Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-07-30

hind them by warling Off the opposi-
ton.
THR ARMY TRAINING.
Now. General Hancock was trained
exclusively in army life, and nothing
in his past experience fitted him to
bear the weighty responsibilities and
face the arluous duties he had referred
to. lie had high respect for West
Point, but il was not to be expected
that men who have spent the best part
of their lives, who have grown old in
that exclusive atmosphere, should
show particular fitness for the most
and confusing Of all duties,
the highest civil Office in the land.
THE PARTY BEHIND HIM.
What was likely to happen to such
II man elevated to the Presidency,
with no better preparation for that
Office than West Point and the army
afforded, with such IA motley crew be-
hind him us composed the Democratic
party! That party, with its Bourbon
Southern element, and its Northern
and Western greenback element,
would surround Hancock with danger
Gus influences. elf General Hancock
ever can be elected, it must be very
hearty cooperation of all these ele-
ments-the greenback- Democrats in
Ohio, Maine and Indiana and the
West and South, with the hard-money
men in New York, New Jersey and
other States the protectionist in one
quarter and the free-traders in anoth-
er; the war Democrats in the North
md fhn oil 80, 81,
where =; and to all those elements to-
gether, Gen. Hancock. if successful at
all, will owe his success and all those
elements, if the successful party is to be
maintained in its strength and con-
tinued in power, must be satisfied in
order to hold them together. That
will be the situation and such the
problem which the soldier, TO whom
political science and management so
far have been q sealed book, will have
to solve. What will he do to satisfy
the hard-money men without driving
the greenbackers away? What will he
do to keep the greenbackers in the
party without betraying the princi.
pies of the hard-money men? How
will he satisfy the Southern element,
that claims to have been robbed by an
anti-slavery war, and is entitled to
restitution in some shape, and at the
same time keep the management of
the government within the bounds of
economy and propitiate the Northern
taxpayer? How will he content the
Southern men in the distribution of
offices, who will claim that they have
furnished the majority of votes and
are, therefore, entitled to the lions
share?
And how will he keep the Northern
Democracy in good spirits and in work
ing order by distribution of the pat
ronage which will appease the hunger
of twenty years? These are some of
the problems which the unsophisticat-
ed soldier-President, whose sole sphere
of mental activity has so far been con-
fined to the handling of troops on the
field of battle and to the narrow horiz-
on of duty which army life in times of
peace comprises, will have to solve.
The country would be taking gam
bler's chance if it trusted it's future to
such a President, backed by such a
party.
THE REFORM ISSUE.
If the country cared for the reform
of the civil service it could expect moth
ing from Hancock'S election. Reform,
under Hancock, would mean clean
partisan sweep of all the Offices. What
Il reform that would be! How the
North and South would shake hands
over the bloody chasm filled with such
good things! What a host of men
would be marching upon the capital
from all quarters of the compass, each
one feeling that he is born to serve the
public, and that the government can
not get on without him! 1t is said
that at the present moment, when the
Democracy feels sanguine of success, as
it always does, the most popular work
of literature with the Democrats, even
with those who never read book be
fore, is the "Blue Book being the
register of Offices under the govern
ment, with salaries attached, each act
i've Democrat selecting his, and many
the same. Gen. Hancock might mean
well on this matter of civil service re.
form, and he might tell them so, and
honestly too. But he would clearly
be at the mercy of wind and waves
tLllu Will DO ~ DO"Ol vi Win Ill
the Democratic victors clamoring fol
the spoils strong enough to upset the
ingenuity of the firmest and most skill.
full politician in his party.
WHAT REPUBLICAN SUCCESS PROMISES
-GARFIELD's RECORD.
lie asked them, to turn to the Other
side and see if Republican success did
not promise the best security for the
nations prosperity and progress. The
record of the Republican party showed
that our adherence to sound financial
principles was safest and surest in it:
hands. 1t was emphatically the pro
tector of the national faith, and the
party of sound money.
The country had offered to it equal
security in the known opinions and
principles of it's candidate, James A
Garfield. His convictions on these sub
jects have not found their first and
best proclamation in the platform Of
his party or in his letter of acceptance
His record of nearly twenty years Of
congressional service is not a blank or
the great questions of the times, like
that of his opponent. There is not a
phase of the question of our national
obligations /; there is not point o.
financial policy, from the first day
that the subject was considered In
Congress since he became q member O
that body to the present hour, that ht
has not discussed with an ability anC
strength, a lucidity of argument, am
plitude of knowledge and firnness o
conviction, placing him in the frs
rank of the defenders of sound princi
pies.
AS to his position on civil service, III
should not predict the millennium
neither from the knowledge he had o
the obstacles in the way of u perIna
nent reform of sound principles, no
| from the party platform, nor from thu