The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-06-22
The Senatorial Question.
FROM wALroN's JOURNAL.

and its hostility to Mr.. Morrill, prom
Uses TO become impotent for its un.
reasonableness In the eyes of the
Herald man, it is all right for Mr. Po-
land and Mr. Edmunds to become
candidates for the Senate, but Mr..
Morrill, cannot do so, though in char
acter, in culture, in political knowl-
edge, in general intelligence, in states
manship, he is at least the equal of
either, and in congressional expert
ence, service and success, he is SUI
perior to. both Indeed, the Herald
makes it a mistake in Mr.. Morrill, to
be a candidate a mistake against his
party and the State. 1t says:
"Nir. Morrill,, moreover, by this de-
termination, throws the Republican
party of the whole State into political
turmoil. BY remaining at his present
post, as he might do if he chose, the
party would remain united and har-
monious, aud the State would retain
the services Of two good men in the
Senate, and also retain Mr. Morrill, in
the House, "in the position for which
he is especially fitted. In every view
Mr. Morrill's declination is a mistake
for himself and his State"
We think that we can suggest two
ways to secure harmony in the party.
First let Judge Poland duly consider
the demonstrations of public prefer
ence and withdraw from the contest.
That would make perfect harmony as
far rs Mr.. Morrill, is concerned, for he
has no other competitor. The State,
too, could retain Judge Poland in
position for which he is specially fit
ted by long experience and creditable
service, mt the head of the Supreme
Court. This is certainly fair apph-
cation of the Herdlds argument But,
secondly, let tho Herald and other
Western Vermont papers leave Messrs.
Morrill, and Poland's case to Eastern
Vermont We are ready to give
bonds that the people of Eastern
Vermont will settle the question east
ly, quickly, and with quite MS much
harmony as has attended the election
of any Eastern Senator on any pre-
yious contest. Let us alone, if you
want harmony. Eastern Vermont
can extend the same courtesy to the
West, and so both sides may avoid all
complications injurious to the party
of the state. Here is good ground on
which to secure harmony We com
mend it to the consideration of the
Herald
The argument Of the Herald is that
Mr.. Morrill, is specially fitted" for
the House, and Mr.. Poland is "speci-
ally fitted" for the Senate; and it as
serts that Mr. Morrill, will clover him
self to second, third, or fourth rate
in the Senate" while Judge Poland
will "stand in the front rank of Sen
ators, as did his predecessor" 1t is
true that Mr. Morrill, is specially fit
ted for questions of tariffs, taxes and
finance; on that we all agree; but it
is surprising that the Hrald does not
see that these questions are acted up-
on in the Senate as well as in the
House. and therefore that Mr.. Morrill,
Is just as specially fitted for the Sen
ate as he is for the House. 1t is posi-
lively absurd to say that he viii low
en- himself in that body; that he who
now primarily acts upon these ques-
tons in connection with the Secreta-
rs OF the Treasury and the Finance
Committee of the Senate, does not
now and viii not hereafter stand lust
as high and be just rs useful in the
Senate as in the House. We know
that Mr. MoTiil's reputation and in
iluenco is now as high in the Senate
as 1t Is III the House: and we do not
know that the H1ald's assumption of
special fitness in Judge Poland, and
particularly its claim of the "front
rank" forhim in the Senate, has a par
ticie of truth for foundation. His
standing as a lawyer and as a Judge
is good, but we have never heard that
it was superior to that of many other
Vermont lawyers and judges. We
know, indeed, of no one who ever
compared him to a Collamer or a
Phelps; of no one who ever claimed
Tor him peculiar power or eloquence
as an advocate; and nothing in his
brief senatorial career that indicates
for him any remarkable reputation in
that body, or any remarkable degree
of popularity. He has made two
speeches; but they indicate no power
as debater, for both were carefully
written, precisely as a prudent Judge
would write out his opinion on an i'm
portant law case. They indicated no
originality no vivacity of style, no
brilliancy ofillustration, lsuch as Judge
Collamer would have thrown around
either topic; but they were simply in
the line of Mr.. Poland's familiar du-
ties as judge. He suggests the sail
ent points and gave his opinion. IL
That was all. Shall we deny that he
cannot do more +? BY no means. We
will not assume that he cannot, be-
cause that would be just as unreasona-
bic IN us, as it is in the Herald to as
sumo and assert that he can. All we
say is that Mr.. Morrill, is, on the whole,
best fitted for service, in the Senate. and
to that point we will add the testimo-
ny OF competent wit ess, who knew
Judge Poland and Mr.. Morrill, well,
and was rather better than the editor
OF the Herald rs a judge of their fit
ness for the Senate. Our witness is
JACOB CoLLAMER We think it was