Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-07-11
Our Washington Letter.

and his inaugural address. His last executive
order prohibiting federal officers from being iden-
tilted with the machinery Of political parties has
caused some considerable xcitement during the
hot weather Of the past week This il
NEW DEPARTURE IN POLITICS
that seems to meet with favor among all classes
except those who do what is called the drudgery
Of the party and II II also very distasteful to the
mere politician. They who make the triumph Of
principle subservient to personal OF party advance
ment are easy to forget that great organization,
to find favor with the nation, must not only pro-
TESS but must execute the best methods Of Re-
publican government Once installed In Office,
selfish and party interests impe these leaders TO
work for n continuance Of control. Mistalng
patronage for patriotism they portion out the of
fees and emoluments TO people who will go any
length to secure votes for the party, rather than
to those who, by conspicuous integrity and eff
fciency, can persuade the people that the prn-
ciples Of the party in power are correct
What the President most desires 10 correct il
the interference Of federal officers in the prem-
mary work Of elections, and he believes the only
effectual way to do this is TO prevent these per-
sons from putting themselves forward as con-
trolling spirits in conventions, and az leading
members OF committees charged with the conduct
Of political campaigns This is no new theory
with the President In the last Presidential cam
paign Colonel wykoff, of Ohio, Adiutant- General
Of the state, was made chairman Of the state com
mittee Although his own election as President
was in issue, Governor Hayes notified Colonel
Wyknff that he did not approve Of his acting as
m M o. partisan committee and holding the
<>Scx11 g, iutant-General of Ohio at the same
txSs1s'&tlet he would be required to give up
one Of the twr places Colonel Wykoff therefore
resigned his state commission, that he might be
free to direct the campaign in Ohio. The Presi-
dent says il is notorious that the federal offices In
some large cities have been run in the interest of
factions and for the purpose Of securing the pre-
ferment of certain individuals and the defeat of
others, the power and influence of the offices being
used for the benefit of the oiice-holders themselves
OF course this order will tend TO hurt the
party" but the country will be benefited by Sc
curing thereby mnch better public service
Simon Cameron and his clan are represented rs
being greatly dissatisfied with this new order, and
say boldly that they intend to let PENNSYLVANIA
90 democratic at the coming election as q rebuke
to the administration Simon Is not satisfied with
| carrying the whole state of Pennsylvania in his
pantaloons pocket, but he wants the national ad-
ministraton well, and If he can't have it, he
won't play. The Boston Journd answers some
objections to this order and closes by saying that
when party comes to rely on official help and
direction, it rests on broken reed, much more
likely to pierce than support It, Ex-senator ST.
mon is just such reed
Considerable political capital has been made
against the Presidents Southern policy of late by
the report, widely circulated by opposition papers
led by the New York sun, that during
CHIEF JUSTICE YATES VISIT
to South Carolina, in an official capacity a few
weeks ago he was treated very discourteously by
the citizens of Charleston Since his return to
] Washington the Chief Justice has been greatly
mortified at the circulation of this report and has
accordingly written letter to Ex-Governor Aiken
of South Carolina denying in emphatic terms that
| either himself or daughter were treated in any
manner by the people Of the South which should
occasion remark, and stating that both he and
his daughter were much annoyed at the stories
regarding their visit which were so devoid of
truth This fabrication is but a sample of the
many which are being, and will continue to be,
manufactured by these sef-same disappointed
bnsybodes who are seeking in every way pos
sible To break down the administration
Of course the speeches of Blaine and Chamber
| lain, at Woodstock, have created considerable ex-
element here. Governor Chamberlain makes a
| great mistake in holding President Hayes respon-
sible for
THE FAILURE OF RECONSTRUCTION
and Republican ascendancy in the South This
failure was clearly foreshadowed in the plan of
Republican reconstruction ten years ago as was
the war of the rebellion when it made human
| slavery the cornerstone of the cOnfederacy it
| proposed to establish. Both fell because they
were founded on impractical expedents and were
| against the logic of common-sense Slavery lost
for the cause Of secession an element of strength
| that revolution can do without and succeed
| the sympathy Of mankind. The same causes
operated against the plan Of Republican recon
struction The Republican party failed in its eff
forts to turn the fruits of the victories it achieved
in the field To the good of the whole country be-
cause it thought more Of the selfish ambition OF
its leaders than OF the great doctrines it preached
| Had its eagerness to prepare the emancipated
slave for citizenship been coupled with little
more magnanimity for their conquered masters
the same that recent events compelled by the
| iorce oi Necessity recohsu"'t'"h "o"iu nave sue
ceeded easily, ana Its warlnest supporters would
have been found among the very CLASSES OF the
South that our failure mas driven into the rank
oil the democratic party ana VINO are to-day mas
tiers oil the situation Republican RUE has beei
lost IN the south through the imbecillty oil III
leaders, and the policy carried out by past admin
| istrations Had liberation marked our course
had we made 1t point after attempting to AS
sumo ana guarantee the inherent rights OF th'
freedmen, To conciliate those oi more advanced
culture, and VINO were ana are to-day as mucl
the true governing class as they are IN other sec
tons the political ~ well as the moral and socla
situation OF the south would nave been long be
fore this time vastly improved
Among those who are being heard from IN NJ
uncertain tones as warm
SUPPORTERS OF THE PRESIDENT,
| Is ex-Jndge Il, b. carpenter, OF South carolina
a native of Lamoille county, Vermont and .
thoronghgolng Republican. lie says, :" have nj
hesitation in saying that IN my Judgment the
policy OF President Hayes Will work well, especially
throughout the South The character of the mar
VIII impress ltseli anywhere flrst, he IL con
scientiously good second, he Is just and finally
he Is fearless IN the execution OF any thought
which he believes to be right Fora while he vii
encounter difficulties, as he has already done, bu
they will come from the politicians, not the people
| Senator Patterson, Republican, of South Caro-