Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-02-02

God will require at their hand. What
will they do that strengthen the hands
OF the wicked that he should not turn
from his wicked ways by promising
him life. JASPER HAzEN.
isaa TASTE and had Temper.
The reprehrnsible conduct of the
minority in the national House Of
Representatives is calling out pointed
rebuke5 from all sections Of the coun-
try. The Missouri Republican, ex-
presses the average opinion of the
people when il says that the Rrpubli
can members OF the House have thus
far displayed Il much greater amount
Of bad ta:te and bad temper than even
their bitterest opponents have antici-
pated. Fourteen years Of unbroken
and unlimited power have evidently
untitled them fer tie graceful accept.
ancc Of minority position. They
cannot lay aside, much less forget,
their former arrogance. They are ap-
parcnt|y unable to realize that the
voice Of the people, expressed through
the ballot box, has turned the tables
on them, and that patriotism as well
as roIlteness requires them to recog
nize the tact anG behave accordingly.
They act precisely as if the Democrat
it majority had been obtained by fla
grant nsurpation, and was utterly des-
titute OF foundation ,either ia law or
justice, They could not be more VIC
lent or more insoent if they expected
the popular verdict to be speedily set
aside by the decision OF the supreme
court, and their Old supremacy to be
restored, enlarged ana confirmed. In
short, these minority Republicans con
duct themselves like spoiled children,
who, having long been petted by too
inuulgen1 parents, resent the first cX-
ercise Of parental discipline as if it
were gross and incXcusablc outrage
upon their iualenable rights. If the
session continues as it has begun, they
will not only have to bear the respon-
slbillty Of embarrassing and letardno
important legislation, but they will
show to the world another example Of
the case with which 4 long lease of
power begets Il species of tyranny
dangerous TO free institutions and an
tagonistic to good government. 1t is
quite time that party having such
small share OF discretion and decencv
should step down and ont awhile.
To Mr.. Blaine and his friends also
belongs the unenviable honor OF open
ing the Centennial year with a section
al quarrel, Instead of doing what
they could to promote that tiatcrnal
feeling between North and South
without which the whole Centennial
business is but a glittering sham, they
have done what they could to Stir up
those prejudices and passions which
only little while ago famed out in
civil war. Instead of extending the
branch they have fourished the
sword instead Of barying all animos-
ties in the grave Of charitable ob,iv.
on, and assisting the present and the
.uturc to heal the wounds of the past,
hey have endeavored to resurrect the
worst memories of wretched era,
and postpone indefinitely the day Of !
perfect reconciliation. If these Re
oublicans really cared to rekindle and
that spirit of undivided
nationality which made l776 immortal,
would they have selected the dawn of
1876 for IN assault deliberately de-
signed to make undivided nationality
1 selt-evident lie? If they really
wished to have our hundredth Fourth
IF July moral rs q material success,
IN opportunity for reconciliation as
we'll as glori6cation, a genuine nation
II love-teast as well as an apotheosis of
Yankee Doodle" would they have
lung their tire-brand into the hills of
congress now? If Blaine and his as
'ociales fairly represent the sentiments
If the Republican party toward the
south, then the Centennial celebra-
ion, however satisfactory it may be
rs show, is destined to prove a most
miserable failure as a restorer of
American brotherhood. 1t might
nave been priceless blessing it
promises to be only a gorgeous circus.
- Republican Journal, Belfast, Maine