Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-12-21
Gle freeman
MONTPELIER V7.:
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 81, 1870.
New Parties.

United States Senate, in defense of his course
in the last political campaign in Missouri
expressed the opinion that the " circum
stances surrounding seem to favor a
change Of party relations" lie thought
many men Of both parties were dissatisfied
with their party relations, and while not
prepared 10 20 over to the other side were
yet ready, when the time was ripe, to unite
Ia a new party organization. He hoped the
bulk of the new party would be composed of
the old Republican PARTY in other words
that the Republican party would be sepa-
rated from the place-hunters and corrupt
politicians, who were exercising perniciOus
control over the organization, and would
give itself to the work of honestly taking
Of the interests Of the Republic.
Senator Wilson, in recently published
article on the Republican party, while in
sisting that the Tarty should be pure and
honest, yet asserted that it was it's duty to
retain possession of the government
1t is pretty clear that practically Senator
Schurz and Senator Wilson are widely apart
in their views One looks only to the Re
publican organization as the political hope
of the country, the other evidently looks
upon that organization as only useful when
reconstructed. Senator Wilson would do
what can be done with the party and through
its machinery Senator Schurz would work
Independently.
To the stu tent, the philosopher, the man
who loves to fight only for principles, and
cares nothing for a success that, although in
the name Of his party, puts unfit men in
public positions, Senator Schurz's views
have commanding attractions On the other
hand, the 9 practical ? politicians, and those
who seldom hold extreme political views of
any kind, well as those who think that
the Republican party, however corrupt it
may be growing, is infinitely better than
the Democratic party, will consider Senator
ilson's position as the true political wis
dom.
There is no immediate probability cf the
formation of new party, and, 50 far as the
Republicans are concerned, there ought to
be no need of new party. 1t is true that
eastern Republicans and western Republi-
cans differ, often widely, on the tariff, and il
that question were to be a controlling one
III the immediate future, in adjusting party
lines, many pubic men in both parties would
be obliged to seek new party associations
Many Democrats are high tariff men, many
Republicans are low tariff men and in both
parties there is every shade Of opinion on
this subject. But this is nothing new: it
has for ~ III
men have continued their old party assOcia-
tions. Gen. Butler is as much a revenue
reformer as Carl Schurz in fact he is, il
anything, more of an independent politi-
clan, Inasmuch as no party and no policy
ever feel quite sure OF him yet Gen Butler
has the practical wisdom that leads him to
see that he is much more likely to attain his
own ends by working with the party than
by working against it; and whether this
opinion is creiitable to the Republican party
or not, it IL certainly creditable to Gen
Butler. The tariff may, possibly, change
the party associations Of a few men, but it
will not give rise to a new party.
1t is equally true that questions of cur
rency, revenue, taxation. or paying the
national debt cannot be made the basis of a
new party organization and amnesty and
all the questions growing out of reconstruc-
ton, are likely to divide parties only in the
late rebel states.
A new party is not an easy thing to put |
in operation. An overshadowing issue gave |
birth to the Republican party, and yet that
party, at the beginning, was made up largely |
of the members of the old Wing party. !
The Democratic party is as old as Gen. |
Jackson's time. Parties change and modify |
their ayowed principles, or adopt new prin-
ciples; but new party cannot be com
manded into existence by few, or even |
many prominent men, Andy johnson tried |
the experiment with all the government pat |
ronage his back, but he only succeeded in
making miserable failure of it, transferring /
a few politicians to the Democratic party, |
and making himself infamous
The parties of the near future will be
Republican and Democratic as now, unques- |
tiouably, and the next presidential election |
will be fought out between these two polit-
zeal organizations. We believe with Senator |
Wilson that it is the duty Of the Republican /
party to keep control Of the government. /
By what means it shall keep that control is, |
however, a most important question ; and |
to whom that control, in the choice of men,
shall be given is a vital proposition. The |
avowed principles of the party sound
enough to command the assent of it's old
friends. On paper it is in favor Of all re-
l. = l. = -
platforms even Senator Schurz defends his
course by showing that he has been true to
every avowed principle of the party. With
In the organization the vital question of the
future is likely to be one Of men rather than
of principles. The politicians are cunning,
and they care little about platforms so they
can get control Of the offices give them
the nominations and they will allow any
body to make the platform in fact, they
rather prefer that the sticklers for principle
should write the platforms, because they
want to put forth principles which will
command the assent of the honest multi
tude. The Republican party will find innu-
mer4ble men who will make loud professions
of belief in all its principles, bnt who really
only desire the success of the party for the
god things it VIII bring to them. They are
after the leaves and fishes There are other
men who have the capacity and the will to
honestly use the power which party success
brings them for the good Of the whole
Country. The danger now is not that new
party will be formed, but that the selfish
politicians will get so far the control OF the
organization as to dishearten those who re
ally desire to see pure administration of