St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-05-31
throughout the country.-st. Adams

Messenger.
While some symptoms of severe crit
icism of the presidents Southern policy
showed themselves in the opening
speech of the Vermont Republican Con-
yention, the platform applauded his
motives and approved his general
course. The denunciation of the presi-
Dental investigation was most hearty,
and was well seconded by caustIc let
ter from Senator Morrill.-N. Y. ITt-
bune.
The resolutions adopted are COM
mendably brief, vigorous in language,
and animated by right spirit. In all
respects the convention was harmoni-
GUS in sentiment, and it is to be expect
| ed that the Green Mountain State will
give her usual republican majority next
September Times.
The Vermont Republicans yesterday
began the campaign in a spirit which
would ensure victory in a much closer
state. Their candidate for governor,
Col. Proctor, is steadfast republican,
who is not easily captured with the de-
lusions of new and untried policies.
Their mild. endorsement" of the adj
and unity, and means only that, though
the Southern policy has proved fail
ure, we are glad we tried it, and prov
ed its lack of merit, since the unrecOn-
cilable character of the Southern demo-
Gratis has left nothing to divide us.
Following the platform Senator Nor
rills letter contains the best campaign
creed.-B0stOn IraUelIer.
Ex-Governor Smith of Vermont de-
family arrays himself in the ranks of
the "stalwaIts," and bowls about Gram
pant rebels" reducing the army and the
appropriations in such way as to sug
gest that he is seized and possessed of
the bloody shirt spirit of Morton. If
Vermont republicans have no better
talk than this to offer to the people,
they had better hold their tongues and
hide their faces. 1t is out of date, and
in state not thoroughly honey-combed
with radicalsm, and owned and con-
trolled by bitter, bigoted spirit of par
tisanism would meet with "a fitting and
merited rebuke.-BOStOn Globe, Demo
crdt.
The only excitement in politics in
Vermont is the party convention.
Whoever the republicans nominate is
about as certain of his office as if he had
already been sworn in. This year,
however, even this little variation from
the uniform monotOny has been remov-
ed, as the action of the convention is a
foregOne conclusion. The speech of ex-
Governor Smith in opening the cOnven-
ton at Burlington was on the old fash
toned order. War was about to be de-
clared between North and South, and,
though the governor asserted that he
was not an alarmist, if any of his hear
ers had been simple enough to take him
at his word, their natural desire on
leaving the hall would have been to
hurry over the border into Canada to
escape being drafted into the army.
The speaker may be right, but we are
curious to know what reason he has fol
thinking that President Hayes is soon
to practice an heroic treatment in deal
ing with his erring southern brethren.
If we are in the desperate strait that
Governor Smith seems to suppose,
liberal and wholesome hanging is n
remedy by no means too drastic for the
occasion. If the triumph of treason is
almost SIRE, treason should certainly
be taken incontinertly by the throat
and strangled forthwith But who are
the guilty menP On this head the gov
ernOr is not as clear as we wish he was,
though the implication is that he would
include all the democratic congressman,
from Speaker Randall downward, in
the general slaughter. Evidently the
republicans of Vermont have had it all
their own way for so long that they are
spelling for Il fight.-BOStOn Herald.
1t is difficult to speak respectfully of
a platform which, after adducing the
precept, ''in essentials unity" fails to
make the slightest reference to the SEES
sential" questions that are before the
country. The Vermont platform is
worthless because its authors were I'M
able to distinguish between the essen
tlals and the non-essentials of principle
and policy.-NeW York Times.