Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-06-18
Ahnn,"PncLInr.nEt &c.

Among the Vermont dispatches printed in
the Boston Journal last Tuesday was the fol.
lowing
1.-THE report that the Brattleboro delegation was
packed does Col Fuller injustice, as the caucus i'm
medatey followed a town meeting, and eVery.uele-
gate was elected by ballot with ample opportunity Tor
voting. Fuller delegates were chosen by vote OF 2O
to 40 opposition
As the editor Of The Pl mnix sent the ire
port" referred to at the request of Mr. Forbes,
the Journal representative, a word as to the al
legged ''injustoe" will not be out OF place.
Col. Fuler's friends came into the caucus last
Saturday afternoon with a ticket Of eight
names which had been made up beforehand,
and which, under the lead Of their spokes-
man, they purposed to compel the caucus to
vote on all at one time, and they strongly OPP
posed a motion to elect delegates one by one
as nominated as has been the usual custom
in our caucuses, and which is the only method
to assure popular expression and fair play.
The Fuller tickets had already been printed,
apparently in the candidates own office, with
the full eight names on each q large major
ity of the men who brought and cast them
were his employees, and the declared purpose
OF his supporters was TO compel the caucus to
take the whole list at one dose. The MAORI
ty we're compelled, or thought best, TO yield
this point at the start but before the caucus
was through Mr.. Martin frankly acknowledge
ed that it was ''slste" which they were put
ting through. If delegation elected by such
methods was not packed" delegation, we
humbly ask to be informed as to what would
constitute one.
Our only reason for mentioning this is the
fact that systematic attempt has been made
to make it appear that our report to the
Journal was intended as an ATTACK" on Col
Fuller which was not the case.
We did not say that the caucus was packed
Our allusion was strictly to the delegation anC
the way it was made up. 1t is true, however
that the case was particularly successful ant
we'll managed specimen OF caucus packing
an excellent working illustration of the wa!
things are done in the New York ward meet
ings. With this, however, we find no fault
but not be cause we do not condemn the prin
ciple which it involves. A packed caucus !
a caucus in which the workers Of one side o
faction have their men out, while the majoli
iy of voters stay away through indifference
and The Pt9nix long ago took the groun
that, when caucuses are packed, it is the fau
of the men who stay at home, and it refuse
to have any sympathy for those who thus mes
lect primary political duty, and then rais
a howl because the other fellows have "paol
ed" caucus.
Year in and year out, with every succeed
ing campaign, we have preached TO the vote
on the duty of attending the prmarie!
When the mass of voters once begin to faitl
/ fully perform this duty, frowning down evel
, attempt to subvert the will of majoritits
to smother the voice of respectable minor
, ties, we shall have an end of packed" del
= cations, and the beginning of those polite
! methods which every intelligent, console
} tious American citizen believes in, and whit
are the safeguards of the institutions und
D which we live.