Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-08-08
West Rutland.

Every man, sage or fool, has an Opln-
ion. But every man cannot be leader
of opinion, nor perhaps the one hun
drcdth part of masculine creation, so
that the majority of men are supposed
to imbibe their opinions and principles
direct from some favorite party god. In
politics our creed is generally manufac-
tured for us. The great and wise men
of the nation, comprising the truly good
and therefore the truly great, the un-
principled and corrupt, are alike en-
gagged in working out our political des-
tiny. Two rival parties claim the stuff
rage Of the people. Each alike assumes
to itself all justice, equity, and perfec-
ton, leaving nothing but infamy to the
other. The personal characters of the
chosen standard bearers are sifted as
wheat, claiming all virtues to admire in
one side, all vices to condemn on the
other. The maxim, everything fair in
war;" is used in its full, literal sense in
our political campaigns. The untutored
rustic whose time is given to some hum
bic calling, (such make up the motive
power of the great political maChine) is
wildly called before the stump-rostrum
to absorb the awfully popular invectives
and death dealing adjectiv0s of some
democrat or republican DemOsthenese,
who, with some nicely assumed dramat-
ic ability. hollow voice and fevered brow,
thunders forth his favorite policy, for
the simple purpose of convincing his
simple hearers that to vote for Greeley
is damnation, to vote for Grant, benedic-
ton. or gjce-TerSa. Some Of our anti
quated political tutors will hardly con-
ccde that the DAYS of "old TippacanOe
and Tyler too, belong to past age or
that we have made any political progress
since the declaration of independence.
We claim that our nature is growing in
political wisdom. Thus the simple rus
tic at his pillow has an ''opinion," not
stolen from the stump or formed by any
clique or party, and we claim, further,
that it does not require the majestic fren-
ny and and massive eloquenCe of a great
political spoutGr, the braZeu notes Of
yankee Doodle" or Hail Columbia,
the discharge of cannon, the Haunting
of flags, etc. etc, to make the people
believe that Grant is failure, or that
Greeley is an old fool. 1t all looks too
much like 4 farce, gentlemen. We shall
vote without any spOuting, for the man
who, in our humble opinion, is the most
worthy, notwithstanding we are told
every day till next November that he is
disposed by the Right Hon. So-and-So;
that he is incompetent. n llnaye, a fool,
etc; that the hail in which his defamer
harrangued was enthusiastically packed,
and that in which his champion spOuted
was ANONYMOUSLY empty. We shall
vote for our choice, too, without being
''clubbed" into it, All the Grant and
Greeley clubs in the country. with their
semi-Occasi0nal elbows. could not i'm
prove or shake 4 principle conceived in
justice and equity.
We were heartily gratified on reading
a recent Herald editorial in which eX-
treme party inycctive was discouraged
and truthful and liberal concessions
cOunsclled. during the campaign. If
correspondents and writer's would follow
the timely advice, it would add some
dignity to the canvas and create less par
ty bitterness and animosity. but ''plus
on est de to1tS, pins on ut. As well ask
the tide or time to stay their march; we
must be amused if not obeyed. If
our friend "Smuggins can guess our
principles from the suhjoined he is heart
lily welcome to the knowledge. We
majcsticaliy sit astrde a balance. On
one arm are patriotism, honesty, equity,
union, peace. On the other our country
from ocean TO ocean. To keep their
balance in exact poise IS every freeman's
duty. We throw our influence on the
virtues side How goes Smuggins?
Tie pic-n;c under the auspices of
the Salsficld band promises to be the
pleasantest event of the season. Re
member, three excellent brass bands
furnish the music Arrangements for
amusing games, dancing. refreshments,
etc, are completed. Fun commences at
one O'Clock p. m.
The Greeley meeting on Saturday
evening was wellattended. The remarks
Of d. E. Nicholson and n. p. Simons
We're enthusiastically received. Speech
es We're also made by John Cain, ESQ,
and Or. NOodhOuse EXCELSIOR.