Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-07-19
Communications.
WRITTEN ron TIE VERMONT PHoNI1.
u CRI. ron RBFOR,y.


public affairs-a release from the power Of
political rings and the concentrated mouop-
oily of great financial schemes. Party spir-
1t is seeking to suborn the public conscience
and bring the toiling millions into COM
plete subservency to its despotic dictaton.
Freedom and the rights of individuals to
act their own judgment in regard to poit-
ical rule must be made subservient to the
proscriptive policy of party organization,
and numerical majority yield TO the con-
centrated power of the minority. Elec-
tons, from the President down to the
smallest town representative, are controlled
by the cohesive power of party discipline.
Party caucuses and ciques make all the
nominations, and the rank and file of the
party they lead are made to ratify their do
ings at the ballot box and this is called
the freedom of elections-a priceless boon
to the humble, laboring classes.
The late Republican convention at Pnill-
delphia bears unmistakable evidence that
the leaders of that convention expect to
carry the election of their nominees by the
power of party tactics, knowing, as they
must, that majority of the voters in the
United States are not in favor of the re-elec-
ton ofPresident Grant, and are not in sym
pathy with the course pursued by him and
his subordinates upon the great and lead
ing national questions of the times-the
Santo Domingo scheme, the tamperiug with
the Treaty OF washington, the reconstruc.
ton and amnesty question and the civil
service reform. That these and many 9TH
err questions OF vital importance to the in-
terest and welfare OF the country have not
been managed as the people had right to
expect, Is 100 apparent 10 admit oil dispute.
NOTWITHSTANDING the ciamor oil large ma
| jority OF the country press that the Phila-
delphia nominations meet the almost uni
versal wishes of the people, the fact is pat
ent that the swelling tide OF public scnti-
ment in favor of the Cincinnati movement
is already creating alarm among the plrti-
sans of the present administration.
That convention, TOO, bears unmistaka-
BILE evidence upon It's lace that the DEGREES
IL ratihed emanated from the.cehtraI mead
quarters oil Inc administration. Inc IN
paralleiled uniformity oil It's action ana the
seinsn arrogance Vi Hs PiatiorhI, point
with unerring certainty 10 the source from
which 1t sprang. IL assumes Tor the he
publican party the entire credit OF suppress
ing the rebellion, OF freeing the slaves, oil
reconstructing the States, OF building Pa
cihc railroads, and every other enterprise
OF the American people during the eleven
years OF its ascendancy.
The platform, too, in most respects is in
definite and susceptible of any cons.ruc-
ton that may be desirable. The only posi-
tive declaration is borrowed from Horace
Greeley. 1t says: "Complete liberty and
exact equality in the enjoyment OF all CIV
II, political, and public rights, should be
esta blished and efectuaily maintained
throughout the Union by efficient and sp-
propriate State and Federal legislation"
Why has not this great party established
this in practice as well as in theory? Sew
en- years have gone by since the surrender
of the Confederate States to the Union fore
es, and this principle has not yet been a.
dopted. Even the late amnesty law falls
far short OF ii for II is but mockery to
grant universal suffrage, while by law the
persons they wish to vote tor are excluded
from office.
They say the 'franking privilege ought
to be abolished, and the way prepared for
a speedy reduction of postage" Eleven
years of ascendency show us no progress
in that direction. 1.-The glorious record oil
the past is the party's best pledge Tor Inc
FUTURE they arrogantly eXclaim but II
eleven years OF the past shows no record oil
such an effort, what hope have the people
by giving the present managers an addi'
tional lease OF powerE Never can any par
yiold us arms ana repose upon tneachieVe'
hents OF Inc past, or stand ana contem-
plate a lraditonai glory 10 command Tue
respect ana admiration OF the CIVILIZED
world 10 exert controlling influence IN
the government OF an enlightened people
1t must snow suthcient vitality now 10
command their implicit confidence. Does
the hepuplicah party underline present al
hlnistratioh come up 10 TINS stahdardT
In former years Inc Two great antagonist
zeal IDEAS IN thls government were freedom
ana slavery Ihat was justly eaIied the
irrepressipie cohhicl. butsia'ery Is ueao'
ana peyonu even the nope OF resurrec-
ton by lis former advocates ana new eie-
ments OF discord are springing mp, strlfes
between capital and iabor-between the
producing and the consuming classes in
all the great cities and manufacturing
towns. The concentration Of wealth and
political power is threatening destruction
To our free institutions, and aiming fatal
blow at the freedom of elections. 1t is al
ready too true that our elections are con-
trolled with money, our literature is mat
ter of speculate ion, and our religion a mat
ter of dollars and cents. Money Is sought
as means of power, and power as a meaus
of obtaining money not honestly earned.
The Republican party originated in the
interest of humanity, was organized in OPP
nosition IN desDotic aupressions of the slave