Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-07-31
PoIitics-Duty of Christian Men.


Politics makes strange bedfellows.
How apt the adagc Just now One of the
very apostles of liberty and protection" is
the standard bearer of life long free traders
and old-time Shareholders The politics of
the country are getting mixed up. new
political catechism is coming to be needed
every four years. There are people enough
who cannot tell what, ifany, principles they
vote, and in these days of party recklessness,
this " dangerous class is fearfully on the
increase.
In this writing we have nothing to say for
or against either of - these two''-Grant
and Greeley. But we propose some consid-
erations to the thoughtful Christian men Of
r the land.
1t is one of the OninOtls signs of the times
that many of the best men utterly neglect
their duty to vote. Their reasons for ignor-
ing election are palpabIe and not without
force. Politics have become low and cor
rupt. The bad men have largely got the
management of affairs. And besides many
trusted men have proved false. Good men do
avoid the pain of betrayal, so often expert
enced.
But citizenship with its privileges carries
along with it in this country the Imperative
duty to UOte. Our republican form of gov
eminent places responsibility in a measure
upon every legal voter. One among so
many may not count much-so one feathery
snow flake does not weigh much, but it has
mission none the less.
The GOOD mans presence! at the place
where rulers are elected is a rebuke to evil
minded and evil designing men-and all the
more SO when it is known that he carries
ballot for no bad man. And his absence is
the license that bad men want. Let them
have it all their own way, give them their
choice in rulers and they know full well
that they have in their own polluted hands
the once evenly balanced " scales of justice.
And if for nothing more the good man
should go, ballot in hand. where votes are
cast, as protest against authorized villainy'
And Christian men should appreciate their
power. The good men of this nation can
control tho election and legislation Of the
land in the interest of morality and right
eousness. Let it be understood that all good
men vote, and that they vote only for good
men. and then it would soon come to pass
that only good men would be put in nomina-
ton. Already party leaders have come to
pay some respect to the moral and Christian
sentiment of the land. Party ties have been
broken somewhat, and are being broken
more, and it remains only for all good men
to speak out and protest at the ballot box
in order to compel for standard bearers the
choice of good men.
And the potent place for protest is at the
primary meetings of parties. Vile as the
caucus has been and is, it is nevertheless
natural and inevitable institution under
such a government as ours. Candidates will
be put in nomination at a caucus or brought
forward by combining and interested friends
without formal nominations. The caucus
is a d" nominating convention" on a small
scale It rules the party and the election.
And there are good men enough, it is
hoped, in any party to efectually control
the caucus nomination in almost every ward
and town in the interest of that % righteous
ness which exalteth nation" A half dozen
upright men with courage to speak out can
prevent the nomination (and virtual election)
of bad man to an important Office in almost
any caucus in the country. And this should
be done. And only as the good men in their
respective parties do this, can they hope to
bequeath anything better than ruin to their
children. We verify mock God in praying
for national peace and prosperity, and at
the same time folding our arms and letting
the wicked choose q the wicked to bear rule -
And if the caucus be set on putting for
ward the Incorporate, or the profane, or the
Sabbath breaker, or the adulterer, or the
man that sells his honor and his vote, the
good men of the party should refuse to par
ticipate in the crime. Let them vote for
another man, thus placing political right
eousuess where its place is-before party.
Success always crowns such an effort, if not
Immediately, yet " after not many days
Revolutions in favor of righteousness may
cost blood, but they " never 90 backward, -
and the victories of righteousness are the
only victories of lasting peace and true and
safe prosperity