Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-09-20
Correspondence Of the Sprir adeid Republican. }
Poland's Strange Fight.

ITO The Editor of The Republican II think in
Justice to Judge Poland and his friends who have
cordially supported him that the people should
better understand the means by which his major
ity In the district was reduced so much below that
of the general ticket Orleans county was brought
into the new second district and in Il resided Cen
era Grout who was serving his first term in the
house from the old third district. For delegates
to the nominating convention there was no oppo-
sition in his own county and they were almost
unanimous for him. In the convention Judge Po-
land had a majority OF the delegates In each of
the other six counties OF the district and NOM
mated by sixty-eight majority over Grout on the
first ballot The lower counties of the district
were not fully represented; II they had been, Po-
lands majority would have been still larger
This result was wholly unexpected by the friends
OF Grout in Orleans county they were mortified
and exasperated and treated II as an indignity TO
their county Some injudcious editorials in papers
friendly to Poland were laid hold of by papers
supporting Grout and dwelt upon largely to keep
up this feeling and fire the hearts OF CIRCUITS
friends, especially In Orleans county. After
little while this feeling seemingly died away, and
the friends OF Grout said there was to be no
bolt and only scratching OF Poland would coma
Of it. The friends OF Poland were lulled
into feeling Of perfect security and no
effort was made to meet opposition, or to
get out his friends to the polls. Matters re-
NAMED in this situation until few days prior
to the election, when 1t began to be rumored
that there was to be bolt by CIRCUITS friends,
but no very open show was made till the
day before the election. In very many towns
Poland's friends had no notion OF the move
ment until they met at the polls. II turned out
that votes for Grout, with the most active work
ers In his behalf were in every town in the dis
trlct, unless perhaps, in Windham county, and
never were efforts more vigorous and means more
inscriptions used to defeat any man than were
used TO defeat Poland. In st. Johnsbury every
old lie and prejudice against Poland was revived
and improved, and many new ones invented, and
in addition to the local politician, two or three
young men from Barton-Grout's homemade
themselves very active in canvassing for Grout
Since the election some of the machinery by
which the performance originated has come to
light DIR. Billiard, resident Of st. Johnsbury
Is very active and not over-scrupulous politician
Some years ago he became hostile to Poland on
account Of a post-offlce appointment, and has
been very active against him ever since. He was
leader in the Denison bolt which defeated
Poland in 1874. lie had been leader OF CIRCUITS
forces and attended the convention and made all
sorts of efforts to get the Grout forces to go for
| anybody to beat Poland. The last week but one
before the election Billiard had 1t announced that
he had gone to Lake Connecticut fishing, The
same week IL was announced that Grout had
gone to Canada. am informed upon what | be-
lieve to be reliable evidence that Billiard and
Grout had meeting that week up in Essex
county or across the river in New Hampshire,
where the programme was doubtless arranged.
Billiard came home at the end OF that week.
and in the early part OF the next week CIRCUITS
two brothers from Orleans county were at St.
Johnsbury closeted with Bullard. Wednesday
Bullard went to White River Junction His own
account Of the arrangement is that he notified
various of his co-workers to meet him there when
the details were settled for the several Counties
Billiard to take the superintendent Of Caledonia
and Essex counties the others being allotted TO ac
tive men, and that three men were to be selected
from each town to distribute the votes and canvass
for Grout. This plan was substantially carried out
No better organized bolt was ever concocted or
carried out. What was lacking in time was more
lFa nj Of astnn
on the other part to meet it. The affair in Or
leans county was managed by CIRCUITS brothers,
his law partner, his brother-in-law and few
others. The prominent men Of the county who
were Grout supporters at the convention were
not on it, and generally disapprove Of it, think
1t was easy enough to rally Orleans county
People there felt disappointed in the failure Of
their man to get the nomination; local pride was
appealed to" Orleans county was left out in the
cold /" ETC. and the newspapers there had fan
ned the feeling as much as possible Grout has
never been favorite in his own county, but the
feeling of injured pride and dignity there was
enough to make him a hero and martyr for the
occasion. And hence he easily got large major
ity Of the votes The point aimed at was to draw
away the votes from Poland to prevent his get
ting the majority required by the peculiar law /;
they cared little where the votes went II they
only counted against Poland. In Washington
county scheme was formed at the last moment
f. f. snring the name Of Dillingham; at the p9lls
very popular in his county, and had some vote
In the nominating convention. This device was
the joint work of some of CIRCUITS leading friends
and some democrats and might have proved suf-
ficient for its purpose II Dillingham; had not re-
pudiated it absolutely as soon as 1t came to his
knowledge, But the scheme proved considera-
BILE success, and several hundred votes were
drawn away from Poland to Dillingham; which
could not have been got for Grout. The same
thing was attempted In the lower part of the dis
trct by the use of Tylers name, but this started
earlier, came to Tylers knowledge, and he put it
down at once.
In Orleans and Caledonia counties there were
several contests over the nominations for county
officers and Poland's friends, feeling no anxiety
for him, left his candidacy to take care OF itself
while they became absorbed in the local fights,
but the conspirators organized against him gave
single eye to his defeat He no doubt suffer
loss OF many votes In these two counties from
this cause. 1t can be said in truth that the nomi-
nation OF Poland was not in conformity with the
plans and calculations OF those gentlemen who
have in charge the politics of the state although
they may not have aided any opposition to him.
There have been some filings in the papers about
Po.ands small majority. The extraordinary
thing about ii Is that under all the adverse cir
cumstances, he should get an absolute majority
over democrats, greenbackers and every variety
OF boilers. 1t is doubtful II any other man In the
district could have done it, and nothing could so
well demonstrate the confidence felt In him by
the staid and solid voters OF the district as the
suit II these gentlemen had not believed they
could have destroyed his Majority they would not
have attempted It, DR.. Bullard says: "Unce
Luke dare not try it again. This result shows
another trial. 1t s matter of serious regret to
many who have been friendly to Grout that he
allowed himself to be party to such conspir-
acy' Is reported that he is trying to shirk the
responsibility. The evidence against him would
condemn even better man. It will be the end
oil his congressional aspirations in Vermont.
INDEPENDENT.
St, Johnsbury, Vt, September II, 1882"