The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-06-11
Democratic State Convention.


to swallow the dose prepared for them all at
one gulp, the Vermont democracy hold but one
convention this year. This being the only
chance for public appearance this season, there
was very full convention. The delegates
began to arrive Wednesday forenoon and by
evening the town was full OF them. There was
quite lively canvass at the Pavilion, but not
over the state ticket, as that had been all sat-
isfactorily y arranged" by the managers. The
only position which was not an empty honor
was that OF delegate to Chicago, and the de-
mand for these places was greater than the
supply. However, by judicious management
on the part OF the leaders. things were fixed
up and the honors divided among the as
pirants. The convention was called to order
Thursday forenoon by Hiram Atkins, chairman
OF the state committee, who made his usual
speech and nominated F. w. McGettrick OF st.
Albans as temporary chairman. Mr.. McGet-
trick pitched his voice on high key and at
once began to shout about the fraud of 10"
and the rascality Of the republican party. In
true democratic style, he proceeded to Kick a
man after he Is down by abusing General
Grant, and the convention Lowered itself by
applauding him. He then took the chair and
nominaly presided. while Hiram Atkins, as
sisted by Hon. b. B. Smalley, ran the conven-
ton. While the vice-presidents were being
chosen, George NJ. Fisk, Esq., of Mortified,
one OF the warehouses, caused a little trouble
by nominating some one on his own account
after j. II. Senter, Esq, of Warren, had named
the right man. There was tempest In a tea
pot for awhile and Fisk refused to YIELD al
though Atkins and Smalley both snapped the
whip; but the convention voted him down.
After the vice-president from Bennington
county had been chosen a guleess delegate
announced that the gentleman had been Sc
lected by the state committee as member Of
the committee on resolutions and that another
man must be named for vice-president. When
| 1t was moved afterwards that the chair appoint
a committee on resolutions, and Mr. McGet-
| trick ted that ha xuou1d hio
| mittee later, as 1t was a matter which required
some deliberation, some one smiled. At the
proper time the chairman pulled out of his
pocket the list, which had previously been writ
| ten at the Pavilion on one of their note-heads,
and read the names. The delegate was right!
The Bennington county mans name was there!
| OF course everybody who knows about such
| things understands that this is after the most
| approved plan Of running conventions, but the
| thing ought not to be announced from the
| floor. Somebody blundered. Hiram Atkins
then nominated Hon. B. B. Smalley Of Bur-
lington as first delegate-at-large to Chicago.
| The nomination was vigorously seconded and
| Mr. Smalley was unanimously chosen, as he
ought to have been, since he is the best political
| manager in the party in this state. The other
delegates chosen were John c. Burke of
Albany, wide-awake member of the present
| legislature, +. II. Bascom OF Montpelier, and
Amos Aldrich of Woodford. James n. johnson,
R. F. Powers, DR.. A. P. Grinnell and j. W.
VI. Y.
Kimball of Vergennes and George W. Gates of
| Hartford were nominated for electors. P M.
| Meldon OF Rutland then took the floor to nomi-
nate L. W. Redington for governor. He was
getting on finely in his abuse Of the republican
party in general and all was going we'll when,
unfortunately he took a notion to descend to
particular cases and had got started to annihi-
late Lieutenant-governor Pingree, when he was
interrupted by Hiram Atkins. OF course 1t
| would not do for Mr.. Atkins to allow any one
kro olN..ar txx ka
championed in his paper, and 80 he explained
to Mr. Meldon that he had advices tending to
show that Mr.. Pingree would not be nominated
by the republicans. This depression somewhat
Disconnected MIR. Meldon, SO he lowered
further delay. By this time it became evident
that the speaker who in general terms, most
roundly abused the republicans would be the
most loudly applauded, and so NJ. H. Goddard
of Ludlow, in seconding Mr.. Redington's nomi-
nation, called the republicans of Rutland ac-
cursed, internal, cursed scoundres, all inside
OF two minutes, and brought down the house.
n. B.-Mr. Goddard was afterward nominated
for congress At this juncture Hiram Atkins
called upon Colonel V. A. Gaskell of Rutland,
who responded with long, very good, but in
some respects unfortunate speech. He is an
impassioned speaker and was frequently ap-
plauded. Among other things, he denounced
the democrats for wrangling over the tariff
spoke OF the necessity for humility in politics
we lear SOlne OF tnen ulu not eaten tnlS pOlnt)
lauded Redington as the Jewel of the demo-
cratic party" (Redington was formerly re-
publican), rebuked Senator Pendleton for in
Producing his civil-service bill, and bewailed
the stupidity Of the democrats who voted fol
IL. OF course his audience agreed with him or
this point, but some Of them evidently doubted
the expediency of speaking about it 80 openly
Colonel Gaskel then charged the republican
party OF the state with being run by six men
but failed to dwell upon the greater docility oi
the democrats, who were then and there being
: led around by two men. About this time
, somebody's dinner bell rang and there was q
responsive stir among the delegates. Mean
while Mr.. Redington was unanimously elected
and then, without any delay, Hiram Atkins
named N. P. Bowman of St. Johnsbury fol
leutenant-goyernor, Henry Gillett of Rich.
mond for treasurer, II. F. Brigham of Bakers
, field for secretary of state, and c. S. Noyes OF
, Morrstown for auditor, and they were al
, elected in less than three minutes. After sew
eral motions by Hiram Atkins, the convention
adjourned until afternoon.
During the recess the district conventions
were held. The first district elected Dr. J. D.
Hanrahan of Rutland and James A. Brown o
South Hero as delegates to Chicago, FL. w
Martin and j. G. Bowman as alternates, Charles
: LaFountaiue of Winoosk as presidential elector
and nominated George II. Simmons Of North
Bennington as member Of congress- The sec.
ond district delegation elected G. L. Spear OF
Braintree and W. A. Richardson OF Island
Pond delegate to Chicago with ii. A WinshI
and Nelson Rand as alternates. George B
, Evans of Moretown was electei presidential
elector and M. ii. Goddard of Ludlow wa,
nominated for member of congress.
At the afternoon session, after the trsnsac
tion of some minor business, j. ii. Senter, Esq
of Warren, read the report of the committee or
! resolutions. The platform declares against the
present tariff, and all monopolies and class
: legislation; denounces the republican party At
"a party of extravaganza, corruption and
D fraud y; declares for a license law, favors the
, grand list law And opposes the " election of any
man to any office OF profit or trust who refuses
, to comply In letter and spirit with the require
ments OF that law" and leaves the delegates
uninstructed. Any mention of Tilden, how
= ever, during the convention, was greeted with
: cheers. L. W. Redington, the nominee fol
governor. was then introduced with the remarh
. that, II the rest of the state would do as wei
: as his own county, the republican majority
would be reduced ten thousand. Mr.. Red
ington's speech was an indictment of the re-
I publican party for its management of national
and state affairs. Every evil of every nature
, whether in politics or in morals, evidently
seemed to him to be due to the republican
. party, and democracy was the panacea for al
! such troubles He threshed over the old straw
about state expenses, quoting Governor Bars
tow's message TO the legislature in 1882, which
, was shown by the THE WATcHMAN at the time
to be contrary to the facts, and charged upor
: the prohibitory law all the evils which his
fertile imagination could conjure up. At thi:
. point Mr.. Redington showed his own weakness
T. n L