Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-04-16
ORANGE COUNTY POLITICS.
Additional Points Regarding the Soma.
torial Contest-The Claims of Towns.

To the Editor of the Free Press:
The very interesting communication on
Orange County Politics" you printed in
Mondays issue contains few errors re-
gardns the county senators. 1t has been
the custom In this county since 1851, when
the number of senators was reduced from
three to two, to select one senator from
each of the two probate districts into
which the county is divided. the Bradford
district on the east side and the Randolph
district on the West side. This has proved
very satisfactory rule, since under the
three-senator allotment the Bradford dis
trict had obtained the lions share. Indeed,
during the whole period of time from the
organization of our State Senate in 1885
till 1851, inclusive, the Bradford district
furnished two of the three senators, to
which Orange county was entitled IL out
of the l6 years. Yet during nine of those
16 years the town of Randolph had sena-
tor, being the only west side town so rep
resented during seven of those years. This
town, by the way. has been remarkably
we'll able to provide itself with county Of
fees, having had a senator 20 times and
assistant judge, sheriff and States at
torney with about the same frequency.
Six years ago she had assistant Judge,
sheriff and States attorney all at the same
time.
As to your correspondents claim that
Wilianmstown Is entitled TO the senator
ship because It has been 80 long since she
had senator, that claim applies with
greater force to Washington whose last
senator was elected in 1870 while Williams
towns was chosen in 1876 and Brookfeld's,
(your correspondents Brookdale) in 1880.
But Williamstown meanwhile has been the
| incumbent of county ONCE, Hon. Cyrus
U. Lathrop having been assistant judge
from 1884 till 1883 while Brookfield has not
been noticed in county office since 1850.
Your correspondent is again in error con-
corning the county convention of 1892.
Cassius Peck of Brookfield, bright, af-
fable man and capable representative of a
| large farmer constituency, was the sole
rival Of William II. Dubois of Randolph
for senator. Williamstown presenting no
candidate but seconding the nomination of
Mr.. Peck. The vote was 43 for Dubois
and 81 for Peck, 3S being necessary to
nominate. ]. w. Parmenter, who had pre-
scented Mr.. Peck's name thereupon moved
to make Dubois nomination unanimous
and 1t was then supposed that Mr.. Peck,
with the handsome endorsement of that
convention, might he nominated In 1891
without opposition there being considera-
BILE disappointment among the farmers at
Mr.. Peck's defeat and the lack of a farm
err on the sena torial ticket. despite the high
character and strong ability of the nomi-
nees, Mr. Watson and Mr.. Dubois. In
1894 however. Williamstown, in one of her
paroxysms of local loyalty. brought for
ward n candidate in the person of George
| w. Lynde. an able business man and enter
prising and enthusiastic farmer. Brook
field. of course, was to present Mr.. Peck s
name, each as a candidate from the RAN
dolph district This factional contest in
the two adjoining towns was in the mean
time devotedly nursed by the Chelsea cam
didate, who looking the field ever in 1892,
had found It already sown by earlier can
didates. and henceforth he assiduously
strewed the seeds of his senatorial am
bition and patiently waited the harvest of
1894. Nor did he wait in vain. On con-
vention day In preliminary canvass of
west side delegates the Chelsea man far
outstrippeh the Brookfed and Williams
name of neither of the latter was pre-
scented In convention, the Chelsea candi-
date being nominated by reclamation
But your correspondent was most mis-
taken in asserting that S. F. Frary OF
STAFFORD was elected county senator with
n. l.. Boyden of Randolph in 1852. He
was not even nominated by the convention
and thereby hangs a tale too long and toe
intricate TO rehearse here, at the end OF
this communication. but accurately and
graphically narrated In your own news
columns, Mr.. Editor in the report of the
Orange County republican convention OF
about July 4, 1882. Suffice II to say thai
Mr.. Frarys name was presented by tho
nominating commtt tee of the mass conven
tion then held but defeated by few votes
in the convention, large delegation from
, STAFFORD opposing him because of VIVA
they deemed his inf1delty to the then new
tax law of 1880. To tho vacancy in tn,
: ticket thus created William II. Gilmore o
, Fairlee was nominated and with his cleo
ton that town secured the only count.
, senator she has ever had.
ORANGE COUNTY.