Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-08-17
The Campaign at Home.


hold its Convention for the nomination Of
Governor in September, and its own condition
! and the situation of the country require a
plain and emphatic declaration of principles
and the most yigorous and harmonious action.
This will be the most important election be-
fore the next Presidential campaign, and
although it will not determine the position
of New York in that campaign, il will be an
immense encouragement or encouragement
to the party throughout the country. Ii is,
therefore, essential that the Convention fully
understand the situation, and its first consid-
Grafton should be that it must address itself
TO actual questions. The war is over. Re-
construction is accomplished. The Demo
cratic party, which perplexed and prolonged
the war, has not, indeed, acquiesced in the
result. That must not be forgotten. And
If that party should choose to contest the
Presidential election of 1872 upon thc ground
of refusal to acknowledge she validity of
the amendments, and of resolution to re-
open the whole subject of reconstruction, it
would be as Overwhelmingly defeated as il
was in 1864 upon platform of surrender TO
the rebellion. or in 1865 upon that of repu-
diation and rebel ascendency.
But although the folly of that party seems
to be exhaustless, il is not expedient TO take
it for granted. wise general credits his
antagonist with sagacity that his own victory
may be surer and more splendid The coun-
try knows that the Republican party has
saved the integrity and honor of the Union,
that it has reconstructed it upon principles
Of justice, and has confirmed its great work
| BY constitutional amendments Ii knows,
also, that the party will defend its own work.
But 1t does not seriously believe that the
! democratic party will attempt to disturb the
EsettEement, Ind the pubIIc>attention is, rnere-
fore upon other points. Perhaps the most
Immediately pressing and engrossing ques-
ton is that Of the financial policy. What is
the Republican principle on this subject?
Take one aspect Of it-that OF taxation
The country is heavily taxed. Taxes must
necessarily continue TO be heavy for long
time. But upon what principle shall they
be laid? Shall the country be taxed now to
pay the debt or shall the burden be shared
with those who follow US? In other words,
shall taxation be reduced?
1t is a proud fact that during the year and
a half of General GRANTS administration
the decrease of the public debt has been
Sl56, I3S, 7S4 OIL Meanwhile, also, Con-
yress has somewhat reduced taxation. But
is the Administration stronger, is the con-
tinued ascendency of the party surer for
those facts? And if not, what is the reason
Is it not that the policy of reduction is not
believed to be general and acknowledged
party policy? The debates upon the tariff,
the action upon the income tax, the declara-
tion of leading Republican journals that the
burden ought to be temporarily borne, showed
plainly enough that the reduction was rather
a chance than policy. Now, upon ouch
subject at this time, no party can hope to
succeed if it has not q distinct and declared
principle. IL can not shuttle and evade.
Shutting is confusion. Evasion is defeat.
Ii must pronounce plainly, as the opposition
will, for a reduction of taxes or against it.
1t is further desirable that this be done,
because, after the action of Congress upon
the Presidents proposition to buy foreign
ships, every candidate for the House must
satisfy his constituents as to his views of
true revenue system. A great party cannot
have two opinions upon that subject when
that subject is of immediate and commanding
importance. 1t is useless to say that the
Democratic party also has no unanimity up
on that point, because we ought not to de-
pend upon the folly of the enemy. Their
action may be no wiser than ours. But they
have the immense advantage of protesting
only; they cannot be tried, as We are, by
practice. Every faithful Republican wishes
to be just to the general patriotic purpose OF
the late House of Representatives. But
every Republican member of that House.
looking calmly at the proceedings and results
of the last session, must doubt whether, up
on the whole, its action was an advantage TO
'rf1e party. 1t is conceded on every side that
the Democratic party will largely increase
its force in the next House. And what was
the reason of the discord of this last session,
and of the party dissatisfaction with its re-
suits? Is is very plain. Ii is that the
House was dealing with questions for the
consideration of which it was not elected.
Consequently its last act was the extraordi- |
nary one to which we recently alluded as so
significant. 1t refused to approve the rec
ommendation of the President to enable the |
country to take proper advantage of the |
opportunity opened by the war in Europe.
Now the Republican majority in the next |
House will be smaller, and if, upon so vital
subject as the general financial policy of the
country, it has no opinion, or has two very |
positive opinions, the Democratic minority |
will control legislation, and the Republican |
administration will be paralyzed. We can
not expect, if that should be the case, that
the country in 1872 will support party
which doesn't know what it thinks upon the
gravest public questions. 1t does not seem
to us possible to avoid the necessity of plain
speech in the party platforms. Ii certainly
will be impossible for Congressional candi-
dates who hope to be elected. And the
PARTY leaders should have learned that of all
policies timidity and obscurity are the worst. Il
When the rebellion was laundering at the
government and country, the Republican
party did not falter. 1t called a rebel, rebel
and Copperhead, Copperhead. 1t laid
heavy taxes it decreed draft; it abolished
slavery. No party ever did greater work
more gloriously.
All this is not to be forgotten. On the
it is to be perpetually remembered,
but remembered for instruction and inspira-
ton. The party triumphed because it had
paramount purpose, to which every member
was unswervingly devoted. That purpose