Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-08-30
RrlsioM In Montpelier.
An Unprecedented Crowd and Great Enthusi-
asm-Other Speeches ~ Colonel Joyce and
Judges Bcnham and Poland.

and placed ON the State House grounds iufnisheda
grateful shade to the large audience, besides aid
ing the speakers in rendering every word distinct
without undue strain upon their voices
At li.30 A. NJ, the special train from White
River Junction arrived, bearing delegations from
the intermediate stations more particularly from
Mortified, whose representation was very large,
and added greatly 10 the success Of the occasion
From other towns within radius Of forty miles
came, too, large numbers Of prominent Republic
cans, which, added to those present from Mont
pelier, constituted political gathering larger,
more intelligent aud more enthusiastic in the
good cause than has ever previously assembled
within our borders
Long previous to the tune appointed for speak
ing 10 begin-two o'clock-the tent was filled,
and large numbers seated In teams, filled the
roads in the vicinity.
Promptly at the appointed time Honorable T. 7.
Walton, who had been selected to preside, called
the meeting to order The platform was fully
occupied, and among those on it we noticed Cen
er,l A. Cushman. Of Rochester, Governors Martin
and lIinckley, Of Chelsea, fononbles Herman
Carpenter and George Nichols, Of Mortified,
Generals Barstow, Of Burlington, and Thomas,
Of Montpelier; that veteran Republican Asa
Andrews, Of Bcrlin-oyer ninety years Of age
and many Others and the Mortified Campaign
Glee Club The latter opened the exercises
by the very acceptable rendering Of a cam
pagn song to the air of Hold the Fort Mr.
Walton then introduced Judge Poland, who spoke
substantially as follows
"There is now a great stir il the democratic
ranks torcllight professions and speakers are
all through our state. DO they expect To elect a
Governor? po they expect 10 elect Congress
man? DO they expect To elect even high Bal
M = No. why, then, TINS sur lhey intend TO
create blaze, before tile light Of which, II
the star that never sets shan now not grow
dim, it shall at least pale VIII they do il? Ceres
OF MOI They mean that the voice OF Vermont
shall be weak and feeble in September want 1t
to be strong, SO as to encourage our weak and
feeble brothers at the south and west want
the sound Of your voice at the polls to be heard
from the Atlantic to the Golden Gate.
The speaker then alluded to the state canvass.
He said he had noticed that the opposition press
called the Honorable Horace Fairbanks, Republic
can nominee for Governor, tax stealer' lie
then proceeded to show wherein the charge was
untrue and a misrepresentation Of the man. That
the charge OF mercenary motives was not posi-
| bility. He Judge Poland) had lived near neigh
Dor TO Mr. Fairbanks for over thirty years and
| knew him well Mr.. Fairbanks name was rs IA
miliar as household words In every civilized land,
mainly through means Of his business and vet
| through all his worldwide business connections
no one had ever presumed to doubt the integrity
Of Horace Fairbanks, until be WAS nominated for
| Governor. No one before has had the audacity u
assert that the Fairbanks firm were guilty of the
least dishonesty. All these charges are made
not that they hope to defeat the gentleman-but
that they may cut down the Republican vote and
affect the Presidential election Referring to ma
tional Affairs, are on the eve Of another rresi
dental election. The question is what party shall
rule for -four years to come? The tree is know
by its fruit. II reform is desired, what create
reform was ever wrought than that executed by
the Republican party, in the raising Of four mil
lion human beings from property into citizens
We spent four years in bloody war, and thousand
Of millions of doiars-what for Because tn
South said % We will rule that part Of the conn
try" We said " no to that, Now the sout
comes with the modest proposition to rule tn
whole country well know how We felt when tn
war was in progress. When the call for three hun
dred thousand more came time after time each oc
cason taking eighty men ont of my own town
face death aud perhaps starvation, we realized al
ter that the Importance Of victory when it FINAL
perched upon our banners, despite the then recen
Chicago convention which declared the war fail
ure, OF which Samuel J. Iilden was among tn
chief members. Now that we have Tough
through the war and conquered the rebellion, doe
any one suppose that we will place Samuel J. Til
den in the Presidents chair, any more than "
accepted the declaration Of the committee q
which he was a member, which declared the wa
a failure in 1864 ? No. one thing he wante
Vermont Republicans to do, and that WAS, to vote Il
September and see that everybody else votes too
While Judge Poland was speaking the trai
from st. Adams, bringing Colonel Dristow, ColonC
Joyce, the St Adams Gee Club, together wit
large aceessions to the crowd, arrived. The al
peannce of Colonel Bristow upon the stage wa
a signal for loud aud protracted applause.
At the conclusion of Judge Poland's remarks
the st. Adams Glee Club gave the audience on
of their campaign songs, which they rendere
most effectively and acceptably.
Mr.. Walton introduced Colonel Brstow, with
felicitous ausion to the fact that Kentucky an
Vermont were admitted into the union the sam
year lie added that these states shonld be con
ns, and accordingly introduced Cousin Bristow
to the audience.
Colonel Brstow was suffering FROM sever
hoarseness, the result Of too long open-a
speeches the previous day, and before comnen
I ing he told several parties that be should NJ
speak to exceed thirty minutes. lie spoke hov
ever, for about an hour and one-half, aud who
asked what made him change his mind, he r
piled that the audience was attentive, so o
derby, and so intelligent that it was pleasure
speak TO them" and he hardly knew when
stop. Colonel Bristow's remarks were follow,
with the closest attention by the entire vast AUD
enee. lie delivered substantially the speech viii
we published in last weeks WArcHMAN
, After music, Judge Benham, of Louisiana, "
1 introduced
Judge Benham is a planter In Louisiana. M
chased two thousand acres of land in that .tai
invested sixty Thousand dollars and remoy
from Ohio in 1866 lie employs six hundred d
groes ON his plantations collected together fro
all the southern States some have served in Il
4 Union army. ALI were slaves and a few from II
| North He qaye detailed aecouut of bia exne
a ence with the natives Of that section and NJ I,
!, hitter nreiudices with which he and other Mar,
. | erners had IN contend He closed with a ratbe,
! anneal IN the North NOT IN remapd tho Sontb In
= the denlorahle condition from which II ,,as q,
emerging by voting for ridden A vote Tor r