Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-06-03
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We are little surprised that It has not
suggested itself to some OF the prominent
political organs, that in no ease can
sneers concerning the late conference of
gentlemen who met at New York to con
suit with reference 10 reform in the poli-
ties Of the country, prove a paying
investment. II the character of the men
giving tone to that meeting had not been
so high, and the response to its Suggcs-
tons were not wide, there is that just
now in the very air which ought to warm
even the blindest party organs that the
reform sentiment of the land is not to be
trlfled with.
1t may be all very well to revert to the
last presidential election, and the move
ment which gave Mr.. Mast such an op-
portunity to try his hand at all manner of
funny pictures of Mr.. Greeley i'm all man
ner ofattitudeS, with Gratz Browns card
tied to his coat-tail; but whether those
discerning gentlemen who edit Rcpubli.
can and Democratic Journals have discov-
cred the facts or not, we are now living
in n different age; and one might rs well
go into the catacombs and among the
mummieS for preccdcnts, as to appearl
to four years ago. A great many things
have happened since the last national
canvass, and great many things are now
happening all at once; and in such times
peoples minds change rapidly. And,
whatever else may be, or may not be,
this much at leas seems to be now settled,
that the American people, in this centen-
NAL year, and in the face of all the onlook-
ing nations, and in the remembrance of
all the bitterness of the past, and the
conscious agony of all the shame of the
present, do not propose to elect any man
for observation-disclosures he may be, and
how ever unknown he may have been in
the past-whom they do not think they
have reason to know is himself pure, and
who will not promote and enforce econ
omy, purity and efficiency in the conduct
of public affairs, so faras the Chief Magis-
trate of the nation has the ability and
opportunity to do that. They may make
q mistake. But they do not mean to.
And to this end they propose to run the
smallest possible risk. They will have
nothing to do with old party hacks.
They want no more cav ailable" candi-
dates. They want no compromise
statesmen, nor ''favorite sons" nor great
generals, nor astute politicians, nor party
managers. They want AN HONEST MAN
AND A PATRIOT, and one whose works
prove him such; and they mean to cote
for 40 other!
That is what we understand the Fifth
Avenue Conference to say.
And to it we say, Amen!
Now it is all very well for the Repub
licau journals to plead that if their "most
valuable" man--by which is really ment
the man who has displayed the greatest
shrewdness and skill in so pulling party
wires and manipulating conventions, and
plcdging delegates, as to "securc" the
nomination-be not quite satisfactory to
these friends of reform; it will still be
vastly wiser for those to vote for that
Republican candidate, than to vote for
the nomiAee of the Democrats, or for
some third man, on the principle that
"half a loaf is better than no bread;' it
is all very well to say this, and if they
are sufficiently short-sighted they will
say it. 1t has worked that way before.
But they will say it once to often, if they
repeat it now!
Gentlemen of the Republican party,
before you cast the final votes for youl
candidate at Cincinnati, you will do well
to remember that this reform movement
"means BUSINESS" aud thai if it can
bring yeu to your senses in no other
way, it will do so by so casting its votes
as to defeat you this time; partly in the
hope that you may learn wisdom by that
kind of experience, and partly because,
if the country must stumble and wallow
on for four years more, there arc not a
few who would be very glad that "Rep-
ublicanism" should not have oven the
nominal responsibility of that sin apt
shame.