St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-08-18
Republican County convention.


donna county was held at the town hall
in st. Johnsbury on Wednesday. The
convention was a large one, the add
joining towns being largely represent
ed. 1t was called to order at Ills by
T. c. Fletcher of ST. Johnsbury, a
member of the county committee. At
ter the reading of the call the chair an
nOunced the following nominations for
the permanent organization, which
nominations were ratified by the con-
ventiOn: President, H. C.. Bates of
st. JOhnsbury vice president from
each town in the county; secretaries,
Alex. Dunnett of Ryegate and |. w.
SanbOrn of Lyndon. Mr.. Bates, on
taking the chair, expressed his thanks
for the unexpected honor conferred
upon him. He said they had met as
representatives of the republican par
ty, party not of to-day merely but a
party of history. He pointed with
pride to its record as the record of a
+
been fruitful with good works. Mis-
takes have been made, but the general
tenor of its record has been in favor of
the best interests of the country and of
humanity. He spoke of the glorious
record of Vermont, a state which had
been as true to the republican party as
the needle to the pole, and the glorious
record of her sOldiery.
Henry S. Wright of st. Johnsbury
opened the business of the convention
by offering the following resolution,
which was unanimously adopted with
out discussion
Resolved, That we demand the rigid
and impartial enforcement of our pro-
hibitOry liquor laws, and we demand
of the nominees that shall be made
this day faithful discharge of their
duties in that behalf. And we expect
of the senators to be nominated this
day, if elected, to cast their votes in
favor of the proposed amendment to
the constitution of this state now pend
ing to incorporate the principle of pro-
.
David Trull of Burke moved that a
committee of four be appointed from
each town to act as Il committee for
the nomination of candidates for the
consideration of the convention.
George w. Cook of ST. Johnsbury
moved to amend that the convention
proceed to nominate as a mass cOnven-
ton. Geo. Smalley of Lyndon moved
the towns be represented in the con-
ventiOn on the same basis as at state
convention.
Pearl ID. Blodgett thought both these
motions unjust and mildly accused the
supporters of trying to spring a trap
upon the convention.
Charles Wilson of Danville vigo-
rously seconded Cooks amendment as
did Josiah Ward while John Blanch-
ard of Peacham seconded Mr.. Smalley's
amendment.
David Trull didn't want the nomi-
nations of the county made by st.
JOhnsbury, but wanted the nominal
lions made as the people expected they
would be when they came there. J. P.
Otis didn't want any change this year
but would gladly go for a change at
the next convention, as he believed
Mr.. Smalley's motion just.
Capt. George Blair of Barnet thought
right was right to-day, and nothing
would be made by putting off just
matter two years. He made a telling
speech and carried the convictions of
the convention.
AT this point A. j. Willard moved
to lay the motion and amendments on
the table while he offered the fol-
lowing:
Resolved: That the county commit
tee be instructed to call all county
conventions hereafter as delegate con-
ventiOns, each town to be entitled to
the same number of delegates in said
convention as they had at the last pre-
ceding republican state convention.
After discussion the resolution was
put on its passage and lost. Both the
Cook and Smalley amendments were
lost, and the original motion was then
adopted. The convention adjourned
at 1925 to meet at I:30, and the inter
i'm was occupied by dinner, the meet
ing of the people from the several towns
for the purpose of selecting their rep
resentatives upon the nominating COM
mittee, and the meeting of the nomi-
mating committee.
While awaiting the report of the
nominating committee, Rev. F. B.
Phelps of East st. Johnsbury, by invi-
tatiOn, addressed the people upon the
question of whether public affairs shall
be managed by temperance men or the
rum-pOwer. He thought the republic
can party should place no man in Office
who is not a total absUainer and recog-
nize the temperance issue in its plat
forms.
Alex. Dunnett followed, taking the
ground that the temperance question
is not an Issue in Vermont, inasmuch
as all the support that the temperance
canse has ever received has come from
the republican party.
Henry S. Wright also spoke upon
the Importance of the temperance ques-
ton in our politics.
The nominating committee made its
report, when DR.. Billiard moved to
substitute the name of H. c. Bates for
that of Harry Blodgett for states at