Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-04-24


tality through which the offices can be secured
for aY0rities, than an agency to crystalize
into forms Of government sound political
ideas and a wise political economy, that it
ought 10 receive no favor from Republicans,
who pro ess ID be the party of reform, pro
gress, and pure government.
The remaining objection to divOrcing Of
ticsrs from pplitics-that the party cannot
succeed that does nos subsidize its adherents
Jet US now consider This objection was
once very forcibIy stated by member OF
Lord DerbY's government in England, as
narT tel by Fr0ude in the following extract
from an essay on the . reciprocal duties of
STATE AMI subject he essayIst says:
When LORD Derby oane last into office, and It
wa rum1rei thar the ground was TO be cut from
Unter ir Ola tstpne's feet by the Introduction OF
HIu more ciosely-yhy t1e Tories did not keep TO
their own pc e,uiar provinces Authority was every
where fiilny pieces why did not they say frankly
they Wput TRY To check for instance the dishonesty
OF trade and that if the people wanted reform bills
would 10 them good Ny friend said that they
woutl be Inme lately thrown out. [ agreed; but
every fI-lt-miniel EnSli ishmln at their backs Ny
do The Tories hal been long out of power and
they wlutes patronage. There We're House of
t-,..I0lsls -ub0rters IL be made peers barristeFs
u ha'ma3e judges, parsons 10 be made deans and
So, 7 i5,t ~. .,,r1TtI ~, f,r tFe fi1r'1r 70
They must bloc 4 the Noses OF their hounds
This member of Lord Derbys Government.
glo evidently knew something of hunting
rs well rs Of politics, had precisely the poor
opinion of the people that is held in this
6upcrv by those who think an election can
not be carried with honest men for candidates,
wit an honest ballot, and for honest princi
pl.s, except the zeal of the hounds i
{ gickea11 b. the smell ami taste Of blood.
+ ta.s true Are We ID conclude that the
Republicans Who support General Grant are
mcrceasry; that unless he distributes the
8. sps..s % the active politicians the ranks
of discomfort VIII be increased. and his re-
election rendered not only doubtful bat i'm
p3sslhle2 Who on this side of the House Is
prepared 10 say this And vet is not this
5.s-t what every one says who insists that
unless the politicians can be fed at the pub
lie soup table tue Republican party cannot
carry tae elections. cannot reelect General
Grant or any other Republican Tor Presi
dent
What principle holds the Republican party
t8-ccaer2 Gentlemen tell US - The sp0iis.
tue achievements of the party are nothing.
rha. il IS the party that emancipated four
million slaves. IS nothing. That 1t carried
the government to a triumph over a rebel
lion tGe greatest known To ancient OF
modern times, Is nothing. That it stood
fast bY tie credit Of the Government when
mere party men doubted, hesitated, and
questioned whether the nation could ever
pay Is debt is nothing. That after sup
pressing rebellion To the surprise Of the
civilized world, it added 70 the amaZement
ol the hest fnanciers of modern times BY
n8yin. SI00.0JD, 800 annually of its great
debt, is nothing. That while it has thus
been restoring the finances and quickening
lhe industries Of the nation since the war
legislation made secure what the war
achieved. freedom and equal rights to white
auI black alike, Is nothing. That the future
If tai, great nation is in its grasp, and by
res9lute reform, by patient effort, by wise
legislation. 5y Just and impartial admInIstra-
tiaa 5s the laws. II can give humanity
chance in the western world that it has never
before had. is nothing. To these grand
achievements, t. these noble trusts. to these
Ines,imable promises and solicitations the
People tGra deaf ears, move away with IT.
difference from them, or repel them with
contempt. lc is only as under ali these
splendid notices On our political banners,
behind all these giided periods in our politi-
c1l speeches, underneath all these noble
truths in car political platforms they see
that other sentiment, - to the victors belong
the sp1ils, that they kindle into the enthu-
sIasm that wins political victories.
But this judgment of the capacity and the
honesty ot the people IL not the true iudg-
mcut, auj If gentlemen believe il is let
them Try It ia practice. Let the the next
Republican national convention announce
as the first article in its creed, .' to the vic
tors belong the sPoils,'' and see what pro
ere-s & ey viii make in the campaign. Let
observations be made as TO the number Of
honest voters in New Hampshire, or Con-
ueclcut, or Pennsylvania, who viii rally
enthusiastically at that buzle call. Let
them read at their meetings IN the several
districts rs their basis of action Rev Mr.
Nasby's platform Tor the next election, who
thus announces his principles
The post Offices Is at stake the Cabinet posish-
aH~ p IT e TACT every thing lncludIn my sup
u'E OF sAher, Is al stake, and she'll take OF my
cote ami 90 INTO this campane with all the vigger
and energy uv my yUthtul daze'
Let them call their campaign clubs, au1ili-
airy branches of the great i" bread and butter
bJIy1de. Of which we heard something in
President Johnson's time. Let them organ
lze their army with the bummers and camp
the men who are after the - plums''
and e m0.eties - and - commissions - ana
other = .eucral-order business, =" at the front
not the post of danger, but the post of
pr0ft-snd then ask the psople to fall into
line and help that movement on to victory
sir. Speaker, the people would turn from
such party movement with infinite disgust
ana lolthing. Hney would do more: they
voalj fad some way of overthrOwing it with
violence at the polls; and if
stuffed ballot boxes and false counting, the
natural resort of such political villainv,
were iuterposel Cd arrest the results of the
peoples righteous indignation, storm of
revolution would come like that which has
many times in the worlds history swept
from Office the corrupt tyrantE who have en-
leavore1 to perpeEaate themselves in power /
II We needed assurance that the people /.
can he trusted TO record a righteous iudy- /
nent q tie elections without this prelImi- /
nary process of blooding the noses Of our
hounds, we can find it in the grand rally of
the people of the North to the defense OF the /
lag freI upon at Sumter, when Democrats /
and Republicans alike gave their lives for .
he lie of the nation. The tide of patriot .
ism rose high above party barriers and divi- /
Ions. sweeping East and West across the /
continent, and against its progress the break /
waters of party were erected in vain
The utter defeat Of Tammany last fall fur
lIshes IN instance Of a political revolution
n which the honest people Ofall parties united
o strike fatal blow at-corruptIOn in Office
The election of mayor of Chicago after
hat great city was wasted, as no other city
vas ever wasted, by fire, proves how the
)e0ptc Ia LuelT cdldiultles, III hourS OF peril,
n moments OF supreme anxiety, turn, lrres-
,ectiye of party, TO their best men, and sum
non to their aid the honest and the wise
0un elors whom the mere managing and
professional politicians have no use for, and
u the machinery Of party generally manage
o keep out of places Of power and patron
Ige.
In truth-and il is entirely in accord with
ur theory Of government and the spirit of
.ur instl5utions-retorm is only possible
hrough the agency of the people. 1t works
through the people upon the officers, and
l0s through the officers upon the people