New-York tribune., 1877-08-20
THE PRESIDENT IN VERMONT.

DEh RESPECTING OFFICE-HOLDERS THOUGHT UN-
JUST-MR. EvARTs's HOME.
lFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBuSE.l
WINDSOR, VT, Aug. 1s.-The tour of President
Hayes in Vermont has the effect of stimulating dis
cussion in national politics. After the parades the
music and the greetng-cverywher cordial-are
over the people naturally fall to thinking about the
man, the circumstances Of his entering the White
House, and the policy he has introduced so that
III all the pleasant villages he has visited, and l
DOUBT not all over the State there has broken out
SO much argument on political questions that it
seems as II we were engaged in a campaign, instead
OF IN the midst OF the uneyentful Summer of an off
year. fastening TO these conversations, which Of
course never come to Mr. Hayess ear-for the divin-
ity that doth hedge a kIngv encompasses Presi-
dent SO much that he seldom hears any vigorous
assertion of ideas contrary to his own-I come to
some conclusions about public opinion in this part of
New-England. Perhaps it is out of place to intrude
such serious topics upon the Summer leisure of TRIB
uNE readers but their apparent significance. in
dicatng the of events in the near future Of
national politics, must be my excuse.
The Democrats are evidently determined 10 make
the most of the cries of fraudD ani counted in"
Judge Blacks articen The North Ameyicaa is eagerly
seized upon and everywhere quoted. 1t is full of
false statements and false nferences but it chimes
in with the temper of the Democratic masses, and
they find IN II strong stimulus and welcome rally
ing cry. They declare that the issue Of the next
Presidential contest will be upon the fairness of the
result of the last one. The first impulse of sensible
men will be to say that this is folly; that party
which set up a tribunal to ascertain the result of
disputed election cannot denounce the verdict with
out being ridculed aud despsed that the Demo-
cratic leaders too shrewd TO 20 before the
country Oh such an issue This is a hasy conclusion.
IL does not take account OF two important facts.
The first Ii the ignorance aud prejudice
of the Democratic masses No argument on
the question of the last election Will coun-
teract their belief that their party carried
it. Tilden got majority of the popular vote. and
would have had majority of the Electoral vote if
the Republicans had not interfered in Florida aud
Louisiana" This Is the beginning aud the end Of
their logic on the subject The second fact is that
the Democratic party has 10 other issue No can
name national question upon which it is united.
What are its principles' Who can formulate them
How then IS the party to be kept together and in
spired with the combative spirit winch wins victories
if the old issue presented in the Electoral count is not
revived! Nowhere do the Democrats dare assa the
general policy of the new Administrations aud their
enforced admiration Of It's course would blunt the
edge of controversy they not constantly stimu
lated the belief that il is wrongfully in Office.
Besides, an old issue which appeals to mems pre-
judices ana resentments, Is more powerful with such
material makes up the Democratic organiza-
tiOn than any genuine live question could
possibly be- Republicans must, | think, be
prepared to renew future canvasses the arguments
made last winter in Congress and before the Elec-
toral tribunal. The Democratic leaders viii not
turn away from them to issues, because they
can discover no new issue that affords hghting
ground where they can rally their forces. Hearing
50 much talh among the Vermont Democrats about
the fraudulent count-they appear 10 make up IN
bitterness iOr their paucity IN numOers-l asked
Senator Edmunds at Bennington if he thought there
are any Republicans in the State who doubt that
President Hayes is the rightful occupant of the
White House. "Not one," he replied; " the Repub-
lcans OF this state believe that carried the Pres
Dental election fairly and that the Electoral count
was honestly made upon constitutional principles
that are essential to the perpettty of the Federal
Government. The cry of fraud ON the part of the
Democrats has effect upon party, unless it be
to incline them to stand together soiidly in
support of Hayes"
While according to this weighty testimony and
much more that have heard corroborating it, the
Vermont Republicans a unit as TO the Presidents
lust title to his office, they very much divided in
their opinions on his policy. majority oppose the
Southern policy, and if convention were to be
held now the opposition to his course towards South
Carolina and Louisiana would be nearly as strong
il was in Maine last week. Last Spring there were
probably four-ffths opposed to it, The Republicans
here have always been extremists in their views on
the Southern question. They distrust the South,
and fear the consequences of its return TO power
Their sympathies with the negroes are still active,
and their war-memories do not fade out as rapidly
as those of the people along the borders between
part they are ardent admirers of Mr. Blaine,
and the position he has taken has great
influence IN shaping their views Every week
of continued tranquility in the South and of
added reflection on the part Of these dissatisfied Re-
publicans wears away their numbers. but all my in
formation leads to the opinion that they are still i'll
n majority. The party in this State may be class
flied into three elements-those who denounce the
Southern policy a surrender to the rebels; those
who do not approve il. but who are waiting to see
how it will work out before taking any decided
stand and those who endorse it as necessity of the
situation, OF a thing per Sc or both. All three
classes are. however desirous Of keeping the party
intact and of sustaining the President as It's head
against the assaults Of the Democrats.
Senator Edmunds says that the feeling against the
Southern poliey is not nearly injurious to the Re-
publican organization as that about the order to
ofce-holders to abstain from active politics. That
order does not commend itself to the judgment of
the average Vermont Republican. He knows moth
ing by experience about rings of Federal officials in
terferng in State politics. There has been no Gus
tom House manipulation of conventions here. 1t is
a rural community, where there are few United
States offices that pay for the labor they involve
II seems natural to him that the men who do the
hard work of politics should have the Offices and
should keep on dong the hard work after they get
than, Ue sees no propriety in turning good man