Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-11-01
THE CONGRESSIONAL CON-
TROVERSY.

nomination OF Judge Poland.
Such being the case,--and Judge Steele
himself, at the Convention, publicly an.
nounced that he submitted to the decision of
that body,--it would be inappropriate for us
to give further facts which we have in our
possession with referencato the two eandi-
dates aud the methods in which they have
conducted their canvass. While our convic-
ton has always been that the people,
if their votes were cast freely and without
pressure, would elect Judge Steele by large
majority, aud while we still entertain pre-
cisely the same belief, Notwithstanding the
apparent majority in the convention which
the corrupt caucus system has given Judge
Poland, still our party custom is such that
our candidate rightly said 81 submit to the
adverse decision Of the convention, just as
should have expected my opponent to SUBJ
nit had the decision been in my favor
The system Of caucuses and conventions
does well enough when there is no contest,
and all are agreed, but in u disputed case
this system gives the people no opportunity
to express their wishes at the polls. One of
the candidates is out Of the way before the
election comes. In the present instance
many caucuses, some in towns Of more than
800 republican voters, have had less than
forty persons present. In such cases, the
few who attend the caucus control the multi
tude who stay away. But bad MS this meth
cd always is, and unsatisfactory as it is in
the present case, still it is the established
method of Iarty discipline, and is regarded
as binding upon Judge Steele.
But however binding the convention may
be upon the candidates, neither they nor the
convention can bind the conscienoes of YER
mont voters. These have never been sui
mitted to the keeping of caucuses or politi-
clans Every man has the right to judge
for himself whom he will cast his vote for,
and is morally bound to do so. Still every
republican will remember what he owes to
his party and to republicanism, and will give
due weight to a regular nomination, and to
the fact that Judge Steele does not now ask
for or expect his vote.
OF the causes which led to Judge Steele's
defeat we might say much. Some interest
ing things could be told. But no good could
result from such course. Nothing but an
increase Of bitterness could come from it,
and surely there has already been enough of
that. No true friend of either candidate
will now be willing to add any fuel to the
fame which has already burned SO 6ercely.
We therefore content ourselves with saying
that Judge Steele was not nominated, simply
because he did not have votes enough. No
one will feel disturbed at this reason, we
trust.
The hard feelings which the contest has
caused should end with it. In most cases
they will. Hearty and healthy men, who
have been old friends but have differed upon
this subject, will be friends still. Every
honorable man, when the heat is passed, will
remember that his friend has done only what
every citizen should do,-has felt and ex-
pressed deep interest in a political ques-
ton. The threats of ostracism and outlaw
ry made here in St. Johnsbury have never
been very alarming when the nearly even
vote Of the people is considered. But We
hope such feelings will now come to an end.
A few dyspeptics may cherish resentments
and animosiies upon each side. That is to
be expected 1t is part Of the disease.
Blu. these bad stomachs can not keep four
counties of neighhors aud friends in u state
Of perpetual sourness. 1t is said that it re-
quires more grace to bear victory than a
defeat. We Of the defeated will try to
muster up sufficient grace to endure our de-
feat in becoming manner. We hope to see
on the part of the victors, candidate and all,
a respectable show of that greater amount
Of grace appropriate to their situation.
While we ucquiesco in the result of the
convention, We do not pretend to take pleas
ure in it. The friends Of Judge Steele have
been whole-hearted and earnest in their re-
spect and admiration for him, and in their
wish to honor him by placing him in Con-
gress. They have regarded him as a true
and honorable man, one of the people, in
full sympathy with the wishes and needs Of
our farmers and aboring classes, yet broadly
educated and competent to take his part il
the discussion Of every important question
His character is such as to have wop the es.
tccm and affection of all who have been
brought into terms Of intimacy with him
His ability is such as to have secured iol
him, at a remarkably early age, a reputation
as jurist hardly second to any in the hsto,
ry Of our state. His manners are unassum.
ing, dignihcd and scholarly. He has uni.
formly insisted that his supporters should
use only fair and honorable means to pro-
mote his interests Though their effortl
, were not successful, his friends rejoice that
they have worked for a high-minded and
great man, whose election would have beer
, much more than an honor to himself-it
, would have been an honor to the whole state
The horse disease in St. Johnsbury a,
elsewhere, is abating and considering III
universal prevalence, the small amount o.
permanent damage likely to accrue from il
is truly gratifying. But two deaths have
. taken place in the village, and we heard o.
= bat few in this county or in Orleans Many
Of our readers have rendered favorable ac
counts of the result, in serious cases, of tn,
disease treated by the directions in las