St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-01-10
From the Boston journal.
The Year 1878.

attention of the whole civilized world,
although their essential Importance can
only be determined by the lapse of
time. Some boy born during the year
may possibly affect the destinies of
mankind more than the action of the
Berlin Congress. Still, the result has
been to diversity the records of the
year, as we shall see by hasty glance
round the world, beginning at home, not
because we are the hub of the universe.
but because it is matters gen
orally which interest us most.
Although rhe burden of the hard
times still rests upon us, Il steadily in
creasing feeling of confidence animates
our business circles. Many branches of
industry have visibly improved, and the
reduced prices of living have made liv-
ing possible on income which did not
answer heretofore. The glorious pro-
duets of agriculture, the conviction that
the hard-pan has at last been reached,
and the brilliant condition of the tinan-
ces also conspiIe to this improved feel
ing, which will itself 90 far to secure
the success desired. The great event
of the year with us i'll Massachusetts,
however, has been the gubernatorial
| Ill WHICH, lnt lOIccS Oh us
content and ignorance, of wrong poll
ties were marshaled under the lead of
Gen. Butler. They were resolutely met
by the great body of Massachusetts
people, who are devoted to sound finan-
ces and honest government, and the re-
suit was a Waterloo defeat to the as
sailants. To be sure, they rolled up
heavy vote, one far from being credit
able to this ancient Commonwealth.
but it was the high-water mark of Il
wholly exceptional period. Long be-
fore another election the causes which
made such a heterogeneous combina-
tion possible will have passed away.
Indeed, the returns of the great number
of State elections cOincident with our
own make it clear that the change has
already been inaugurated. While the
| October elections were, with the eXcep-
| ton of Maine alone, more favorable to
the Republicans than had been expect
ed, the November returns were glori-
Gus surprise. They reversed the whole
political situation, and threw an en-
couraging light over the Republican
prospects of 1880. The only blots on
the record were the disgraceful and
wholesale frauds and intimidation prac-
ticed upon the colored Republican vot-
ers in South Carolina and Louisiana,
amounting to Il complete denial of their
right of suffrage. The thanks of the
country are due to Senator Blaine for
his moving il thorough investigation into
this matter.
In other public respects there has
been nothing to disturb the peace.
During the first haII or !hr wear fear
were frequently expressed that there
would be another communist outbreak
| similar to that in Pennsylvania in 1877.
but nothing of the kind occurred the
leaders in that interest seem to have
turned their attention to politics, and
to have failed there. We have had but
one small Indian war, which was sub
dued, leaving us the only Semblancc of
the kind that which is now raging at
Washington between the War and Inte-
riOr Departments, as to which shall
have charge of Indian affairs. The only
serious affliction that has fallen upon
our people has been the terrible vista
tion by yellow fever at the South In
troduced into New Orleans on the 23d
of May by Il vessel two of whose crew
died there, it soon after spread, being
carried by persons and goods over II
large section of country, the States of
Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee
being the heaviest sufferers. About
lOO, 900 cases are believed to have oc-
Cured, of which 10000 at least proved
fatal. The loss to property and indus
try, though not capable of any definite
estimate, must be reckOned by hun
dreds of millions of dollars Prompt
and sufficient contributions for the ben
eft of the suffering and for defraying
the expenses incident to the calamity
poured forth from every part of the
country, and the act seems to have
been thought Il great deal of by many
SOutherners as one calculated to com
plete the work of reconciliation between
the sections. They ought to have known
the people of the North better; never
theless, we rejoice if our natural deeds
of charity have had this unthought of
good effect.
The year cannot but he memorable
us that which eliminated in the re-
sumption of specie payments suspended
! i'll the earlier part of the war. The Ad-
ministratiOn from the first set its efforts
determinedly in favor of the conSum-
nation of this grand object, nOtwith-
standing it had to encounter formida-
BILE howl of opposition from the West
and the South and the bitter resistance
ola Democratic House, which, however,
only succeeded to the extent of passing
modified silver law, after worse bill
had been vetoed by the Ftesident SO
early and well, however had Secretary
Sherman laid his plans that, aided by
the remarkably favorable state of our
foreign trade, the bounteOus crops and
the result of the November elections,
which seemed to break the back bone
of the opposition patty, he has succeed
ed in collecting stock of gold mani
testify sufficient for resumption purpOs-
es, he has already seen gold at par, and
within few hours the country will be
nomlnally and actually upon specie
basis! Too much ought not to be ex-
pected of the event as an immediate re-
! lief of the hard times-in which various
causes are involved-but no reasonable
man doubts that the grand, essential
step has been taken necessary to Coop
crate with other recuperating influ-
ences in Fastening on the return of ma
tiOnal and permanent prosperity. No
wonder, then, that the closing hours of
the old year are irradiated with more
than usual gladness in the minds of our
people. Nor are we wanting in other
causes of gratitude and hope. Our pro-
visions for national housekeeping have
been signally abundant-the value of
agricultural crops raised during the
year being estimated at three thousand
millions of dollars. This enables us to
procure what foreign goods we need
and they are much more strictly con-
fined to our actual needs than they used