Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-04-06
A Strong Platform Adopted,
Rousing Speeches by Hon. p.
X, Glecd, Cen. Mccullough,
Mr.. plumley and Others.
Harmony and Victory the WatchWOrt

The state republican convention for the
election of delegates at large to the ma
tional republican, convention at Chicago
was held in the Howard Opera House We'd
nesday. The towns were well represent
ed, especially those of the west side, there
being nearly 5o) delegates present. The
convention was called to order at 1920 by
Hon. G. ). Page of Hyde Park, chairman
of the State republican committee, and
the proceedings were opened with prayer
by Rev. Homer Eaton, ID. d., pastor OF
the Methodist church of this city The
call for the convention was read by +. ".
Baldwin of Barton, secretary of the State
committee. The roll call Of delegates WAS
dispensed with on motion of Charles VII
son Of DanvIlle.
Mr.. Page then named Hon. p. X Gleed
of Morrisville as temporary chairman and
he was unanimously elected. On taking
the chair Mr.. Gleed spoke as follows;
MR.. GLEED's SPEECH.
Gentlemen Of the Convention
thank you most heartily for the chet T
full unanimity with which, according to
custom, you have SANCTIONED the choice of
the State committee. The duty of pre-.
siding over this or any convention of the
republicans of our Green Mountain State
must be at orc- oa-rand honorable. With
you am cOnsctOu> '.. 1T pride in being
called to take part in tur important work
OF this convention, pride that must in
spire each Of us To exercise his best
thought and uODieSt action. We are here
to represent no political bosses, no rings
of federal Office holders, but are as free to
think and speak and act as the air of our
native hills We are gathered to give
form and utter@Nce by no uncertain
speech or hating measure TO the indie.
pendent intelligence, sturdy virtue and
far-sighted patriotism of the republican
party of Vermont. Assembling as the
second of the ssterhood of States form
ing into battle line for the coming cam
paign, we can say in all sOberness, that
the republicans OF Vermont have the same
confidence IN and enthusiasm for the ma
tional republican principles, prophesies
and leaders as IN the brighter days of Lin
coln Grant and Garfield That our con
tidence should have greater stability, oul
enthusiasm greater motive power is the
natural result of what we have learnel
in the sad school of adYersity of the
blunders and hypOcracies of the demo
crate party during the last four years. il
its foreign policy that party seems to hav,
FORGOTTEN that long ago under Washing
ton the nation asserted. and on many
bloody field maintained its Independence
OF all foreign powers, especially of tha
sellsh mistress of free trade Great Brit
am, and from that day to this the soil O
America with all her right, upOn and il
the seas has been consecrated to the i'm
dustres, the culture aud the homes of
peculiar people known the world over "A
Americans While, with broad patriot
ism surpassed only by our charity, we rec
Ognize the equality of every citizeI. ;e'or
the law, whether in the "sold south" O
divided north we have felt again AN,
again an involuntary shudder a
we have seen the sword of "eXcessiy
partisanship" turned relentlt ssy agqins
the manned and crippled defenders of tn
republic. We have no judgment to pas
upon the motives of our former gallau
allies who felt constrained in the heat O
the last campaign to forsake Us witt
whom they had fought SO many politica
battles and won so many splendid victC
ries for personal liberty and civil servc
reform. These, gentlemen, are sad to b
republicans with a conscience. Be il 81
Have they not seen their best believe
child-reform of the civil service-dishor
Ored, rejected and finally driven from tn
democratic campY Are they not dscou
aged, broken hearted, in their fruitles
missionary work for that article OF on
republican creed in that far away land {
political spoils In the name of the
consciences | believe many of them al
|. waiting to take their places in the Il,
vanced lines of the old army. We we
come them and with them the care an