Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-04-02
a shocking Outbreak Of vermont
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the letter Of the Edmunds resolution.
a shocking Outbreak Of vermont
"Mugwumps."
The New York Tribune OF last Saturday
printed leading editorial, the alleged pur-
pose Of which was to correct an explanation
recently made by a correspondent OF the Bos.
ton Advertiser of the cause Of Mr.. Edmundss
inactivity during the Blaine campaign Of
1884. That explanation was, in brief that
Mr.. Edmunds had offered his services to the
committee in the campaign telling them at
the same time that some expressions Of his
untavorabe to Mr. Blaine were on record
whereupon the committee decided that il was
not best for him to speak ION account of his
unfavorable opinion OF Me-. Blaine written in
1880" The Tribune says it has talked with
several members Of the national committee,
and got from them no evidence to corroborate
the statement in the Advertiser. On the 9TH
er hand, it says that the committee urged Mr..
Edmunds TO speak on different occasions, aud
he steadily declined to do 30. This is the
substance Of an article which occupies a col
umn OF space. Oh its face It's purpose is to
clear the national committee from blame in
the matter, but one who reads between the
lines cannot help seeing in it covert thrust
at Mr.. Edmunds from Mr.. Blaine's personal
organ aud foremost advocate. The time for
it's appearance was chosen with great care
the very next day after MIR. Edmunds had
carried his resolutions triumphanty through
the Senate and demonstrated anew his leader.
ship. The purpose Of the Tribune was ovi.
IDENTIFY deliberate to properly temper" his
victory in the minds Of the people, 80 that
be should not gain too much prestige by it.
This move Of the Tribune has brought sew
ersl Of the leading Republican newspapers to
their feet, aud their comments on the article
exhibit an amount of "mugwump" sentiment
which must be positively shocking to the
Montpelier Waterman, which has set itself
up as a judge Of what it really is to be a
"mugwump." The Newport Express, for in
stance, sees the face Of James @. Blaine ap-
pesring behind the mask in the anti E1munds
movement, and purpose on the part of the
Tribune to stab the Senator and lay the whole
blame Of Republican defeat on his shoulders
But
The fact of the business is, Eimunds
had not for many years regarded Blaine rs a
safe man to have at the head of national af-
fairs. He regarded him, as all our Demo
cratic friends did, a corruptionist, and bad
said 80 by word and letter. In view of this
fact, to speak in his favor during the cam
paign was to go back on his we'll defined and
expressed ideas of right and truth. He sim.
ply acted from his own standard Of propIiety.
For this he should be honored rather than
DETAINED. standard of truth so high as to
avoid the appearance of evil, supported by a
courage which could withstand the specous
appeals Of heated partisans in time of th e
utmost political urgency, is not the kind that
true-hearted Nermonters will desire to see
thrown down. A man with the courage of
his convictions is too rare a commodity to set
aside in this age Of corruption aud monopoly
II will be a confession of debased patriotism
and weakened moral SENSE on the part Of
the Green Mountain Boys to allow it, There
is no charge Of incapacity laid at Mr. Ed
mundss door. No telephone scandals dis
cover him with vatered stock in his hands
no jobs Of any kind number him among their
supporters. He is always in his place. clear
headed, incorruptible, the greatest statesman
in the country James Ct. Blaine and Gov
Smith ask the people Of Vermont to retire
him from public life, the one out OF personal
spite, the other from selfish ambition. Yer
mont will oblige neither Of them"
The Manchester Journal, in its article de
velops an amount of ''mugwumpery which
is positively alarming and we are sure tn,
Waterman will take Mr.. Simonds in hand TO
it:
, THE Tribune processes TO give the bottom
truth in the matter, but the inference which
one would naturally draw from its article il
that Edmunds was the sole cause of Blaine
defest-which is as far from the truth as pos
sible. At the outset of the campaign Ed
munds presided at a meeting in Burlington
at which he said it was the duty OF all Repub
! licans to support the ticket The complain
/, is that he did not on that occasion and after
wards euogze Blaine they say he ought 4
t have held up Blaine as a saint. The unfortu
e nate part Of the whole matter was, Blaine
record was such that it needed bol-tering "a
by men of high reputation. The whole cam
paign was fought on the defensive. The ma
tional committee fought it on that ground
! and made some stupendous blunders Tw
o weeks before the election the state of Ne'
York was regarded by both Democrats an
o Republicans almost sure for Blaine. Blu
the committee thought he needed more bo
stering up. A meeting Of ministers WAS al
: ranged at New York, to show that these goo
, men endorsed him. At this meeting the Ut
: fortunate BurchArd opened his mouth, an
=. ten thousand votes were lost to the party i
that state. 1t was also thought necessary
. show that capitalists were in favor Of Blaine
l and a grand dinner OF monopolists was he'll
y at Delmonico's, and thousands Of votes NOR
were lost to Blaine. Now Blaine aud the nj
tional committee try to throw all the blam
of defeat upon Edmunds Forgetting 6ll {
al their blunders, they cry, Edmunds migf
2, have saved US.
y ITO us the whole blame of defeat rest
Hrat N ha candidate uhO naeHe1 an m q
l. endorsement, and secondly in fighting th
ls whole way through on the defensive. In try
ing to show that Blaine was saint, whe
every one knew that he was not, the Rspul
% lican leaders simply kept before the poop
r, matters which would soon have been forgo
10 ten. They fought the fight on personal il
"a stead of national issues, and were beaten
N and now they seek to lay the blame all o
= Edmunds."
The Rutland Herald has never heard thu
3 Mr.. Edmunds sis disposed to deny that
had poor opinion of Mr.. Blaine and hs
~ said 80 in writing, and that he could not al
= vocate his election without inconsistency al
embarrassment. 1t is but just TO him TO +
lieve that this was the reason why he he
= aloof from the campaign With commen
- able candor the Herald adds:
~ Like other men, Mr.. Edmunds has fault
D. They need not be hid nor explained, least
Is all justified. But in its career of 80 yea
ls the Republican party has had few leade
e with whom it has found so little occasion f
n, censure, and the country has had not OF
statesman who has originated more wise legi
VI laton and carried it through with greater i
at dustry and ability. In view of this FREEDOM
an nant and chiefly important fact we can VT
ly afford to forgive him much and to rememb
a. no more against him a difference of opiniC
= and an indifference of action, in relation
" which, after all, he had as good a right
regulate his personal conduct as any Of u.s. ~
* disappointed Hiram!
ne Cheer up, Hiram! Three years yet I
n main in which you may possibly be perm