Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-02-20

The article which we copy from the st.
Adams Messenger this week, on our "Ver-
mont Congressman and the next Presidency
is good reading for the week before our Re
publican State convention. An attempt has
been made by the Rutland Herald and Bur
lington Free Press to belittle the force of
what the gentleman referred to in that article
says about the position of our Vermont con-
gressmen on the question Of Mr.. Edmunds's
candidacy by abiding to him as being, prob
ably, a former editor of the Herald whose
strong point is in his capacity for talk"
However this may be, we have the best of
private reasons for believing that our Yer
mont representatives at Washington are in
full sympathy with the outspoken sentiment
in favor of Mr.. Edmunds now prevalent
throughout the State. They do not see any
harm, or lack of modesty or wise foresight,
in letting it be known to the country that
Vermont believes in Mr.. Edmunds md that
the mass Of her people are anxious to see him
given all proper ana reasonable prominence
and support at Chicago by our Vermont dele
cation. 1t has been an amusing feature in
the events of the past two weeks to see how
the Rutland Herald, disturbed and put to con-
fusion in the midst of its screaming" Grant
boom, by the unanimous sentiment in ia
vor of Mr. Edmunds, has tried to explain
away the uncomfortable difficulties of its po-
sition by talking of the presumption and un-
wisdom of an attempt on Vermont's part to
bring Mr.. Edmuuds into prominence, until
he has first been named by some of the larger
and more important states, and by intima-
tions that Mr.. Edmunds was being made ri
diculous, and that the whole Edmunds move
ment is a part of an anything-to- beat Grant
scheme. We fail to see who could be ex-
pected to talk about Mr.. Edmunds if his own
people at home do not he cannot be made
ridiculous by the wise and prudent actions
of his friends, so long as he keeps himself en-
tirely aloof from the canvass. and the mass of
the people, so far from cherishing any feel
ing Of hostility to Gen. Grant, in case his
nomination becomes expedent, are now sim
ply anxious TO make it known that, first of all,
they are for George F. Edmunds. The tao
tics which were intended to start an uuquali-
fed Grant "boom, and carry it through the
State convention with rush, have failed,
but hol btNuubc huy uOuy nus lIltu 10 meet
them with an anything-to- beat Grant boom
The sentiment in this State in favor of Mr..
Edmunds has developed and found expression
strongly and rapidly during the past fortnight,
and outside the State every day makes him
more and more prominent. Mr.. Washburne's
withdrawal simplifes the canvass to n very
great extent, and il becomes daily more evil
dent that the strife between the three leading
cont astants, Grant, Blaine and Sherman,
must result to the advantage of some fourth
and, at present, less conspicuous candidate.
1t may not be probable to-day that Mr.. Ed
munds will be that candidate, but it is GER
tainly growing to be very promising posi-
bility that he may be. Under such circum-
stances the only becoming thing for Vermont
Republicans to do is to send a delegation of
sound, leading and representative men to
Chicago, who can command respectful hear
ing in the convention, and who will throw
their influence first of all in favor of Mr.. Ed
munds, We believe there is now no question
that it is such delegation-a large as this
that our State convention is sure to elect next
week