The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-10-15
The Legislative Reunion,
A success as a Festive occasion, but polti-
cal failure, A peep behind the curtains,
edmunds on top
Especial Correspondence Of tho snTErl

lliClllptts NcIt III Ullclii'lNt' ~ llbtieN
able feature was the absence of many
of high reputc for honesty and integrity
in their respective districts. The plain
English of this is that these men did
not wish to lend their presence to Il
body that was liable to be used to fur
Their the designs of self-seekers by SEEM
mgly giving rcspectability to their nice
laid schemes. Others, barely put in an
appearance and quietly left. Among
these latter may be mentioned cX-Goy-
cnors Barstow, Stewart and Proctor.
In fact at the grand banquet but one cX-
Governor was present, and he, Farnum,
a strong Edmunds mau. These men, to
their credit be it said, refuse to give
countcnancc, or aid in any manner, to
the Batchclder-Martin combination
with the Smith-Atkins effort to beat
Edmunds. That it was the intention of
these schemers to use this reunion to
further their projects. namely, the rem
dering certain the calling and election,
by the Republican convention next year,
of James X. Batchelder of Arlington,
for Governor, and Levi X. Fuller of
Brattleboro, for observation-disclosures,
admits of no doubt. This plan was well
laid months ago, aud considerable work
put into it in July and August by the
free pass brigade.
Batcheldcr is a young man of consid-
cradle talent but unfortunately for him
the people are not calling him, and his
claims are being pushed by himself and
few small great men who have axes
to grind. These affiliations are extreme
" unfortunate. Martin, his right-hand-
man died, politically, several years ago
and the plain hemlock slab that marks
the resting place is appropriately inscrib-
ed Governor Smiths little man: Died
of too much fixing Hooker, since
his defeat in securing the nomination for
Congress, and his later defeat for the
Legislature by Democratic Ccnland,
notwithstanding he keeps bobbing a.
round, and this fall has filled his hair
with hay seed, must be considered, po-
litically, "a dead cock in the pit Full
Ter is-.Jacoh Estcy's s0n-in.laW, that
all. EX-Govenor Smith, another main
stay, is fast loosing his hold among the
people, who have set their hearts upon
wholesome law regulating railroad
traffic, and the defeat OF this law is to
be his reward for pulling on this little
string, besides, the attempted boost into
Edmunds' seat, if such an attempt is
thought advisable. That this latter will
not be undo rtakcn is now rendered
certain: indeed it is doubtful if
Batchelder, Martin and Hooker ever
contemplated such movement, but, it
was a good fulcrum over which to pry,
and make sure of the assistance of the
St. Adams magnatc. There are indica'
tsons that the aforesaid magnate is get
ting this through his WOOL, ii SO, the
boys may expect to hear something
''drap," for of all the men that hate tC
be used, j. Gregory takes the lead
However, there is this to it: the old
Governor always has the legislature tc
fall back upon; like his satraps, who
when defeated for high positions, fall
back on their towns, and are willing
to be listers or hog constables. So the
old "Boss," if he cannot control the
nominations for Governor and othel
State officers will fall back upon de
termined effort to secure the Legislature
and thus prevent legislation i'll the iii
terest of the masses and that would be
detrimental to his railroad monopoly
In this view of the matter he may no
break vito this faction but continue tt
use it. 1t was freely whispered, during
the reunion, that Martins power il
Windham county was steadily Oh thu
wane, and that it was extremely doubt
full if he could six" the upper Yves
river towns, where he but recently liv
ed, to say nothing about the rest Of thu
county. In this connection the SIFTEI
came in for honorable mention, bu
not Intentionally, as the party who nam
ed it would send it along with all Othe
Independent journals to sheol, if it wer
possible.
But to return to the reunion proper
As festive and social occasion it stand
without parallel in the history of til
State. Many of the members brougl
, their wives with them, and to say thf
the occasion was pleasant and enjoyabl
is drawing it mildly. Hundreds, nc
only saw, but heard Edmunds SPEAK
and had the pleasure of taking him b
the hand, who never enjoyed that fell,
ity. This was matter of eXtren
: delight to many. In brief, the whol
: affair, politically, was an Edmund
boom. 1t was Edmunds here and Et
munds there, and Edmunds was at Il
i. top of the heap, all opposition TO his +,
: election being eilectually crushed. N
wonder the eX-Govcnor had suddo
call to Boston. No wonder the rir
statesmen went home like whipped eur
: The thing was splendidly arranged vii
Martin as historian, Hooker presidil
.,
4 over the banquet, and Atkins and Glib
in reserve. But alas! The pieces mu
: be reset, the line of battle re-forme
= only to be again Knocked down al
routed V.
l. The New York Evening Post offe
II its semi-weekly edition to new rcade
II for the last three months of this We
o for % cents. Its make up includes, b
"a sides the news of the half-week, t
g leading editorials of the daily cditio
"a foreign and domestic correspondent
Is personal. political and religious note