Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-06-30
Our Washington Letter.

Uur WASHINGTON betters
WARRINGTON, d. c., June 90, 1880.
Mr.. Editor with the nomination OF General
Hancock a. the Democratic candidate. the presi-
dental campaign Of 1880 may be said to be fairly
commenced
rHK POLITICAL SITUATION
Is one in which every American citizen il sup
posed to take personal interest The leaders
have been chosen, and party lines are now being
formed for the political contest for at least, the
four years supremacy in this government. The
campaign will be an earnest and probably a
heated one. Although but little enthusiasm has
thus far been developed by either party, there
will be plenty Of It when the opposing forces take
the field. 1t Is believed here, by those who look
upon the situation with an unprejudiced observa-
ton, that each ticket will command the full vot-
ing strength OF Its party and draw little or moth
ing from the other The only elements from
which recruits can be counted upon are the float
ing vote, and the new voters who have just
reached the age which entities them to the fran
chise, and who are yet undecided in which cause
to enlist. The new voters constitute. perhaps, at
! a rough estimate from five to seven per cent Of
the entire voting population, sufficient to give vic
| tory, very probably, to either side, should the
canvass induce them to go strongly one way. 1t
is to this particular class of voters that the Repub
| lican party can safely appeal at this time Its
candidate Is young man. comparatively, with
the vigor and strength OF youth still upon him 4;
its administration of national affairs during the
past four years commends itself to the judgment
Of every young man Of thinking capacity, and the
promise for the future, under such an executive
n GaparaI GarGa1d atronulu -
Platforms will connt for nothing in the canvass
The letters Of acceptance OF the presidential can
ddates will have more influence upon the voters
than any Of the other campaign papers, for they
will enunciate the principles Of each and the
| policy Of government that each would adopt and
enforce. This was we'll Illustrated in the case OF
President Hayes, as his letter Of acceptance drew
to his support an army of independent voters.
| The present contest may be truly called the
| peoples fight Machine politics and machine rule
have been overthrown and the electors are re-
stored to their legitimate power. Both the can
ddates are known the country over as honest
men, who have distinguished themselves as pa
| triots and have arisen to their present elevated
| positions through sheer merit alone Another
notable and eminenty satisfactory result of the
nominations is the elimination of sectional ques-
tons from the pending canvass, Both leaders
are acknowledged to be devoted to the union, and
to have attested their loyalty and devotion upon
many battlefelds Sectionalism, as prominent
feature Of politics, may, therefore be consid-
cred as buried forever, and upon this the people
Of all sections are to be congratulated The
| uNANIMITY OF SENTIMENT
which prevails among Republicans relative to
| Ia xf& 10
features OF the situation at present. The party is
united more closely around the candidate Of the
Chicago convention than it has been around any
candidate since Mr.. Lincoln was first nominated.
General Grant was not regarded with entire favor,
even when nominated the first time. His second
nomination split the party, and an almost fatal
apathy brooded over the Hayes campaign. But
there to be no dissatisfaction worth mention
| ing in the Republican party to-day There can
| be no good reason why every voter OF Republican
| predictions should not vote and work for Gen.
eral Garfield On the other hand there are many
reasons why the new voter and the newly-made
citizen should rally under the Republican banner
of 1880. This unanimity of feeling among Re
| publicans bothered the Democrats assembled al
Cincinnati not little The result was they were
forced to drop the war-cry Of "fraud" which
they have kept up since March, 1877, and ac
knowledged, by nominating a new ticket, that
Tilden and Hendricks had no more claim upor
the party than other men-and not quite so much
The Democratic policy of following in the wake
Of the Republicans, in regard to calling their con
vention, also seemed to unsette the leaders al
Cincinnati respecting the only question which
they had with which to go before the people, Il
k,l 81 Al I,l IL .
nominate Tilden in the belief that third candi
date would be placed in the field by dissatisfied
Republicans. 10 this way they could keep the
fraud issue still at the front and stand an excellent
chance of success in November. All that calcu
lation was blown to the winds by Garfeds nom
nation. The man who alone had been able dur
ing these twenty years to lead the party ever
within sight of the promised land had to be aban
doned. In abandoning Tilden they not only Civ
up their party cry of "fraud but, by nominal
ing Hancock, they throw away the dominan
principles of the Democracy of day, and accep
the policy Of the Republican party. They &C
knowledge that Republication is right and ha
been right all along; that the war was not only
failure but was wholly wrong in its incipiency
that the platform upon which the Democracy ha
stood upon for the last twenty years is too shak,
to hold any longer In word, by nominating
General Hancock as their standard-bearer, they
pay graceful tribute to the Republican party b,
attempting to steal some of its thunder. Tn,
Democratic party may now be said to stand I'M
clothed in all its nakedness before the country
asking for favor only because it has named
union general for a leader The party which ha
protested so strongly against " the man on horse
back" and has insisted upon putting away tn
sword in the administration OF political affairs
has chosen successful soldier, without expert
ence in civil life, simply because of his success
with that sword they pretend to fear much
This is another, and very strong, example OF
DEMOCRATIC INCONSISTENCY.
A good effect of Hancock's nomination will b.
to give the Republican canvass a strong impuls
toward present, living subjects to make it can
vass of real craftsmanship upon real questions
With such candidate as General Garfield, VIII
is a statesman as well as a soldier, and with tn
vantage ground of the Republican party in re
spect to particular measures Of national i'm
portance, and in respect to long history in strk
ing contrast with that OF its adversary, ther
should be no doubt of its success.
The insincerity of Hancock's nomination is ala
painfully apparent. What the party wanted wa
a man without a record-that il, a record o.
present political questions That was the reaso
why Seymour was the great favorite as it is AIS
why Hancock was taken. The party overlooke
the claims of its most prominent leaders, sue
men as Thurman, Bayard and Hendricks, an
took up man whose only prestige is his arm
record. To General Hancock as an indiyidua
the loyal people OF this country can have no pos
sible objection. But 1t is not General Hancoc
who is to prevail in the struggle, il at all, but
is the leaders of his party The southern me
are the dominant forces OF the Democracy, an
are bound to rule. The Democracy have playe
well, but their object is too patent. The sout
cares nothing for Hancock per Sc, but only as
| means OF riding into power Sol.
STEAMER BuRSRD-The steamboat Seawan
haka, which ran from Pecks slip, New York, u
the sound to Glen Cove, Long Island took fire a
hslf-past four Monday afternoon while off Ran
dall's Island, Fast river The fire was caused b.