The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-05-19
DAILY GLOBE TUESDAY MORNING MAY 49, 1874

so many governors, another so many land so
on until the particular county, in which
the claimant resides, is shown to be infal-
libby entitled to the governor The same
thing is going on now. We insist that
there is no force or reason In the claim.
but that the county producing the best
man is entitled to the governor, But upon
this claim let us see how the facts are.
Politically speaking the west side of the
Green Mountains includes the counties of
Bennington, Rutland, Addison, Chiiten-
den, Franklin, Grand Isle and Lamoille--
seven in all, we include Lamoile because
it's so considered. The republican party was
organized, and first elected governor in
1854 but, in order to show the distribution
of the office among these several counties,
we will commence with the commence
ment of the half century although
it will include the names Of one wing and
one democratic governor. Since 1850,
western Vermont has had seven governors
and one acting governor These have been
Charles X. Williams. wing, and John b.
Page, of Rutland county John S. Robin.
son, democrat, and Inland Hall. of Ben
nington county; Stephen Royce and John
Gregory Smith of Franklin county; John
w. Stewart. of Addison county; and
George W. IIendee, of Lamoille county,
who became acting governor by the death,
and served out TIE term of Peter T. Wash
burn. All but those whom we have other
wise designated were republicans, If the
office of governor is to run around from
county to cOun,y,in turn, without regard to
qualifications or any thing else except To-
counties, which have had no governor, and
Iamoillc which really has not had any eli
Cctci aS such, would haye the claim to the
exclusion of all others But if counties
have such claims, then towns have. and
when II county's "turn' comes around, the
governor must be selected from the town
not heretofore honored. This is the true lo-
gic of theiule and applying it, in this case,
and going hacl, TO the foundation of the
state, the governor must be selected from
Grand Isle county or, perhaps, st. George
in Chittendcn county We do not believe,
however, that the people of Vermont, the
republican party will subscribe to any such
doctrine.
So much, al the present. for locality
But above the claims of locality. the town
or county of residence Of the aspirant
more than the claimant. the candidate, Oh
the aspirant. there is something of far more
Importance We mean the honor and dig
nifty Of the state and the mental and mora
qualifications of her chief executive officer
The state must not be disgraced by the iGnor
ance orthe moral character of her governor
On this account, we must not be held up as
a laughing stock to our sister states. We
cations which we believe necessary to be
found in a governor, but shall hastily rur
over two or three. With our friend of the
Poultney J0urn0l, we believe the time has
come to apply the old Jelfersonian test
Is he honest, is he capable 2" This woult
seem to include all. but let us add wore
or two more. In a governor. we desire 0
man of the strictcst integrity. honor. hon
esty and morality, one whose daily wall
and conduct will not give the lie to his pro
fessions-in word, to use much abused
term, we want, in its highest and best sense
Christian gentleman. We presume tina
there will be no disagreement, IN theory, OF
this point, but it has been practically disrc
garded in the selection of other officers
Let US, fellow citizens, by our action, th
year, show that we practice what we pro
fess, and wash our hands of all hypocrites
pretenders end selfseekcrs. AS to menta
qualifications it is somewhat difficult to de
termlnc the exact standard. We do no
believe that collegiate education, or
familiarity with the classics or the highe
branches of mathematics and Englisl
branches are necessary. We may sum i
all up, perhaps, by saying that governor
should possess a mind stored with knowl
edge of men and things, gained by study
and observation, the foundation therefor
being laid in the common schools by learn
ing to read properly, write grammatically
and spell correctly. With tins foundation
an ambition to learn. study and observation
and years spent in their chosen calling, ,
man can make himself what he pleases
Such men we have in our midst. from
such men we should seek a governor. lie
US, by all means, keep ignorance and vic'
out of the gubernatoral chair II Loya
G. Kellogg was alive, could there be an,
doubt that Rutland county would be hon
ored with the governorship Let us lool
around us, and if we have the right man il
the county we can unite upon him if no
we must look elsewhere. We cannot af
ford, we mean Rutland county cannot af
ford, to sacrifice qualifications to locality
real to fanced honor. This question o
governor will, we believe, work itself clea
in the end. We have never, as yet, beer
disgraced by our executive, let us reverend,
hope that we may never be in the future
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