Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-10-02
abe 9aiu spp aaotssts aaleOnesoag uins October 1879.

which can result from this campaign. His sue
cess would be our complete discontinue. 1t
wonld go far to demonstrate what we have most
persstently denied, and the denial of which was
at the basis of the original Cincinnati move
ment. We then insisted, as we still do insist,
that the people OF this country were body of
which we ourselves were part; that the mass of
our fellow citizens disliked to be humbugged
and liked to be created as rational beings, lust
as we did ourselVeS-no more and no less. At
present, we maintained, desire for enlightened
discussion and dislike of cant were the pre-
dominant popular sentiments and in proof of
this we pointed to the tact that the reports of Mr.
Wells, one of our own number, had been re-
ceived with more genuine popular appreciation
than any or all of the other political pubica-
tons of the last eight years. The reception
accorded to his investigations had, indeed,
seemed to indicate the existence of a sort of
popular famine for the results OF careful
thought.
The practical men inside politics" however,
insisted that we were mere ignoramuses in talk
ing thus, and with laughter and derision assured
us that "the people," as they are pleased to
designate some mysterious, objective, voting
power wholly extTaneOus to themselves and us,
needed only some plaYthing or happy eaten
word--a barrel of cider or a wel-applied nick
name, for eXample-to rise and sweep the rep
resentatives thereof in ga tidal wave of delight
into every conceivable office of honor, trust and
emolument. And il was practically upon this
somewhat elementary question OF fact that an
issue was forced upon us at Cincinnati To our
great surprise the same view of the question, so
far as "the people" were concerned, was subse-
quently in due form adopted by the democratic
party in convention assemble at Baltimore. 1t
was there discovered and Solemnly announced
that our present and their own former principles
were, for real campaign use, not worth so much
as the hat and coat Of "hOneSt old Horace"
We have been forced to accept this issue and to
gravely appeal from the decision of a demo-
cratic convention to the individual democratic
voters, asking each to decide between time
honored political principles and 4 suit Of old
clothes.
The thing seems altogether too ridiculous to
be gravely stated, and yet it is absolutely true.
Mr.. Greeley's nomination was wholly and avow
edly urged and justified on the "white hat"
"tidal wave" and "prairie fire" hypothesis; the
"bloody chasm" melodrama was a somewhat
tlimsy afterpiece, introduced to cover up the aw-
full failure of the great original "Toodchopper'
farce. If Mr.. Greeley is elected, our friends the
managers will assuredly hereafter claim in tri-
umph that they know ''the people" and that
there's nothing like hard cider, unless it be
white hats. Under such a dispenSation, it will
be apparent that even descent outward respect
for the reforms we advocated is, for the present
at least, unnecessary, and that political manag-
ers can indeed transfer maiorties as drovers do
herds of cattle. The defeat of Mr.. Greeley, on
the other hand, will go far to convince the "men
inside politics" that things utterly incongruOIS
cannot as yet be successfully Jumped together
that the rise of "tdal waves" and "prairie fires"
has some connection with real underlying
cause-that the people, OF whom they pirate so
much and think so little, are not mere children
to be pleased with a rattle and tickled with
straw, and finally, that the cast-of garments
of an eminent editor are, after all, but poor
substitute for cardinal principles.
AT one time freely confess hoped for more
than this-far more-as the result of the pres
ent canvass. | did hope that great principles
might be grayeIy discussed, and that much
progress might be made, no matter what party
achieved success, in the grand work of educating
a nation. In common with many others, was
disappointed; but, if | cannot have the issue
wanted, | must needs accept that which is forced
upon us. 1t is for this canvass simply to show
that we are neither children nor fools. For one,
therefore, shall this year again cast my vote
for President Grant,-not, alas! this time with
the glad confidence in which, four years ago,
cast it for General Grant; but as the most direct
and, indeed, only way left open of rebuking that
species Of political cant and chcanery of which
the history of the Cincinnati movement was, in
its last stage, an unequalled example.
Mr.. Adams during his remarks was OCCASION
ally interrupted by cheers and laughter.