Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-08-23

quiesconce In the amendments 10 the CONSTITUTION
IL too recent and too strongly inconsistent WIN
It's record and tho teachings Of is ablest leaders
to be accepted without challenge. Judged by ITS
own professions It has made some progress. In
der the discipline Of repeated defeat 1t has ut least
deemed it polite to admit that the Constitution
has been amended, that slavery has been abol-
ished and that the black man is entitled u some
rights which even a democrat is bound to respect
II the party could be brought to uIterance on the
subject il might now admit that the war was not
absolutely a failure Such concessions by that
party only serve to show that the Republican
party has achieved great success and that its in
nuencs for good has been felt even by It's adycr-
ssry. The democratic party has been dragged
along behind the great moving, progressive party
Of the age, aud under the lash Of popular condem-
nation has been driven forward in sullen mood,
and by irregular and unsteady steps.
CONCERNING rHE souu
While the Republican party born Of desire
for universal freedom has br,yey metand settled
the gravest questions Of peace and war and has
steadily moved forward in the science Of govern
ment, willing to learn WISDOM even from its own
mistakes is adversary has proposed nothing new
or useful, but has maintained its organization by
objection and resistance to all that has been &c
complishod II has originated nothing and has
advocated no useful measure Of national politics
Tor more than quarter Of century No matter
what platform 1t may adopt, or what professions
it may make the utterance Of It's leaders, IT, own
traditions and the conduct Of the House OF Repre-
sentatiyes Of the present Congress all prove that
the return Of that party to power in the national
:
sures. dangerous TO the peace OF the country and
TO the perpetuation Of what has been achieved in
the last fifteen years Questions growing ont OF
the war would be reopcned, perhaps reversed
Whether the work Of reconstruction has been
always in every particular done in the wisest and
best way it is now substantially accomplished
and any attempt to undo or modify il would lead
to renewed agitation in the South and inhict in
calculable mischief on the whole country. Better
let it alone now.
What the South need, is political tepose free
dom from agitation, aud perfect acquiesence in
the results Of the war These will follow the sue
cess Of the Republican party, aud complete ahan-
donment OF all hope OF reactonary measures
through the return OF the democratic party 20
power. Permanent pacifcation of the South can
only be secured by giving to all citizens fall and
equal protection in tho enjoyment and exercise OF
all civil political and public rights 10 enforce
and secure these the Republican party is distinctly
pledged, and It, chosen standard bearer. have an
bounced their views and purposes ia this regard
in language which cannot be misunderstood. Gov
ernor Hayes, in his letter Of acceptance says to
the people Of the South. Your moral and ma
tedal prosperity can be most effectively advanced
by hearty and generous recognition of the rights
Of all, byall recognition without reserve or ex-
cepton, and promises that when this is done all
legitimate agencies Of the general government
shall be used to promote the efforts Of the people
Of those states to obtain for themselves the bless
ings Of honest and capable local government
This is the only true road to permanent punfca-
ton and good government, and II the Southern
people consult their own best interest, they will
not be led ont Of it by following the false lights Of
the democratic party
THE cuRRENCY QUESTION
Another matter Of paramount Importance in this
campaign is the currency question II is needless
now 10 consider the canses which led u the large
issues Of irredeemabe paper currency It Is
another Of the evils resulting from the war, nor
need stop 10 impress upon an intelligent New
| England audience how the use Of such q currency
produces fluctuations Of values, and introduces
into all business and commercial transactions an
element Of uncertainty thus disturbing the con
fidence so essential 10 all material prosperity
There can be no permanent relief from the pres.
ent prostration and depression Of business with
out restoration Of confidence and that must resi-
upon sound and stable currency The uncer.
unsound currency Expresses all classes The rici
and poor, the laborer and capitalist suffer alike
though not equally, for the greatest loss fall.
eventually upon the laborer and producer 10
remove this hindrancc to healthy revival Of
business and general prosperity IL the duty OF
practical craftsmanship It has been already too
long delayed. After long discussion the Repuh-
lican party has pledged itself to remedy the evil
at fixed time in the near future and has passed
a law for that purpose But here too We find tho
democratic party INDUCING in
REAcrioSARY PRACTICES.
While protesting to favor return to specie pay.
ments, it deliberately exerts all It's power to re-
peal the only act Of Congress which names n time
for resumption and provides means Of prerara.
ton for It, By lis platform it donounces N,
promises Of the legal tender notes and inme
diatoly thereafter a democratic House under tn,
dictaton Of its party attempts to repeal, and doe
repeal so far as it has power the only act Of Con
gress which authorizes the redemption Of tn,
notes It nominates for the Presidency either
Of New York, who by his letter of acceptance
announces himself strongly in favor Of early re
sumption and in the same document snbstan
TALLY advises the repeal Of the act Of Republican
Congress which authorizes resumption on the Is
Of January 1879, and gives tho Secretary Of tn
Treasury power to prepare for It, It gives th
second place on IT, ticket to a citizen Of Indiana
who is the political fayorite Of ant-resumptonist
and whose nomination for the first place wa
strongly urged by the widest ndationst. 1t ha
spread a sail for every breeze and has 50 arrange
its rigging that the most skinful mariner woul
not be able to take the ship into any given port
By It's platform it denounccs theresnmpton claus
Of the act Of 1879 as a hindrance TO resumption
and for this cause demands its repeal
Mark the duplcity and obvious bad faith o
this declaration. The innationsts Of the part
clamored for the repeal Of the resumption clause
because 1t means resumption, which they do no
want. In order to conciliate that turbulent an
powerful faction the party untes in demandn
repeal, but to avoid giving offence to another fac
ton, the clause is denounced az a hindrance /
resumption and IT, repeal demanded for that al
legged reason by this arrangement the imitation
lists get the substance and the so-callod resumr
tonists attempt to cover themselves under III
shadow of a false reason for their surrender. Pun
suant to this arrangement the democratic Hous
proceeds to repeal so much OF the act of 1875 a
provides for the redemption Of legal tender note
on and after the first day of January, 1879
this demand for repeal had been acQuiesced in b.
the Senate and the President il would have com
pletey stripped the act Of all vitality so far as re
lates to the redemption of legal tender notes
has been asserted that such repeal would hav
had no other effect than 10 abolish the require
ment for resumptioha at the particular time namei
in the act and that IL would not have had the Of
feet to take away or modify the power given tn
Secretary of the Treasury TO prepare for resumr
ton by the sale Of bonds and accumulation of gol
for that purpose. But reference to the languag
and obvious meaning Of the act shows the
UTTER ABsuRDTY
Of this pretence. The act ia a short one contain
ing only three sections. The first section author
lies the redemption OF fractional currency by tn
substitution of subsidiary silver coin This Ia
been put into operation and is being executed a
rapidly as practicable The second section abolishe
} the charge for gold coinage at the miuts III
third section repeats the Limitation on nations
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