The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-02-09
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WHAT DE .nE NIGHT z

w nat OF luc ulS ~ w nav oiO ITO o'S"o |
of promise As we look to the more I'M
mediate political future of the country, we
are constrained to confess that the signs OF
promise are not re,'suring. On the con-
trary, they are full of gloom, and there is
some reason for dependency. Not that
we have any fears but that, in the end
politics will reform itself and the country
come out, perhaps, all the better and more
prosperous for the temporary darkness.
Far from it. for we are assured that the
people cannot long go astray, that, as in
times past, evils will be rectified and the
truth and right ultimately prevail. But it
i. best to look dangers squarely in the face.
Ii is idle and puerile to deceive ourselves
and say 'all is we'll" when. our reason,
judgment and experience convince us to
the contrary. The war of the rebellion
closed nearly ten years ago, leaving us with
Union restored, at least in name, but still
with much remaining work to be accom-
plished before that restoration should be
complete. before that Union should be per-
feet, and before the results of that war
should be irrevocably secured to every citi-
zen of the United States, regardless of race,
color or previous condition of servitude.
Time enough has elapsed for all this, but
the work yet lacks stability. That it Is SO.
the fauIt OF the republican party
wholly. BY and through that party, all
necessary amendments were engrafted on
the constitution, and necessary legislation
was obtained for carrying them into effect.
Unfortunately, however, constitutions and
laws cannot enforce themselves. They
must be enforced by men who believe in
the principles thereby annunciated. Men
opposed to law cannot enforce
law. Men who, honestly or other
wise, declare laws to be unjust
and arbitrary canuot be relied upon
either to respect or obey the law or enforce
obedience thereto on the part of Others
Whatever might have been the opinion of
the country, in the later months of 1872,
founded on the declaration of the national
democratic convention that they recognized
one equality of all men before the law and
that it isthe duty of government to ''mete
out equal and exact Justice to all, of what
ever nativity, race, color, or persuasion,
religious or POLITICAL no man can now be-
lieve that there is anything to hope for
from the democracy; for Mr.. Niblack, one
of the democratic leaders of the house, ex-
plicitly repudiates the principles SO enunci-
ated, declaring them to be of no binding
force on the democracy because they were.
adopted as 'the result of coercion and in
timidation." Meaning, as must be evident,
that the democracy, for the sake of the
spells, made false professions which, in
success, they were not and would not be
bound by. If any hope was created, that
no attempt would be made to unsetttle the
existing condition of legislation for the
benefit of and to secure the equality of
both white and black at the south, and
that the constitutional amendments would
be acquiesced in by the democracy, because
Governor Tiden SO declared in his message
as late as the early days OF January, that
hope must have been rudely dispelled by
the acts and uttcrances of the democrats
both northern and southern, on the floor O.
Congress during the last week. With thu
present temper of the democracy, with thu
tone OF their speeches and acts unchanged
we believe that their accession to powe
would prove an unmixed evil and that th,
country, under their control, would, DO
litically, retrogradc rather than progress
While we SO believe, we cannot disguise tn,
fact that there is great danger of their com
plete return to power. 1t may be TEN
porary return only, but what vast possibili
ties are contained in four years VIVA
great dangers may not be wrought in tina
time? 1t is no time for timidty of though
or action. If the results of the war, il tn
work of the republican party is to be savet
il must be done now. 1t must be confess
ed that the number of " disgusted republ
cans" is large, and that the number woul
be almost infinitely increased but that the
are unable to answer the question, "whei
shall we go?' This impossible answ,
keeps them still within our ranks, but wi
they so remain We surely hope SO, ft
the republican party with all Its mistak,
and shortcomings is far better than demo
racy as illustrated on the floor OF Congress
The rank and file of the republican part
are, however, continually responding,
the New York Times does relative to II
complaint made against newspapers, III
"when the leaders complain that the new
"papers do not defend the republican part
we should like to have them explain wi
"and what they have offered which h
"been fit for defense for some time pal
"What measures Which men? Is the