Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-02-11
The State Convention.

resentatives, will assemble at this place to
select four Of their number to represent
them at the approaching national conven.
tion at Chicago. The representation will
by no means be general, we fear, as only
delegates at-large are to be selected, leaving
the districts to hold separate conventions
We think this mistake. A much more
general and genuine representation of the
Republicans of the state would have been
secured and much time and expense saved,
had the whole question of choosing dele
gates come up, as was done four years ago,
instead of leaving each district 10 hold sep
arate conventions. Having never heard any
complaint of the action taken in 1876, we
Of course have no knowledge why different
course was adopted this year. Doubtless
the state committee had good reasons for
their action.
To whom will be committed the high
trust of speaking for the Republicans of
Vermont at Chicago it is, of course, impos-
sible to foretell. The matter of candidates
has not been largely discussed in the state
Indeed, as on the governor question, more
knowledge as to individuals seems to be
possessed by journals outside than inside the
state. On the east side of the state we have
heard favorable mention made of Hon. B.
F. Fifeld, Hon. E. p. Cotton, Colonel Ros-
well Farnham and Colonel Kittredge Has
kins; and on the west side of Hon. G. G.
Benedict, Hon. Henry Ballard, and ex.Gov-
ernors Stewart, Page and Hendee. These
are all good men, and, speaking on general
principles, would be worthy representatives of
the state, though we have very limited knowl-
edge of their individual preferences on the
main question. Unquestionably Mr. Fifield
would be unanimously presented by Wash
iDgton county, should he consent to accept
the position. Weare also informed that Chit
tenden county is quite likely to present Mr..
Benedict, as especially fitted to be of service
to the state at the present juncture, having
attended as a close observer all the national
conventions of the Republican party, save
one, since its organization.
But it is of infinitely less importance by
whom than how we should be represented.
Our strongest and best men should be Sc
lected to give the utmost possible efficiency
to the voice of our little state. Nor will
any instructions be called for. Both the
duty and mission of Vermont are well under
stood. The intelligence and virtue of her
people, with her uniform devotion to Re-
publican principles, have given her delega-
ton power in former conventions far be.
yond their numerical strength. And it is
the first duty of this convention to provide
against any mistake in this behalf in the
present emergency And as to ,ohat that
voice shall be, we judge there is little dan
ger of going wrong. We take it that no
men of ordinary intelligence among our Re
publicans could be selected who would fail to
use all honorable means to secure the nomi-
nation of Senator Edmunds. They would
not merely give him a complimentary vote,
but present and maintain his candidacy as
against the field, and exhaust every honor
able means to win success to their standard
but if they failed in this, to then throw
united vote where it would do the most
good in securing the next best possible re-
suit. Where the second choice of Vermont,
should one be necessary, would fall, it is
impossible now to tell. Not unlikely sue
cess may ultimately come to one outside of
the prominent candidates now in the field.
The dark horse received a wonderful i'm
petus at the hands of Vermont's little dele
cation when Lincoln was fl rst nominated, and
also four years ago at Cincinnati Vermonters
are not much given to booms," and no one
is authorized to say that the second choice Of
our people is for Grant or Blaine or Sherman
or Washburne. They all have their friends,
and in the event of the nomination falling TO
either of them, we do not doubt that he
would receive the united support of the Re
publicans Of the state. Above and beyond
all, the threatening clouds in our political
horizon teach us the one great duty to yield
everything to the cause and nothing to men
As we remember the bitter fruits of the ex
ira session of congress; as we look at the
civil war which aneighboring state has just
escaped by but hairs breadth as we view
the designs of the solid south, and the servil
ity of their Democratic allies everywhere
every right-minded Republican will be pro
fclndly impressed with the absolute neces
sity of the highest and best efforts for Re
publican victory at this juncture. In the
presence Of the dangers which threaten us
all mere personal preferences and minor con
siderations should sink out of sight. Tn,
one supreme, all-absorbing question is, pha
and ,oho will make success most sure