Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-11-27
SOME SOUND

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Tho following Is a part of n speech deliver
ed at Haverhill, Mass, last week by Mr..
Thompson, Buffers successor:
Mr.. President, and Ladies' and Gentlemen
Il regret exceedingly TO what
have to say by joining with your distinguish
ed chairman in issue upon n question of fact.
lie presents INC as the mar who defeated, IN
this canvass, Benjamin +. Butler. That, |
think, is not wholly true. The people de-
feated him. 1t WIS your votes that contrib
uted very literally to that result. Certainly
claim no part of the merits for myself. l
am extremely gratIied to hear 1t announced
that you meet, tonight, not to celebrate any
personal or partisan triumph. You meet to
congratulate one another that the people
have taken matters into their own hands and
have been successful, notwithstan ding the
official interference which was brought 10
bear upon them. 1t is to the ballot that we
must ever look for the vindicatiou of our
rights and for good government. We must
always coniide in the people, and have no
where else to look for safety. IT they fail
us, then farewell to all liberal institutions.
There are two classes in u community,
not divided by political lines. One has con-
ffdcnce in the people, and believes that their
decision will be ultimately correct; the
other has no confidence in tho people, but
believes that they are to be governed either
by the boyonet or by fraud and deception.
But | submit that in this canvass people
have not been trammeled by party ties.
They have acted rs they consciontiously be-
| HI II. -.ta - - ~
result has been declared. 1t has been said
that u tidal wave has swept over the country.
1t may well be termed n tidal wave. The
people have spoken, and their voice Is al
ways n tidal wave which purifies the ocean
Of politics. In this canvass democrats and
republicans Joined hands. There has been
no partisan contest. The attempt to make
it one wholly failed, and it ought to fil
when the nominations made are not the
nominations of II party, even, but only of
ofice-holders. by what right does your SER
want dictate to you whom you shall vote for?
1t is the glory of our system of government
that the president Of the United States has
no more power Mt the ballot-beX than the
humblcst individual, and the president has
> no right to dictate to any mar how he shall
vote. II does not become the president nor
an oficc-holder to dictate TO you any more
than 1t would become you to dictate to him.
In this matter it is high time that the people
gave the ofice-holdcrs to understand that
they will act independently. Why, we have
had o.. late nothing but II system of Office
holders, strivin g to perpetuate their W
power. That is the whole Of it. Men who
havo not been actuated by love of country
but by love of party; who have not cared
what might bcfall the country, provided
their own party was sustained and would
carry them safely through I'm election. Is
not that the factp Don't you sec about you
, every day men who arc filled with anguish
at any misfortune that befills their party,
but care little about what befalls the coun-
y try? As soon rs the people fail to support
, them they care nothing mt all for the
= country. and exclnim, with the discharged
lighthouse keeper, "What is this country
coming to?" 1 submit that 1t is safe in the
hands of the people, and that 1t Is Of but
little consequence who serves you in Con
gress, provided that he serves you well,
The old doctrine of principles. not men, Is {
sound one. All that you desire is that youl
principles shall be carried out. On Tia eve
a of election | had the pleasure of saying a few
words to the people of this city, and | had
very pleasant meeting indeed. | saw this
not for whom the people were going to vote
but that they were going to vote indepond
> emily; that they understood their persona
rights and were determined to exercise
a them. | then spoke briefly with regard t.
,s the principles that were involved in the can
vass. But you will hardly expect mo nov
9 to discuss them. You certai My don't oxpec
h me to perform missionary work here, 70
l. you are all converted.
With regard to the manner in which othe
m parties have performed their official dut
: you will hardly expect me to speak; still
NAV not be out of place for me to max
some suggestions. | say this, that that maj
y who GENES before you and demands you
4 s~ulfrages so far shows that he is unworth.
NJ of them. 1t does not become any man b
command the sulfrnges of the people. Their
10 is no man IN the community who has an
claim upon You, fellow-citlzens. IL is yo
"A who have claims upon those whom yol
No elect. They have no right to demand Of you
n It would he well If those who AFRO pressing
their claims, often with such earnestness
"a for an election, understood that in politics i
in is often, rs it is in religion, that whosoeve
~ will save his life shall lose II, and he ough
to lose il. A mar who is striving to advanc
Iv his own personal ends by the means OF tn
ballot-box certainly ought not to have any
ii thing favorable there. Why, do you wan
"a people attempting to impress upon you thei
: fitness for office? Don't you know youl
,t selves the parties that you want to serv
"a youP And when ofice-holdcrs say, "Yo
N must vote for me-" you certainly have til
he right to say to them, 1--WE shall vote rs W
m please, and it does not become you to dictat
~ what course we shall pursue