Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-01-24
Grants Opportunity

luld h reelected, 20 make secure one II
tn. most benefcent measures which have
cesn proposed since the emancipation ana
eufranchisement Of the colorod people in
,bs United State This opportunity is Of
tered 70 the President peculiarly, since i
seems 70 be now apparent that majority 2.
essh House II Congress arc either or=aiy
opposed 70 the measure, OF give l. hut tie
f4intest support; and its adoption AMI
3. fair trial muse depend in great measure
81 on him, supported directly bv tHe people.
It ne aLspdOus IL. 1t has nc chance whatever.
4. he ss4nds by il, sc eau but believe taat
as altimste success 10 made secure
We 90 not suggest tnat This e Crane oE-
J. rrtunity beeau=e we have any reason II sup
$, Sc the President &, Sc hating IN his deter
einatiou 20 give chs reform q .. fair trial 7
We have heretofore many times said, 10 tae
TaEEsss. that rhere would be 40 re.e-m ia
sle civil service until something Wa -e.z 10
nat direction Talk 10 favor e tla,re.9rm
has been abundsat, ami Il had become cheap.
-ud Wa 5istru=Fed. aud the FszEHs~ not uu-
frequently before the message OF tho President
a5opting tho rules Of Mr. Cartis'- e5muis-
n wa sent T. Congress, gave expression
= i general opinion il urging tia. s1 ounce
e Performance was worth @ ton - promises.
While the reform was only promised and ad-
, Gated, bu, q adoption -tiu was LET'S lsr fl-
tire consideration, Democrats and Eap5ali-
ms we're almost unanimously 10 favor u it.
Ne accepted tbess pr0tsstatious II friendship
t.r the measure with some doubts 81 Is s.-.r
-incerity. and the course taken by politician
-inoc the first Of January fully ju-tIE-s tine
suspicious we then hsi The Il.l 81 -ae
politicians had found 81 necessary go pretend
T. be 10 favor 9f the reform tut taey a4d
10 more expectation thar aug reform was
likely really @ - into ef-ct taaa tasy .al
81 seeing the sun rise il the ec--. E-t+ IS
..yor OF it sounded well, and served to s4.e-
tie people vino rcre deiuded by Il into be.
lief that it meant something. but action Il
that direction was not thought Dr. ID short.
strong was this conviction, ia the part ST
sle politicians, that no reform would Be ser-
o1sly tried, thls when the messa-e oE the
President was received promising Be 3 fair
trial, they had ne thought that il was nearer
than before and even the mesa x acc1uFf-
rying the report Of Mr. Custis'z commission
I'D not awaken in them any apprehen-. So
nat change was really contemplated II
was not until the fret of January came. aud
congressman we're quietly told By tba E-.
den. and heads of Departments that appoint
uaents were hereafter t. be made with refer
ence only 10 merit, that these politicians
found, to their surprise and amazemen., tlat
she reform had passed out " the realm B
talk and promise-, ana into lhe realm OF f4ce.
and aimee that moment the most vigorous
warfare has been waged against il by every
body who believes ia that old set Tilla.lga5
doctrine, q 20 the yictors belong the spells
cf the enemy Gen. Butler has made open
proclamation IL the House Ct Representative
at Washington Of his hostility 90 she reform
and Senator Carpenta7. ~ tho n-ho- u-ir., of
she Capitol. has been equally pronounced in
his opposition to the measure; and from
what We can gather from corresP8n Jeuce
from Washington, we judge the Democrats
as a body. and three fourths Of the Reputli-
can members OF Congress, are opposed e this
measure Of reform which the President ba=
put il operation. Democrats oppose e. bel
cause, If they should come into power, It
would give them no chance for the D." spous p.
and Republicans oppose it because it tak5t
out of politics the = cohesive power Of the
public plumber" Senator Carpenter said 10
his speech thst the Republican party could
not be kept together except b this cohesive
power-he used different phrsseolosy but b,
meant thnt-and Cameron and Chandler anc
Morton and many others hold to the sam,
doctrine. Republicans must have all the of
fces.-and members Of Congress are the bel
persons IN the country to parcel cut tines,
Offices, these are now the two cardinal prin.
ciples, apparently, Of the politicians. and Il
che name or these principles they ma se VIZ
upon g reform which makes merit alone
test IN appointments to Office
This opposition, and the sincere and r.dt
cule and threats which it uses as its most
effective weapon, viii make Gen Grant,
effort to Try the reform q difficult one ana
what will make it still harder for him. is th,
fsot that this opposition comes chiefly frou
those who have heretofore been such zealou,
supporters Of Grant that they have denouneel
every one who did not favor his renomina.
ton as traitor to the party Senator
Trumbull is yet the only senator who la,
given the reform his unqualified support
We understand Senator Edmunds will advo
cate the measure, and Sumner and Scbur
favor it; but the Grant senators. generally
either fight it, give it the benefit of then
silence, or with WY face grudgingly oGoi
it qualified approval.
Under these circumstances. there Is now
but one hope for the reform. and that hope
is in Grant If he fails Us, the reform j.
dead already. If he stands BY il. tie people
will stand By him, and holding may
yet be lifted out of the slough Of partisan
chip. II is all in his hands We have vet
seen no reason 70 doubt the sincerity of his
assurance that he shall try il. whether Con
gress legislstes on the subject or not lie
has both the right and the power 70 do 50
He is not easily turned from his purpose
His administration has not taken in hand a
greater OF a more benefcent work ard his
persistence viii be needed here more than
anywhere else. He only needs to Be certain
that the people are with him, and he will.
we believe, stand firm And here he viii
find among HE most steadfast supporters
many if not most # those whl have i herto
had occasion to criticise some ects Of his
administration.
PENSIONS. House Of Representatives