Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-10-28
The Vsice Of the People as indicated by the
Recent Elections

LHc FSACU Va tuO cVpiS % AhSAS''VS~ ~ S~NN
Recent Elections,
There is certainly one very favorable indlca-
ton of popular sentiment in the recent elections
and that 10, that parties have wed with each
ether in professions of loyalty, attachment to
she cause Of tho government, and devotion to
the Union. However dishonest the leaders may
have been, or may now be ia these professions,
the fact that they have deemed it necessary to
make them, IS the highest evidence Of their con-
yctons that the masses OF the people would
listen to no o(Gce-seeker who did not openly
avow himself hostile to treason and in favor OF
the most unsparing prosecution OF the war
with oil the available resources of the Federal
power Although we have not been 80 familiar
with the course of the canvass in the Western
States, we have yet no doubt that there, as in
Pennsy vania, the Democrats have claimed to
be the especial protectors and guardians OF the
Union, the peculiar enemies OF secession and
disunion and the most ardent champions OF the
cause Of the government; and 1T IS undenmbie
that. 40 far as the vote is concerned, the recent
Democratic trumphs are not to be received as
the opinions Of the majority that the war must
stop. But these political battles have been de-
term,ned by other issues, some Of which the
Republicans, and many formerly Democrats
have deemed vital to the success OF our cause,
while Others are merely incidental to the main
work Of crushing treason.
One Of these Incidental questions has undoubt
edy been the financial one. In many places
there has been an unspaflng warfare on the
Secretary Of se Treasury for the issue Of legal
tender notes, chat scheme having been charged
upon him and the Republican members OF Con
grcss All the evils of deprecated currency,
and the financial troubles growing out OF it, are
thus made 10 many allies Of the opposition to
the party in power, 1.-The party which WILL always
he held Responsible Gov the unfortunate resulte
orany policy inaugurated byit And men will
not stop to inquire whether these evils are not
outweighed by the benefits in this case, or
whether they are greater than would have oc-
cured il such a policy had not been adopted,
1t is enough, to determine the votes OF many
meH, to know that specie is scarce and shin
pasters plenty now, while under Democratic
rule it was not 30 and they receive with an
easy credenec the assurance that 1t is not the
war, but the Republican party that has caused
this mischief.
The suspension of the writ of haJeos corpus
has also been used TO damage the Republican,
and help the Democrats in the elections. Tit
Constitution, the bill Of rights, the traditions o.
our own struggle for liberty, the instincts o
the people, all teaching individual liberty ant
rights subordinate only to law, have risen ~
against this preregstiye of the government ant
it has not in every instance been easy TO justiI.
its use. Those who have opposed this exercise
of power by the government, aud have used /
effectively for electioneering purposes, have no
cared to discriminate between its nghtfnl ant
yrongfal use, or TO d we'll much on the necessit'
for SUMMARY action when traitors, striking a
the heart of the nation, we're aided by the open
ly expressed sympathy of Northern men.
they have found a single instance where 1t ha
seemed to Cypress an innocent man, they hay
made that stand as the rule by which to judg
its working, aud have thus had some show Q
reason Tor the unmeasnred terms in which the
have denounced the Administration for resortin
to it !; and it has furnished in many localtie
most excellent capital for candidates who wlshe
to defeat Republicans and yet claimed to SUI
port the war.
Gen. McClelan's popularity has also had il
share in these Democratic victories. Will
many Republicans have stood by and defende
this General, the Democrats have yet, by the
persistent and incessant laudahon of him as tn
greatest military genius of his time, manage
to appropriate all the political capital thu
could be made out of his popularity with II
army, to their own use.
There have been other considerations thu
have influenced these elections, such as the di
appointment of applicants for Office who ha,
failed to get places which they sought, person.
jealousies and rivalries among those who agree
ON political questions, lack OF political organ
Nations in certain districts, apathy and indl
ference to all political contests in the presence
the gigantic struggle in which the nation is Ell
gagged and there is little doubt that the