The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-10-11
The question, then,

UT "uStucS tuOSc WIZ uSSAIC W use II
for the advancement of their personal
ends shall be commanded to stand aside
and allow the people to be heard and
their will obsyed.
Secondly Because, 1 believe, that
the use of federal patronage by a mem
Der of congress or other officer of gov.
eminent to secure denomination or re.
election is wrong in principle and dan.
gerous in results. And here, am glad
to see th:t you are with me again. In
your issue of June 7th, in an article
evidently intended to advocate the
candidacy of Mr.. Thacher, as against
Mr.. Strait, you very pertinentlv remark
If the idea is allowed to prevail that the
man in Office, by means Of his appoint
ees and scithostt personal merit, and con-
trary to the wishes of his party and the
people generally, can still force himself
into coveted positions, then indeed, is
there no safety for the country. If the
machinery Of caucuses and conventions
can be manipulated successfully by
those interested, not in the popular
welfare, but in securing their own re-
tention in power, to secure such results,
then 1t IS high time for the people to de-
| clare their independence from the in
fuence Of such Vaccinations against
their liberties.
Thirdly, I believe the time has fully
come, when the people should arise in
their might and put an eternal quierus
on that miserable policy adopted Of late
by professional politicians. Men en-
tirely deficient in ratification, talent,
or merit of any kind, and lacking the
first principles of honor or honesty,
combine in corrupt compacts to aid
each other, and by promising govern
ment appointments, printing, and fat
contracts, and by downright bribery, Sc.
cure nomination, and then they raise
the cry that, unless every mothers son OF
them are elected, the country will GO
strai ght to the dogs, the negroes will
all be murdered in cold blood, the rebel
debt assumed, rebel claims allowed,
bounties paid to rebel soldiers, and ten
thousand other things done that have
been forever prohibited by the amend.
ments to the Federal Constitution, and
which have passed entirely beyond the
control Of any congress. 1t is the CRY
of "Raw-Head and Bloody Bones,
with which big naughty brothers, at
heart knaves and towards. sometimes
attempt to brighten the little boys and
t;mid sisters. 1t is an attempt to fright.
en- the people out Of the use of their
reason and it is an appeal to the worst
passions of the human heart-fear, hate
and revenge-on questions, where the
only appeal should be to the cool, I'm.
! predjudiced Judgment. If these men,
who have no merits of their own to rec.
ommend them, were as earnest before re.
ceiving party nomination as after, t.,
have the people vote to save the party
and the country, not because they are
candidates, but for the good Of tbs
cause, the party and country wculc
9TH be in less danger.
In your issue Of March lst, you yer,
appropriately stigmatize this kind Of
political hoeus pocus as "aaunting the
bloody Shirt and while it NAV have
been lnelegant, as a question of taste
for Judge Wilder to use the expression
the phrase is truly Am crican and full
Of meaning. 1t was about the shortes
way that he had Of rebuking this mis-
cradle species of political trickery. l,
your article entitled "The Bloody Shir
Harangues' occurs the following para
graph, every word of which hearth,
endorse:
Now what difference does it make
whether the Southerners maltreated the
prisoners they captured in the fratrici
dial war, or the Northerners let those
they had die of hunger and cold.
Ought we not to be equally ashamed Of
such deeds? Are We not one nation
one KINDRED one tongue and one PEG
pie? Are we not all alike culpable, il
either was savage and cruel? Can We
hope that these accusations will elevate
US 10 the estimation of foreigners /:
it not as if members Of the same house
hold should bear testimony to each 9th
er's unwo:thiness?
Are the two political parties Of this
country sectional party and seces.
sion party? This "bloody Shirt bus
mess would make it seem so, and did
we not know that those who buster &C