Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-03-28

From 10" ST Iohnsb bury Calrdonian
with no knowledge Of Gen Grout's plans or no
understanding between himself or any Of his
friends as to his course in the coming campaign.
we believe that the CaitdouiAu voices the sent
tneutS of his constituency in declaring that he
should bH his own ~uC'rsSDr as representative
+ ON the Second district He has represented this
district for -four terms u q manner highly cred.
itahlr Co himself aud the state. Though not "a
brilliant speaker he has proved himself something
far h,tt"r-au interchangeable worker for the PEG.
pes interests. ON the floor of Congress a. a
member of important committees and as a servant
of the public 100 various ways su common to all
congressman he has been tried and not found
wanting I'm the present Congress hr has is-u az
the head ot an important committee. the District
ut Columbia. and under his husinrSs-lik, methods
the work of that committee has been disposed of
with unusual despatch lie has pursued an hon.
ulAhlr course lu tI' patronage uf the Vermont
offices holding a hlch regard Tor the principles
represented iu civil service reform Vermont has
hitherto maintained her prestige in national at
IHllS 10y keeping her houorrd aud faithful servants
al the front Let TIA" voters of the Second district
keep M the custom and return Gen. Gruut to
congress for another term.
The above paragraph from one of the
leading newspapers of eastern Vermont
gives concise and admirable statement of
question which interests every voter in
the Second district. and we believe it cor
rectly represents the sentiment of the PEG
pie Of the district, very large majority of
whom have a high appreciation of the ser
vices Of Gen. Circuit and wish to zee him
kept in Congress 1t is understood that in
this section an effort is being made to ere
ate Il prejudice against him on account of
his course in the Brattleboro post office
matter. hut the attempt can have no effect
when the facts are correctly known.
Without any purpose to thresh over the
well-beaten straw in our post office contro.
versy, it is to he said in Justice to him that
Gen. CIRCUITS action on this question has
been simply that of an upright, straight
forward man, who holds himself to be the
servant Of the people and bound to obey
their voice. We said two weeks ago that
it was a fact well known to all his friends
that Gen Grout would have much pre-
ferred to have the Republicans of Brattle-
horo ask for the appointment of Repuh-
lican as postmaster, but when the question
came up in the form it did he, in unison
with the other members of the delegation,
took the best means possible to discover
the wish of majority of our people, and
then acted according to the expression
thus obtained
When Coils, Haskins and Estey appeared
in Washington with the strong petition for
Capt. Childs the delegation were evidently
taken somewhat aback, and suggested a
caucus as the best way to get at a correct
expression Of public sentiment Mr.
Childs's representatives replied that while
they did not wish for a caucus they did not
object TO one 1t was well known that a
month before, in December, Col Hooker
had expressed wish for caucus, and un-
der these circumstances Messrs Morrill,,
Stewart aud Grout decided 10 order eau
Gus, Senator Edmunds being then i'll. Two
days later MIR. Waterman, representative
Of the opponents of Mr. Childs, appeared
IN Washington in behalf of Mr. THOMPSON
He conferred with the delegation in regard
10 the caucus, looking over the rules which
had been prepared for its government and
suggesting certain changes which were
made. Col Hooker had in the meantime
photographed 10 Senator Morrill, an express
sion Of his qualification that caucus was
TO he held, giving the voters a chance 10
he heard in the matter There was thus
no doubt that both sides had fully agreed
% submit the disputed question 10 a caucus
decision. The caucus was held, both sides
participating fully without protest, and
good majority was shown for Mr.. Childs
No charge of fraud was made-and the del
egation could not thereafter ON any con
ceivable ground do otherwise than abide
by the decision of the tribunal which they
had themselves set up They had followed
this course in every other case where a
caucus mad been held, notably at Bradford.
where, if correctly reported, the majority
for the successful candidate was only one.
Had there been majority, of whatever
size, against Mr.. Childs, his friends would
have made no further movement for him.
As it was, those who tried to have set
aside the result Of "A caucus in which they
had participated, put themselves in the atti-
tude of boilers, and it is evident To every
one who understands the facts that the
delegation could not place itself in the posi-
ton of abiding boy a caucus decision only in
case It was In one chosen direction. or if
one particular side was successful. Under
SUM a Iulc lht result OF no caucus and of
no election, even, could stand After Civ.
ing respectful hearing however to those
who took this course Mr. Morrill, and Mr.
Stewart made mp statement of facts. 10
which Mr.. Grout added an endorsement.
saying that he felt instructed by majority
Of hrattleboro Republicans 10 recommend
the appointment Of Mr. Childs. In doing
tins he acted, not as partisan Of either
side, hut as the official representative of a
majority OF his Brattleboro constituency.
Tins is the sum Of his offending The fault.
IL fault there was, was not the fault Of
Gen Grout, but OF those Republicans who
voted for Mr. Childs This summary and
restatement Of facts is unnecessary for our
Brattleboro readers who already know the
whole case 10y heart, but is made for the in
formation Of the people Of the county and
district who have not followed these facts
% their logical conclusion.
Gen CIRCUITS record in Congress has been