The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-07-22

GOVERNOR SMITH has responded to
the expectation which was turned
toward st. Adams after the unequiv-
ocal disclaimers of Stewart, Proctor,
Powers and Poland had left him, alone
of the quintette of alleged candidates
against Edmunds, underlined in his at
titude towards the senatorship. Last
week he gave the Vermont correspond
ent of the Boston Record who, with
much tact, has been canvassing the
matter of the alleged movement against
Edmunds, leave to send to that paper
the following summary of his views
and statement of his position: Gov
ernor Smith gave your correspondent
liberty to say for him that he dis
claimed any responsibility whatever for
the present feeling of opposition to Mr..
Edmunds in this state That while re-
GREETING, in common with large por-
ton of the republican party, the course
pursued by Mr.. Edmunds, and believing
that the defeat of the party might have
been prevented by Mr.. Edmunds if he
had not permitted his personal preiu-
dlces to influence his action, neverthe-
less he had not permitted himself to en-
courage any opposition to Mr.. Ed
munds, believing that the time had not
yet arrived for any decision as to what
is for the best interest of the party.
The people of the state,' he said,
will have abundant time before the
election of senator to consider the
question calmly and dispassionately,
and will act wisely and judiciously.'
Governor Smith assured your CORE
spondent that he had not in any form
given consent to the use of his name in
connection with the position of sena-
tor" Divested of their ambiguity, the
governors adroit phrases seem to IN
dictate purpose to add new fuel to the
partisan anger that famed around Mr..
Edmunds after the outcome of the late
national canvass, and to fan its dying
embers into fresh blaze; to magnify
the senator's inaction into an unpar-
donable political sin and heighten its
enormity by accepting, as an indisput-
able truth, the conclusion to which a
few Jealous men rushed, in the first
transports of chagrin and disappoint-
ment, after the November disaster.
With all the fervor of positive convic-
ton the governor processes to believe
that the defeat of the party might have
been prevented by Mr.. Edmunds, and
he seeks to aggravate the offence i'm
puted to the senator by attributing his
course to personal prejudices." He
places his own forbearance A." to encour-
age any opposition to Mr.. Edmunds +"
in complacent contrast with the some
what lurid coloring of his indictment
against the senator. A stern sense of
duty to take the field at once is held in
allegiance to the dictates of policy. The
time is not yet fully come for action,
but when the people shall have consid-
cred the matter calmly and dispas-
sionately," they will act "wisely and
judiciously." That is to say, when the
coterie of patriots who, as he supposes,
are the knightly guardians of the honor
and welfare of the republican party of
Vermont and control its destinies, has
done its perfect work, the people will
turn with spontaneity and unanimity to
the sage of st. Adams for a man to sue
coed "the traitor Edmunds -; in the
spirit of the ancient worthless, he will
answer, 4" Here am l ;" and the peoples
representatives will elect him senator.
The anti-Edmunds movement at length
develops form. Its central figure be-
gins to materialize.