The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-09-01
MAssACIuUsETTS POLITICS AGAIN

on Wednesday the tenth day of Septcm-
bcr 4. d., 1878. at II given hour. The |
notes of warning; evidences of prepare
ton; the marshalling of the hosts, cagerfor |
the fray, the gathering of the clans and the |
drawing in of the outposts are all taking |
place. The contcs, bids fair to he short -
only ten days now interyencs for the fight
sharp. for Butler. whatever else he may
be, is always sharp, and decisive, because II
must he decided one way or the other one
week from Wednesday. and with it the
fate Of the party in Massachusetts. If
sharpness, political trickcry. INSCRIPTIONS
action, pressing forward the skirmishcrs,
and taking advantage of every possible
chance, furnished ny fraud, accident or
mistake, is to decide the preliminary con-
test or skirmisl, then the result may be
mcasurably forcsccn. Political caucuscs,
primary meetings and nominating convcn-
tion- are bodies unknown to our cOnstitu-
tons aud laws. yet they have. heretofore,
potency of congresses and legislatures.
The law enacted by Congress, or state
legislature. is, if conlormabc to the con-
stitution. Of binding force. and officers are
elected or appointed. sworn and paid for
enforcing the same. 1t may be enforced
or not rs circumstances shape Themselves
The officer, comfortable in the assured re-
ccipt Of his salary, will perform as little
FOE 81
however powerful public sentiment
urges him on; the witnesses are brought to
his very door; and an opportunity is pre-
scented for enhanced personal or official
popularity whereby "A reelection or an
'uppcr scat" is assured the law may be
| spasmodcally enforced. Otherwise the
! law may be, and remain. IA dead letter on
| the statute book. The mere fact that a
law has been enacted, and approved by the
executive is no evidence that a contest has
been decided or that the result can hc fore
seen thcrcfrom,
We have said that caucuscs, primary
meetings and nominating conventions have,
heretofore. come to have all the power,
| force and potency of congresses and state
legislatures but we mistake. The DEGREES
OF King Caucus are irrevcrsibc. Let its
fiat once 90 forth and there has been 10 ap-
,.rai n-rerrom I'ho dcspotism of the
caucus and convention comes from
what has appropriately been termed the
fear of the party whip. :" We believe
this truth to he self evident might have
said our fathers and fellow citizens, this
many year, that the ''crack of the party
whip has been of more binding force, of
more cillcaciOus power and of greater
potency, than the most stringent legisla-
tive enactment even when supplemented
with the most appalling penalty for its in
fraction 1t is to this domination of King
Caucus. and its possession of almost
dcspotic powers, that we owe the scenes
which are now dsgracing the good old
commonwealth of Massachusetts, We
know not how to interpret although We
can cXplan-the result of the primary
, meetings held in Boston Friday evening
to select delegates to represent the republi
cans of that city in the convention to b'
: held in Worcester next week. We cai
: explain the result, because it was obtained
) by trick and was, in effect, "a snaI
judgment One Of those kind of per
; ness transaction, the law would, through
the courts ut once annul and set aside. b,
the usages Of the party, these plimar.
| meetings should have been holden on
e week from this evening, but the cxccu
: tive committee of the party, having til
: power in their own hands, called them te
G days earlier and why? Because tn
d more reputable element of the republica
Il the notice given, could not return in tim
: to attcnd-cvcn if they should hear of an
IS such meetings at all, The caucuscs cOul
be packed in the interest of Butler and til
Is great, enlightened, refined and educate
C city of Boston would declare for redoubt,
y bic Butler, with what moral effect upo
J. other parts Of the state is was impossib
It to anticipate. In spite of remonstrancc
e usagcs of the party were tramped down
1t and the caucuscs held, in accordance wit
t. the programme. in all of the wards b,
n one.
d We will not remark upon the procee'
ii ings, save what may bc embraced in Il
~ following extract from telegram '''rl
e. - caucuses were in the main Ordcll.
he . though many were packed by dcmocra
I, " lied upon for such service :" the resu
ne being that which concerns us most. Oh
IS. Of lightweight delegates elected, sXty-tw
nc were for Butler, while, in 1871 in the san
es wards, he only secured forty-two delegate
10 out of ninety-six. Some one hundred Al
OF forty-tvc delegates haye thus far be,
n elected, only thirty of which are fla, oral
Ill to the reelection of Governor Washbur
Ie- In the meanwhile General Butler keeps
H. his stamping tour throughout the stat
We speaking nightly to crowded audience
he The size of his audiences is, however,
,y Indication of strength as such displays
he, buffoonery, stale wit, personal slashin
n and coarse anecdotes would fill a hall,
y, any time and at any place, especially VIII
es accompanied by excellent music and fl
ed admission. The moral effect of the pl
1t ponderance of delegates already elected
Id another thing. The followers of But
mt profess to be greatly elated, although
y, result was brought about by schemi
ty trickery but votes count all the san
* whether they are honorably or dishon
he ably obtained The other side say Il
cd there is no danger; that the country, me
en- particularly Western Massachusetts,, "
'p- make the matter all right, but, at this