St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-06-24
JUDGE POLAND SPEAKS.

Judge Poland has succeeded in keep
ing his own counsel pretty well during
the past three or four months but the
statement in the Burlington Clipper
that eve know that Judge Poland is
a personal enemy of Senator Edmunds"
brings him out in long letter to the
Burlington Free Press. After speak
ing of Mr.. Edmunds' rise in his pro-
fession he says:
Neither of us belong to the gush-
ing, effusive order of men, but l have
always been sincerely and honestly
friendly to him, and l have all reason
to believe his feeling toward me has
been the same. In the considerable
time we were in congress together, we
occasionally differed in our views of
public questions, but so far as | re-
member there was never an unfriendly
word, nor do / believe, an unfriendly
thought between us. If Mr.. Edmunds
has read in some Vermont newspapers
that have become his "bitter and I'M
relenting enemy" think he will call
for better evidence before he believes
it.
Judge Poland then reviews more or
less in detail Mr.. Edmund's relation to
and feelings toward Mr.. Blaine, makes
the following statement of his views
concerning Mr.. Edmunds present at
titude:
Shortly before the meeting of the
national convention close and con-
| fidential friend of Mr.. Blaine published
letter in which he charged that Mr..
Edmunds in the senate acted and vOt-
ed on railroad bill while he had a
personal interest in the property. Mr..
Edmunds at once replied and showed
that the charge was perfectly ground
less. Whether the person making the
charge believed it or not [ do not
know. Probably he could easily have
ascertained if he desired before max
ing it. Mr.. Edmunds believed that if
this charge against him was not di-
rectly instigated by Blaine, it was at
least sanctioned and approved by him,
and he felt outraged and aggrieved by
it, and was naturally very indignant.
Mr.. Edmunds' resentment for what
he considered a gross personal injury
to himself, l think influenced his ac-
ton much more than the causes to
which it has generally been attributed.
In common with most other republic
cans 1 greatly regretted that Mr.. Ed
munds could not, or did not, come at
once to the support Of the republican
ticket. l thought he ought to fOregO
what he felt to be a personal wrong,
for the good of the cause, but l long
ago found out that it is much easier to
forgive injury done to other people
than those done to yourself.
do not think Mr.. Edmunds appre-
ciated at all the results of his silence /;
ordinarily the mere failure of one man
to help in campaign is not of great
account, but the peculiar circumstan ces
of the campaign of 1884, made the ST
lence of Mr.. Edmunds, factor of great
moment. l have thus stated in as few
words as possible my idea of the rea-
sons and consequences of Mr.. Ed
munds' action in 1884. OF course they
are mine only, perhaps nobody else
| thinks as | do. In conversation with
people from time to time, [ have stat
ed them substantially as | do to you.
l have never said anything on the sub
ject for the purpose of being reported,
or that | had the remOtest idea would
be. L have never supposed that any
opinion of mine was of any more con-
sequence than that of any other mere
private citizen.
never said anything from which it
could be inferred that | was an enemy
of Mr.. Edmunds, or that l was Oppos-
ed to his reelection to the senate, I'M
less from statements like the above.
| know that under circumstances when
so many are watching to know what
a man will say, and then perverting
what he does say very watchful and
prudent man would say nothing,
though 1 dOlbt if that would help him :,
but have all my life been accustomed
to say what l thought and believed,
without much regard to whether it was
prudent or polite. In relation to the
reelection of Mr.. Edmunds | have
uniformly said, that if he desired to be
re- elected | had no doubt he would be.
do not like to stand in any false pO-
sitiOn, or in any doubtful position, and
so | ask you to give space for this in
your paper. Very truly yours,
LUKE 2. POLAND.
Waterville, June Is, 1886.