Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-08-11

NdilDuS SbuNnfiu bNhUtS OuF tIlllHy Ulunl-
tons and supplies, and so located our army
that when war on the Union was declared by
the confederates, we were for the moment
almost helpless. But the patriotic men Of
the north rose in their might and despite
of the treachery of the soutberners, and the
sneers Of the northern copperheads, a
Union army was soon mustered and equip
ped, and on its wav TO subdue the rebellion
and maintain the Union. Loud applause. !
To go back to General Hancock. What
can he do The south comes forward and
says: "Our one hundred and thirty-eight
votes elected you. What are you going to
do for us2 We demand the secretaryship
of war. We demand the secretaryship OF
the navy. We demand the attorneygeneral-
ship" And so on, and SO on. Can he re.
fuse to give them what they ask 3? II he is
true TO the traditions of his party, he can
motor true to the traditions of our party,
for that matter. Because it is the rule in
all political parties, that their representative
men shall govern its operations and hold the
great official positions. That is understood
perfectly by every one. Under our theory
of government the president co-operates
with his party, except in respect to the veto
power We call the president the executive,
and his office one of the three great CO.
ordinate branches of our government. But,
practically he is nullity, except as to the
veto power. He can't make a single law.
He can only suggest to congress the expedi.
ency of passing certain measures, which con-
gress can pay heed to, or pigeon-hole, just as
it chooses. No president can stand up for
moment unless he is in accord with his
party. Andrew johnson deserted the Re.
publican party which elected him, and what
was the result His administration was a
failure, and he narrowly escaped impeach-
ment. General Hancock would not be able
to resist the pressure, even If he wanted to
and it is safe to assert that his administra-
ton would be governed by the wishes OF his
party, and that party, as | have shown, is
governed by the south.
PERILs OF A DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION.
With Democratic president and Dem
ocratic congress acting in accord the question
arises, What can they do ? The inquiry il
not limited necessarily to what they prob
ably wM do, but what can they do? Be
cause, if the southerners once get control OF
the government, it is natural presumption
that they will be actuated somewhat by the
feelings of revenge. They have not for
gotten their defeat. They are human, like
the rest of us. They will behave as other
people would who had been defeated in wal
and then got, the upperhand of their op
ponents by political cunning.
As slight suggestion of what they can
do, let us see what they haue done. There
are now pending before congress bills to pay
southern claims to the amount of 80, 400,
100000. | have IN my possession an au
thentic document which states that amount
to be as close an approximation as can be
made. To pay them will take out of the
national treasury larger amount than the
national debt which was incurred to main
tain the Union. These claims are not such
as are prohibited by the terms of the four
teenth amendment. They are not claims
for sums spent, or debts incurred in aid OF
the rebellion; for the payment of them is
prohibited by the constitution. But their
claims are for property destroyed by loyal
soldiers and loyal sailors; claims which
have slept till now, and at this late day are
brought out Of their holes to be passed upon
by Democratic congress controlled by the
south. The plea made in their behalf is
that these losses were not in the regular
course of warfare. Their destruction was
not necessary in order to put down the re
bellion. These claims are for cotton burned
store-houses emptied, homes destroyed, to
bacco taken, sugar used. We want you
should pay for it. The plea is specious
until examined, and then its fallacy i.
selfevdent These bills are in congress
to-day. Can they be passed If there should
be Democratic president in accord with a
Democratic congress, they can be. No troublt
about that not particle. But" say my
Vermont friends on the other side, d" Do you
OF pnrtbarn namncrafo will
for them 2" Why not T.? If northern Demo
Gratis act with the southern Democrats a:
they have in the past-and there is no rea
son to suppose that they will not-why
shouldn't they vote for them
There is still another suggestive instanc,
of what we may expect should Genera
Hancock be elected and the south agar
have the control of our government, as sh,
did before the rebellion. In 1871 congress
passed law which provided that supervisor
Of election should be appointed by the vari
GUS Judges of the circuit courts of the UniteC
States, whose duty it should be to see that /
free and honest vote was cast Throughout
the country whenever elections Of congress
men or presidential electors took place. NJ
more impartial appointing power could pos
sibly be selected than the federal judges, anC
there is no real question made but what the,
have selected proper men. remember tina
Judge Woodruff wrote to me soon after tn,
passage of the law TO recommend fit person
for supervisor in Vermont, and | sent hin
the name of our lamented fellow-citizen, tn
| Hon. Charles Reed. There has been N,
necessity tor supervisor in Vermont, ant
the Office is not filled. But in the grea
cities, with their rings" and in the south
! ern states where the negro is intimldated
the supervisors have done much toward
securing an honest expression Of opinion a
the polls, and the measure has thus secured
the intense, though perfectly natural, hatre'
gress, charged with the business of maxim,
appropriations for the support Of the gov
ernment, which should furnish the money h
run the post Office department, to run tn