Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1874-11-04
APOliticaI Revolution.

the elections so far, 1t is necessary tc
study the Congressional changes. II
was not temperance or and other loca
issues that was responsible for these
In Ohio and Indiana the Congression
al lists have been politically Just re.
versed, and in Iowa q Democratic Con
gresham heralds the dawn that is
surely breaking in the Northwest. II
could have been only on National is
sues that gain OF six Congressmeu
was made by the Opposition in Ohio,
and of five in Indiana. The complete
revolution in those two States was eff
fected on questions involving the char.
acter and conduct of the Administra,
ton. To say that an Administration
is always weakest in the middle of its
term fails to cover the present politi
cal phenomenon, for as sure as this
tide rolls on in two weeks from to.
morrow the ensuing elections will
multiply the proofs of weakness to the
extent of turning the House of Repre-
sentatiyes into an opposition that will
break down the administration and its
subseryient party altogether. The
people saw at once through the dis
honesty OF its seeking to rekindle the
passions of the war, and took il for .
confession Of guilt on the charges
which have been accommodating against
its conduct. They have long been
impressed with the need Of making a
complete change in the composition OF
Congress, beginning, Of course, with
the House Of Representatives, The
recent investigations which the Re
publican party in Congress have re-
sisted so long as they could, aud from
which nothing has resulted that was q
mark of punishment inflicted by the
authority fthe party sufficed merely
to dis close the host of evils demand
ing instant eradication from all
branches of the pablo service, and it
now remains for an Opposition Con-
gress to carry these investigators to
their legitimate results. Then the
party in power is VIGOROUSLY without
doctrine Or policy in relation to the
important questions that concern the
common peace and prosperity. Little
more than a camp of Office holders, led
by Legislators who rely upon them for
continuance in place, it has attempted
nothing serious and practical with the
finance with taxation, with retrench-
ment. or with any other measures that
represent the vital movements of the
nation in any direction 1t has lrifted
along for years on a current of inetfici
cncy, ignorance and Indifference to the
country's requirements, employing it
self actively only in the work Of the
lobby, of monopolis, of salary grab
bing, and Of rings for securing person
al fortunes while the opportunity lay
open.
The people have begun an impartial
review of the real professions of the
Republican party; and in place of dis
covering that it has applied itself en-
crgetically to the public interests, they
find that it has suffered prices and tax
alton TO continue as they ruled during
the war, panic to break down the
hopes of industrial and business pros
perity, rings to riot in appropriations
for the money Of taxpayers, the pub
lie revenues to be stolen and favored
to be enriched by the rob-
berry Of the mercantile community, Of
fetal accountability treated as a jest, a
free press threatened because it dared
to criticise on the peoples behalf
wastefulness, extravaganza and cor
ruption practised as the motive and
reward of public service, States over
turned by an Attorney-General and
their Governments resting on his daily
personal opinions and orders, specie
payments as far off as ever, nothing
done for the revival ofcommerce, trade
and business, debts growing and taxes
eating out the substance of laborious
industry, and on the top Of it all an
other term of office schemed for by the
President, on the double ground that
he alone can govern the South and
that to disturb the places of partisan
office holders would be more unsafe
then to let the country pass entirely
into the hands of a perpetual ruler.
From such a condition the elections
come to offer the welcome prospect of