Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-06-10

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certain things which have since come 10
my knowledge, have wrought change
in my opinions.
fad certain interested politicians are
busily engaged in attempts to mix up
this question with other ssues,-entirsly
outside OF it-and the canvass, instead of
being a fair contest upol its own merits,
is attempted to be used as a sort of step.
ping stone, upon which few interested,
ambitious patriots hope to "travel up
higher Independence of thought and
action are OF more value 10 me than the
office of Senator. and will have no per.
soual connection with any political can
vass that looks to sacrifice OF either.
Again, the old issues Which marked the
dividing line between freedom aud
slayery-iiIsi squarely put TO the people
in the Fremont and Buchanan campaign,
and VIGOROUSLY fought out, both in the
/ Geld and at the polls, in the election and
re. election OF Abraham Lincoln, and en-
dorsed BY the election aud reelection of
I Gen. Grant-are substantially settled.
/ Slavery is dead. and the reelection Of
, Gen. Grant drove the last nail in the
coffin of secession aud rebellion; and if
| the President carries out Gas | have no
doubt be Wild his pledge TO the people,
reconstruction upon the great basis Of
i freedom and equal rights will be q fixed
/ fact. which no political emeut can here
after reach or disturb.
The republican party a. the time it was
formed, was political nC cessity. twas
organized lor purpose, and most grand
| Is has it thus far fulfilled its mission.
But it can never in the future make
slavery or any of its collateral questions
an issue TO divide it from any other pc.
litical organization. Neither can the
party hereafter be long used rs an
agency, to crafty the ambition Of wire
working politicians. or be made sort OF
mutual admiration society" for the
benefit Of political rings" or political
combinations.
New issues. vital to the very existence
OF The American republic, are now press
| Ing themselves upon the attention of the
people They are now at our very doors,
demanding recognition The next great
battle TO be fought out At the polls, will
be between combinations OF wealth,
backed up by bloaied, soulIcss corpora
tions. and the rank and file Gf the people,
between honesty on the one side. and
knayery and rascalily on the other. The
Credit MoJilier" development was only
a small cropping out of an organized
system Of villany which has existed in
+ Congress tor years. | venture the re-
mark that there never has been single
Railroad grant ever passed through Con-
gress not tainted with Congressional
knayery TO a greater or less extent.
Neither is the infamous SALARY Crab
which. from present appearances, will
send to political graves every member
who in any manner favored it, or even
takes the stolen money-the only grab
at the contents of the National Treasury.
The last few days OF the session of every
Congress for wears, has always been
spent in wholesale stealing from this
same treasury, by hitching on amend
ments to the general appropriation bills,
and then engineering them through both
branches-through the agency of Com
mittees OF Conference" Millions of dol.
lars are swindled out of the treasury in
this kind of a way every year, by amend
monts, which in the shape of bills, could
never have passed either house under the
ordinary rules OF legislation. In the
meantime. the people have been taxed
with tariffs upon almost every article
that we have 10 eat, drink or use, with q
paid corps of internal Revenue" Col
,ecteIs at their heels. demanding more
money to replenish treasury thus de-
pleted and made empty. These, and
similar grabs" must be stopped. or there
is no virtue left in the American people.
Again, Railroad monopolies. and Tele-
graphic monoplies must be throttled by
Congress, and such members sent there
Oy the people as will represent them
and not the UNANIMOUSLY corrupt lobby that
hang round Washington, iattening on the
life blood of the people. The farmers of
the West must be relieved from the mer-
eenary grasp OF Wall street gamblers
and SPECTATORS. so that their corn to
them will be worth something more than
to be used Tor fuel; while the people of
the East must be saved from millions OF /
taxation, annually assessed on the bread /
they eat. by thieves, spectators, and cor. /
poration swindiers. l repeat,--these OF I
necessity are to be made political issues /
TO be settled at the polls. Whichever /
party takes the side OF the people, will /
tight 10 conquer. Ii neither of existing :
parties array themselves with the masses /
upon these issues, a new party will eOme |
up, take the field. and clear the track
from everything in its way, Hereafter. !