The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-08-12
THE CONVENTION.

~ uooll, uISH lNClNc, lO-udN lnt ItlluD-
llcau voters of the first congressional dis
trict OF Vermont will meet at Middlcbuy
to determine who shall represent them and
the district in the forty fourth Congress of
the United States. Although those who.
to-day, are to determine the question num-
Der. all told, only some two hundred and
twenty-nne individuals, yet we call them
the republican voters, because this gov
eminent or ours Is representative govern
ment, and the delegate deposits his own
ballot no more than he deposits the
publican freeman of the town which he
represents These two hundred and twenty
nine delegates, too, determine who shall be
our next Representative in Congress as
much rs if the law provided that their nom
nation should be the end of the matter, be
cause the majority of republican voters is
so large in this district that the ireemen at
the biennial and legal state election, to be
held on the first Tuesday Of September
some three weeks hence-will but ratify
and confirm the action of to-days conven-
ton. 1t is n beautiful and grand thing,
when we come to think of it, to
see a great and free people assemble
together for the purpose of determining
who shall make and execute their laws for
them, who shall express their assent to or
dissent from proposed measures, intended
for the good of the whole country. Here
in Vermont this is all accomplished with
out noise or confusion, without turmoil,
riot or bloodshed. Men may and, of course,
do have their personal preferences for men.
They differ IN reference to capabilities,
talents and ability of men, their qualfca-
tons for different positions, their fitness
for particular office ; and so they disa-
gree relative to the right or wrong, the
policy or impolicy of certain measures.
They would be more than human if there
was not this difference Of opinion among
them. Its absence would be a sure sign of
the dccadencc of public virtue and would
presage the downfall of the republic. To
D~'s'N "hN iNSoiNliC tliNSt NliItltlttS anu
disagreements, conventions are held and
the majority quietly yield to the minority.
So il will be to-day. Those who, this
morning, are opposing forces il we may
so designate them-and are battling firmly
and, perhaps at times, iiercely, but rarely
or never passing the bounds of good nature,
for the accomplishment of equally honor
able but different ends, will, in the after
noon be united in one cause, for one end
and for one man. All this will be accom-
pished quietly and stranger unacquaint-
ed with our institutions would see nothing
al 1t but the contention, then Il little piece
OF paper or several Of them, ard then union
and harmony. The ballot is a wonderful
institution, and its quiet use accOmplishcs
great results. When we think of it, we
sometimes wonder at its TRANSFORMING
powers, at how the people quietly submit
to its fiat. Without knowing it, the whole
people feel that the safety of their lives, of
their families and of their property de-
ponds upon this Instantaneous and quiet
submission to the result pronounced by the
ballot box. The change from an opposcr
to a supporter is so sudden that it takes
pllce almost without ones knowledge,
We are speaking Of the great majority of
the people-the reading, thinking, intelli-
gent men. Some there are, who allow
their feelings to become 50 deeply interest
cd that it sometimes takes hnUt, or days
for them to overcome their feeling, OF OPP
position and disappointment, and to
become hearty supporters of that
which they heretofore opposed. We
mean where the choice Is between diff
terent men for certain Office; because if
Il man honestly believes that proposed
measure is wrong in principle and will
work an injury to the country or any part
of it, no action by majority ought to con
vince him that it is right, although he is
bound to submit thereto as n good law.
abiding citizen. The choice to-day is be-
tween men, and it will moi take hours or
days to get over a disappointment, because
no one need be disappointed. For some
days past the result could be discounted
with an almost absolute certainty. There
is only that doubt about ii that always
hangs over everything in the future. The
will of the people has been Enthusiastically