Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-06-23
The Republican State Convention.

The Republican State Convention.
We give elsewhere the proceedings of the
Republican State Convention at Rutland last
Wednesday. The proceedings were entirely
harmonious, and the candidates are to be
congratulated upon the near approach to
unanimity which their names produced when
the ballot was taken. GEN. WAsHBURN's
nomination is all the more creditable and
honorable to him, that his opponents, Mr..
Converse and Mr.. Denison are gentlemen per
sonally popular, perhaps in mere personal
qualities more popular than their successful
competitor,-as his selection becomes thus
all the more a tribute to the real merits and
acknowledged ability of the man. The ques-
ton became therefore rather more one of
qualifications than of personal OF local pref
erences, and in this respect was just what
every convention should make the turning
question in its nominations. Gen. Wash
burn, in his career as a State official, has al
ways shown energy, executive ability, prompt
ness, State pride and ~tiIeless persistence, and
is known in every town in the State for these
first-class qualities in a chief magistrate, and
may be said to have fairly earned and won
the honor of being the chief magistrate of
the State he has, in a more labOrious but less
conspicuous position, served so we'll
Mr.. HENDEE, who takes the second place
anthe ticket, has represented his town in the
House of Representatives, and his county in
the Senate,-having been nominated and
aVo,toJ E,- a TbIrl form, in t1o Senate q N nm
usual thing, We believe, in Lamoille county.
lie is a lawyer of prominence, has been sue
cessfuI as a legislator, and has been latterly
prominent as an energetic leader in the La
noble Valley Railroad enterprise. While
occasionally in the chair in the House, and
last session as President pro tam of the Sen
ate, he proved himself an unusually good
presiding officer, and viii bring to the dis
charge of his duties rs President of the Sen
ate a knowledge of parliamentary law, a
familiarity with their application to the va
rious questions which he will be called upon
to decide, a courtesy and impartiality which
will fully justify his selection by the nearly
unanimous voice of the convention.
Mr.. PAGES nomination as Treasurer was
n matter of course. Nobody thought Of nam
ing any one else for the place. The people
of the State know when they are well and
faithfully served in that Office, and are con-
tent to let well enough alone. Mr.. Page
Joins to rare financial ability a clear and
quick apprehension of his duties as Treas
urer, administering his Office with the single
and well-deined purpose of doing in every
particular the very best thing that can be
done for the finances of Vermont. When
the State has such a servant it cannot DO a
better thing than to keep him in harness, as
everybody at the convention seemed fully to
understand.
The general tenor of the resolutions we
cordially approve, although they seem to be
slightly contradictory in re-afirming the ad-
herence of the party to the policy Of exclud-
ing traitors from positions Of public trust,
and at the same time wholly approving the
principles and policy of Gen. Grants admin
istration, which has appointed Gen. Long
street to such a position. Our own opinion
is that we should judge the people Of the
South rather by what their honest opinions
are to-day, than by what they were five or
six years ago. Very many of the men who
vent into rebellion are to-day unfit to be
trusted in any public Office, and should be
excluded ehO-of-7m because they are unre
generate, and still cling to the principle.
which led them into treason and cordially
hate every southerner and every northernel
who upheld the national integrity. Sucl
men should have no place in an administra
ton controlled by the principles and polio.
of the Republican party. But when a mar
who was once a rebel honestly and heartily
accepts the decision of war, submits cheer
fully to the new order Of things, and join,
hands sincerely with those who are endeaY
oring to build justice and freedom and equa
rights into the future of this Republic, Soutl
as well as North, we would treat him jus
as we would treat any convert to the princi
pies and policy of our party, and so far no
hold his past record as a bar to his appoint
ment to any Office 10 the gift of the admins
tratiOn.
If the resolution as to the Alabama claim
means, by the expression, 1--WE can afford t.
watt that if England does not pay thos
claims, we shall, whenever opportunity offers
send out privateers to destroy her commerce
we most respectfully dissent from the propo
sition. But of this We shall have something
to say hereafter.