The Portland daily press., 1876-10-31
The Three Points.

The three main issues of the presidential
campaign were clearly and strikingly stated
by the Rev. DR.. Woolsey in his recent admira-
BILE speech. .and his ''three points" Sc ting forth
the situation something in the manuer of the
sermon-maker, have already become famous.
They are: first, the resumption of specie pay
ments; second, the Southern question; third,
the question of reform. The voter who has
not made up his mind to cast bis ballot is in
vited to consider the position of the two par
ties on these questions, and then make his
decision.
The speedy resumption ofspecie payments
is, DR.. Woosley affirms, all important for the
moral and financial interests of The coun-
try, and to this opinion most people in the
East will heartily agree. Already con-
siderable progress has been made. We
must now push on and finish the work or 90
back TO imitation only to struggle through an
other period of financial disaster and busi-
ness depression. The candid voter is asked
to decide which party is the more likely to
carry resumption into effect. Is it the Re-
publican party, which has already fixed the
date tor return to a specie basis, and which
has repeatedly pledged itself during this cam
paign to the furtherance of resumption? Or
is it the Democratic party, which has through
its representatives in Congress recorded its
protest against resumption, which has NOM
mated the most conspicuous soft-money ad-
vocate in its party for the second place on its
ticket, and which is notoriously affected with
the initiation madness? The voter can return
but one answer. The Democratic party can
not be trusted TO carry through resumption
measures, it is opposed to sound currency,
the majority Of lis representatives are COM
mitted to the wild schemes of the imitation
lists, and it has in its platform announced IFS
opposition to speedy return to a specie
basis.
The second point in the canvass, as stated
by DR.. Woolsey, is the Southern question.
The voter is asked to decide whether consid-
ering the present attitude of the South and
the present state of feeling there it is safe TO
confide the government to party which is
controlled by the South and of which South.
erners make up the great majority. Is it
safe TO trust to the negro-haters and assasins
of colored men tue control of the freedmen?
Is it safe to trust to the party OF the South
the enforcement of the constitutional amend
ments and the execution of the laws passed
in accordance Herewith, when it is notorious
that the South has steadily fought these
amendments and believes them unconstitu-
tional to-day? To this question the intelli-
gent voter can return but one answer.
The third great issue in the canvass is that
of reform. By reform the Republicans mean
the elevation of the civil service, the reten-
tion of efficient and trustworthy men in
Office, 10 which Gov. Hayes has so explicitly
pledged himself in his letter OF acceptance.
By reform the Democrats mean that there
shall be general sweeping out of all officers
of the other party. They illustrated their
doctrine by their conduct in the House, when
old Union soldiers who attended faithfully to
their duties were discharged to make room
for confederate soldiers who turned out to be
ignorant and corrupt. The honest voter can
easily decide which kind of reform he prefers.
These are the three great points of the can
vass, and DR.. Woolsey has set them forth
with great clearness and ability. The worth
of his personal character and the weight of
his opinion as a scholar and patriot give to
his views great authority, and they cannot
fail to materially influence the course OF the
campaign in New York and Connecticut.