Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-08-18
From the Independent.
THE CHANGES OF FOUR YEARS.
BY HORACE GREELEY.

B1 lIOKACE GREEIEN.
Four years ago this day, the Republican
party was preparing for its first Presidential
contest, as it now is for its second. But under
what diverse auspices did it open its earlier
campaign
Then not half dozen States were or ever
had been distinctly committed to the support of
its organization. Even Massachusetts, had not
yet declared herself Republican. In New York.
both the hostile parties-Democratic and Amer
ican--had polled larger vote than the Repub-
lican in the last preceding State contest. Penn
s,i,auis lad sea- reiN Il Itepuuii,am SaniAaiou,
while her Democracy had badly beaten the uni
ted Opposition in the election of 1850 In
New Jersey the Republican party was hardly
vet known 1t had Just been beaten Thy RUM
in Maine, and had but begun to make itself
manifest in New Hampshire and Conncc I. at,
which had been barely saved from the nav of
Democracy that spring under the american,
flag In the West, its position was much bet
ter but even there it had but doubtful and
precarious footing in at least half the Free
States, where "AmericaniSm' claimed the cred
it of its victories, and often stood between it
and the hearts of the People. On the 18th day
of july 1886, the only States which stood de
cidedly, unequivocally on the Republican plat
form were Vermont, Ohio Michigan, Wisconsin,
and Iowa, casting together 43 out Of 29i Elec-
toral Votes.
-Four years have since passed, and the Re-
publican party is this day dominant in the
States of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachu-
sets, Connecticut, Vermont, New York, New
Jersey. Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan Wscon-
sin, Illinois, Iowa. and Minnesota, together cast
ing SO out of SOB Electoral Votes, or ma
jority of the whole number. Rhode Island was
temporarily lost by local strife last Spring,
hut no one doubts that it will next Fall vote for
Lincoln and llamln. Oregon has just been
carried by the Republicans and those closely
allied with them; but we do not count it above,
because a section of the Democratic party CO.
operated to produce this result. The election
OF Gov, Oden in New Jersey last Fall, the
signal triumph of the Republicans and their
ti-Democratc allies in the latest State Elec.
tons of New Jersey and Pennsy ylvania, and the
decided preponderance of Mr. Lincon's popular
vote over that cast for Judge Douglas in the
Illinois contest of 1853, fully justify the classi-
icaton above; for, though four or five thous-
and partisans of Buchanan withheld their votes
from the Douglas tickets in Illinois, quite us
many Republicans supported those tickets from
sympathy with Judge DIS stand against the
Lecompton lniquity. Thus, apart from and in
advance of the great Democratic disruption the
Republican party had silently and steadily
grown, III lnc lHltTNul DGiNttl lpOD anu lCOOi
to be the most powerful political aggregation in
the Republic, with fair prospect of taking the
Federal Administration into its hands on the
4th of March next.
But the Democratic disruption itself, so far
from being primary cause of the now univer-
sally expected accession of the Republicans to
power, is in fact rather consequence of it.
Over and again have prominent advocates of
the Douglas position and platform demonstrated
with their Southern brethren: "lf you do not
let us stand just here, we cannot stand at all.
Do you want to eXpel the Democratic Party
utterly from the Free States? If you do, put
it upon a platform affirming the unqualified
right of Slavery to legal protection in the Ter
ritories under all circumstances, and your end
is attained" Had there been no Republican
Party, or had it been powerless and decaying,
the Southern platform would have been adopted
at Charleston without serious opposition, and
corresponding ticket nominated within the first
week of the Convention. And now, if the sup
porters of Douglas shall succeed in at all divi-
ding the South and thus temperng the sway
of the Planting Oligar' hy over that broad re-
gion, the credit will be justly due to those who,
under every Encouragement and obloquy, up
held the Republican flag through years of de-
preston and trial.
Four years ago the Republicans were in
solenty told that even the election OF their
National candidates would amount to nothing,
since they would not be permitted to assume
the stations thus assigned them! Democratic
canvassers and writer's boldly proclaimed that
their Inauguration at the Federal city would not
be suh'ered-that it would be prevented by force
of arms if necessary. Gov. Wise of Virginia
invoked private conference of Southern Gov
ernors at Raleigh, at which this treason was
deliberately sanctioned and resolved on. This
was the very wantoness of insult to the Free
States, as the conspirators did not seriously APP
prehend Col. Fremont's election. They bullied
the North rather as a matter Of wholesome dis
cipne than of needed precaution. They who
have since made such an ado about John
Browns insane raid as a fearful and wide spread