The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-10
Senator Edmunds.

Directly in its editorial columns, or
indirectly through its correspondents,
the Boston Journal since election has
been snarling at the heels of Senator
Edmunds. What is the Journals griev-
ance? Has the Vermont senator, by
word or deed, furnished name the
most illustrious among living American
statesmen? Has he departed, by so
much as hairs breadth, from the
straight and narrow way of official in
tegrity or personal honor? Has any
public act or private scheme, inconsist-
ent with the strictest construction of
the most rigid preceptlai down for the
guidance of man, by so much as scrap
of paper or the faintest whisper, been
traced to his door? None of these
things are alleged or in the most dis
tant manner limited at. Has he been
a traitor to his party? During the late
national canvass, by word and by letter,
he repeatedly affirmed that republican
success in the approaching election was
of far-reaching importance to the well
fare of the whole country. He de-
clared, among other emphatic utter
ances, q" that a very close study and
observation of the professions and
practices of the democratic party in
congress and in the country has demon
strated that the safety and welfare of
the people of the United States continue
to demand its exclusion from power"
Is this the language of treason? He
proved his party fealty by returning
from Washington to vote for the cleo
tors his party had nominated. Was this
the deed of man wanting in party 10y
atty? Was it the act of disgruntled
leader " sulking in his tent''? He had
no cause to sulk. For him the presi-
dency had no allurements. He re-
joiced that even the slight hope of his
friends that he would be chosen his
party's standard-bearer had been dis
appointed. What, then, is the meaning
of the Journals hue and cry? Appar-
emily because Senator Edmunds did not
come up, in the late canvass, to its self
established standard of party zeal Now
all will not agree that this should be
setdown to Senator Edmunds' discredit,
or that he should be impeached there
for. 1t goes without saying that the
journal, in the late canvass, bore off the
palm for unstinted lying. Its exploits
in this field of partisan achievement
were the despair of those anxious by
Such means to attest their party loyalty,
and to commend themselves to the no.
tice of political field marshals for rec
ommcndation to the almoners of party
favor. The friends of Senator Ed
munds everywhere feel a glow of hon
est pride that he fell 50 far behind this
heated Journals furious pace. While
the latter is cooling off and repairing
damages, the senator keeps on the even
tenor of his way, running tilt with
monopolies and contending for a gov
eminent whose laws shall be framed and
administered in the best interests of
the millions governed. And when the
time rolls round again for the Green
Mountain state to choose his successor,
unless he shall positively refuse to serve,
he will be returned to the United States
senate with fervor and unanimity that
will put the black stamp of Beelzebub
upon the Journals spurious post-elec-
ton coinage also Its representations
of political sentiment in Vermont, es-
pecially as affecting Senator Edmunds,
we believe are sweeping libel upon
the people of the state. From motives
of partisan pique the republicans of