St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-04-26


certainly gave it as he understood 1t.
The general rule is that Il person must
agree politically with the party control
ling the government, and with the par
ticnlar faction of the party i'll power, or
he is removed from office, no matter
what NAV be his fitness for the position.
Mr. Clinch fortunately Is not the only
exception to this rule. as many depart
ments of the public service can show
similar instances. Many such valuable
public servants hold their places while
administrations come and 90, and they
hold them not as personal favors. but
because their experience and knOwl-
edge cannot be spared the heads Of
bureaus and departments would not
know what to do without them. And
if Mr.. Clinch should not he turned ont
of his office as assistant collector for be-
ing Il democrat, an '.enemy of the gov
ernment," is there any good reason
why any one should be removed from
office for that reason: And If Mr..
Clinch is the real collector of the port
of New York. so far us the business of
the office is concerned, can any one
give good reason why there Is any
need of Il political collector at all
Let the next republican national con-
vention announce ;is the first article i'll
its creed, ito the victorS belong the
spoils,' and see what progress they will
make in the campaign. Let obscrva-
lions he made as to the number of hon
est voters in New Hampshire, or Con
necticut. or Pennsylvania. who will
rally enthusiastically III that bugle-call.
/ I ,b,r, ..,n tbnir rlnhs
auxiliary branches of the great dread
and-huttcr brigade" of which we heard
something i'll President Johnson's time,
Let then organize their army with the
bummcrs and camp-folloWerS. the men
who are after the ''plum>" and ''m"ie-
ties and commissions" and other gen
eral-or,ler business at the front-not
the post of danger. hut the post of prof
it and then ask the people to fall int"
line and help that movement on t" vic
tory. Mr.. Speaker. the pe"pl" would
turn from such Il party movement with
infinite disgust and loatiing. They
would do more they would find some
WAY of ovcrthrowing it with trcmcm-
dous violence at the polls: and if pack
ed ballot boxes and false counting, the
natural resort of such political villainy.
were imtcIp0scd to arrest the results
of the peoples righteous Indignation. :,
storm of revolution would come like
that which has many times i'll tn"
worlds history swept from the office he
corrupt tHrant> who have endcav"rrd
to pcrpetuatc themselves III power.
Shall he told that in this | am con-
dcmning the republican party Well.
sir. am condemning the republican
party 50 far as. ;I> an organization. II l.
guilty of the uffcnScS | describe | am
condcmnng the republican party 50 iHr
aS it is following the corrupt and cor
rupting example OF Its political plrdc-
ctSSorS in the control of the govern
mcnt am condemning the republican
party so far as il treats the offices a.
the reward of mere party Scr\ ice: am
rondemimg the republican panty :" fan
as ii asserts or acts upon the theory
that party or Il man beaten i'll an
election is on that account to hr treated
as an enemy conquered i'll war: ;In
condemnimg the republican party 50 tan
as it upholdS or defends the system
which gives millions annually in mole
ties. pcrquiSite>. and profitable jobs to
political friends as Il reward fuI politi-
cal service or pnltical influence: | am
condcmning the republican party when
ever and wherever it takes from the
treasury of the United States the mon
ey which belongs to the whole people.
and should he used in rclieN imm the
heavy burden of the public debt and tn
tighten the lead of taxation under which
the nation lahorS. and puts that money
into the pockets of the political OF per
l 4
make mp an election fund with which
To carry on political campaigns.
Those who witnessed the count OF
votes three Years ago when the present
president was declared elected. and
who did not then see something more
than Il possibility that some day. out OF
. that apparently simple and peaceful
process of declaring the will of the peo-
pie, might burst the storm of reVolu-
ton, must have had IL singulally cool
temperament, most judiciouS and
philosophic frame of mind. and wonder
full faith i'll the docility of parties and
of the American people. How soon the
time may come when 10y rejecting the
vote of il single state the result may he
changed if New York or Pennsyl-
vania should happen To he that state,
1t may moi come next year or at any
presidential clection-uO man can tell.
If such Il time should come. and charges
. of fraud or violence should be made bV
either side, who does not see what ire
mendouS pressure would always be
made 10y the party III power to perpet-
uate itself: and it is hardly necessary
to 90 back to the time of seating dem
ocrltic senators from Indiana. or of the
Lecompton tyranny, to understand
what that pressure i'll connection with
the spoils and party discipline might
lead to. One attempt at revolution has
come because party would not submit
to il change of administration of the
government. Is it impossible that we
should have another growing out Of the
decision OF a presidential electiono