Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-11-13
The Work Before the Republican
Party.

or chiefly, attributed to anything but an In
crease in the popularity of the Democratic
party throughout the country We know
manv local questions have been brought into
the canvass. such as the license law in Mas
sachusetts and the excise law in New York,
which have helped the Democrats to thou
sands of voters, and we do not, therefore,
admit that the results which we have been
obliged to chronicle are wholly owing to any
reaction against Republican principles But
it would be quite unwise for us, utter all, 70
endeavor to blind ourselves to the fact, which
the elections seem to disclose, that many
voters. who have hitherto acted with the Re
publican party because they professed 70
believe in and desire the triumph OF It's prin-
.iples have now abandoned us and gone over
10 the enemy. We may try to comfort our
selves with the belief that those who, on
local and state issues, have just voted SO as
to bring about a Democratic victory, will
when national campaign is opened, rally
again to the Republican standard and bear
aloft the flag which carries freedom and
equal rights all it's ample folds; but the
denial of suffrage to the blacks in Ohio,
while the party elected its governor, gives
us little encouragement to hope that our
present defeats are not so much defeat OF
our distinctive principles as of the legisla-
ton for which, in some states, the party has
been held responsible Ohio and Kansas,
at least. have Just voted against impartial
suffrage, while in each state the Republicans
have an unquestioned party ma jority- The
constitutional convention in New York,
largely Republican, did not dare to submit
TO the people of that state an amendment
banishing all discrimination on account OF
color at the ballot box, but resorted to the
subterfuge of an adjournment until after
November They hoped by this course to
avoid the evil effect upon the election just
held, OF the proposal of amendment which
had been agreed upon in the convention, and
was approved by the Republican press every
where but we doubt whether this cowardly
course helped the Republicans any in the
election, although we presume New York
would have voted by more than 100000
majority against impartial suffrage
We cannot,-and we ought not to if we
could, shut our eyes to the fact which
these elections disclose, that there are thou
sands Of voters who have hitherto acted with
the Republican party who do not believe in
its principles In some states this class OF
voters is numerous enough to change the
result of the election and with a possibility
of a Dem Jcratic victory next fall, who can
estimate the number who will desert our
flag to follow one which may offer them
equal hope of spois and plumber, and at any
rate gives freer scope to the prejudices, the
appctites and the passions of the multitude?
A party that in New England brings into its
ranks every friend of unlimited traffic in
rum, and in New York and the great West
is in favor of making the Sabbath a general
holiday, and invites to its councils every
man who, claiming the ballot for himself. is
ready, from a mean and unmanly prejudice
against color, t. deny it to every one not
quite so white as himself, will gather recruits
where Republican principles will find only
the coolest support or positive hostility
The Republican party tri umphed in 1860,
more from the division of it's opponents than
because majority of the people were then
educated 70 believe in and vote for equal
rights and if the question Of suffrage had
then been put prominently forward as it has
been since, Mr.. Lincoln would, probably.
never have been president In 1861, patriot
ism more than equal rights triumphed. and
the inexpressibe cowardice of the Chicago
platform did infinitely more to defeat Nc
Clellan, than any Republican affirmation or
copperhead denial of equal rights. Since
then, wherever the issue of equal suffrage
has been squareIy presented and brought to
a vote, it has been defeated as it the
other day in Ohio, and has since been in
Kansas, by the treachcry Of voters before
calling themselves R publican. The Re
publican party itself is not yet able to
quer on this issue.
But. while granting that it is not certain
that the next pre- idental election can be
carried for impartial suffrage, the Republican
party cannot and must not abandon that
principle The party is not fighting for
power simply 1t makes little difference, SO
far as men are concerned, whether Geo. ii
Pendleton, or Salmon P Chase, or Ulysses S
Grant shall be next president. Apart from
the principles which shall govern, and the
policy and political economy which are to
characterize tie next administration, the
man who occupies the presidential chair is
of small account. We are not surprised,
however, to find many Republican news
papers expressing the opinion that the cleo
tions arc verdict against Radicalism, and
that the party had therefore better abandon
its Radicalsm, and 90 back to some principle
less obnoxious to voters and more likely to
command a majority at the ballot-box. Such
papers are wise according to their genera
ton. A party, to them. means nothing but
a chance at the control and the spoils of
office. If they cannot be in majority, they
see little use in party organization. They
do not look upon political victory as an
opportunity for giving life to the re-
public, but rather as opening the door of
public patronage to themselves and others of
their party Being in power, they are will
ing to abide by the principles of the party
while their hold upon Office is not endangered,
but, at the first appearance of adverse MAORI
ties, they manifest the greatest alacrity in
charging the blame upon the extreme men
who have been SO impolitic as to present un-
popular issues to the people 1t seems never
to occur to them that party ought to repre-
sent ideas, and struggle for the supremacy of
those ideas, working and fighting as well
against hostile votes and unfriendly public
patronage, as with them as allies, and never