Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-08-25

from the various counties of the District,
especially Rutland, nearly every town Of
which sent large crowds of lockers on.
The Harlem train which arrived here
from Bennington and intermediate sta
tions at a. m, brought up from $50 to
900; here 100 were waiting, and on the
way up to Middlebury the party were
joined by numerous delegations at Pitts
ford, Brandon, Whiting and Salisbury.
Arrival at Middlebury at 1870, the fol-
lowing two hours were spent in canvass
ing and buttonholing, and men who never
were known to have an opinion of their
own were now busy exerting themselves
to change the opinions of others. A cur
ious transformation of circumstances, to
be sure, but one nevertheless always
found akin to political contests.
About 1880 p. m. the convention as
sembled in School House Hall, and was
called to order by Gen. ?. P. Pitkin of
Montpelier, chairman of the District Com
mittee, who read the call, and nominated
Hon. G. NJ. Willard of Castleton for tenn
porary chairman. who was duly elected.
Upon taking the chair Mr.. Willard
thanked the convention for the honor con-
ferred upon him, saying he was surprised
to receive such a testimonial of respect at
the hands of the member of the conven-
ton, especially as there were 30 many per-
sons in that body better versed in parlia-
moHtary practice than himself; but he
would aceepI Tho trust, and endeavor to
perform the duties devolsi@e upon him to
the best of his ability.
For Secretary, John II. Flagg of Ben
nington, was nominated. The nomination
was objected to by t. w. Park of Ben
nington, on the ground that Bennington
had sent two delegations to the conven-
ton, and Mr.. Flagg being a member OF
one of them, it was not yet determined
that he was a member of the convention,
and consequently could not act as one Of
its officers The nomination was with.
drawn, and G. w. Tilden of Barre, nom,
mated and elected to the office of temper.
ary secretary.
R. V. Marsh of Brandon, offered the
following resolution
ReS0l0ed, That the chair sppoint com
mittee on credentials, consisting of two
members from each county in the dis
trict.
The following amendment was offered
by Mr.. Newman of Poultney:
ReSoLced, That the delegates from each
county appoint committee OF two on
credentials from their respective counties
and report the same to the convention
and that these several committees when
appointed constitute the committee Oh
credentials for this convention.
The amendment was opposed by Car
penter Of Northfeld and Marsh of Bran
don, who said that the act OF taking the
appointment out Of the hands of the chair
man, and eutrustiug it to the hands Of thc
members of the convention was unpre
cedented and supplementary.
Mr.. Woodbridge favored the amend
ment OF DR.. Newman, insisting that tn,
lr'0"ae'-- 100 --ot only ripht and lust. bu
parliamentary and according to the usage
of parliamentary bodies.
Gov. Dillingham; of Waterbury opposed
the amendment, and cited similar in
stance which occurred in the convention
OF two years ago at Rutland, in which
the same question was raised, but it wa
then decided and rightly he thought tt
leaye the selection of the committee OF
credentials from each county to the chair
Mr.. Park took the floor, but was called
to order by Mr.. Carpenter, on the grounds
that he (Park) advanced against the Sc
lection Of Mr.. Flsgg as Secretary, Mr.
Park himself being a member of one O
the contesting delegations from Burling
ton.
The Chair decided that until creden
tials were examined, he should conced,
the right of every man claiming a seat il
the convention to the privileges of the
floor, when Mr.. Park proceeded in forci
BILE arguments to show why the selection
of a committee on credentials should b.
left in the hands of the members of thu
convention, for if they could be trusted
to select chairman, they could certainly
be trusted to select this committee. The
people were honest and would do no mean
thing in the selection of a committee
| Moreover, the delegates knowing the men
who lived in their midst. could select men
who would represent their views, while
the chairman, though his action might be
ever so honest, it was barely possible that
he was not acquainted in all sections and
might choose those least competent tc
serve.
Col. Proctor supported Mr. Parks argu
ment, and considered the plan of the
amendment clearly the safest, best and
most democratic.
DR.. Newman also spoke in favor of the
amendment, and on the question being
taken it was not definitely decided. The
roll of delegates as they presented them
selves to the District Committee was
then called for, when the yeas and nays
were taken on the amendment, and il
was declared lost by majority of four
against, two sets of delegations voting
from both bennington and Monkton, as
did also the delegates from Orwell, who
had not their duly certified credentials
with them but explained their case sc
clearly to the District Committee that
they were allowed seats in the convention
E. B. Bond of Mount Tabor, who was
absent when the roll of delegates for his
town was called, was also permitted to
register his vote. .... .......
Here a serious question arose. Mr..
Park stated that the town of Monktop,
which was entitled to but two votes had
cast, all in the negative to the amend.
ment. Bennington, to be sure, had cast
double her number of votes, yet they had
each half voted in opposite ways, SO that
it was emphatically pairing off. Monk.
ton. though, had cast double her quota OF