Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-11-29

/ the blind partisanship of our people, the
worst and most dangerous foe to Republican
institutions and popular freedom. Tamma-
ny, though the tallest, is not the only pOlitl-
cal ring whose existence is ominous to the
welfare of the country. The fact, that IN
our Republican soil such noxious and bane
full organizations can grow with such luxu-
rance, is most prophetic of future danger
| We heartily agree with the WGlchnlan
correspondent in commencing the warning
contained in the above extract, to the care
full consideration of every thoughtful voter
and friend of Republican institutions. 1t IS
a lrning that cannot be uttered too often,
or too emphatically 1t Is kind of preach
ing that is not new to the readers of the
FREEMAN; and 1t is a doctrine which every
honest newspaper ought continually TO
preach, and every honest man ought to re-
member and act upon in his practice as
citizen aud voter
We do not yet see the inappropriate
ness Of our suggestion that the Watchnan
was assaiiing party tyranny; for it is only
through party tyranny that political rings
can accomplish their purposes. They first
get control Of the party machinery; then
through that make their nominations then
by the lash of party discipline, which is only
another phrase for party tyranny, they drive
the great majority Of the party to vote for
the party nominations.
On this very point the article in the
Waterman has this paragraph:
In this country our party bonds are alto
gether too strong. and public opinion essails
in an unTarrantabIe manner any who break
away from party dctatiOn. Hence it IS
within the power Of a very few able and un-
scrupulous men acting together to get con-
troll ola party and run 1t IN their own
+ interests. The private members are so IN
dOctrinated 18th the party spirit and ideas,
+ that they would regard themselves as want
/ ing in patriotism, if they should leave their
,sooiates They would be scOurged too, a.
soldiers who quit their c0loTs, and be pub
lIshed as dIshOnOrable and disgraced all over
! the land Few men care 70 run the gauntlet
Of party opinion, and subject themselves to
! the merciltss lash of party discipline. They
would rather wink at ption-submit to
measures they disapprOye. and endorse prin-
cples they condemn, than do it. or two
evils they choose the least. The average
eectOr does not wish t. subject himself 10
contumely for any ordinary reason HE
average politician would rather acquiesce IN
what he deems wrong than break with ms
party He prefers A devil no knows, to a
devil he don't know. N,rhlng then but the
dIrest exigency Is sufficient t. overcome the
tyranny Of party ideas.
=" The tyranny Of party IDEAS, which the
Watchman condemns, and the " tyranny OF
party" which the FREgNAS has - O.Ceu at
tackled, are, if not Identical, at least exceed
ingly similar evils.
We give space u the Communication IN
the Uatcfmaa and to the above quotations
from the editorial in question, well as
our comments on them, because the subjec
is one Of vital imp)rtince, in which We are
all seeking the same eni,-the end Of party
and political corruption.
But it seems to Us that the correspondent
in endeavoring 10 draw a distinction between
rhe tyranny Of party and the denim ton Of
corrupt political rings within parties, is try
tug to persuade bimsel! that parties are not
50 bad. after all; that the disease which il
our judgment, as well as ia the jud ymcnt o
the Waterman, can only he cured by weaken
ny party bonds, and relaxing obedience Il
the dictation Of party Conventions, is not on
THAI calls for any reconstruction Of parties
or for any new ideas respecting the ob.isa
rions OF party ASSOCIATION and party alle-r
auce 1t is only through the machinery o
parties that these obnoxious rings expect t.
or can triumph ; ami it is only by weaken
ing the power OF that party machinery, an,
refusing to ra,ify It's requirements when
wrong. that the power of rings can be broken
san Francisco has had an honest city govern
ment for years, because practically no party
has been allowed there to dictate to TIA,
people for whom they should vote. NOmina
5ions have there gone for what they wer,
worth If they were good, honest mel
voted Tor them if they were BAD, homes
men voted against them candidates bein,
estimated according to their real merit, ans
not according to any party label they nigh
wear.
| We regret that the correspondent of III,
WatcAmau should have been LED to think
because we addeI moral to the good preach
ing Of the Walchnqu, thai we had any pur
pose Of turning il into merriment.
Whatever influence our suggestion may hay,
had upon that contri butor, it was the far
tbest possible from our purpose to lessen il
any way the forcible position Of the Watet
man. And we trust no one viii ever in th
least degree withhold the expression Of hon
est hatred Of political rings, or of the tyran
ny Of party ideas, >" although the arguments
and weapons which shall be used in the war
fare upon these gigantic and dangerous
enemies Of republican government, shall be
regarded by the advocates Of Woman Sufirag
as also SO many assaults upon the citadel o
exclusive masculine control not only of th'
machinery Of parties, but Of the entire ad