Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-08-07
G. q. BENEDICT. Editor.


etc. | have some convictions on this mat
ter which arc not quite accordant with tn
views set forth in the FREE Press. l an
not authorized to state them as the views o
1.-THE boilers or Of anybody but myself
therefore ! use the first person; yet, II | an
not mistaken. a large number Of men whom
have been won't to esteem a among thu
best men Of this county substantially agree
with me.
In the strictest technical sense | am not
party man. | have no adherence to party
such a. makes me feel under any obligation
10 sustain il, measures or its men withou;
regard to what ! believe 10 be pure and
right. The predominanceof good measures
and men in the party does not obligate ne to
sustain or wink at the few that are not
good Yet my convictions and sYmpatuics
have always been strongly with the men
and the measure. Of the Republican party.
I have voted every year for thirty years and
more, and never carried Democratic bal
lot. look to the Republican, for those
measures by which beicyeJha best good Of
the State and Nation viii be promoted There
fore. as | seek the hest possible public good,
I seek the best and purcSt condition Of the
Republican party. ms. help 1t in all
thar it does for morality AMI good govern
.nent. and with equal zeal must hinder it
in all which believe TO be immoral or bad
government. The panty, in oar politics Is "a
means. not an end. to he Supported for lt~
good works. not ll= itself.
suppose the primary mcc,l ns- may he
useful. perhaps necessary to party >acce~~
or. even. vii! admit. necessary 10 the sue
cessful carrying out of the best measures OF
government. Bat it doc nat foHoir that |.
and every good citizen voter. ouyi, to attend
the primary meeting. | never felt, raa-
net noir J,I. fiof any such ojAgafioH ID! dTg
urges me to a;ten the primary meeting as
urres me to attend tie elections, and t. de-
post my vote in the ballot box. And for
this reason / and great many good men.
have long voted with the Republicans Our
opinions, our conscientiou, convictions.
have bcen often declared in private and IN
public. and especially upon certain que--
tons Of morals and OF Temperance. Every
voter at our primary meeting who has IN
telligence enough to vote at all knows what
our Vows are on the prohibitory l.w ana
on the dutyof olecting pure men, honest
men. men who DO not get drunk. to make
our laws and to execute them ! owe no
fealtv TO a party that needs to be watched,
that Will take advantage Of my absence and
spring a trap on me The members Of the
partv which claims my vote know NY
principles and opinions, and should kno"
that if they disregard them when am
absent. | ana under no obligation mt all 10
sustain them in that disregard. Political
leaders may talk and argue u he end OF
time. but they can never convince my con
science and Judgment tina; have any such
duty to attend the primary meeting Is Ie-
quires me to ac4uie>ce IN WhatcYcr may TIE
done there. 1t my wcll-knuwn oplnlous are
not worth regarding there, anu Ii my pros
pective vote i MOI to be considered tnerc'
because ! am absent, then | am AT perfect
liberty to cast that vote and put my opln-
ions INTO effect in any way shall Judge
best. The action of that primary meeting
has n claims on me. VOTER.
Voter" l. one whose opinions ON any .
subject to which he has given careful atten-
ton. we have long learned 10 hold ia sin /
cere respect. and whose advice We AWAY, .
value lie disarm- all controversy in thi- .
case, by the declaration that he is not "a /
party man. This paper Is a party paper .
Its editor IS strictly party man, attached .
to the Republican party, as having shared .
according to ms ability in It. formation. .
and having labored actively and earnestly F.
to sustain il. and to make it worthy the /
support Of all good men. Yet, like our .
correspondent, We support 1t as means .
not an end We value it for the good 1t has .
done. and Tor the gooi it car Yet 3D. We
believe that parties are "a necessity IN oar
Republic. that the bad elements and ten
denotes now collected in the Democratic
party viii always be organized, and always
call tor organized effort to rt-i-: them. And
great party cannot exist without is ma-
chinery and its discipline.
is Ike an army, in many respects. Al
army or party without discipline and .s-
prn d, corps i not an army or a party. but
a mob, and Will oirays be leaten by liz OPP
ponents, though fewer in numbers. because
they have Organization. rules, discipline
and esprit de corps. Nor Is it reason for
Withholding support from a good party,
because it is not wholly composed Of good
men. Every great party viii have in IL
some weak, some rash, some bad persons
1t is. in other words. body Of iaol. and he
who joins it must expect, a. in all other
human organizations, to work with men who
DO not come up to the highest standard~in
morals or life. Nor Is there any abandon
ment Of principle in Jhi- There i not
church in the country, for instance, com
posed Of a. good men a our correspondent,
"N,tar." There j. not a religious de-
nomination OF society that has not
in it weak and rash and bad men. Shall ,
,hc good men leave it, on that account Ii ,
may perhaps not he every mans duty to I
belong 10 a party. but we consider it our
duty to belong to one to select the best 5
party, though it may not be perfect one
and to work in it, to make il better when il !
can be bettered; and to strive TO hinder 1t
from being a means of evil yet not to him c
der 1t in such a way a to destroy it, cohc- !
sion and power for future good .
As for attending primaries. We need not I
debate the question whether or no it /, -.
duty for anybody who does not pretend to i
be party man. Ii even such man. how
ever, has preferences he wishes regarded. or J.
points to carry we should suppose he would /
think it wise 10 90 where and when the mat II
ter is to &c decided In this State. the choice I
Of State and county officers is practically !
settled in the Republican primaries and
nominating conventions \ nomination in A
our party Is an election. 1t Is 50 common h
~. and it will prove SO this year, in this :
county and a. long a. it i 50, voters who /,
have distinct choice between candidates r.
Will do well to be present, at the decisive 4
time and place, to give expression to their
preferences. u
But, says Voter, iny views are known I
and ought to he regarded, though am not d
On hand to express them. Here j. party b
made up of men of different views on Ct
certain question-say that OF prohibition g.
so-called. Would Voter, ''-supposing for il
the moment that he was party man. and d
elt some responsibility for the maintenance q
Of the party as a means to good political Ii
ont of tho r,r.v oil 81. ,, ri
not agree with him on that subject? To Il
DO 50 in Burlington, would be to give the =,
city over hopelessly to the Democrats, a
with the consequences of rum as free q, Ct
they dare make it, division of the school "
money for the support of sectaran schools. 3 3