The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-11-06
THE PRESS.
FRIDAY MORNING, NOV. 6, 1874
The Cyclone.

The Cyclone.
The denizens of our temperate regions
know only by report of those devastating
storms of wind which go whirling across the
surface of the ocean in tropical climates,
spreading ruin and desolation in their track
and leaving the sea over which they pass
strewn with dsmantled hulks, scattered
spars and struggling, drowning men. The
political atmosphere on Tuesday was very
tropical, and the resulting cylone was one of
the most notable in the history OF parties,
and the destruction OF we'll equipped politiiecifll
crafts, freighted with fair hopsSach surprised
dous. The Demoersat;an and seem fairly dazed
as Inc 5aSsdEdenness and height of their ele-
WILD a9;nr The regrets of the defeated party are
tempered by so many causes for rejoicing
that they are not very poignant and nearly
everybody is good natured about the present
and hopeful for the future. They are glad
that the inevitable rebuff, which has been tor
some time impending has come now, so that
they can set their house in order for the
presidential campaign of 1876. The PLAIN
fact is, that the Republicans have long had
power not sufficiently subjected to limita-
lions for their own good. They have emu
lated the easy going confidence of the ante
diluvians and have jeered at the Noahs who
have warned them OF the approaching flood.
The very completeness of the Oyerturn is
one of its most useful features and has ST.
fenced those obtuse persons who might 9TH
erwise have insisted that it was s'not much OF
shower anyway"
The single point in the situation which will
evoke the most general rejoicing is the defeat
of Gen. B. F. Butler, especially as it must be
final. For such as he, there is no resurrec-
ton; the prestige of invincibility is essential
10 him. His followers are. in the main, adj
venturers who were attracted to his standard
by hope of plumber and will rapidly desert the
beaten bully in his distress. His remova
from public life is an unmixed good, and the
manner of il rounds out and finishes his ca
reer in such a way as 10 make him most use
full as a 'sfrightful example," The story 0
his life will convince the youth OF America
more than acres of dispositions could, tina
it does not pay to be bad and that tn
apparent success resulting from viclou
courses is transient and undesirable. Iii
downfall is the severest possible blow to But
lerism in every form and in every place, an
who can say that he was not proyidentiall
sent to make political wickedness hideous b
his conspicuous embodiment OF it.
Several minor Buffers have also gone over
board, never to be heard of more, and tn
best of the matter is that men of like kidne
must long remain in the back ground. Con
ventions will be driven 10 seek out clean an
good men and the aspiring politicians VIII
might otherwise force themselves upon III
willing constituencies by manipulation
caucuses and conventions will be sternly r.
pressed. To be sure, many good public m!
- are tfMp g oaGaFfGfI u tuesday. Great mass
of men are, like other great natural force
undiscriminating in their operation. II
food carries away not only the dam Ino aa,
of the guilty parrstasda but also the hous
sad bodies of innocent citizens, charitah
and educational Institutions and temples
God. The typhoon of the China Sea sweea
to destruction not only the pirate and smd,
gler, but also the honest and useful fregh
and passenger ship, with its cargo of pro,ert,
and lives. So the same civic storm With de
stroys Butler and that ilk, overslauens, fol-
the time, such good men and true IS Gov
Dix, Isaac H. Bailey and Ellis H. Roberts Of
New York,w many others whom ne coun-
try can lily spare even temporarily On the
other hand we may congratulate c,rselves on
having saved Pierce and Hoar of Massachu
sets, Garfield and Foster of Obi and our
own good Maine representatives. t.,,
1t is well to cultivate a cheerfh philosophy
In troublous times. sSweet are the uses Of
adyersity' to those who have sufficient dis.
erection to accept its lessons to edification.
= We shall hereafter advert Dre particularly
to the purport of some of thee lessons. Mean
time we can all perceive that the atmosphere
is clearer and that the prospects of the Re
publican party for '76 look really better thar
they have at any former time within the pas
year. Disconnected Republicans have had
Their little fling, recorded their censure OF
some obnoxious men and measures, and will
come back fresher and heartier for their I'M
n wonted alteration. Nothing is more com
MON among them than an expression of de-
votion to the principles of the Republican
party and their adherence of the idea o.
any permanent alliance with the Democrats
The Democracy, too, will abuse its power and
aifront the moral sense of the country, unless
they belle the history of all their former ac-
ton. They belong TO that class of people
who only need sufficient rope in order to
hang themselves, and this election has fur
nished an ample supply of cordage. On the
whole, we have no cause for despair and re-
pining. Our wall for what we have lost may
fairly give place to an 80 triumphe" for the
gains of tie present and the promise Of the
future ,. ..-.r Il.