Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-02-06
Gran. and the Prc.Idencr.

ty unless the voters determine in advance q
support the candidate of the national conven
ton, to whose judgment they will submit the
question, and by whose judgment they ought
to abide. II is one Of the humilinting limita
tons of human nature that men are ant to
sacrifice principles TO personal prejudices,
resentments and interests and this is espe.
cially the case in politics and religion. But
in the great and vital struggle that lies be.
fore us, we should all resolve that nothing
short Of the nomination Of man of corrupt
personal chaiacter-which is morally impos.
sible-shall drive US from the support of that
noble Republican party to which, under God,
our united country owes its existence and
prosperity. Perhaps we all have our presi-
DENTAL preferences and antipathies. Person
ally, l am much opposed to the nomination
of Gen. Grant, because l did not like his
surroundings or his appointments when he
was president and also because immeasura-
bly, prefer a civilian to military man. 1
might add that do not approve of third
term, although, there having been an inter
regnum, the chief objection to a third term
disappears. However, Gen. Grant is Re-
publican and a patriot, and prefer him to
Jefferson Davis, and others of that kind, who
will make our laws, il Republican is not
chosen. Democratic rule is by congressional
caucus, not by constitutional methods. The
immense preponderance in a Democratic
caucus consists OF the fraudulent and homi-
cidal solid South. JEFF. Davis and a few of
| his lieutenants can at all times control ma
iprifty of tho TO- =.
| posed Of unrcpentant rebels most Of whom.
| if not all, have held commands in the rebel
army Whoever might be the Democratic
president he must and would bow to the be-
hests of Democratic Congress controlled by
rebel Democratic caucus. What, therefore,
can be expected from such a president and
such Congress except what is most hateful
to Republicans and most hostile to the inter
ests and sentiments of the loyal States?
l much regret, however, to notice that
Democratic policy threatens to cOtnpel the
nomination of Grant. purpose seems to
exist among Democratic managers to seise the
presidency in 1881 without regard to the actu-
al vote This is to be done by constituting
the House of Representatives r returning
provision to that end. The Democratic Sen
ate is ready to act as the accomplice of the
House, without regard TO consequences such
is the hunger and thirst of the Democratic
party for Office and plumber Neither of these
bodies has scrupled TO count out Republicans
actually elected or to count in contestinp
Democrats who were not elected Even the
most high-toned among them cannot resist
doing wrong if thereby he may, for the mo-
ment, strengthen his party majority. The
Democratic press encourages and applauds
these misdeeds and others yet worse The
outrage in Maine for instance, is quite gen
orally sanctioned by the Democratic press. AZ
well rs by such old adopts in political ch cat
ing and ballot-box legerdemain as Kelly and
Tilden, and even those Democratic newspa
pers which profess 10 condemn IT, always
add, by way of covert justification and apol-
ogy, an ancient and oft refuted falsehood
about Republican frauds in the South.
And, to digress little, let me say that the
party which invented the Cronin returning
board in Republican Oregon, which tried to
buy the Republican electors, and did buy the
Moses and Willard Supreme Court in South
Carolina, which sought frauduently to DESTROY
the Republican majority in Florida, which
yelled fraud" because, acting in accord
ance with the laws of Louisiana, the return
ing board rejected the fraudule mt and blood. |
stained returns of certain parishes. which |
sent its agents South an West with q rowing |
commission to buy electoral votes, which is |
condemned to lasting infamy by the ''cipher |
dispatches" brought home to the very hearth |
stone of its presidential candidate, which |
seized the electoral vote of Republican Mis- |
sissippi by fraud, violence and murder, and |
attempted the same performance in Republi- |
can Louisiana and South Carolina-such a |
party must indeed glory in its fragrant virtue |
and be lost in admiration of its own spotless
innocence when it ventures to arraign Re
publicans upon charges of fraud
But, to return to the Democratic policy
which threatens to force Grant upon the Re
publicans. The Maine rascality is apparent
ly only one of series intended to secure by
stratagem and tricks the next president for
the Democrats Why do the Democrats in
Congress oppose all plans for safely and hon
estly counting the votes of the electoral col
lege? Why do they persist in claiming that
the House of Representatives shall count the
votes and decide upon contests? This is the
reason Because it is intended to get up sham
contests and thereby to count as electors men
who were never chosen. To that end Re
publicans have been and will be deprived of
their seats in Congress to that end was the
Maine business chiefly set on foot Either
the bogus Legislature will choose electors or
the bogus State authorities will issue false
certificates of election, and 30 get up "con-
Test In the same direction the New York
Democrats are moving. The leading demo-
cratic paper of the State of New York is the
Albany Argus. 1t was the organ of the old
Albany regency, and is always the State pa
per when the Democrats are in power. Now.
IN view of the force and fraud by which it is
Known in advance that tho South is to be
made solid" next fall, and of the Maine
ltrocitY, and Of the frauds intended to be
by the Democracy on even
arger scale than usual in the cities of New
York and Brooklyn, there has been much
ak about having the law changed SO that
he electoral vote of New York shall be cast
~ the legislature. 1t is not likely to be thus
hanged, but it is to be hoped that the people
will be allowed to vote by congressional dis
riots, so that the vice and rottenness of the
wo great cities shall not have a chance to
by fraud the suffrage of the whole
ural population. But how does the Albany
Argus meet any proposed alteration of the
io-caled 'old-tashioned way" or general
ticket system? Here are the reasonable and
editious words contained in late issue of
hat paper;
"The Republicans of New York may de-
rive themselves of the right to vote for cleo
ors of president and vice president this year
~ legislative device if they want to. The
Democratic party of New York will vote for ,
lnnLnra Of IarnnidnlaL nd ..inn