The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-10-18
A SIGNIFICENTi PROTEST

The following, which we take from 4
lengthy article in the Boston 1drltiSer, the
leading republican organ of New ENGLAND,
though written with reference TO the political
situation in Massachusetts, a month or two
ago, really has general application, and
obtains special interest from the verifcatior
Of It's proephtic utteranccs it receives in the
result of the recent elections. When so
earnest an organ of the radical party as the
AdcertiSer is no longer to conceal its disrust
such gross iniquity on the. part of It's own
party leaders, how can the people be ex.
pected longer to trust such partyy
The present condition of the republican
| party Is not a matter of congratulation
Those who are in Office may imagine that
everything is prosperous, but the great body
of thoughtful men watching the signs of the
! times are not hopeful, and those whose con
duct public affairs should inspire conf
dencc are lcuinglthings drift toward the bad
with rcCklcssness that is inComprehcnsible
There is widespread decentralization in
party sentiment and we do not hesitate to
say it is, at least here in Massachusetts
chiefly caused by the very conditions which
misguided partisans rely upon to strengthen
the organization. The republican party can.
not forever endure the strain to which it is
now put and the reason it cannot endure il is
because it ought not be endured When q
party becomes an organization of Ofiice.hOll
ers and is held together by the profits of its
administration of public affairs, it is near its
end. To that condition the republican party
is tending and the selfcompacent gentlemen
who hold its places of honor may thank them.
seltes for the ruin they are diligently inviting
and doing nothing to prevent We mean the
gentlemen of the presidents cabinet, the
members of the senate and house of repre-
scntatives, and the army of thrifty custom
house, revenue, and postotlice officials, who
think they serve the country by keeping
themselves warm We do not coyct the
reputation Of alarmists, but we think 1t would
be as stupid as useless to blink facts which
the people are already cognizant, and to cor
rect which they are ready, in their perplcXity,
to take the most wild and desperate steps.
What does 1t mean that ring Of national
ottcchOldcrs is this year daring to do what
was never before undertaken in such shame
lcSsncss and confidence in this state? How
does it happen that the recipients Of salaries
from the national government, almost with
out exception, are dcyoting themselves to the
task of controlling our local affairs 1t is
something to which thc people Of Massa-
chusctts are quite unacCuStomcd, and some
ding which three years ago any politician
acquainted with the spirit and traditions OF
our population would have declared would
not be borne. Who are these men: The
creatures of a patron, and dependent upon his
favor They never were elected to their
offices by the people, they are under no i'm
mediate obligation to the people, but by some
strange and mOnstrous dcuSion they seem to
imagine that the people are under obliga-
tiOns to them, that they are the constituted
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