Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-02-22


dent precludes any ante convention
controversy in the party, and in
view of the fact that quarters for a
Vermont delegation of eight mem.
bers have'been secured at the Palm
err House by Col. Hooker, member
of the National Committee from
Vermont, there is no occasion for
any earlier meeting of the State
Convention. 1t has been the GUS
tom for the State and District Con-
ventions to meet at the same time
and place, the delegates being elect
ed at the same town primaries but
meeting at separate conventions.
There seems to be no reason under
the existing condition of public sem
timent for breaking away from the
precedent established in holding
these several conventions.
Although the convention for the
nomination of State officers will not
probably meet until after the Chic
ago Convention, there has been con-
siderable discussion as to the candi-
u"Ge % IO ,.o'..i"eta1 by thn Rn-
publicans for Governor. The name
of Hon. Frederick Billings was early
placed in the field by his friends
and supporters and met with cor
dial Endorsement. The movement
for this gentleman was doomed to
an early demise, Mr.. Billings him
self having written a letter to ex-
Judge Barrett in which he refuses
the prospective tender of the honor
and absolutely declines to have his
name used in connection with the
Governorship, alleging good and
sufficient reasons, both of person
al and political character, why he
cannot accept of the office. There
has been considerable feeling ex-
pressed favorable to the renomina-
ton of Governor Barstow. While
Governor Barstow would honor the
office for another biennial term, he
declares that he does not desire a
reelection and will not, under any
circumstances, be a candidate.
Thesprevalence of the one-term
rule and the existence of the SEEM
ingly insurmountable mountain bar
rier will undoubtedly necessitate the
selection Of a candidate from the
east side. The redistricting of the
State by the Legislature, in accord
ance with the Congressional reap
portionment, and under which the
districts are divided by mountain
lines, has still further made more
formidable the natural boundary
distinction in politics, and the can
didates for Governor will doubtless
continue to be selected alternately
from the east and the west side of
the State for some little time.
There is some talk of promoting
Lieutenant Governor S. 4. Pingree
to the Gubernatorial office. He
made popular official, and he may
some day fill the Executive chair.
The Lieutenant Governor has many
friends who would be gratifed to
see him made Governor. The friends
of Hon. George Nichols of North
field formally announce their inten-
ton to present his name to the Re-
publican convention for Governor.
The first authorized movement on
the part of the numerous supporters
of Secretary of State Nichols for his
promotion to the Gubernatorial
chair was made Saturday by Hon.
G. @. Benedict in'the columns of the
Burlington Free Press, which gave
him hearty Endorsement for the
Executive office.
Apropos of the coming meeting
of the Republican State Committee,
of which Hon. George Nichols is
and in view of his prom
lnence in the ante-convcntion cam
paign for Governor, brief mention
of his services to the State and par
ty will not be out of place.
Appointed to the office of Secre-
tary of State in 1865, he has been ,
reelected each successive year by
the Legislature. Secretary of State
Nichols has made a most efficient
and popular officer and at every LIE
5islative session for nearly twenty
years his popularity has increased.
A good war surgeon in a Vermont
he has been an excellent
civil officer. The first connection
which he had with the Republican
State Committee was in the famous
Greeley campaign of 1872. He had |
been a delegate to the Republican S
convention which renominated Gen. {
Grant and was that year made s
of the State Committee, the (
others being Gen. George w. Gran
ley, Gen. Stephen Thomas, Col. .
Chas. II. Joyce, Maj. VIM, Rounds,
Franklin Fairbanks, Hon. John L. 7
Barstow, Hon. G. Z. Benton, and G. !
). Page. Mr.. Nichols was elected !,
Secretary and Treasurer and was Sc
ected by the committee to take the
supervision of the cam :
oaign. A lively canvass ensued and ,
he result showed Republican ma ! !
ority of 81, 900 for Governor, while l
Greeley was buried in November
under much larger majority. In t
1876 the Republicans of the country I
awaited the first gun of the cam l
oaign with much anxiety. The State t
canvass was again in charge of Sec l
'etary Nichols. This was centennial t
year, and it was with great effort 4