Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-07-18
The Senatorial Controversy.

The Rutland Herald printed long COM
municatiou last week, urging Judge Polsnd's
fitness and right to an election to the United
States Senate. Tho article abounded in mis-
representations of the state of the senatorial
controversy, come of which deserve attention.
The writer puts one phase OF his argument
in this way:
By no effort of his own, and because his
high position, always unanimously bestowed,
and mis- known and universally recognized
ability and integrity pointed and singled him
out as the proper person, did Judge Poland
lay of the robes of the highest Judicial Office
in the State, which had been worn by him 90
ably, uprightly as by any of his predeces-
sors, unpollu ted and unstained, and assume
the robes of his compeer upon the Bench and
of MS illustrous predecessor in the Senate.
No man in the State questioned Gov. Dilling-
ham s choice.
Having thus obeyed the voice of the people
Of the State, and transferred himself at their
call to a new place Of trust, and labor, plao-
ing the Senatorial question upon the mere
ground of personal claim, as the friends OF
MIR. Morrill,, are striving TO place 1T, 1t would
be ungrateful and unjust now for the people
to lay hold of the shoulders of Judge Poland
and turn him out of the Senate, where sig
nal Providence has placed him, and send him
with all his eminent talents and influence, In
the prime and vigor OF manhood, into private
life, unless upon some better reason than that
another desires his place, who is better lifted
for the position he now occupies, and who
would now be likely TO increase bis usefulness,
if he did not lessen it, BY going into the Sem
ate.
There is error both in fact and inference in
the above paragraph. 1t is not true that
Judge Poland was appointed without efforts
being made by him or bis friends for the place.
Nor is it true that the wisdom of Gov. Dilling-
hams choice was unquestioned. 1t was I'M
derstood then, as it is now, that the legisla-
ture of last year, which adjourned after Sem
ator Collamer's decease, would, if the choice
had been lett to them, have elected Mr.. Nor
rilI by an immense majority. Mr.. Morrill,
was not q candidate for Gov. Dillingham; .
appointment, but Judge Poland was. The
Judge solicited the appointment and accepted
it, understanding at the time that Mr.. Nor
rill would be a candidate next fall. He knew
what was before him, and both he and his
friends are therefore estopped from now urg-
ing that he must be elected because he has been
appointed. When he insists that his rig ht OF
possession shall inure to his benefit, and that
he shall be elected because he is already in,
the people will say to him, that he is there
not by their choice, but by his own act. Pos
session is said to be nine points in law, and
perhaps the Judges familiarity with the max
i'm led him to take the appointment but be
Will learn, We presume, that the rule has it's
exceptions in the Senate as well az on the
bench. Judge Poland did not obey the
" voice - of the people or answer their call "
when he went into the Senate. for the people
had no voice " or d" call ~ in the matter.
The people were then, as they are now, for
Mr.. Morrill,. Nor do We think the Judge was
placed in the Senate by a signal Previ-
dence, at least We know the Judge attrib-
ntes his appointment to quite different
source. However, If :" frovidsuOe " did place
him there, we presume " Providence y will
be able to keep him there, without tho writer
III the Herald troubling himself and vexing
his brain about it.
But the Herald's correspondent in another
part of his lengthy article enlarges as follows:
The fact is, the candid friends of Mr.. Nor
rill admit that he can be most useful to the
State and Nation in his present position, and
were the matter to be LETS to them to decide,
untrammeled by the schemes OF politicians,
and by the personal ambition of the aspiran to
they would gladly join hands with the friends
of Judge Poland upon the settlement that
should keep Mr.. Morrill, in the House, and
Judge Poland 10 his present position - .
leader and induen tlal member of the Senate
securing thereby, on the one hand q continu-
ance of high position of influence for the
state in both branches of Congress, and on
the other hand, avoiding an embittsred CAN
vass for the Senatorship, which, unless 1t is
aver;ed, may put In jeopardy, and even des-
troy the harmony of the Union party in the
| State for years to come.
| What are the obstacles to such an adjust
men: of the question? Are they insuperable
| 1t is true Mr.. Morrill, has formally declined
to be candidate representative from his
district. But be has, on other occasions, done
the same thing, and yet the people OF his Dis
trict have seen fit to override his previous
destinations, and return him TO the House.
l, would be easy to do SO again. And why
should not the Unonists in his District thus
terminate the unfortunate controversy? Ii
/ there any other reason than that MIR. Morrill,
desires for personal reasons to 60 to the Sem
ate? We're he 10 consent to go back to the
House, would not the people be entirely sat-.
/ Isied, and even rejoice, that he had yielded
his personal ambition, and consented to re-
main in his position OF usefulness!
On this question Of personal ambition -
there is, perhaps, something to be said on
both sides. What would Judge Poland have
said, when Chief Justice Redfeld left the
bench, if some lawyer, who had never been q
judge, had been put forward as q candidate
for the Chief Justiceship? What would
Judge PierpOnt have said,- if Judge Steele
had been made Chief Justice when Mr.. Po-
land left the bench? Would not both these
judges have rightly urged that q great injus-
iice WAS done by thus putting an untried man
in the place which, if merit and experience
ever deserve promotion, belonged to judge
already on the bench? And why should moi
Mr.. Morrill,, after twelve years service in the
lower House, at least have earned the righ
to be a candidate against an individual whost
service as Legislator commenced last Deem
Der? If either should withdraw from the