Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-04-21

Both the great parties are willing enough
to promise all this. Toread their platforms
you would consider them models OF Puri-
tanic virtue-only, perhaps, carrying their
sense Of justice and public honesty 10 a
somewhat unpracticable extreme. 1 think
we are rather tired Of the gliltering gener-
alitics of the platforms. Talk is cheap
fine words are easily written. They pass
by reclamation in convention, provided
they do not bind one 10 anything. There
fore we do not now need more virtuous
platforms, but We need more honest men.
The honest man, the man who has proved
himself so through his life to whom no
suspicion Of fraud, or greed, or cunning at
taches itsclf-lel him he our platform.
There have been times " hen IL was right TO
say, Measures, not men," and these times
will come again. But now, when no i'm
portant measures are in question between
the parties, when you find good men in
both parties in favor Of good measures, and
bad men in both parties opposed to them,
now is the time when We are Obliged to say,
MEN, not measures"
When the men in any party, whose only
interest IL the public good, unite together
TO defeat tho trading politicians, they all
ways succeed. These cunning aud selfish
men are in very small minurity-tho mass
of the people want good measures aud up
right leaders. No doubt, in the coming
election, the party leaders will use their
old methods TO keep the people from de-
sorting them. II the Republicans or DEM
ocrats nominate mere party candidates,
they will insist that ii is highly important
that Just this one tune the party should sue
coed. The Republican journals will assure
us that If the Democrats elect their Pfesi-
dent the negroes will be re-enslaved, and
the war have TO he fought over again. The
Democrats will say that If the Republicans
are not defeated, there will be more whis-
ky robberies, more Emma Mine frauds,
more Belknap briberies, more District Safe
burglaries, more Freedman's Bank rascal.
tiles.
The important matter then is, in some
way, to give the professional politicians TO
understand that If one of their number is
nominated, or one vino can be governed
by them, his owR party ,0iU defeat him. Let
them know that large number of the lead
ing men, capable OF influencing large
number, have determined TO organize a bolt
in such case, on a scale sufficient to de-
feat their own candidate and TO elect his OPP
poncnt, If his opponent be u suitable man.
If this is done, each party convention will
be obliged 10 nominate a good man. If II
is not done, there must then be an indie
pendent candidate presented, OF unstaned
character, and not a partisan. But above
all, and the most essential of ALL is to edu-
cate The community TO know that each cit
izen has duty to the State which he can
not abandon without disgrace. Let the
man who refuses TO do his part in public
atlairs be regarded As one who has aban-
doned the post of duty. Let children in
our schools tie taught tho elements eff polit-
ical ethics, the laws of public morality, the
importance of good government, the rights
and duties of citizen, the value aud dan
gers of parties, the virtue of patriotism and
the honor of serving the Safe. Let poll
Ties cease to be Il name Of Iepreach, and be-
come a badge of honor. Let the platform
educate tho maturer minds 10 a ripper knowl-
edge of State affairs. Let the pulpit no, re-
gard these discussions as secular, but in
fuse religious spirit and Il lofty tone OF
morals into the work Of the citizen. Let
us make public life honorable and sacred
let us watch public men, and approve or
rebuke them rs they give occasion. Let US
create public opinion which shall max
il rerilous for an official TO rifle with his
duties; political death TO be even suspect
cd of fraud. Then VIC shall have such a
fast as God has chosen-nol one ON which
10 abstain from flesh, but To abstain from
iniusiicc-a fast in which the bonds Of in
justice ale lo0sened, aud the yoke of pro-
fcssi onal politicians-Rines, Lobbies and
Caucuses shall be forever broken. Then
shall the light of this great nation break
forth as the morning, and in its renewed
health spring forth speedily. Its righteous
ness shall go before it in the sight of civil
ized man, and the protection of God shall
be its rear guard. Then the Lord shall
guide us continually, and satisfy our souls
in famine and make fat our bones-and we,
the leading Republic of the world, will not
disgrace cur principles, but become again,
as we were in the days of our fathers, a
spring of water TO feed the root, Of liberty
everywhere, whose waters fail not.