Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-07-12

The questions Of the hour are few and
simple. Stripped of all extrancous circum-
stances, they are Just these:
Shall this District be represented in Con-
gress by an honest man?
Shall we,be represented by Republican
one who has summered and wintered with
the party and who is thoroughly imbued
with the spirit of its principles?
With every session of Congress, and ITS
too frequent accompaniment of infnitesimal
pettiness, of doubtful legislation. of ap-
pearance, at least, Of corruption, of general
low tone, there comes up from the people
cry Of Indignation, swelling from Maine to
California, and general jubilation when
the final adjournment is had. The low tone
of many of our public men. the yawning
depths of corruption now and then exposed
for moment, the hasty and superficial
legislation transacted at Washington
all these are things in respect to
which there is profound and
deep-seated public discomfort. The remedy
is not far to seek. 1t is simply to send bet
ter material to Washington, to make our
laws for us send men who would be sun
awed by influence and unbribed by gain =
whose personal character the faintcst breath
OF suspicion never touched who, with
broad views and elevated craftsmanship,
would unite those sterling qualities that
have made Vermont the synonym OF lnteg-
rity and uprghtness. What is to-day more
demanded in our public life than any other
quality is the simple Anglo-Saxon virtue OF
honesty-honcsty Of mind, Of act, and CT
purpts virtue much rarer, be 1T noted
than is sometimes thought. Can any one
say that Bradley Barlow fills all the require
ments of the situation? Are his character
and his career and his recent performances
such as to inspire popular confidence, and to
give guaranty Of fidelity and honor, faith
ful service and high craftsmanship?
The crisis is upon us, and it is high time
the long roll should be beaten and the ranks
closed up IL is an hour fraught with dan
ger to the country and its institutions. At
such time is it safe to send to Congress
| person of Mr.. B,rlow's character and ante
cedents-an eleventh-hour Republican, who
afiliates with Democrats and is warmly sup
ported by them? What the people and the
times demand is a true Republican, and not
a pinchbeck one; Republican by birth and
breeding; Republican by sympathy and
conviction, and not by desire for pelf and
place Republican who could at all times
and in all places and under all circumstances
be depended upon to reflect the sentiments
of the party and of his constituents. Of Re
publicans of the Barlow stamp, and of poll
ticians of the Barlow Tweed. Tilden variety
| (for Mr.. Barlow's canvass is compound oil
the tactics of the two last-named Democratic
statesmen), there is already an elegant SUI
6ciency; let us have an upright man and a
genuine Republican.
of the result there should be no doubt
for we have confidence in the people
and in the ultimate triumph of principle.
But it behooves the honest men of this Dis
trict to be up and doing. Everything that
the lavish use of money, the most adroit
wire-pulling, and every kind of trickery
could do, has been done by Mr.. Barlow and
his followers, and is still being done. But
let the people (thc great mass of whom arc
unalterably opposed to Mr.. Barlow's can
didature) attend the primaries and vote ae-
cording to their principles, and all will be
well. Not less thus than on bloodstained
battlefield will be obtained triumph of prin-
ciple and of eternal right.