Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-12-25
TELL THE TRUTH.


It is no longer a debatable question
whether it is wise for the democratic
party to refuse to play the role of dead
organization and follow the leadership
of gore-headed Republicans, whose am
bition has not been fully met by their
own political friends. For purposes of
expediency, when they had no chances
of their own, they were willing to do it
for single campaign. They saw the
murmuring discontents among their en-
emies, and encouraged the ambition of
disappointed aspirants for leadership,
that there might be break in the VIC
torious party that lead for twelve years,
guiding the ship of state through the
storms of civil war and the breakers OF
reconstruction to safe and quiet haven,
when all was peace and prosperity. The.
far-seeing seers of democracy, with an
acuteness born of long experience, saw
that when that remarkable campaign Of
1872 should be past, and the combina-
ton they had formed had been defeated,
as it inevitably must be, that there would
be large floating faction, the entire
Liberal Republican party, that would
be reduced to one of three alternatives
either to join the democracy, which they
considered the most probable, crawl
back to their own allegiance in the Re-
publican ranks, perhaps sheepishly pro-
testing that they had always been there,
or following the example of their great
prototype in the history of Christianity,
90 and hang themselves. And if by the
little episode of throwing away q hope
less canvass they could secure the chance
of gaining many recruits to the ranks
of party democracy, they could see no
good objection to once adopting that ex-
pertinent. That was the secret of the
grand union of Cincinnati and Balti-
more. ...
The result has fully shown the accur-
acy of the reasoning. The victory
perched upon the banner of the Repub-
lican party. The Democracy have raj
lied around their old party standards
and the Liberal Republican party has
disappeared like the dew, leaving no
trace of its former existence except the
struggling mass that once formed its
rank and file, running hither and thither
to find place to work off their political
energies in one of the old organizations,
or are clamorous for the formation of
new party based upon Prohibition,
Woman's Rights, Tidal Waves, or any
thing else upon which anybody will
unite with them. AS the Democrats
supposed, thousands of the wanderers
have sought the fold of that party, and
have assisted to give the old organization
sufficient strength to go into State and
local elections this year with some hopes
of success, yea, with hopes that have
been realized in many places. This af-
filiation is natural and no one should OBJ
iect to it. The prodigals that have gone
to the bosom of democracy would have
been there years ago, but they saw
better show for loaves and fishes in the
other organization. Their departure
may change elections, but their associa-
ton was always unnatural, and we much
prefer to see them in power in the hon
est advocacy of what they believe, than
as hypocrites, pretending to be good and
honest, while their hearts were black
with sin and treachery.
In such places as Vermont, where the
whole strength of the Liberals, when
added to the Democrats, does not make
a respectable minority, but few have
been swallowed up by the old organi-
zation. Here they have adopted the
second alternative, and even formed
Joint stock companies to publish news
papers, whose sole purpose should be to
convince people that they were and al
ways had been in the Republican party;
and that their secession was only huge
Joke, gotten up to show that while they
were Republicans they had discernment
enough to see that politics, like trade,
required competition to give it vitality.
. OF course they would have deplored a
defeat to the party they so much loved,
but then, you know, the campaign would
be all the more spicy to have them help
the enemy little. There can be no
possible objection to these men return
ing to their allegiance. They have been
sufficiently punished in the humiliation
of their position, and in the desire to re-
turn they should be welcomed back as
penitents seeking to be restored to the
true faith; but we protest against their
keeping up the delusion that they have
always been Republicans. That party
does not desire to incorporate into it any
of the frauds and receptions they have
learned to practice while with the enc
my. 1t wants them to be what they
pretend to be, and if they are still wal
lowing in the filth of Liberalism it does
not make them any better to profess TO
be clean, and the sooner they learn that
lying is not passport to favor with the
great body of honest people who com
pose the Republican party, the better 1t
will be for their prospects in the party
to which they 50 earnestly desire to re-
turn. The Liberal Republicans deserted
their colors to give the democracy help
ing hand at critical point. They as
sisted to rejuvenate the old body and
give it a new lease of life, and if they
are willing to continue in that service it
is well, but if they desire to come back
to the Republicans let them do that, but
with an acknowledgment of what they
have done and where they have been.
The people who have been looking on
know of their absence and it will do no
good for them to protest that they have
not been out of the house. No, gentle
men, don't lie. Good Republicans al
ways tell the truth.