Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-08-24
The First Congressional Distric Con
yentiOn.

The First Congressional District Con-
yentiOn.
The Convention of the Republicans of the
First Congressional District of Vermont, for
the purpose of nominating candidate to
represent this District in Congress, was
holden at Middlebury on Thursday last. Al
though the official record of the proceedings
and the result of that Convention will be
given by the Secretary and President thereof,
it may not be inappropriate or wholly unin-
tsresting to the readers of the FIREMAN that
one who CHANGED to be a member of that
Convention should give fuller resume, i'm
perfect though that must necessarily be, of
the inner history and working of that body.
Although the hour for the assembling of
the Convention was at II NJ, on Thursday,
the delegation from Washington County
reached Middlebury Wednesday night, and
there found quite sprinkling of delegates
from Rutland and Bennington Counties. A
special train from Bennington and Rutland,
came up at 1870, Wednesday forenoon,
bringing delegates and large numbers of out
siders /; and till the assemblage of the Convsn-
ton at noon, there was much canvassing and
fiery discussions of probabilities and pros
poets. To an unintsrested 4" looker-on in
Venice" the scenes and incidents of that
hour must have been amusing and ludicrous,
even if they failed to be instructive. The
WILLARD men were confident, self poised.
and equally ready to parry or give a thrust,
as occasion required. The Clark men were
arrogant and spiteful, but their boastful self
assurance deceived no one. 1t was evident
that what they needed most was votes, not
boasts or brag. This stock in trade was
not the goods the market demanded, and
when the inventory should be taken the
balance was certain to be found on the wrong
side of the sheet for these Adventures.
The Convention was called TO order by
Gen. Pitkin of Montpelier, Chairman of the
District Committee, who stated that the
committee had instructed him to present
the name of Hon. &. NJ. Willard of Castle
ton for Chairupn pro TEN, and the Conven-
ton unanimously ratified the choice of the
committee. Before taking the chair, Mr..
Willard made brief and excellent speech,
thanking the Convention for the honor con-
ferred upon him, and promising to fulfill the
duties of the Chair impartially, and with his
best ability. Upon calling for nomination
for Secretary, the name of John II. Flagg
/ ESQ.,, of Bennington was suggested, but af-
forwards withdrawn upon the objection of
Mr.. Park of Bennington, that Mr.. Flagg was
member Of one of the contesting delega-
tions from that town, and his right to q seat
in the Convention was not yet assured.
Geo. W. Tilden, ESQ.,, of Barre, was then
nominated and elected Secretary pro TEN.
Hon. R. V. Marsh of Brandon introduced
resolution that the Chair appoint a COM
mittee on credentials, consisting of two mem
bers from each county in the district" DR..
Newman of Poultney moved to amend by
substituting resolution 90 that the delegates
from each county appoint committee OF
two on credentials from their respective
counties and report the same to the COnven-
ton, and that these several committees when
appointed constitute the committee on Gre
dentials for this Convention. This amend
ment ELECTED much and warm discussion, il
which many prominent delegates participa-
ted. Hons. Heman Carpenter of Mortified
and r. v. Marsh of Brandon, opposed the
amendment as unnecessary, unwise and not
supported by precedent. Hon. F. z. Wood
bridge of Vergennes, spoke earnestly and ex.
citedly in support of the amendment, claim
ing it to be right and parliamentary. Gov
Dillingham; opposed the amendment a.
| 4 II
the same attempt, to take from the chairman
powers rightfully belonging to him, made at
Rutland two years ago; and it was theI
decided, most righteOusly too he thought
to entrust the selection of the committee on
credentials to the chairman of the Conven-
ton. The Governors remarks, thoughtful
and candid as those made by him ever are
had much weight with the Convention. Hon
| T. w. Park commenced speaking in favo
of the amendment, when the question wa,
facetiously raised that he was not entitled
to the floor under the rule he had insisted on
in regard to Mr.. Flagg not being eligible tt
the Secretaryship-Mr. Park being one Of
the contesting delegations from Bennington
The Chair, however, courteously decided, al
Mr.. Parks request, to allow all delegate:
claiming seats and presenting credentials
/ to speak and vote until they were exclud
ed by the report of the committee on ere
dentials.
This ruling, although made with the pur-
est motives, and doubtless from a desire to
avoid even the appearance of unfairness, we
could but think erroneous and unparliamsn-
tary and that it was unwise and impractica-
BILE soon became apparent in the Monkton
contested case.
Mr. Park made most able and earnest
speech in support of the amendment, but failed
to convince the Convention that the old ways
were not the best. Col. Proctor of Rutland
and DIR. Newman of Poultney also supported
the amendment. After considerable Skin
mi shing vote was reached on the adoption
of the amendment, and it was rejected.
The Park delegates from Bennington voted
ssaye," and the Gardner delegates voted
emo Both the Monkton delegations voted
ssno." Mr. Park seeing he was caught in
his own trap, now insisted that only one set