Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-09-01
from the Middlebury Register. ]
The Free Press.


The editor of the Burlington Free Press
has for several years arrogated to himself
the role Of dictator and censor over the
first Congressional District, and has, in
the most gratuitous manner attacked the
character and motives Of those in the dis.
triot whose views OF public policy did not
happen at the moment to agree with his
own. Citizens of high standing, and who
possessed the confidence and esteem of the
community in which they lived, have been
ruthlessly assailed with ahoul-like feroc.
ity by this dyspeptic dictator and villifer
upon the tripod, who would in his vain
conceit and futile anger, desecrate even
the hallowed circle If private life to drag
forth something TO exhibit in satisfaction
of bis efforts to injure those who never
harmed him, and who are far above his
maledictiona and his tolls
OF this species Of political hydropho-
bia is the attempt to misrepresent the ac-
ton of the late District Convention, and
to malign some of its prominent mem
bers--among others Mr.. Woodbridge, who
for six years was regarded by a large
portion of the people as one of the ablest
and most faithful Representatives ever
sent to Congress from Vermont, and who
possessed while there the fullest conf.
dence and friendship Of such men as Solo
mon Foot, Jacob Collamer, justin S. Nor
rill and Worthingtou c. Smith, and who
acted unitedly with them, in harmony,
upon nearly every question arising in
Congress, although he had the misfortune
not to satisfy this self-ccnstituted censor
who disapproved of him az public SER
want, two years ago, and therefore feels
called upon now to malign him az q pra-
vate citizen.
Mr.. Woodbridge was delegate in the
late convention without his solicitation
and was elected when he was absent from
home and had been for some tiae. We
fail to see any more improperly in his
accepting this trust, conaded in him by
his townsmen, than there was in Gov.
DilliDgham's doir.g the Same thing or of
his urging his views in courteous, foroi-
bic way against the Democrats exercising
control Of primary Republican meetings,
in opposition to Gov. Dillingham;. who ad-
vocated the claims of the delegation who
owed their election to Democratic votes
We assure the free Press that it made
few friends for itself, or it's candidate, in
sold Addison" by falsely and malicious
ly venting its bilious unpl evoked spleen
against man like Mr.. Woodbridge, who
possesses the confidence of his townsmen
and the citizens OF the county to degree
that it would be fortunate for the editor
of the Free Press if he could attain in his
locality; and we would commend his eff
forts in that direction, leaving the citi-
zens of this district for short time to
manage their own affairs
We make the above remarks, not that
we suppose Mr.. Woodbridge needs our
aid in vindication of his character, but to
show the unmanly and vindictive conduct
of one holding the power of press in his
hands in attacking and villifying a pri-
vote individual who, while performing
his duty as republican freeman, happens
to honestly differ from the editor OF the
Free Press in opinion.