Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-05-08
Speech Of Hon. Frederick Billings
At TIE VERMONT Rrrrnrc,s STATE coSvrSrro

The Republican party Of Vermont is not aHAct-
ed with the divisions which. in some States, give
TO conventions conflicting delegates and trouble.
some preliminary questions and 30 compel the Sc
lection Of askillful presiding officer. Indeed, 20
easy always Is the organization OF n convention
here that when, in addition, the work TO he done,
rs In the present instance. is simple, any member
Of the convention can perfectly well preside over
its deliberations. As participate, however, in
the doings Of political convention of my native
State now for the first time for nearly quarter
Of a century, cannot help treating my call to
the chair as token Of kind remembrance, and !
beg leave to give you, as ! do give you, my
thanks for the compliment you pay me.
have said the work Of the convention IL sim
Pile, and 50 It is. To be sure this is the Prcsi-
Dental ycar-a year of conflicts and conyen-
tons, of proposed new departures and new org,n-
zations and, what with the conspicuous names
heraldcd at times in connection with new move.
monts, to one shutting both eyes and listening
with only one ear, it may he serious question II
the old foundations are not all broken up, and
then, what are we all TO do2 This very day there
assemble in the Garden City Of the West two
conventions, and with one are associated honored
names. high up on the roll Of the history OF the
Republican party There have been other con
yentiJns There will he others still But the
Republicans of Vermont, while keeping eyes on
all and praying that no evil may come from any
look to the convention to he held in Philadelphia,
on the 9th day OF June, for the authoritative OK.
preston Of the principles and policy Of the Re
pubicans Of the nation. and the selection Of their
candidates for the Presidential struggle
And they do 50 because they are honestly and
ntelligently convinced that the highest political
welfare Of the nation demands the continued a.
tendency Of the party that fought the war for the
salvation Of the nation, carried it successfully
through, and then, graphing with the mperious
questions resulting from the war, has borne on
It's shoulders the work Of readjustmont to the
new life They believe that in no other course il
there safety that vital questions not yet perma-
nenty settled make it foolish, if not criminal to
try experiments.
No one can claim that the Republican party, a.
SUCH is to live forever on the old issues alone II
grew ont Of the avowed will Of Slavery to domi-
nate the republic. When the Great War came
there was fusion Of parties. All were enlisted
under the old banner who were determined on the
preservation OF the Union, to the defeat of Sav-
cry. Everything else was secondary. And so,
in the National Army, and the people who stood
behind it, there was no division Of opinions as 10
the policy and administration Of the Government
in peaceful times, because OF the great oyershad-
owing question, shall there be a Government 10
be administered in peaceful times at all.
And have always thought that when the war
was over, and slavery exterminated, and the Gov
eminent was safe and there was no chance Of
Of violation OF obligations resulting from the
war-when the necessary amendments TO the
Constitution were made, and unquallhedly re-
spected and equal rights were IN fact as well as
in name secure to all, aud every dollar Of the Ma
ton debt was, rs some one has said, as sacred
as soldiers grave when the Republican par
Is had accomplished its original object and a
great deal more, then, have thought, the origi.
nal elements of the Republican party would, to a
certain extent. rc-assert themselves and becaus,
Of this, and new issues arising, there might be a
readjustment somewhat of party platforms aud
party lines
say OF new issues arising. because they ar,
arising, have already arisen, and will ever arise
And the nation standing in the presence of new
aims and aspirations, new hopes and duties, mus
meet these issues, nor attempt 10 deride or eyadt
/ them. The world moves, and the men and the
parties who do not move too will be run over anC
crushed out. But while | have thought part,
lines would be constructed somewhat anew, hay,
/ hoped the Republican party, sloughing of the
useless old and taking in and inspired by thu
vital new, would be substantially the party o.
