Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-05-27
THE CONGRESSIONAL NOMINAL
TION.

An article headed " Baxter V. Edmunds'
and signed. - Chittenden." in the st. Al
hans Messenger. calls for some notice
which we should not have given 1t, If the
Messenger had seen TT to lay before its read
ers a few paragraphs which appeared in the
FREE Pass a few days ago On the nomina-
ton OF Il member Of Congress for the Sd
District. The Messenger says "Chittcndcn"
" belongs to the people,. neither an
- Office holder nor an office seeker and
" therefore not open to the charge Of being
an " interested party. There are divers
kinds of interest IA this world. We
might he more ready to credit freedom from
bias IN the Mo>Soagac's correspondent, if in
stead Of ~insinuatlons he bad vcnturcd upon
direct charges, and had not sought to hide
the real point at issue under a multitude of
words, on matters which have no relation to
it.
We never thought 1t any thing against
Mr.. Baxter. whom We supported for both his
first and second nominations. and whom
We expect to support Toy his third nomina-
ton if it is made, that he was dcsirous to
represent the Third District in Congress. lie
had as good a right to seek for that place as
any of his predecessors had, and others have
a. good a right to wish for it as he had.
Though some would have been pleased to have
had Mr.. Royce nominated for the third time,
it was no reproach to Mr. Baxter and Mr..
Ba1ter's friends. that they thought that Mr..
Royce, having served for two terms. according
to the long usage Of the district ought to
stand aside and disallow the use Of his name
as he did. Neither can fault or unfairness
be charged on those who think that what was
good doctrine on that subject four years ago,
is just as good now. The condition Of the
country was portentous then, and no one
disputed the ability or doubted the integrity
Of Mr.. Royce, and he, too, had had four years
of experience in Congress.
All "ChittendeE's'' arguments from what
was done in some of the districts in Vermont,
from a generation to a generation and a
half ago, under totally different political
conditions of the State and country at large.
do not touch the main point, ui-, the long
established usage of the district Of electing
a man for only two successive terms, and
the unpleasant consequences of having a
contention in the district among those of the
same political faith.
But ''Chittendenr intimates that there is
doubt as to the political fidelity of Mr.. Ed
~munds-says ''his organs and advocates have
not nor will not specify what political prin-
ciples he will support, that renders the
change necessary"
As to "organs, the FREE PRESs neither is
nor ever was, an organ Of anybody but its
owners and editors, and that is all that needs
to be said on that point. As to Mr.. Ed
mund's political principles, they are as well
known to the people of this State from his
speeches on many political occasions, from
his acts as a legislator. and from the rcsolu-
lions which he has drafted for State Cunycn-
tions, as are those of any one Of the present
Vermont delegation in Congress, or any pub
lie man of the state and no more hearty
supporter OF the present National Admins
tration and of the great government meas
ures in progress for the thorough suppression
of the rebellion and the condigu punishment
of its chief originators and upholders, and
the final restoration of the Nation to a con-
dition Of unity, wherein slavery shall have
disappeared from all parts of our country,
can be named in the district.
We look upon the assertion OF Chitten-
that =" a seat in Congress has thus been
commonly, a mere episode in a mans life,
gratifying his vanity and ambition and min
only to his Interior personal objects
and interests" as q gross SANDER on a long
Of able and patriotic Senator'S and Re
personalities from Vermont, whose names