Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-03-25
The Republican party


would mark its dealing with remaining
evils as they had marked the methods
pursued with slavery.
And so when the Philadelphia conven-
lion heralded the good names of Grant and
| Wilson. and the doctrines of economy in
public expenditures. the early resumption
IF specie payment, and reform in civil
service, the masses believed as with the
faith they had in the gospel. The victory
was easy.
But scarcely had the Republican party
taken another four years lease of the White
| House, when the promises made in the
convention, repeated in every stump
speech, and italicized in the leaders " OF
very paper of the party, began to be full
lied with only Punic faithfulness
We see but little nowadays about the
rapid liquidation of the public debt The
>ecretary's monthly statement is not 50
good reading as it was The congressional
Iebates on initiation of currency and early
or remote resumption of specie payment
by those who would seem to have captured
the party organization, suggest that the
words of the Philadelphia Convention We're
only 1cOrdS-mere catch words, " glittering
generalities." If these selfconstituted Re
publican mouth-pieces in Congress are in
- dead earnest" about anything it appears
that it is how to get another four years of
purity supremacy. They certainly make
no commendable haste to do something, as
promised in the party platform.
1t is admitted with all due praise that
the long standing abuse of the Franking
Privilege is abolished. But who feels any
confidence that some plot for its restoration
/ will not carry ere long? The men who
could vote " back pay" can vote anything
/ ut the expense of the nation. Admit that
/ Democrats and Republicans Joined hands
in abstracting back pay In view of the
Philadelphia platform any Republican so
voting should have been read ont of the
party. And the haste with which the in
crease of congressional salaries was re
! Dttlt'l t'tlIlVU lCSlOlt ilit tOllIl-
dence of the people. The pc0plc meant
economy and retrenchment, but the party
! is what its leaders are. Fifty thousand for
the President, and like proportions for
others may not be too much. But this in
crease under the circumstances did not
correspond with the promises of the party.
1t will not do for the Republican party to
make loud professions of economy any
more unless it repudates the utterances
and acts Of certain men who claim to be
opponents of its principles. Its opportu-
nifty to gain or hold confidence on this
point is now forfeited except it be born
again. 1t must do works meet for re-
pentance or its promise to pay will go tC
protest.
Civil Service Reform fit went NJ
E. like n kite ii comes down like Il stick.
Alas, that in a country of freemen, such {
system of abuses and spols and party
patronage should have ever found root anC
spread its Upas branches over all our vir
tues and industries, The true American o
any party should be ashamed that any
thing like Buffers late flank movement
should win \ few demagogues in til,
Republican ranks may tranple reform a
swine trample pearls beneath their feet
but they will hopelessly bcmire themselve:
and their party in the act. The whole
system of civil service will yet be recon
structed. and poStmasters, revenue cOllec
tors and port officers will be made indie
pendent of the party in power rather thai
have this service only the minion of party
The Republican party, acting under tn
leadership of false guides, may possibl,
prove recreant to this its opportune hour
but the people mean reform and will cal
the recreant to Judgment. What the part
leaders do the whole party must meet an
answer for.
The Republican party, if we correct
Judge the effect of its allowing demagogue
to dictate its policy, as a party, is declining
t 1t is not, we grieve to say it, quick to Sc
and earnest to grasp its opportunities
/ That profound conviction of duty and rec
titude, characteristic of its day and ii
leaders a few years ago, seems now to j
| slowly passing away 1t is declining
$ trying to live on its glorious past. 1t need
invigorating with devotion to pressing
1 urgent. Indispensable reforms. VIII til
O Republican party make friends with til
h eventful future by fidelity to the opportun
e and needy present?
1t has seldom fallen to the lot of the sam
class Of men to be leaders in two succe
sive great reforms. The man that ha
' fought one great battle for the right grow
' conservative with victory. Old ve9se
seldom hold new wine But If the part
q whose glory is emancipation, and unto
shall for lack of foresight or virtue declin
2 further honors and perish ingloriousl.
Q still reform shall be, and temperance sha
: be, and the right shall be, and the good {
$ mankind shall be, for there is Il God an
c His Spirit stirs up the souls of men to
IS his righteous will. Happy are they wi
o. are workers together with God.
l. Congress has at last done something
!, the way of the preservation. or rather re-
toration, of our forests. The two house
= have concurred in legislation for the Ell
il couragement of the growth of trees q
I the Western pr;,iries. The President Ia
~ moreover, recommended the appointmel
~ of a commission to inquire into causes {
# the rapid destruction of forests in the tin
bered regions of the United States, with
10 view to putting the governmental FOX
!. down on the practice so far as may be.