The People's vindicator., 1875-07-10
Independent Vote
From the Mobile Regist4

Independent Vote
From tho Mobile Rcgist4
A great deal of stress has laid
of late on the balance of pf that
resides in the hands of the tepen.
dent voter" BY "indepett vo-
ters" are meant those who pg to
no party. Not counting large
number of voters of the clasbo be-
long to NO party because th4o not
take sufficient interest in lie az
fairs to join its ranks, study prin-
clples, and labor for its subs, we
point to the distinguished frman-
American, Carl Scburz, as high
est sample of an ''independd voter"
But this is not the normal ftion Of
Mr.. Schnrz, for he was q n bber Of
the Radical Or Republican Hy, and
served it from the beginni| of the
war in its councils In peac ", III ~
ara@eles in the II e1os Geld, doxsth s ssctn: sttHE
struction was fully SHAPED and lut
into practice. Mr.. Schui was It
that time, then, what in \ Delmo
nico speech he terms "a pce man.
Then We havo the testimdy Of Mr.
Schurz's example that a MN may bt
| a patriot and statesman I'D still be
a "party' or "place" mann In othe,
words, that all the courag(and wis
dom in public affairs are VI confined
to the class of "indepcndtt voters.''
We have never been able b respond
in our admiration to the fgh claim
Of honor to the man whqboast that
he "belongs to 10 party People
who sail under no flag blftheir own
on the high seas, are genally watch
ed by the powers that cary their own
world known colors, as sepicious Of
piratical intentions, and ltanding in
heed Of passports. In pIitical war.
fare armies are kept il the field
they are called parties, all they are
organized bodies, who at together,
and who, to act effectively, must be
disciplined bodies. Nov this is all
that there is in "a party" hat so ex-
cites the show of contempt in some
people. Parties are sneringly spo-
ken of as ''held together By the cohe
sive power of public plu, der" Why
not say "by the cohesiFe power Of
public principlei Suppos, there had
been no Democratic party in exist.
ence the last ten years! what would
have been the political condition of
the country to-day? Grant and cor
ruption masters at Washington, the
military spread all over the Southern
States, New York, Ohio, and Indiana,
still under the dominion Of the Nor.
tons. Chambers, and Wi)liamses, a
third term" followed by q buzzard
IN the eagles nest Of Imperialism.
And all this, not because multitudes
'f citizens independent voters it
you please-would not have been
1dt 1dtta aud mortified at the ruin of
IN organized force to rall,~, without
defeat of the Grant tyranny had not
been possible. Well, then, was it an
honor to brag Of, to have been q neu.
tral and a do.nothing through all
hose days and years Of toll aud dan.
ger, or, to have been a faithful and
patient worker in the ranks of the
Democratic party to buill mp the de-
Fensive power, to throw between the
liberties of tho country and its fierce
,ssailants ! Any man can sit on the
|ence without being much Of q hero.
But it requires no common grit to
stand by a party of principles through
good and through evil report, and to
,old its standard high. while the
whole world is burying ib supposed
'emains and ringing dirges over its
lnfllcd grave.
The Democratic party ofthe United
States is entitled to the credit of the
event of the last and present years
hat have filled the breasts of "Inde-
as we'll as of Democrats
With the Joy of b great deliyerance in
he past and of bright hopes to come.
70 be sure, it was enabled to win 80
,reat a victory by the aid Of the
floating vote" in the country, which
,rayitates from side to aide accord.
ng to the greatness of the issue or
he intensity of peculiar excitements.
But suppose there had been no Demo.
;ratic party to gravitate, of what
practical value in the tremendous
contest would these foaters have
,eeni Merely to be swept away by
! single dash Of Grants trained par.
y leaders. And this is the situation
f Mr. Carl Schurz and the "indepen.
lent voters" "'of his class. It does not
ollow, because Mr.. Schurs belongs
o neither of the great parties is array
or tho great battle that is to decide
he destinies Of our Government, that
heir armies are not afeld, and that
he great war is not to be waged.
,tatesman, patriot, orator, great as
70 is in every public trait Of bis char
lcter, he at last carries only the
weight Of a fly on the wheels Of the
,reat war chariots that are to decide
llis contest. In the issues between
hem he cannot be neutral when the
ignal is given. He has admitted it
y the reasons he gave for eeceding
rom the Radical party. In heart
md principle he is bound to the De.
nocratic side in spite Of all his pre-
possessions, his prejudices, and his
heories Of ''independent" politics.
rhe Democracy will get all these
'otes in 1875, unless it stultiies it.
elf beyond all show or reason, and
'etraces the splendid steps it has