The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-20
WAsHINGToN COUNTY.
SENATOR EDMUNDS' srEECg1

A report of tie speech of Senator Ed
munds, before the republican state conven-
ton at Burlington, Wednesday, hasalrcady
appeared in our columns. The report was
brief and, perhaps, imperfect, but there
was sufficient to give to those who were
not present general idea of the scope, ma
ture and tenor. Although! portions Of his
remarks were received with applause, if
we may judge from the free expression Of
opinion INDUCED in by delegates and others,
there was general feeling of dlsappoint-
ment when lie took his seat. We confess
to the same feeling ourself, and during the
delivery thereof we felt that it was out of
time and not of the character to deliver to
the representatives of the intelligent rcpub-
licans of Vermont. We may say here, as
pertinent to the subject, that, with few
exceptions, the convention was composed
of the most respectable and intelligent men
of the party, Thoughtful, reading, thinking
men men who arc 'posted' in reference
to current events political history and the
legislation of Congress for the past quarter
of century. There were present old men
with gray hairs, young men just in the
prime of lite, men who have filled the
gubernatorial chair, been in Congress,
filled state offices, been senators and repre-
sentatives in our general assembly, soldiers
and civilians aud men in all the callings of
life. These were the men he was called
upon 20 address, and in our own judgment,
rs wei as in that of many others, he failed
to comprehend the situation, as he, certain
ly, failed to do that which was expected of
him. We think we understand The reason.
Mr. Edmunds with all his talents and ac-
knowledged ability and cloQuence, ought
not in the present condition of his health
to have undertaken the task. His physi-
clans have, as we understand. absolutely
forbidden him all kinds Of mental labor !;
yet, in spite of this, he rides night and day
from Washington and, with but n few
hours for rest, he addresses the body Of
men to whom we have referred
We have said that we, and we think a
majority of the convention, were disap-
pointed with the speech. And why? We
expected much and received but little
The speech was no, timely, it was old.
There was not one Of his auditors that did
not know, and had not heard from the
stump dozen times, the same thing in
almost the same words. 1t was simply the
simo kind of speech that was made from
a thousand stumps, a thousand times over,
during the campaign of 1872. Every word
of it was, perhaps, true, but that was not
the time or the place or the audience to adj
dress them. The achievements of the re-
publican party are known and read CT all
men; we fought and triumphed on that
record and the solemn pledges made for tho
future and we cannot conceive what tho
campaign speeches of 1872 have to do Will
the Vermont republican state convention OF
1874 Neither can we sec how speech per
lectly appropriate for the stump in the last
presidential campaign is q fit and proper one
to deliver to body of such representative
men as assembled in Burlington, Wednes
day. Aside from rehearsing the achieve
ments OF the republican party-whcl
all good republicans admit and NJ
democrat dare deny-in putting dowr
the rebellion, the abolition of slavery, tn,
passage of the constitutional amendments
whereby equal rights andlmpartal suffrage
were secured, the work of reconstruc
ton" accomplished, the partial paying of
of the public debt and lcssening Of taxation
what, with single exception, did he say
There are many and vital questions in ref
erence to which the convention would hay
been pleased to have learned the Senator