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

| when they gravely l1trOuuceu hoi" -.
ley to the people as their represenlasnS5
man. 1t is not possible such s,gns " W.
wonders" can deceive the elect 90 ia'
they have failed to deceive even the ei''''
Ors.
If that party feels it to be unkind to re-
mind it of its past career how must 1t ieei 10
be reminded of its present attitude! once
Its members protested distinct prlnclpies !
all that could be objected TO them was tna'
they protested the worst principles extant'
But bad as they were. they were more oS ,
coming than this utter abjuration OF al
principles. You may not like to employ,
but Won do not wholly despise, the zeai0'
who consistently asserts that sarsapa riiii
will cure every disease and so urges 1t upon
every patient; but who can respect tne
cbarlatan who persistently cries to the SICK
Give me your money, and you may take
what remedies you please?
When in 1860 Democrats said, Continue
us in power, and We will fleck the Terri
tories with slavery; :" when IN looi tnes
said, "restore US to power and we Will oar.
ter with rebels. giving freedom Tor peace
when in 1868 they said again, restore Us
to power, and we will abrOgate three great
amendments to the Constitution, secure
government to white men, and return
| slavery 10 COlpltu lutu. ~ NONA~
replied that such invitations were very un-
attractive. But when IN 1872 they cried,
Restore US to Office once more, and we
will do everything that anybody wants
done the invitation was utterly repulsi'e'
And when they supplement this brazen
Indifference to principle by stolId lnulner-
ence to truth; when, weary OF opposing
the measure of the majority, they combine
to assail their characters; when they aoan-
don false reasoning only to resort to iaise
assertion, they exhibit an opposition nara
it not impossible to parallel.
And vet that opposition, while 1t never
was so bad was never 50 dangerous as now
People can better judge the merits OF a
measure than the merits of man. They
can more readily detect a fallacious argu-
mcnt than false statement. W hen the
opposition denounced Republicans as mis-
| guided statesmen, the people could saiely
compare our measures with theirs But
wnen they denounce Republicans a thieves
| il is not easy to try the truth OF the aSSer-
ton. Besides, TWO circumstances give
| slight color to that allegation. First, Re
publicans have possession of the govern
ment. and have the best chance to peculate
| Second. it has been the especial labor Of
| the present administration to detect and
punish REGULATION. Some cases have been
found.
lie was a great statesman, as well a. a
great poet, who made Cassius say:
in such time as this it 8. not meet
That every nice offence should bear his comment
However specous that theory may sound,
many great rulers have been compelled in
turbulent times to practice upOnIt. William
| III. was an honest magistrate. lie had
world to fight, and he was compelled to be
very enient toward the treasOns of GOdOl-
phir and Marlborough. lie was slow to
| punish the embezzlement Of TOrrington,
and he never did punish the manifold ras-
caites of Oxford. During the struggle
and excitement which attended the rebel
lion. some bad men found their way into
public employments Mr.. LincOln's adj
miniStratiOn was too much occupied with
grayer matters to keep strict watch OF
every individual offender. The admins
tration which succeeded was quite a I'M
prepared for that duty. Congress was then
much absorbed in the great work of recon-
struction. and the President was not happily
fitted to crticise official misconduct. But the
present administration has no exemption
from that work. If it i not attended to
now. the administration. and not the times,
must be held responsible. But 1t is attended
To- Ii j. prosecuted with that intlexible
energy which has characterized every labor
led by President Grant. Some offences have
been exposed. And every time rogue has
been punished the opposition has shouted
"Sec how corrupt Republicans are - Ii
i a. IL. whenever surgeon removes a tu-
NOR from his patient the mob should shout:
How very rotten the doctor must be l'
- this uulinching reform l. prosecuted at
the risk Of this twO-tJld peril First, every
time that we remove a rascal We lend plau--
ibliity To Democratic calumny second, ey-
cry time we punish one. We make Demo-
crdt For a few years that party has been
recruited, NOT only by those knaves We have
dismissed from office, bat by q still larger
number who have been unable to get office.
1t j. not impossible that by this process
they may in time recover majority. Good
men cannot, without unea-inesS, contem-
Plato the possibility of the country once
more falling into the control of that party,
when in addition 10 the devils which al
ways paralyzed 1t for any noble effort, it
shall have been rc-entorced By all the unclean
spirits expelled from the Republican party.
INTERNAL REFORM.
The success which has attended the effort
OF this administration TO effect internal re-
form Is fITcibly indicated. but only partial
is measured. BY these facts
First. In thirteen years 1t has not once
been forced u resort to loans except by the
exigencies of war. Our rivals in popular
favor, a. has been seen, repeatedly reSOrted
to loans in time of peace
Second. Ia six years taxes have been re-
mlttet at various times amounting to more
than three hundred millions annually.
Third The principal Of the public deb; |
has been reduced in the same time By the /
sum of S3jj. 600 600.
fol.rft. The treasury note has been APP /
preciated from 20 2-l0 per cent. it. gold |
gold value in March. 1853. TO - 2-lO per /
cent. its gold value in March last
Fif,h. In spite Of the financial disasters /
which overlook the country in September, |
ISIS. the public debt was diminished nearly 4
five millions during the fiscal year lust .
ended
Nilth. The cost OF the government, oxclud
Ing expenditures for Improvements and dis
bursements made necessary to NEE: obliga-
tons imposed on Us by the rebellion. was
less per capita during the last fiscal year
than during the year ending June Both,
lo60
Bad men, doubtless, are still lef, in the
Republican party. a. bad men are in the
Democratic party. 81 good men are in
both parties. The difference Is this In
-pite OF the bad men in the former. it has
in thirteen years raised the country higher
n true national greatness than any coun-
.ry was ever raised before in the same
ength of time; while. because Of bad men
n the other party, the country constantly
declined in character and dignity while it
lad control. \ party better than either.
OTTER in its aspirations. wiser in its meth
'dS, holder in It's endeavOrs. Is unqueStion-
lbly desirable. Such party might be at
AIMED, II the wise, the upright and ;ho
patriotic in the Democratic ranks would
mite themselves with the like in the Re
publican organization. But it Is impoSsi-
lie to frame such a party by Reinforcing
hS eiiete Democracy, which has not
cheyed a single noble end, nor set before
he country single noble aim, in forty
ears, with all the reckless adventures and
ungry place-hunters who, in former wears.
oeked to the Republican party. not to aid !
5 enterprises, but to iattcn on its strength.
ELECT REPUBLICANS. :
Iou are about to select representatives :
D a new congress. We earnestly entrcat I
on to send the truest and ablest Republic ..
ans You have. But we entreat you to send
and not Democrats. lOu will
md one or the other. No matter what the
ldvldual may call himself, or what dis {
Use he may wear, he will be Republican
r Democrat There is at present no =,
'om for any other style in our politics. If |
"a do not wish to retrace the past You ]
Ill select Republicans and not Democrats.
OUR MISSION NOT ENDED.
1t is sometimes said the mission of the ,
epublican party Is accomplished. Ii by =
lat no more l. meant than that the party +
~ discharged every trust heretofore com "