The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-05-09
Republican Conyen.
telegram TO the N Y. Tribune

1
BELLOWS FALLS, May 1.-The State
Republican Convention assembled here
to-day, to choose delegates to the Phila
| delDhia Convention. The Hon. Frede,
lex Billings, Of Woodstock, was elected
President of the Convention. His speech
on taking the chair was significant, as he
is the most likely to be the next Repub-
lican candidate for Governor of this
State. After returning thanks for the
honor, he said that although this was
the Presidential year, and there were
conflicts and new departures, and new
organizations and conventions to repre-
sent them, the Republicans of Vermont
looked to the Convention to be held in
Philadelphia on the 9th of June for the
authoritative expression of the principle
and policy of the Republicans Of the ma
ton, and the selection of their candidates
for the Presidential struggle. He did
not believe that those who met in Con-
vention in Cincinnati to-day gathered
there to be satisfied with the emphatic
declarations Of complaints against the
Administration and patriotic acquisitions
on the Philadelphia Convention, in the
hope and attempt to exert moral infu-
ence on it, and SO lift up its platform and
candidates. If that was their purpose
whatever views might be entertained of
the need of the Convention, it would
command respect. Everybody, then,
might make pilgrimage to Cincinnati.
But he did not think, if there were weak
nesses in the Republican party, it should
for that reasen, go to the wall. Ifreme-
dy was needed, it lay among the Repub-
licans themselves. He believed the
Cincinnati Convention could be formida-
BILE only by union with it of all the ele-
ments opposed to the Republican party.
But he thought the people would not be
turned away from the Republican organ
ization and be won over to a Democratic
alliance by great names or oratory or gilt
tering generalities. Still, if the Repub-
llcan was to march on to victory, it be-
hooved its supporters to take every STUN
bling block out Of the way, and then not
to underrate the enemy. There was an
earnest cry for reform in the air. It
must be needed. The party must ad-
vocate and Illustrate political morality :;
otherwise it could not live. Its work
and character must be dearer to it than
any man or any set Of men. He admit
ted that there had been errors, and said ::
Il think Santo Domingo was one. [
think the attempt in the United States
Senate to discipline everybody who in
any particular differed from the Admin
lstratlon was another. [ think conse-
quential damages in the claims before
the Geneva Arbitration was another.
There are yet others. But what are
these compared with the folly. the crimi-
nal folly, the supremely criminal folly of
breaking away from or trying to break
up the party, because of such mistakes
and the pers onal irritation growing out
OF them To compare great thing with
small 1T IS burning down the house to
kill the vermin."
He trusted that they would send to
the Philadelphia Convention their wis
est and strongest men, charged to say that
Vermont stands to the cardinal princi-
Piles of the Republican faith and charg-
ed still further to say that Vermont
stands to the Republican organization
for the success Of these principles, and
only asks of the Convention the exercise
of the wisdom which will make the sue
cess secure.
Resolutions reafirming the Republican
doctrine, and declaring Grant and Colfax
to be the first choice of the State for
President and Vice-President, were pass
ed