Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-10-25
One INDEPENDENTS VIEWS.
THE TWO PARTIES ABLY
CONTRAST led .BYA VEST
ERN SOLDIER.
Hayes TrammeIled by the Dicta-
tatiOn Ofthe Party Leaders..-NO
Reform OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ernOr Tilden u Practical Re.
fOrmcr.--'Ihe Southern and FL
nancial Questions.

party on lne question: OF tne ADMISSION
of slavery into the Territories, ant
identified myself with the Republican
party, and was JEALOUS advocate Of
the principles and measures till after
the close of the war.
Mr.. Lincoln entered upon his official
duties with two specific objects in
view---the preservation OF the union,
and the restoration of amicable rela
tons, upon just and permanent ba-
sis, between the two great sections of
the country, then in antagonism, and
in the performance of these intricate
and responsible duties, he received my
cordial support With many thou,
sands of patriotic spirits in our State,
from both political parties l entered
tho army during the darkest days of
the rebellion, and remained in it till
our troops were disbanded Mr..
Lincoln, under series ofunprecedent.
ed embarrassmcnts, accomplished his
first purpose, and had he lived to the
close of his term, the consummation
of the second would have constituted
the browning glory of his official life.
No statesman ever had stronger
hold on the confidence ofthe Ameri-
can people than he had at the time of
his death. Even the most rejecting
men Of the rebellious States, after the
surrender, looked to him as the man
above all others best qualified to de-
wise means for the settlement OF the
grave questions growing out OF the
war, and opposition b! party leaders
to his aims and plans would have been
fiuitless. That these aims and plans
would have been wise and judicious,
his previous official history furnishes
the strongest assurance.
Immediately after the Inauguration
Of his successor the leaders of the par
ty precipitated upon the country the
illy.advised scheme of ''reconstruc-
tion," which, after ten years of tur-
MOL and bloodshed, is pronounced by
its friends failure, and, under the
rapid strides of Capitalization, it is
now proposed to abrogate some Of
the State governments, and to recon-
struct reconstruction. 1T was made a
party issue, and those who opposed it
were denounced as enemies of the
Government. Beljeving-as fully
justified by the facts since revealed
that this me lsure, with the complica-
tons growing out Of it, would place
the government OF the South in the
hands of a Class Of mercenary advent.
urcrs, toment disturbances between
the races, and postpone indefinitely
the restoration of peace, and the de-
of the country, | severed
my connection with the party, and
have since been an independent voter,
voting occasionally for men and meas
ures without respect to party. Ihave
waited patiently and hopefully for a
change for the better, only to witness
q steady progression from bad to
worse. Previous to the opening of
the present campaign, though not
present, | was in sympathy with what
is known as the Fifth Avenue Confer
ance, and determined to abide the re-
suit of its deliberations, as promulgat-
ed to its admirable address to the peo-
pie. Mr.. Bristow was my choice for
President, not because he was a Re-
publican, but because he had given
abundant proof Of his ability and de-
termination to correct the abuses and
maladministratioD of his party.
Though disappointed in the rejection
Of MIR. Bristow by the Republican
Convention, ! was well satisfied with
The subsequent action of the Demo
cratic Convention, and, without hest
,ating, committed myself to the sup.
port of its nominees.
OF the Republican nominees know
nothing personally. So far as their
official history has been revealed
through the public journals, they are
both men of good social position and
fair executive ability, but occupy as
an equivocal position,
which gives no assurance Of "a change
IN the policy and measures of the par.
" in power. Mr.. Hayes, like the
present incumbent, was selected pure
y on the score Of availability. He Is
trammelled by the dictation OF the
party leaders now in power, AMI can
not, it he would, successfully inaugu.
rate the work of reform. The con.
yantion which nominated hin, ondoro