Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-06-20
Democratic State Convention.

| udlH0S OI OlHCefS anu ueleSdlSS given Ill
our special dispatch Thursday morning:
The surviving members of the Dem
ocracy of Vermont were present in
goodly numbers here to-day, reinforced
with a few ''on the fence" men, who
have stood outside for some years past
sometimes casting their political for
tunes with the Republicans, and at other
times with the Democrats. The contin-
gency of the nomination of Greeley and
Brown at Baltimore, and their possible
election, had evidently set the ''possum
and ''passive" politicians all agog; and
they f1ocked to Montpelier to try to con-
troll the party Sanhedrim. The Greeley
men under the lead of Mr. B. B. Small
ley of Burlington, III. B. Smith of Mil
ton, and Hiram Atkins of Montpelier,
clearly run the machine. Their slate
was well made up, and although John
Cain fought them with all his energy,
they beat him at almost every point.
Four-fifths of the convention was for
Greeley. The resolutions endorse the
Cincinnati platform and the delegation,
though not instructed, is unit for the
Cincinnati nominees. A few of the old
''Bourbons," as they were termed once,
as Chas. n. Davenport of Brattleboro,
and Gen. l.. S. Partridge of Norwich
openly avowed their opposition to Gree
ley and their determination not to vote
for him; but they made no stir in the
| convention. About half the State was
represented; the report of the commit
tee on credentials showing 1888 accredited
delegates
The Convention was held in tine Vii
lage Hall. which was well filled through
out the day; and was called to order by
Fl. B. Smith of Milton, chairman of the
State Committee.
Mr.. Smith presented the nanlc OF G.
J. Gleason of Montpelier, as temporary
chairman, and he was declared elected.
On taking the chair he congratulated the
democracy of Vermont on the prospect
of change from a corrupt government
to a government of law under the con-
stituti0n The signs of the times were
auspicious. The people had had enough
1 of military rings. 1t had been predicted
that Grants administration would be a
failure and now it was pronounced a
failure in the house Of bis friends.
MOrill0 NOyes of Burlington, hIlu RQl-
lin s. Childs of Wilmington, We're ap-
| pointed secretaries pro tenn.
Mr. Smalley of Burlington moved that
/ the mp0rary organization be made per-
manent. with tile addition of a vice-pres-
/ dent from each county.
! Mr.. Cain of Rutland said he was IS
! years old and had attended every Demo
| cratic State Convention for forty wears
! He was Democrat long before his
| friend Smallev was born, and he beliey-
cd he kuGW what the Democracy Of
| Vermont wanted better than he. He
/ a
! organization permanent This was a
delegate convention and there should
/ first bo q committee of credentials to as
certain who composed 1t. ile did not
want half dozen men to get together
and fix up the convention.
Mr. Smalley withdrew his motion,
a4.l Mr. Smith of Milton moved the ap-
lrjimtmo3t IF the secretaries as a COM
nlittce Oh credentials.
Mr. Cain did not like this ulatiou. iJG
wanted no gum game; nothing Gus and
dried. He moved the appointment of
committee of two from each Congress
sional district for the purpose of seeing
,yhQ were delegates and who were not.
He wished 20 get an expression of the
people He wanted everything fair. He
was going to have his rights ana should
not be dictated to by two or three men.
The chair suggested to Mr.. Cain that
he must make his motion as an amend
ment to Mr. Smiths.
Mr.. Cain refused to do so.
Mr.. John A. Beers of MOnkton. said
this whole proceedings was outside Of
all parliamentary rules; which suggest
ed to us the idea that the Democrats had
been so long ont of power in Vermont,
t}iat they had forgotten even the Sim
plest pracrice of a dclibcratiyc assem-
bly,.
Messrs. Atkins and Smith explained
the muddle.
Mr.. Davenport, in the mild and per
suasige manner, for which he is so fam
Ous. siad It was foolish for the few
democrats there were in Vermont to
fritter away their time or fret their tenn
per over such a trifing question as this.
His friend Cain felt more deeply about
it than he could understand. He cOun-
selled that in the interests of harmony
Mr.. Gains ideas should be adopted. He
thought Mr.. Smiths motion all right,
but some of the convention imagined il
looked cut and dried; therefore he
hoped it would be withdrawn.
Mr. Smalley denied any intention to
tgample on any persons rights.
Mr.. A. p Childs Of Bennington,
agreed with Mr.. Cain in his motion con-
cerning the organization of the cOnven- |
ton. but not in his personal reflections |
upon leading members of the convention, |
but he wanted to save time. to dispatch |
business, and so he favored Mr. Smiths !
motion.
Mr.. Cain wished to see harmony, but |
he did not know the Secretaries, il he !
did he might trust them.
Mr.. Smalley said that Mr.. Cain must /
be the only Democrat on the floor who /
didn't know Morillo Noyes, as the soul
of honor and honesty.
Mr. Cain begged pardon of the con- |
ventiop. He didn't know that Mr.
Noyes was u secretary. So he gave in
and thus ended the half hours proftless
discussion. Mr.. Smiths motion unani-
mOusly prevailed, and recess OF twenty
minutes was taken.
After adopting the report OF the com
mittee on credentials, Mr.. Smalley re-
newed his motion relative to permanent
organization.
Mr.. Cain again INDUCED in a show Of
personal remarks concerning the man
ner in which the convention was run by
certain parties. He desired committee
on permanent orgdnlZdtuOi. III: Calln
was frequently interrupted by cries of
''hold on, ''We want our dinner, etc.
Mr.. Smalley hoped Mr.. Cain would be
heard, and appealed to the convention
to listen to him. A scene of discord
now ensued, during which Mr.. Simmons,
of Bennington, insisted there should be
no gag law practiced. Mr.. Cain pre-
ceeded with his speech. Grant was sure
of Vermont. Certain gentlemen wanted
to make the party as small as possible.
Two or three men were bent on cOntroil-
ing it. But he was determined no one
man, no two men, no twenty shall con-
troll the convention. Here Mr.. Smalley
called him to order; saying he was not
speaking germane to the question, and
was wandering round Robin Hoods
barn.