Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-10-04
FIR TEs.Sv PdRTI.fLETI. I.v
POLETICS.

publicans OF more or less prominence, who
are now identified with the coalition, have
suddenly, to the majority of the Republi-
can newspapers and orators OF the country,
become persons of poor ability, and no
craftsmanship, and some of them little bet
ter than swindlers while Gen. Dix and
Democrats who have come over TO the sup
port of Gen. Grant, have rs suddenly been
transformed into noble statesmen, pure
patriots and honest men. This seeing men
through new eyes is not, however, the trick
of Republicans alone. When Democrats
praise Horace Greeley and Horace Greeley
praises Democrats when the hard shell
old Democracy of Massachusetts with tire
mendous enthusiasm" nominate Charles
Sumner for Governor, and Charles Sumner
writes labored speech TO prove that these
same Democrats are the true friends of lib
erty and equal rights; little more can be
expected in the way of startling transfor-
nations in politics. Democratic newspa-
pcrs now praise Gen. Banks az a statesman
profoundly wise concerning the foreign re-
lations of the country; the same papers a
few months ago made his foreign states
manship the butt of their ridicule; and
Banks will lose credit in Republican quar-
ters just in proportion as he gains in DEM
ocratic praises. Republicans used to call
Sumner statesman; now he is only
rhetorcian. They used to call Schurz a
most brilliant and effective orator, fit to
sound the keynote Of the Chicago Repub-
lican Convention which first nominated
Gen. Grant; now he is only word-mong-
first orators in the country now he is on
ly an utterer of platitudes. They used TO
call Trumbull pure statesman; now he is
denounced as a swindler and cheat They
used TO call Fitzpatrick dashing cavalry
officer and most brilliant and effective
campaign speaker; now he is a coward, a
libertine, liar, and a slanderer. Now, we
are not saying which Of these judgments is
the correct one as to all these men, for that
is not the purpose Of this writing; but ii is
tolerably clear that both cannot be correct
and just estimates of the men in question.
II man leaves his old associates, almost
Immediately they begin to tell stories about
him and to depreciate him; and this seems
to be more true of political associations
than of any other. All on our side in pol
itics are honest and virtuous and wise and
patriotic and all on the other side are just
the reverse and especially the reverse if
they have just changed their political asso-
Citations. This can safely be said, we think,
to be unreasonable; and we fear that it not
only demoralizes politics but demoralizes
government.
Mr.. Sumner furnishes singular and
marked illustration of this tendency to all
low our judgment Of our fellows TO be
strangely colUred by prejudices, either po-
litical or otherwise. During Mr.. JohnsOn's
administration, Gen. Grant, as will be re-
membered, was sent south TO ascertain the
temper OF the people and especially of the
rebels toward the government. He came
back and reported that they all acquiesced
in the results of the war, and were only
anxious for peace and order; and he rec
ommended policy of conciliation-in 9TH
er words, Johnson's policy. Mr.. Sumner,
in his place in the Senate, denounced this
report as Il "whi!ewashing report" and
very many Republicans in the country
agreed with him in that denunciation.
Now, Mr.. Sumner advocates the same pol
Gen. Grant because he favors the policy
that Senator Sumner then advocated. Why
Gen. Giant holds different views to-day
from what he had then we don't pretend to
know; but we believe Senator Summers
personal feeling against Gen. Grant is the
only cause of his change, for it is not year
since he expressed directly opposite views.
To-day Mr.. Sumner opposes Gen. Grant
because he is "a regmental color with the
forbidden inscription = four, years ago he
supported him, ,although he was then just
as Objectionable on that account.
Such things only show how difficult IL is
for us to judge men and measures honestly
and fairly in our utterances in a political
campaign. To one side Mr.. Greeley does
not seem TO possess n single good quality
and Gen. Grant has not bad one; to the
other Gen. Grant has no merits or virtues,
and Mr.. Greeley has every quality of states
manship and every attribute of moral ex-
cellence. To one side Gen. Grant is horse
Jockey, dog fancier, and companion of
men whose purses are better filled than
their heads, while Mr.. Greeley walks in an
intellectual atmosphere, feeds on political
economy and dwells apart in the loitiest
contemplation with the spirits Of departed
statesmen; to the other, Gen. Grant is the
grandest character of the time, with the
graces and culture OF Philip Sydney, can
write Latin even if he cannot speak Greek,
and while he was the greatest Captain OF
any age he has yet shown gifts as civil
magistrate which rank him higher rs a
statesman than as a General, while Mr..
Greeley ON the other hand is a poor vacil-
lating, imbecile office-seeker. These are
hardly exaggerations of the different styles
of eulogy and criticism freely INDUCED in
by both sides in this campaign, If the can
didates were exchanged we should proba-
bly, find the eulogy and the criticism trans
ferred at the same time.
Thinking people are not much deceived
by these extravagances, and the result of
the campaign is more influenced by honest
and candid statements and arguments than
by ierceness of denunciaton, or loitiness
of praise. Devils do not become saints
when they join our party, and saints do
not become devils when they leave our
party. Their moral characters and intel
lectual ability remain substantially un-
changed. So far as they change their po-
Utica principles they can no longer expect
or deserve the confidence of their old po-
Ii itical associates; but If we to-day con-
denim them for their practices yesterday,
when they were in political alliance with
us, we simply condemn ourselves, as we
ought to have condemned these objectiona-
BILE practices sooner if they deserved con-
demnation. Wedo right in making hard
aud square fight for our principles and for
the men who most nearly represent them;
and we can do this while we may not think
our candidates are perfect or party ma
chinery all II should be. But In the long
run we shall find truth better than exag-
geration and candid criticism more effect