Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-08-31
Grand Isle County Convention.
lRepoTtci for the Free Press.l

NORTH HERO Aug -, 1866.
The Grand Isle County Convention took place
today; Hon. o. C. WHEELER Of South Hero,
presided 1t was one Of the largest conventions
ever assembled in the county. The Hoyt AMI
Baxter controversy entered largely into the pro-
ceeiings, and had much to DO in the choice Of
candidatts Amer the preliminary skirmishing
usually attendant upon convention Of this
character, the several towns in the County as
sombled in town eaucuses for the election Of a
Nominating committee. II was soon ascer;ainel
that some person friendly to Judge Hoy; must
he tie nominee Tor Senator, as the committee
were composed, by large majority, of Hoyt
men. The Convention. after aijourning for
dinner, and reassembling in the afternoon, lis
tened 90 the report Of the nominating committee
as follows
For Segafor-HEyHY C. HmL Of Isle Ii
Mott. County Jt{ges-A. Il. NAMING Of Al
burgh, and JABFz LADD Of Grand Isle Jp4gc
Of Pr0jaic-HDi,N ALLEN Of North Hero.
States -9tiofasy-JoHy NJ HoRIcAN Of North
Hero. Slerif-GnEs H. HoRIcAx Of Isle La
Mott
motion was then made and carried to allow
one speaker, in the interests Of Judge Hoyt, and
one in favor Of Portus Baxter, to speak, and
no others, and that the time for discussion he
limited to three -fourths Of an hour each
Hon. HoNsR E. RorcE was named by the
f-;r,l. - ", H.. - II l.. c.. . -.
Baptist clergyman of Montgomery, was named
by the opposite panty. The discussion began,
Mr.. Royce opening. lie stated tina; after the
reiistrieting Of the state, Hon. ALvAH S,BIy
vas chosen mcmter Of Congress under an AZ
rangement that he should hold the place but
four years. After the expiration Of the allotted
time, Mr. Sabin retired without any farther
claims, and the speaker was chosen his successor
and held the Office four years; that at the end Of
the four years Mr.. Baxter claimed that the pre-
cedent which had been established should net be
Mr.. Baxter was nominated. Mr.. Baxter was
the first man to vary from the precedent which
he SO strenuousy enforced but four years before.
and was nominated third time. Baxter now
comes and asks for fourth election for doing
what every member Of Congress was l0uHd to
DO for his nstituenis, namely, for attending to
their interests, whether citizens or soliiers. Mr.
Baxter has been what many others in Vermont
had beenl a friend to the soldiers; beyond that,
he had done nothing by which he could claim
the office any longer. Mr.. Baxter never origi-
mated any importan. bill.-had never made any
important reports nor done any other act in
Congress which could not have been done as
well By twenty-five men in Grand Isle County.
M Royce then stated the charges Of corruption
which had been made against Mr.. Baxter, and
that it was not customary for Vermonters to
hear such charges, and that if these charges
were believed, j; was the duty Of every freeman
to keep Mr.. Baxter at home and elect Judge
Hoyt. man with whom he had long been init
mately acquainted. and who could be relied On
by the Republican party in the darkest hours Of
the Republic
Parton Green undertook to refute some Of the
charges, but succeeded more in provoking ap-
plause by his eccentricity than by anything
said for Mr. Baxter. About this time, Mr. Bax-
ter and Mr.. Woodbridge made their appearance
in the Convention. They might as well have
come IN coy. as far as any attention vas paid to
them, excepting by the immediate satellites ofNlr
Baxter After Mr.. Green closed, Worthington
| C. Smith of St. Albans arose and addressed the
| President He read a resolution adopted by
the Orleans County Convention to the effect that
Nr. Baxter was nominated at Hydepark, and
fJllowed by reading an address from Mr.. Baxter
to the freemen Of the Cd Congressional District,
in which the charges made against him were
denied. Mr.. Smith said that be ''had the pleas
ure and honor Of introducing to the convention
Hon. Portus Baxter Mr. Baxter arose and
made some remarks in which he said he could
not make a long speech but that be had been
good to the soldiers and wanted to know Of the
convention if they were going TO sacrifice him,
begging Of the people to vote for him. The
scene was an affecting one to Mr.. Baxter and
the government officials present, but only con-
WINGED unprejudieed outsiders that Mr.. Baxter
was ,reak man. The motion to adopt the
the Orleans County resolution was renewed by
Assessor Adams, when the committee on resolu-
tons asked leave TO report. AMER
their report this motion was again re-
newed, when motion to adjourn
was made and carried, by more than tuo-thirds
Of the committee voting in the affirmative. The
Con vention did not adopt The resolution. OF
course there may have been a meeting Of the
friends Of Mr.. Baxter afterwards, and if go,
they may have sdoptsd the resolution their
private room, and it may be claimed that it was
adopted with as much prOprie.y as Mr. Ba1ter's
!. nomination was claimed at Hyaepark.
: II there was any doubt in regard to the yot