Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-08-25
The Party of NegatiOnS.

The Party of Negations.
When the country is flooded with tn
'wash of democratic eloquence as is no,
the case in at least two New Enplan
states. it would naturally be thought tina
The people would be told what is going t
be done. But it is now as it has been eve
since the republican party elected pres
dent the burden of the song is accusatio
against republican principles and admin
l'tratlon and the vague promise tina
things shall be changed.
How they shall be changed, bv wha
means and measures, is left in the back
ground. 1t Is the history of what part
has been and is that tells what it will d.
and not its promises made Just befor
election. And we hope our older voters
Will remember and our younger one
learn the history of political parties fol-
the last thirty years.
This is all the more necessary for some
OF the southern gentlemen who are favor
ing Vermont with speeches delivered
with Grace ana eloquence are unloading
bits OF ancient history, u say nothing OF
modern that ism t histo V TT all We have
heard the blame of slavery cast on the
north by speaker who implied that the
north was the original offender by being
slave traders, whereas when the Mayhow.
er came to Plymouth Rock the ancestors
OF the one who made the charge had
already purchased slaves. So about what
took place, when the constitution was
formed, about the importation of slaves
has been misrepresented SO it has been
charged that the abolition of slavery was
not by the republican party but by "acci-
dent So it has been said the democratic
party was not in favor of slavery.
But it is not of these things we wish to
write, except to ask all to read American
history for themselves and Judge for them
selves. What is to the present purpose is
that for the last quarter of century, the
democratic horse in the team has never
given square pull except in the interest
of slavery or of those whose political edu-
cation grew out of the slave system. On
all other matters it has had Just one mis-
sion to kick. 1t has been party of me-
cations and not of progress. Its clamor
against the republican party to-day is but
the same long howl that began in the DAYS
after Lincolns election. and has continued
TO the present time.
la 1864 it gave aid and comfort to the
enemy by declaring the war to be failure.
And If anybody wants to know how to
fifty characterize that resolution of 1864
he can 90 to the democratic platform of
1862, and see what this same party then
said of those who opposed the Mexican
war
In 1868 they kicked against reconstruct
ton and against everything that the re.
pubicans were doing, In 1872 it was
again the same only some of that party
were so opposed to everything then that
they kicked both ways. They hated Grant
and they wouldn't vote for Greeley. In
1876 they nominated man of ideas it is
true; "A man who had some definite no.
tions, enough so that he wrote u letter that
said pretty plainly what he wouldn't dc
in regard to certain southern matters.
Then the democrats went on and claim
ed they had elected Tilden. They arbi
trated the matter and have kicked the
arbilrators ever since, and there is one
thing that should be specially noted by
northern men Of democratic proclivtie.
that the assigned cause for Tilden's moi
taking his seat was the action of the
southern men. And the assigned cause
for that action made by some of Tilden's
friends was his position as to southern
claims.
1t is in 1880 as it has been before, the
republican party is accused of this, thai
and the other; and its candidate for presi
dent is just as bad as our other candidate
for president have been. Fremont, oul
first candidate, ran away with woman
and did other direful things so that h,
wasn't fit Tor the presidency. Lincoln
"the ape" us southern democrats calet
him, was a third-rate illinois lawyer, who's
obscurity was disgrace to the country
Grant was 1.-The butcher, besides that, b,
''lied' in the Stanford johnson controversy
besides that he was a drunkard. Hay
pocketed soldiers bounties. Garfield is
bribe-taker and a perjurer. So goes the
old, old song.
But of actual living principles what hav
we offered by democratic history Or prom
Uses? Nothing clearly defined except
free ballot, honestly counted, on paper il
June and the Alabama election in practc,
in August The democrats say that thu
verdict Of the country in November is t,
be in their favor-we shall see.