Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-08-02
THE GREEN PARTY,


| Meeting of the State Convention.
| ORGANIZATION OF THE PARTY IN vERNoNT.
| 1t was queer looking crowd. The great
majority of them were old men; and the
prevailing unkempt. uncombed, addressed
and generally frowsy air, gave all the mem
bers OF the convention curious generic re-
semblanco. gentleman with a large and
brilliant carbulcle on the tip of his nose,
sat in the middle OF the hall and formed the
centre Of the assembage; and the lines of
unsantary looking gentlemen radiating in
all directions from him presented faces of a
singularly uniform type In short. the ap
pearance of the convention was
Just what one might expect; and
the opinions aired and the theories
expressed were entirely oonsonant with the
looks of the delegates and the dwelling
idiocies that form the ''principles" of the
party whose latest embryo is the one Matched
at City Hall. to-day. Greenbackers, spec
tators and reporters numbered in all some-
thing like two hundred persons, embracing
lew OF our own people, quite number
from Winooski. a gOodly delegation from
st. Adams and other points in Franklin
county. and hali-dozsn stragglers from
outside Chittenden ant Franklin counties
In the st. Adams delegation were, among
Others, s. E. Kirkpatrick, Alfred &. Stafford,
E. A. Skeels and s. G. NObls s. W. Jew
EFT represented Rutland but of prominent
citizens of Vermont there was conspicuous
absence, Among the well-known Demo-
Gratis present as spectators at the parturi-
tion of the new organization We noted
George NJ Fisk, of Mortified. DR..
l.. c. Butler, of Essex, and E. NJ.
Sutton, of this city.
AT lO:45 a. IN. on Thursday. August LIST,
the Vermont National-Labo Dor Greenback
convention was called to order by John R.
Forest, Of Winooski. who spoke substan-
tally as follows:
MR. FORESTS ADDRESS.
History attests that in the political DEVELOPMENT
of the race, from time to time. when laws and Gus
toms have become unbearable by the common
people. they have arisen almost emdsSe, and some
ton and ballot have wrung concessions and changes
that marked epochs in the history Of the past
For the hundred years OF our existence we have
vantageOusly to creditors who have placed their
credit in bank stocks and loans but very poorly in
the interest Of the middle and poor aborng classes
1t is properly called the English system introduced
into this country by Alexander hamilton when he
concocted the first United States bank. 1t allows,
promises TO pay, to circulate money, when it is
we'll known there is not one quarter as much gold
and silver or other real money in existence. Hiss
CHEAT snare, a lie. By its operation we have
had periodical crisises, which have been harvest
times for bank stock and mortgage holders, but
financial ruin to debtors, labOrers and depOstors in
savings banks. The English ystem works disas-
trousy to the aboring classes in every country that
has adopted it. and change must be Just as desr-
able in Canada and England as here
The system needed. is, that oil money must be
issued by the government, that whether made of
metal paper, it must be perfect and complete in
tself-be iull legal tender in every case, and to
any amount in the payment and lawful discharge
Of every species OF Indebtedness, matter how lit
tie the commercial value Of the material of which
it is made, and for the welfare of the people. it
must be issued and distributed In sufficient guam
tity and SAFE and convenient form. This we desig
nate. The American system of Finance, and its
adoption by the Government will form an epoch in
financial history that will lie referred to in all
coming time for the great benefit it will confer upon
the people.
Again, our land tenure system is too much in
imitation OF the English; granting large tracts OF
public lands subsidies to corpOr aOns aud allow
large domains to accumulate in individual hands
by purchase or foreclosure Is another system of
oppression, which is bringing our agriculture
classes to mere tenants at will of money mongers
and absentee landlords. The time must come when
possession and occupancy will be considered the
best title to real estate.
For the present We demand that all corporations
who have not piled with the terms of the land
grants, he Immediately dispossessed of the same,
and that the public lands be held free for actual
settlers, and that destitute settlers have the aid
Of a government loan.
The Republican and Democratic parties have
wholly Jailed to comprehend and understand the
interests o, the laboring and business men OF
country, and, in consequence, such financial crisis
has been brought upon US, we have from necessity
devised changes in the management Of finance and
division Of land that can most readily be broush.
about by discovering all connection with them, and
hence we associate ourselves for effective warfare
under the cognomen of the National Party.
