Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1868-08-31
From the New York Times.
The Elections ia T'erHtouf ana
Maine.

Maine.
In this country where public opinion,
independently expressed, has so great
weight, the importance of the elections
to be soon held in Vermont and Maine,
cannot be ovcr-estimated In this res
pcct Vermont has an extraordinary
advantage. She fires the first can
non of the campaign. AS we have
formerly shown, the Kentucky cleo
tons were subject to conditions which
entirely deprive them of value as an i'll
dications of public opinion. There is
an absolute reign of terror in that State,
growing out of the prejudice against
both negroes and Union men which de-
tered large numbers of Republicans
from voting. But for this fact the re-
suit of the election would not have diff
fered substantially from that of 1866.
1t is fortunate, then, that the first free
expression of popular opinion is to come
Through and through that State is for
Grant and Coliax. Only let the full
vote be pollcd, and the Republican ma
jority ought to reach, if it does not eX-
coed, that of 1866, which amounted to
nearly $4,000.
No Republican should stay from the |
polls because it is only state election,
and because it is impossible for the Dem
ocrats TO win. Let him remember that
every vote lost by the Republicans in
September and October is so much lost
in the weight of public opinion on the
side Of Gen. Grant. Vermont will influ
encc Maine, and the waves from those
two States will flow over Iowa, Indiana,
Ohio and Pennsylvania, in October.
| The momentum and effect of that wave
will be measured by the Republican ma
joritics given in these early elections
There is every reason why Vermont
and Maine should maintain the posi-
ton held by them in 1866, and we be-
ieve they will do it. Let no voter al
low himself to be diverted by the side
issues which the Democrats are urging
so strongly, because they dare not face
the one great question which is involved
in the campaign. The charges of finan-
cial corruption and of heavy taxation
should be hurled back against the as
sailants. We are TO take the offensive
and not the defensive. When Re-
publican voter is asked to account for
revenue funds, let him reply that these
have grown out of the quarrel between
Congress and a refractory Presidential
quarrel which was perpetuated by the
attitude of the Democratic party. If he
is asked to account for the burden of an
immense national debt, let him charge
the responsibility of that burden upon
the party which forced the war and
made the debt a necessity. If negro
supremacy is thrown in his face let him
deny the existence of such an clement
in our politics, and point to the late
Mississippi election as the basis of his
denial and let them, moreover, charge
against his opponents that Mey, by their
factious opposition to an amendment
which left suffrage to the States, made
tie negro vote a necessity of any posi-
Republican party has been to any de-
gree surrendered to extreme Radical
leadership, let him deny the surrender,
and point to the nomination of Gen.
Grant for President as the surest indi-
cation of liberal and conservative poll
cy Let him, moreover, attack the
Democrats on the ground of their eX-
IRENE policy, shown both in their plat
form and the candidates, as we'll as in
the published speeches and letters of
their nominee for Vice-President, and of
their paroled Confederate friends in the
South.
Every Republican voter in Vermont
and Maine may also remember that the
reaction of the last year against the Con-
gressional policy has no more substan-
tial meaning or force than the reaction
equal in degree and amount) which was
exhibited in 1868, after Lincoln's
Emancipation Proclamation. The lat
ter did not then save the DemOcatic par
ty from humilialing defeat in 1864 the
former will do them no more service
this Fall.
The Republican party must hold its
position firmly, and move without hest
tation or any consciousness of weakness
upon the enemy's works. Its victory
now is as necessary to the salvation of
the Republic as it was in 1864. Then,
under General Grant, as military lead
er, we propose to conquer the rebellion,
instead of surrendering to it; now, I'M
der the same leader, we propose to Sc
cure perfect peace and reconciliation.
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