The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-08-03

taken to select the best men.
In one sense; locality has nothing to do
with the selection of public officers; in an
other it is all important. In legislative
bodies it is imperative that the people
should be represented, and they cannot be
unless our Legislators are selected with
some regard TO locality. In this view,
locality should never be disregarded unless
it can be made to appear that the locality
which is, and has long been, unrepresented
is deficient in the proper material from
which to select public officers. But will
any man say that Rutland Addison and
Bennington counties cannot furnish men,
bcrs of Congress equal TO any who have
represented Vermont in Congress during
the past quarter of century? viii any
man say that Charles II. Joyce is not the
peer of any man that Vermont has in the
lower house of Congress to-day? The
claim cannot be made, for the truth is,
that Colonel Joyce stands head and shout
dcrs above some Of them that might be
named We will not call names, because
that might be invitlious and our ncighbor
of the Free Press might have some trouble
on account thereof.
But let us see how the pcoplcof Vermont
are represented in the Congress OF the
United States. We have two Senators and
three Representatives five representative:
in all and mt one IF Them is toLeR .f,om m,
southern hrlf0f Vermont. the most popu.
lOus portion Of the state As we have said
Vermont is geographically, and lift were not
for the fact we are about TO mention, WE
might say politically, divided by range OF
mountains. BY reason Of that geographic
nj division, we have 0ne Senator residing
on the west side of the Green Mountains.
We may say here, that that portion of
tains embraces nearly, if not quite. one
half of the population of the state, and in
every thing which goes to make up the
wealth and prosperity Of the stale is far
ahcad uf that part of thr state cisl Of The
mountains. Western Vermoa ms nat n
@Hgla representative In he natioaM Housl
Representatives. Does any one. can any
one, claim that she has II IT suitable men
from which to select congi essmen? Again.
taking Washington county, the residence
OF MIR. Willard ;ts center. whe.r are 0ui
Senator'S and Representatives located that
is. where do they reside the few weeks that
they are at home Every one Of them re.
sides in ncighboring and adjoining counties
n small cluster Of counties furnish the whole
of our present delegation in Congress. il
both Houses. Is this right? so long as fiji
and proper men can he found elsewhere
Are the people duly represented? Tho
case OF this district is one of peculiar hard
ship. We are practically cut off from
Montpelier and Washington county-tha
is that portion outside of that county
Rutland, Addison and Bennington coun
ties, while in easy geographical distance
from Montpelier, are compelled by the dis
continuance of staging to 90 anywher,
from quadruplc to twenty times the mum
Der oil miles to reach there that they
would, were our Representative located in
any other county beside Washington. II
Mr.. Willard was the only man of sufllcien,
abilities to represent us, we could put ur
with these little Inconvenience. and prc.
tend to believe that the people were
represented. The truth is, Washing
ton county never should have beer
attached TO this district; and it never
would except for "gerrymandering in
the old wing days. That county being
strongly democratic, and the Other
three enough stronger wing, it was at.
tached to us to keep a democrat from be
inc member Of Congress from Vermont
but it has, also, resulted in keeping Mont
peller man there more than half the time
since. Rutland county is now united. and
she presents man who lives in the geo
graphical and political center of the dis
trlct, and IL man of ability, to represent it
in Congress. If he is nominated. rs we
believe he surely will be, then we shall
come a little nearer having the people re-
presented We believe that they should
be so represented. We believe that we arc
doing violence to the principles upon which
our government is founded, and for which
we have fought three long, bloody wars,
by selecting all of our Senators and Repre-
sentalives from circle of adjoining coun-
ties and it is for this reason, among
others, knowing, too, that Colonel Joyce
was man of integrity and ability, that we
have been so earnest in his support.