Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-08-16

1OHrtHHoH ottT any debyht, anu ~ l. HI
tie late to bring up idle rumors, to invalidate
the result. If such questions were now tc
be raised, the first case to be considered
would be that Of the Fairfax Barlow dele
gates chosen by a caucus not called to choose
delegates to the District Convention, and
actually held before the call for the District
Convention was issued. For gentlemen who
were quite suited with that proceeding to
object that caucuses were held "a few days
after the Convention was called" and that
one was held before the hour, is stfainipr at
gnat and swallowing camel, with ven
geance.
Second, An "Aspirant Gen. Grout
Offered money for the support Of leading
men" and employed both Republicans and
Democrats to fill the primaries We shall
not insult the intelligence of any voter by
arguing that this makes no reason for with
holding support from Gen. Grout but We
call attention to the proof here offered that
Gen. Grout offered no money and packed no
primaries with Democrats. If any such
charge could have been brought against him,
or his supporters, it would. of course, have
taken the place Of this absurd count.
Third, A warfare Of personal misrepre-
sentation" against MIR. Barlow. Where
this warfare was carried on, if anywhere,
VIC do not know. By this paper assuredly
Mr.. Barlow was not misrepresented parti-
Gle, to his prejudice. The objections to him
were placed squarely and openly on public
grounds, and some bitter personal attacks on
him were withheld from publication. But
this warfare, the call says, was to divert
attention from important public questions on
which his views had been years before pro-
nounced." That is to say, Mr.. Barlow was
attacked on personal grounds, to divert at
tention from his Greenback views! How
utterly baseless this suggestion is, our read
ers know. Mr.. Barlow's unsound financial
views was one Of the objections earliest and
most constantly urged against him. That he
was an inHationist and q Greenbacker, was
stoutly denied by his supporters throughout
the canvass. But present developments are
showing the falsity Of the denial, and are
indicating the truthfulness Of his opponents,
and the substantially of the ground of their
opposition. As to 1.-THE combined opposi-
ton of the National Banks" Mr.. Barlow is
president and chief owner Of National
Bank. The banks in this city did not put
dollar into the canvass against him. or take
any part, as such, in it.
Fourth, There was common effort Of
who figured against the strong
est" What of it, if there had been? If
regular nominations were to be discarded
on such grounds, how many nominations Of
Presidents, Governors or Congressman would
stand? But, the facts are, and the first
ballot in the Hydepark Convention showed
it, that Gen. circuit was the strongest candi-
date. lie led Mr.. Barlow and all others,
from the start. lie alone, if any one, can
claim to be 1.-THE choice Of the party'-and
the final result in the Convention was, in
fact, the simple registering Of the preference
of the majority Of the voters.
Fifth, The counts Of the color Of some of
the ballots (which, of course, no one who did
no. choose was compelled or asked to use)
and of motion to adopt the method Of rot-
ing in constant use in National and other
conventions, which motion was
not adopted,-wil only excite a smile.
These, like most Of the other charges, only
show the straits to which the boilers are
put, in order to find sven a colorado justi
fcation OF their action.
&rth, We challenged, weeks ago. the
production of proof that any effort was made
to purchase the vote Of delegate for Gen.
Grout. None has been produced /; and none
ian be. The charge that it was
The purpose of leading supporters of the
to bolt the nomination" if Mr..
Burlow had been nominated, we also believe
to be without substantial foundation The
FREE PRESS has from the first, as our col |
lmns show, maintained that the action of the |
Convention would determine the election. |
Gen. Grout and his 81 leading supporters
having gone into Convention on the IN
ierstanding (Which is the only one on
which a nominating Convention is possible)
that the choice of the majority. as fairly eI-
pressed in Convention. should rule, would |
have abided the result, if it had been against |
them. like honorable men, and without |
whining.
The charge Of " reflections on the cam
paign, We cannot he expected to treat
seriously. This bundle Of suspicious, ru-
mors and misstatements, then, is all that
can be presented a. basis for bolt from a |
fair, honorable, worthy, Iaa~im0u, and re-
zuiar nomination The boilers haye |
really expressed in the first sentence the |
1nly real ground they have for their &C
lion. viz; discomfort" with the re-
suit Of the convention. If Mr.. Bar
ow had been nominated at Hydepark,
they would have been content, and would
have expected the Republicans of the Dis
trict to support the nomination. As he was
not nominated, they bolt. If there are any
81 them cool enough to consider calmly a
civil question, We should like to ask them
how they suppose any kind Of party or
sanization can be kept up, on that principle |
Who do they suppose will in future ever
be willing to 20 with them into nomina-
ing convention or caucus, on the footing
hat their opponents must submit to the
majority if it proves to be against them, but
that they are to accept the result only il it
pleases them.
As TIE Messenger is not quite suited with
,ur account Of the interview in which Mr..
lou- auuuraN f.on Ero.,k IF L.