Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-04-27
Its True Significance.


The senate entered the fifth week OF the
deadlock on the Goth instant. The effect
of the prolongation of this struggle has been
to call public attention more sharply TO the
real motives which underlie and dictate this
unwonted persistence of two nearly equally
divided sections of the senatorial BODY IN
an attitude of incorporating belligerency'
Long ago the superficial cause, the DISPOSE
ton of few officers, was entirely lost to
sight The more the contest was studied
the more clearly it was seen that its true
significance lay far below the surface, on
which hoated the election of recorder OF
senatorial proceedings and guardian OF
the sanctity of the senatorial chamber as the
visible and tangible prizes of the unwonted
controversy. When conservative senators
like Sherman, Hawley and Hoar entered the
arena aud joined with stalwart blows in the
battle, it was not reasonable or logical
assumption that these foremost representa-
tives and advocates of republican principles
had Joined the weight of their great names
and raised their powerful voices to dignity
paltry contest for few beggarly loaves and
fishes. 1t was not reasonable to suppose
that Edmunds, with his peerless rank
among the statesmen OF the nation, would
dim the prestige of his great name by lend
ing the aid and encouragement of his de-
cisive influence and endorsement to such a
petty, such an unworthy and corrupt cause
as this was prematurely declared to be, even
by some honest but misjudging republicans.
The real cause was further and deeper to
seek. The election of Malone TO the senate
from Virginia, and his voluntary alliance
with the republicans in behalf of free bal
lot and fair count in the south, an alliance
which carried with it the substantial ele-
ment of large, compact and successful fol-
lowing in Virginia, was the signal stroke Of
instruction against the solidity of Bourbon
rule in the south. Very naturally it was
an alliance which reactionary Bourbonism
would bitterly assail and seek to destroy;
very naturally, too, it was an alliance which
republicanism gladly welcomed, and which
they were justified in accepting and in reso-
lutely defending. Successful revolution is
contagious. The success of the American
revolution has had most powerful infu-
ence during the last century in thawing
away the ice from the old absolute mon
arches of Europe, and securing a decided
amelioration OF the condition of European
peoples. Discerning men south have walked
up to the fact that emigration will not go
south, and that their section cannot make
rapid and substantial progress in any direc-
ton till they overthrow Bourbonism. These
people are ripe for revolt against Bourbon
ism, and the success of the Malone move
ment would be followed by the unfurling of
the anti-Bourbon standard in more than one
OF the late confederate states. Disintegra-
ton of the democratic party south will fol-
low Mahone's success, therefore the Bour-
bons have called into requisition, in the
United States senate, all their old familiar
campaign agencies, blackguardism, lying,
abuse, terrorism, social and official ostra
cism, to suppress him. and, therefore, re-
publicanism, discerning the appearance in a
new and insidious disguise of the old spirit
which, twenty years ago, sought to shoot the
government to death, and which, two years
ago, attempted to starve it, have again
buckled ON their armor to meet and defeat
their old-time enemy.
The great fact disclosed in this tedious
struggle is the unchanged purpose of the
south to maintain, at all hazards, its polit-
ical solidity, both in the interest of the ma
tional democratic party and of local political
control. A solid south in 1854, as in 1880,
will be the sole hope of democratic success.
In spite of their decisive defeat at the late
election, the outcome in November, contrary
to their expectations after the October cleo
tions, contained for the democracy an i'm
portant element of encouragement in the
fact that the vote of New York would have
given them the presidency. If the southern
vote can be held together till 1854, the dem
ocrats, relying upon their peculiar tactics and
the hope through republican divisions of car
rying the Empire state, will have high hopes
of success in the next national contest. 1t
is therefore no question of a few offices with
the democracy. Men elected by the votes
of repudiators men who have unsuccessfully
negotiated for the senatorial vote now legit-
imately cast on the republican side, may
cloak their real purpose under the impudent
assumption of a superior virtue which will
not allow them to countenance political bar
gains or unholy utilization with readjuster,
man who declares squarely in favor OF
paying his states honest debts and votes to
raise the money to do it, but southern sen.
ators understand, if the Malone movement
succeeds, that the power of the Bourbon
oligarchy in the south is seriously imper-
lied. AT bay in the senate, minority OBJ
structing the order of business because they
cannot dictate it, their real purpose has
been shown to be to maintain, by overpow
ering Independent action like Mahone's, arts
tocratic minority rule in the south and to
conserve national democratic prospects for
1884.
The capacity of the democracy to blundei
has frequently excited the wonder of the
world. Their opposition to Mr.. Dawes res
olution, reopening, as it has, the whole
southern question with its dark record o.
political crime and reputation of financia
obligation, must prove disastrous to the re
organization of the party in the north
Southern bourbonism is burden no part,
can carry and succeed. To what extent i
will be wise or patriotic for republican sen
ators to prolong the contest by insisting
upon their right to direct the order of bust
ness, they should be the proper judges, and
having decided this question, their cours
should be strongly sustained by their con
stituents.
DOUBLE TAxATIoN.-This vexed ques
ton of long standing has received larg
consideration at the hands of the Massachu
sets Legislature, now in session, and bi
designed to remedy the evil has FINAL
passed the house by so large majority a
to probably ensure its enactment into a law
The purport of the bill is, that the holder o