the long future. II was such a noble party /
/ represented such indispensable ideas Of justic,
and equality IL went so brayely" under th'
cloud and through the crimson sen ~ II did il
work so well It is such a noble party Ha
such grand constituency-has such vantage
| ground Is 50 pabe Of carrying out the bes
| purposes of the wisest men 1t seems 10 M,
that such grand historic organization has no
yet done its work, and is not yet 10 pass away
Certainly, not yet are the pall-bearers at tn,
door. And If it is not TO be the party Of the fu
ture, it certainly is the party Of the present
! Where else is safety
rejoice at every sign Of a new departure BY
the Democrats, every token that, repudatinl
their old positions, they accept the new situation
and begin new life But whatever they ma,
do as individuals or in individual States what
title have they, as a national party, to the couf
dence OF the people and the control of the govern
mcnt? As party they were tainted with dis
loyalty during the war, and have never beer
frankly, genuinely loyal since the war In III,
last Presidential struggle, they virtually inscrb
ed on their banners Reputation Of the national
debt and notification of the constitutional amend
ments. The party, as it has been, is unworthy
to exist. lt ought to die and be buried Ii car
really live again only on new platforms snc
under new watchw0rds. Its most sagacous lead
ers 50 understand it. The new platforms and
watchwords are coming-havc already come In
some quarters. And the nearer they are 10 those
Of the Republican party the better it will be
Nothing should be more gladly hailed than the
hearty acceptance on all sides everywhere of all
the results Of the great struggle-a forgetting Of
the things that are behind and a reaching forward
/ to those that are before, Blessed will be tina,
day when there shall be a return of fraternal
feeling and mutual goodwill when the lratern-
zaiion Of the people shall be as cordial and com.
/ plete as the war was bitter and terrible
We must all pray for that day 1t has mol
come yet. 1t will never come except by steady
/ persistent Government Of the nation, in the line
which shuts out all revival Of the old issues AND
all possibility Of revival until so far as the legit
mate and logical results Of the war are concerned
all, by whatsoever name called shall become il
/ fact Republicans. There must be no turning L
/ the right hand, nor the left by the Old Guard un
til the old conflict is all gone.
! This is the sentiment and the will OF the PEG
pie. The Democracy Of Connecticut, and New
Hampshire, may put themselves on perfectly ac
ceptable platforms, may present most excellent
and popular candidates. but victory is not with
them. The people do not yet believe in the sin.
certify Of such leadership in the Democracy, nor
IN the conversion OF the rank and file. They
know that the division between the Republican
and Democratic parties was founded upon abso-
lutely irreconoiIable views Of the nature of gov
eminent and human rights. There was a great
gull between the industries and theories and life
and conscience OF these two parties. The two
sides were tested IN the gage OF battle. The for
NAL acQuiescence in the defeat does not eradicate
the difference. Simply saying by-gones shall be
by-gones, does not make it 40. That does not
take away the old partisan, obstructive Bourbon
spirit. And when the Democratic party saws 80
only in certain localities and even where it does
say so has its sincerity somewhat doubted, who
is audacious enough 10 think that to the keeping
of that party, with its bad history as bad as il
can be, the people whose memories are fresh with
the burdens and blood Of the war, will commit
the precious interests Of the Republic2
The thing is not possible The Democracy
knows it is not possible. And while do not un.
derrate the power Of that party, its passion and
wealth, its able men and anxiety for control, |
believe in my heart It has no hope, by itself, Of
getting possession of the Government
Where, then, lies the danger, ii any there be ?
Right within the Republican lines Outside of
those lines, and barring all aid from within, there
is not an enemy that can begin to stand up in the
coming Presidential struggle.
Why is there danger in that direction, and
what is its extent? There are Republicans. some
OF whom have been in the very front Of the party
in all its grand career, who declare the present
administration so unsatisfactory in many of lis
personal and practical features, that thew insist
4 shall not be continued through another term of
four years These men have their followers
some who are conscientious, some who are selfish.
and some who are maloontents generally. I'm.
willing to let the question be decided by the rem
resentatiye Republicans to be assembled at Pbila.
delphia, and determined apparently in advance