The two old parties made the fatal mistake in the
interest of labor and business, by supposing that
it was their duty to mmed lately install the traitor
gold as the king Of property, by legislation that ap
Of Indebtedness, and deprecated the price Of the
products and wages of labor with which to pay
them. They allowed themselves to be boodwink.
ed by Shylocks. and on pretence Of strengthening
the public credit, enacted laws, firstly, that the
bonds be paid in coin, secondly, that silver should
not be coin for such purpose, and worst Of all that
millions Of greenbacks should be destroyed and
the balance redeemed in coin January LIST. 1879.
This legislation has made necessary the forma-
tlon Of the National Party and as the adoption of
the Matthews resolution and the passage of tho
Silver bill sets that part right. further demand
the repeal Of the law changing the original con-
trAct' tne repeal OF the banking law, and the IN
definite postponement of specie resumption.
We are told by these men who, by this commun-
stic legislation, have transferred the property of
the many to the few, that there il use Tor Ma
tional Party as gold and greenbacks at par
We think it was the duty OF our legislators to have
guarded the interests OF the laboring and business
men by such legislation would have assisted and
encouraged then to pay the Indebtedness, and in
order to do So to that there appreciation
OF that Indebtedness nor depreciation OF the value
Of wages and property caused by legislation. We
therefore demand that this legislation appreciate
Ing the entire Indebtedness three or four hundred
per cent, shall be ged, and volume OF legal
tender money issued, equal in volume to what 1t
was when the csmmunistc work of appreciation in
the interest Of the bondhoders commenced, and the
people relieved from this bonded slavery which it
is intended to fasten on the laboring and their
children and children's children and generations
yet unborn.
And now We give warning to the laboring and
business men That the real purpose in creating
this bonded debt is to forge chains OF bondage for
them, and that the real design is change Of the
Government into a moned aristocracy, and if the
action OF the men ut the head of the Government.
and the two ol1paries with their leading organs are
carefully scrutinized in connection with this lesla
ton and demands for an increase of the army in
period of profound peace with all nations betokens
desig n on the liberties of the people that it may
be well for them carefully consider; and while
purpose making labor and its encouragement tho
grand central key TO the arch of our Republic. We
ask all who are laborers and get their living by
personal services to join us in making the producing
laborer the object OF cur fostering care.
E. A. Skeels, of St. Adams, nominated for
temporary chi rman Nelson Nye. of East
Highgate; who was duly elected, and took
the chair amid applause.
Mr.. Nye, who appeared to be al amiablo
old gentleman, of the turtle dove variety,
and who was not a marked success as
presiding officer, made modest apologize
speech, and proceeded at once to business.
John Webster, of Franklin, nominated
for vice president DR.. r. E. WEIGH, Of East
franklin and he was duly elected.
5. E. Kirkpatrick, Of St. Adams, nominated
for secretary A G. Stafford. of St. Adams,
but Mr.. Stafford declined, on the ground hat
Franklin county was already pretty well
represented in the list of officers.
Gen. George j. Stannari. of this city was
then chosen secretary.
On motion of Mr.. Skeels. the temporary
organization was then made permanent.
Fletcher Tarblc. OF Swanton, moved that
the chair appoint committee on resolu-
tons and platform.
Carried; and the chair read from a list
handed him by Mr.. Kirkpatrick the names
Of Fletcher Tarble, John j. Burgess of St.
Albans. and John Webster of franklin; to
which were subsequently, added John R.
Forest, and Daniel Tarbel of Addison
county.
On motion of Mr. Nash, of st. Adams.
the chair appointed as a committee on or
ganization and TO select State committee,
Messrs. Skeels and Kirkpatrick, of St AL
bans; H. Fassett, of Enosburgh Worsted,
of Vergennes and S S Brown, of Bur-
lington.
$. W. Jewett. Of Rutland, being called
on for on address. said the great cause oil
all our troubles was the taking OF money
from business and putting it into untaxed
oovarpmpnt hnnis He WAS getting along