIELD.


good looks. why. when or where can You
scare up Republican Convention in the
State of W ~. that will not consist al
most to a man, of wholesome, whole
souled, frank, and intellectual set Of men
such as can rarely be equalled anywhere
else =? The Convention Of the ID was mp TO
the mark in this respect. OF course too,
rome illusions were made by speakers to
these characteristics in those present we
believe it is considered orderly-so far as
rules Of proceeding are concerned-for all
political conventions to praise their own
good looks, and to magnify their own Wis
dom and patriotism, and lit was oil right
IN this case.
The official account Of the Convention
will sufficiently tell what was actually done.
Mr.. Underwood on taking the Chair, ad
dressed the Convention briefly. he thanked
them for the renewed expression OF the respect
and confidence of the Republicans Of ermont
in this. a second time, selecting him TO pre-
side over their State Conv ntion for the cleo
tion of delegates to a Republican National
Convention. He adverted to the difference
between the issue now presented u the
Country, and that OF four years ago. Then the
question was, whether or not Kansas should
be forced into the Union as a slave State. The
Question was met and the Democracy,
though successful 10 the Presidential cam
paign, were defeated on the issue, and Kansas
was secured fo- Freedom. Now the issue IS
that brought forward by the Supreme Court.
in their attempt TO withdraw from the people
the decision of the question Of esriction OF
Slavery in the Territories. We are now told
that the Constitution has already settled the
matter-that Slavery is a national institution
carried into and protected in the Territories
by Constitutional right. and we have nothing
TO say about it, 1t is now TO be determined,
whether the people shall, or shall not decide
this great question and the Republican
party Of Vermont, and of the Union. are
ready 10 meet it. With renewed thanks for
the honor done him, and the assurance of hls
endeavor to perform fairly, with their kind
assistance. the duties Of his office he took
the Chair.
There was no other than gentlemanly and
pleasant expression Of feeling among the
members Of the Convention on al points OF
=. n and discussion, so tar as We heard, or
heard of As to the corps " Delegates at
large elected by the Convention, IN our
Judgment 1t is partly first rate, partly fair To
middlng, and partly 'so-so. mot So strong
corps as it should have been. nor So
strong as it would have been if the Conven-
tion had consisted If delegates properly chosen
by the people at home according TO the basis
prescribed BY the State Convention of last
year. In such a Convention Of course al
would have acted together, all have heard
the reasons given for the nomination of each
one, and the case would have been decided
for each one. either with an open expression
of unanimity, or by ballot, every member
Of the Convention cast ne his vote and
all being satisfied with the result, because
determined by a clear majority Of all. The
mass Convention, inevitably most imperfect
representation Of the party at large. Away:
opens the door for intriguing men to
rally in privately picked SIT of support
ers, who often find it quite TO easy to secure
u sufficient number of their own sort on IN
general nominating committee The nom
nation, made in gross, is Of course adopted
10 avoid confusion and strife, although pr
baps thres-fourths of the Convention, i
brought to p ballot, would vote down one o.
more Of the Nominees. Something ike thu
was the experience, we suppose, OF the con
vention at Mortified and such must otter
he the case where nominations arr made by
convention so CONSTITUTED.
No political resolutions were passed. L
was felt, apparently by all but a very few
that a mere reiteration Of the well known
sentiments of the republicans Of this STATE
generally was needless every way, and mas
much as the National Convention Of May
10th would Of course put forth such plat
form of Republican doctrine in detail as Tie
exigencies of the times shall call for it woulC
be more proper to wait TIL after that Con
,sntion shall have taken action.
Just before the Nominating COMMITTEES
brought in their report, Mr.. Miner OF Man
chester said there had been considerable said
in conversation in the way Of objection tC
the action of the last State Convention a
Brattleboro. as to the mode in which State
Conventions were ordered to be held-vz.. ~
Delegate Conventions. He did not recollect
distinctly what the Resolution Of that Con
vention on that subject was-whether II was
advisory to the State Committee, or whether
rule was laid down for the State Commit
tee 10 fellow He would move that the res
olution on that subject adopted by the last
wears State Convention be rescinded. Mr..
Benedict Of Burlington objected that such
resolution could not be made in order be-
fore this Convention. This Convention was
called for specific purpose to elect fouI
delegates at large to the National Conven.
ton. II was called for nothing else and
for it to undertake, without any notice, t.
override the action OF the. Annual State Con-
vention a. to the mode in which the State
Conventions should be called, must be going
out of its province. The State Committee
had positive instruction as to their duty
from the State Convention OF last July How
could this Convention, called solely with ref
srence to National Convention, interfere
with directions under which that State Com
mittee was placed
At this point, the nominating Committee
came in, and the motion OF Mr. Miner wa
laid on the table, TO hear their report
After the report was made and adopted.
Mr.. Clarke of Burlington said, to obyiate
the objection made, he would offer subst
tute, as follows
Resolusd, That the next Republican STATE
Convention will be called on, among Other
things, to respond to the nominations and
ILL 81 ba ~