The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-19

ability ard reputation Of The
men TO be selected for the highest offices.
10 view Of the grave circumstance at
present surrounding us we declare the
country cannot now aiiord 10 have any
man q icted to the presidency whose very
name is not conclusive evidence of the
most incorporating determination of the
American people ~ make thj9 q pure gov
once more. Cur duty IN this re-
spect is plain and imperous 1t suffers
no triiiing or equiyocatiun. The worn out
clap-'rap affair promised in party plat
forms Will not satisfy IL, neither will mere
fine professions on the part OF candidates.
Not mere words are needed, but acts not
mere platforms, but ncn.
We therefore declare and call upon all
good citizens to lin MS, that al tie com
ing presidential election VIC shall support
no candidate who in public position ever
countenanced corrupt practices or combina-
tons, or impeded their exposure and pun
ishment, or opposed necessary measures of
reform. We shall support no candidate
who, while possessing official influence and
power, has failed to use his opportunities
in exposing and correcting abuses coming
within the reach Of Lis observation, hut
for personal reasons and party ends has
permitted them to foster on, for such men
may he counted on not 10 uncover or
crush corruption, but for the partys sake,
merely, TO conceal IT, We shall support no
candidate, however conspicuous his posi-
ton or brilliant his ability, in whom the
impulses Of the party manager have shown
themselves predominant over those OF the
reformer for he viii be inclined 30 con-
tinue that fundamental abuse the employ
ment of the government service as ma
chinery for personal or party ends We
oh al NJ Hot
favorably judged by his nearest hiends, is
not publicly known to possess those quali-
ties of mind aud character which the stern
task Of genuine reform requires. for he
American people cannot now afford TO risk
the future Of the republic in experiments
on merely supposed virtue or rumorcd abb
lily, to be trusted on the strength of pri-
vate recommendations. In one wold, at
present no candidate should be held en-
titled to the support Of patriotic Citiz ns Of
whom the question may fairly be asked
sis he really the man to carry through a
thorough reform Of the government? Can
he with certainty be depended upon to
| possess the moral courage AMI sturdy reso-
luton to grapple with abuses which have
acquired the strength of established cue
tom, and to this end firmly to resist the
pressure even of his party friends
| Whenever there is room for such ques-
| ton and doubt as to the answer the candi-
date should be considered unfit for this
emergency. This is no time for sC-called
availability springing from distinction gain-
| ed on fields of action foreign to the duties
of government nor for that far more dan
gerous sort of availability which consists in
this That the candidate be neither SO bad
as to repel good citizens, nor 50 good rs TO
discourage the bad ones. Passive virtue in
Al l..
to permit the growth OF active vice below.
The man to be entrusted with the prcsi-
dency this year mus. have deserved not
only the confidence OF honest men. but also
the fear and hatred OF thieves. lie who
manages to conciate thieves cauuot be
| candidate for honest men. Every Amer
| lean citizen who has the future of tie re-.
public and the national honor sirc.;tlT az
heart, should s.lsmnly icsolve that the
country must nov have a president whose
name is already watchTcr3 If reform {:
whose capacity ana c0urago Tor ihe work
are matters of record rather than Of p'om-
Use who will restore the simplicity, indie
pendence and rectitude of The early adj
ministra!lons and whose 70. v'lt be a
guaranty Of his fidelity and nr,ss. y
man at the mere COurd Of whose l3me
even the most dishoartcned will take new
courage and all mankind will say: The
Americans are indeed ia earnes. to restore
the ancient purity of their government
Fellow Citizens The undersigned, in
! addressing you. are not animated by the
ambition TO form, to lead, new political
party. Most Of us have long bee9 9 1ss, ci
are warmly attached 10 our Iai t7'O
| lions. It would be most gratly'rgt1 US 10
see, by party action, candidates put for
ward whose character and record answer
those requirements which the present cir
cumstances render imperative; we earnest
" hope and trust that it will be 81. We
shall gladly follow such lead and make
every effort in our power TO render it sue
cessiu. But while w are ready to accept
any and every good result Of party action,
we affirm that the moral reform OF oar pub
lie concerns is infinitely superior in import
snce to the interests Of any political party.
Glad to promote that reform through party
action, we shall insist upon it at all events,
should party action fail. Experience
teaches us that the habitual submission If
good citizens to a choice of evils presented
to them by party organizations is one of
the most prolific causes Of corruption in cur
politics. The acceptance by the people Of
the argument that one party may be bad
and still entitled to the support of good
men because the other party is still orse,
will induce each to consider how bad it may
safely be. II will strengthen in each the
power of the most inscriptions element,
and subject the will Of the pCoIl, to the
subtle tyranny of organization welded by
those who live by politics To break that
tyranny by a stern refusal to submit TO such
a choice OF evils is the first beginning in
the reform of our political life. Without
this all other steps will prove unavailns.
We shall sincerely rejoice 70 see the re-
| &c; IND l., 10
earnestly hope that the effort to this end he
ing made by the friends Of reform within
party lines will be crowned with success,
and that the just expectations Of the pee
pie may not be doomed to disappointment.
Indeed we are confident, If all those of our
fellow citizens whom their hearts agree with
what we have said will only take the cour-
age openly to proclaim their convictions
and purposes, such manifestation alone
would produce an effect sufficient to secure
nominations and an election inaugurating a
better order of things. We therefore appeal
to all good citizens who find their own SEN
! timents expressed in this address (be they
! inside or outside of party lines) to organize
in their respective districts and communi-
! cate with the executive committee appoint
ed at this meeting, so that Efficient cooper
D alton may become possible. Let 10 effort
. be spared in bringing the influence Of &
I patriotic public opinion to hear upon those
who in the customary way are soon TO nom
: mate the party candidates, and then, in any
event. let us be ready to do what the best
- interests of the republic demand OR gen.
Grafton has to open the second century OF
our national life as the fathers opened the
first. Theirs was the work of independence;
ours is the work of reformation. The one
is as vital now as the other was then. Now
as then every true American must have
the courage of his duty.
: Carl SchuIz, chairman Martin Brm-
mer, Massachusetts l.. Y. S. Foster,
= Connecticut PaIke Goodwin, New York;
John w. Hoyt, Wisconsin.
Published by order ct the conference,
,, signed by Theodore Woolsey, president