Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-03-01
AFTER EDMuNDs, WHO.

Almost every patriotic Vermonter
earnestly desires to see Senator Edmunds
become the nominee of the Republican
party at the National Convention, and
will do any just and reasonable thing to
bring this about; but in our desire to
see this accomplished, we must not for
get that the chances are decidedly against
US.
Hence it becomes US to make a second
choice, and to prepare our forces, small
though they be, to battle for the next
best man. 1t is not necessary to remind
anybody, who has followed the course of
events, of the fact that two republicans
will absorb nearly the entire vote of the
convention. These men are Gen. Grant
and Senator Blaine, the chances of the
former appearing to be best at present.
We are sorry to feel, esteeming Grant
as highly as we do, that those who are
managing his campaign,i in many instanc-
es, are the notorious machine politicians
of their various sections. These expert
wire-pullers have already defeated, as
we think, the wishes of the majority of
people of Pennsylvania, and have tram
pied upon the will of very large MI
nority, if not the majority in the great
state of New York. This kind of busi-
ness we do not like. The politicians of
the country are neither as honest or as
wise as the people. In most cases they
act from selfish policy, while the mass
of candid, honest voters, having their
country's welfare at heart, act from purer
motives and often with greater wisdom.
If the opinion of the sober, intelli-
gent, patriotic men with whom we have
conversed on this subject (and we have
talked with many is any gage of SEN
timent elsewhere, Gen. Grant is not
the candidate most needed at this time.
He is neither the first or second choice,
after Edmunds, of one-half of the repub-
licans in this section. There are many
who declare they will not vote for him
in any event, and still greater number
who do not consider him the strongest
candidate. We are not arguing the
question of merits, but are trying tc
state the facts as they have come under
our observation. If the country does not
desire the continuation of the present
excellent administration, aud insists ii
making the great mistake of rejecting
Senator Edmunds, as between Gen
Grant and Senator Blaine, we are il
favor of Blaine. He possesses all th,
qualities of leader; he is brilliant
single handed he has stood up alone il
the House and in the Senate and met ;
phalanx of his political adversaries, ant
they have been only too willing t
sound the retreat; on the stump he ha
called together more thousands at on
political meeting than ever gathered t
hear any other politicians in this coun
try. He has been as wise in statesman
ship as any man whom the country ca
select for the high Office of Presiden
As Republican, he is the embodiment
the cardinal principles of the party; q
man. pure. honest and good. he is equa
at least, to his strongest rival. But IL
availability, it seems that he is strong
er candidate than Grant, to say ii
least. In times like this when the Coz
federates are in full possession of all I'll
rebel states, and when a large fractic
!, of the north is anxious to surrender all
them, availability, as we'll as person
e merit, must be sought in candidat
s and it does seem to us now that Senat
e Blaine is the man if Edmunds is n
s accepted.