Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-05-01
The Campaign Opened
BY the Republican League Clubs of the
State.


The political campaign in Vermont for
1896 was opened Tuesday afternoon and
evening with the rally of the Republican
league of the state then held at Montpelier
The business meeting of the league was
held at the Golden Fleece in the afternoon,
the band escorting the delegates from the
hotels to the hall. About 800 delegates,
representing so clubs were in attendance.
President G. T. Childs of st. Albans
called the meeting to order and Secretary
w. B. Gates of Burlington read the call
for the convention. A nominating COM
mittee of one from each county was ap-
pointed, L. S. Hayes of Bellows Falls
being the Windham member. While the
committee was absent Gen. Mccullough of
Bennington was called to the platform and
spoke on the political situation and the
principles upon which the Republicans
will wage the contest of this year.
The committee reported in part as fol-
lows: President, Hamilton S. Peck, Bur
lngton; vice presidents, Frank Kenfeld,
Morrisville, Barney Cannon, jr., Bellows
Falls, James w. Brock, Montpelier; secre-
tary, Charles S. Forbes, st. Adams; treas
urer, Frank A. Dwinell, Montpelier.
Executive committee, one from each
county, George B. Hit of Brattleboro
being the Windham county member.
The report was accepted and adopted.
The Evening Rally.
The Golden Fleece was packed to over
flowing at the rally held in the evening.
On the platform with President Childs
were President-elect Peck, Senators Thurs
ton of Nebraska and Proctor of Vermont,
Congressman Linney of North Carolina,
Powers and Grout of Vermont, Lieut.
Gov. Mansur, Gen. j. G. Mccullough of
Bennington, Hon. Olin Merrill of Enos-
burg, Hon. g. G.. Benedict of Burlington
and DR.. H. d. Holton of Brattleboro.
President Childs congratulated the Re-
publicans present on this auspiciOus OPEN
| ing of the campaign and introduced Sena-
! tor Proctor as chairman of the meeting.
| The senator was greeted with applause.
| In introducing Congressman r. u. Linney
of North Carolina as the first speaker of
the evening he said: The claim has been
made that the Republican party was simply
a northern party, but that claim is con-
tinually being disproved and many South
ern states are on the road to as true Re-
publicansm as prevails in Vermont. One
of the states is North Carolina and we
have with us tonight one who fought in
the Confederate army, but who is today as
firm in his Republicanism and his devotion
to the country as any Union man who ever
fred a shot"
In the opening part of his address Mr..
Linney said 81 am glad to meet such
worthy foeman as Green Mountain boys.
We admit that we were in the wrong in
that struggle. You argued with us and
when that was of no avail you shook
gittering baYonets in our faces. When l
see man with an empty sleeve (pointing
to Lieut.. Gov. Mansur) l feel like taking
off my hat before him." The two here
shook hands amid the cheers of the audi
ence.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Linney's
speech, which occupied an hour and a
quarter, these delegates were announced to
the national league convention, to be held
at Milwaukee, Wis, August 25 and 20:
II. H, Powers, Morrisville; G.. T. Childs,
st. Albans; Josiah Grout, Derby; f. @.
Partridge, Rutland; L. b. Cross, Mont
pelier; j. G. Stearns, Bradford; F. A.
Bond, Middlebury; j. r. Judson, Arling-
ton; A. f. Stone, st. Johnsbury; K. b.
Taft, Burlington; @. II. Green, Bloom
field; Edwin Adams, Grand Isle; @. w.
Osgood, Bellows Falls; F. W. Wilder,
Woodstock.
Senator Proctor then introduced Senator
John M. Thurston of Nebraska, native
Vermonter, who occupied the remaining
time of the evening. His eloquent refer
ence to Reed, Allison and Mckinley was
loudly applauded, the mention of the Ohio
statesman meeting with the most enthusi-
asm.