St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-09-15

us wrong III any of these respects |,
there syllable in any Democratic
platform. State or National, is there Il
word in any Democratic speech, is there
sentence i'll any Democratic newspa-
per, which by the widest latitude OF
Interpretation can he tortured into an
acknowledgment that these enormitieS
of wrong by which the Democratic par
ty stands fairly charged are actual
wrongs for which the party is to be
blamed, and the men who acted with it.
knowing what they did, are guilty |
fail to find one such syllable or word or
sentence. .'These things were mis-
take" they freely say, '.it was expedi-
ent to do as we did :" but the mistake is
only because the issue turned out as
it did. and the regret of the Democratic
party, South and North, o-day. is only
that its plans did not succeed, and not in
the least because these plans were not
worthy to succeed.
But if one wishes living issues. the
question of the currency is surely liv-
ing issue. All questions of labor and
wages, and business and prices-ques-
tions upon which the food. raiment and
shelter of toiling millions hang, and
which, in fact have to do with every
want of every person in the land-are
all involved III the questions of Il sound
and honest currency. The question of
il return to specie payments. which
means whether labor shall receive its
fair and fixed equivalent. and debts
shall he paid as they are honestly due.
and business shall he conducted on Il
stable basis, and which affects both the
honor of the Government and the well
fare of its subjects, meets us in the face
to-day. and demands from every party
an answer. And what answer does the
Democratic party give? Can it be
trusted here Look AT the Democratic
platform, proclaiming that the promise
involving the honor and fidelity of the
Government to resume specie payments
"u certain date promise involving
the honor and fidelity of the Govern
mcnt shall he repealed. Hear the
Democratic nominee for the Vice PreSi-
dcncy declaring i'll Il public speech. the
day after his nomination. that this
promise. though il was the pliglted
faith of the nation. should he broken.
Read the letter of the Democratic nom
incc for President. with its two-taccd
argument. declaring his desire for >pe-
cie payments and his wish that the act
restoring specie payments he repealed.
Note the prompt obedience of the Dem
"cr;Itic House of Representatives in re-
pealing this provision. and thus re-
moving the only fixed point of hope we
have had ont at our financial troubles.
Trace the course of the Democratic
party all through its acts in Congress
or ont of Congress and iS there one
ray of light "r hope OF promise in them
all for Il successful treatment of our ii
nancial problem cannot find it. |
only find increasing darkness in the
whole financial course of the Democrat
Ic party. and dare not trust the iinan-
cIal policy of the nation to its control.
he interests involved are too grave.
the consequences of Il mistaken policy
are too terrible. While the Demo
cratic nominee for President desires
honestly and intelligently. | doubt not
IA sound currency. and while his as
>oclate on the ticket denouncrS every
thing of this sort. the attitude of the.
party Is far from being IS cquiVocll a>
its ticket. and ii already clearly ap-
pears that Mr.. Hendricks. aud not MI
ty on this point. and which must hr the
controlling spirit of this administration
should the ticket Ice elected.
Aud i> not civil service rctiom Il liv-
ing i>Suc l. il not Il matter of grave
concern whether our offices shall hc
made Il matter of bargain and booty.
"r whether we shall look upon them
even a> Il dignity Ia he cmjoNcd rather
than as Il trust to hc administered
No man ever deserved an office. and no
man can riShttully bc said to have Il
claim upon an office. An office i not Il
reward. but Il requirement. 1t i in no
sense Il payment for IL service rendered.
hut Il demand foI service To hc rem
lcrcd. And therefore. when man de
maud> II hccaIIS, llc has served his paI-
ty or his country. or when il iS given
for party eNigcnccS and not foI person
Ill fitness. we have tal>itied the very
principle of governmental adminiStrl-
tIon. and can only expect fraud aud de !
rcit and corruption in all its applica- |
tIonS. There Is no maxim more mis- |
chievouS OF mole fatal to efficiency of
than the maxim. To |
the vlctorS belong the SpoilS. And |
there Is no practical question which the
next administration will have to meet |
more important than that which re-
ates t" its appointments to office and |
the ground on which these appoint
mentS are made. But how does the |
Democratic party stand here? What |
might he expected in the line of civil |
service reforms. should the Democrats
'ome into power. Why the very SyS-
cm to he reformed is altogether from Il
Democratic source. 1t WAS Il Demo-
ratio Secretary of State who first
aS applicable to the diStIi-
pution of offices, the miSchievouS maN-
IN which | have quoted it WAS Il Dem
'cratic President who first put it in
practice, and while other parties have
lot been slow to follow. the Democratic
,arty, us You all know. has always led
II carrying ont this rule.
t has been and is still Il cardinal doc
rine of that party. | challenge any
me to give the slightest reason for sup
posing that should the Democratic par
y come into power, there would not
,e Il sweeping change in all the offices
II the gift of the Government. in which
he personal fitness of Il single incum-
,ent would not weigh Il feather against
he party clamoI for his place. This is
XactlN what we have reason to expect
rom all the principles and all the pr;lc-
ice of the Democratic party hitherto.
Now there have been many things
lone by the Republican party-or rath-
r 10y men who have sought to lead it
which | shall not. and, in my Judgment
10 man should defend. do not believe
hat IN any case the wrong becomes
light because it belongs to party
which in the main may he right. And
do not propose to conceal but to dis