Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-08-06

We are gla Il to receive Mr.. Colton's COM
munication, and to have the date of the
convention alluded TO by Mr.. Palmer settled.
1t was, as we surmised might possibly be
the case the convention of 1859 in which
the precise question at issue in the late con-
vention came up and was settled by the
county in an exactly opposite way. We
think Mr. Colton's recollection is slightly at
fault as to one or two not important particu-
lars. The roll of the convention of 1859
was printed in the FREE PRESS of July 10,
1859, and does not contain the name of Mr..
Chittenden. The Burlington delegation to
that convention consisted of Geo. F. Ed
munds, G.. W. Benedict, j. a. Shedd, Henry
Loomis, Ii. b. Stacy, +. e. Hill, c. +.
Ward, VIM. Weston, Henry Rolfe, John
Barstow, W. l.. Strong, 5. Huntington, W.
G. Shaw ard f. j. Fay In the quite full
report of the proceedings there is no men,
ton of any remarks by Mr. Chittcnden nor
is there any indication that he was menu
Der of the convention. Mr.. Mason was not
candidate against Mr. Chittenden but
was Aiihlu5 DtGh Il cSuatOi
the year before on the ticket with Mr.. Chit
tcnden, and without ballot The only can
ddate against Mr.. Chittenden was Hon.
Levi Underwood, of Burlington, whose
name was presented by Col. Rolla Gleason,
of Richmond. Mr.. Edmunds, in support
ing Mr.. Chittendens nomination, said :;
There was usage, having very proper
foundation, that the three Senators of the
county should be taken from different parts
of the county, and that one of them should
be from Burlington, because of its relative
population and business relations to the
rest of the county. II there were local
QUESTION: of consequence to the people OF
the county, each portion was thus sure TO
be fairly represented in the Senate. In the
present case there was a local question of
great moment-that regarding the construc-
ton of branch Of the Vermont and Cana
da Railroad, according TO its original charter
and the provisions OF the act of the last
year He" Mr.. Eimundsl says the re-
port, ''dwelt upon the extraordinary specta-
Gle of Mr.. Gleasons course in this matter
From his town of Richmond there went a
Senator whose vote last year on the railroad
question was in opposition TO that CT the SEN
ator from Burlington Ii was his right so
to differ, and nobody here thought of object
ing to his denomination at this time, on that
account Yet Mr. Gleason came here, and
and in the face of the express wishes of the
community set up in opposition to the can
didate of their choice another gentleman
from their own midst, whom, estimabe as he
was and cheerfully as they would vote for
him under other relations under the present
aspects of the case, they had not thought
proper to propose" A ballot was taken and
the candidate.proposed by Burlington, Mr..
Chittcnden, was nominated by vote of IS
to 80 The other Senator's Mr.. futile and
Mr.. Mason, were then rcnominated without
ballot.
Two or three reflections will probably oc-
cur to our readers. They will perceive, in
the first place, that the convention described
nv Mr. Cotton bears no resemblance TO the
one described by Mr. Palmer. and will per
haps conclude that it would have been bet
ter for the latter gentleman 10 know some
thing of the matter he was talking about
before he undertook 10 cite it in argument.
They will see that Mr.. Palmer's recollection,
or power of description,as to recent events,
is also quite unreliable, his witness testifying
that he did not CorrobOrate all that Mr. Palm
er said at the county convention. or any con-
siderable part of what he said. They will
see, also, and most important Of all, that the
action of the convention of 1859 WAS no pre-
cedent for the action of the last county con-
vention but exactly the contrary The re-
cent convention witnessed what llr. Ed
mundS in 80 called the extraordinary spec
tacle" Of Burlington candidate who was
not under the circumstances the choice of
the Republicans Of Burlington, presented
hy gentleman from another town, in op-
position to the candidate presented by the
burlington delegation. Did the convention
of 50 declare that the preferences of Bur
lington were of no account Not at all
With all the influence of the Vermont Cen
trail Road thrown on that side, hut 80 dele
gates were found willing to vote to over
ride the choice of Burlington. The con
vention, by large majority, voted not only
that Burlington should have a Senator, hut
should have the Senator she wanted The
decision was u just and proper one, and in
the interest of the peace and harmony of the
party. Any other decision would have been
an outrage on the Republicans of Burling-
ton, which the Chittenden county Republi-
cans of that day were not capable of inllict-
linz. The conventin Of 1859 was sug
geslivc bit of history. We are glad it has
been brought up, and trust its lessons will
not he altogether los. in future