Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-11-10

elections, but IT proves TO have been reVO-
luton. Not since Grants second election has
there been so clean sweep OF the country as
the Democrats are now rejoicing over. East,
West, North and South, from Massachusetts,
to California, the story is the same, and the
Republicans have absolutely nothing with
which to offset the record of their losses.
Under such sweeping defeat it is the part
of wise men to look the situation squarely in
the face and see what has brought the revers-
es about. It is true that this is an 'of year"
in politics, and that there is in both parties
large floating and unstable element, which is
always ready to turn with the tide. 1t is also
true that there are discussions within the par
ty-quarrels among its leaders, 1t is true
that Conkling on the one hand and Blaine on
the other are smarting under snubs and de-
feats, and that certain independent element
in the party, whose feelings are voiced by pa
pers like the New York Times and Tribune,
instead of trying to heal these dissensions and
pour oil on the troubled waters, has INDUCED
in great plainness of speech, in which sug-
gestions of heroic remedies have been freely
mingled. But men who are really anxious to
get at the root of the matter and find out
what is the trouble with the Republican par
ty will not stop at any such surface view of
the case
The plain fact of tho matter Is, that ever
since the splendid victory of 1880, when Gar.
field was triumphantly elected and the foun-
dation sentiment of the country was shown
to be Enthusiastically with the Republicans, tho
Republican leaders have acted as though they
owned, not only the party, but the country
itself. While Garfield lived there was a
check on this feeling, but with his death all
restraint passed away. In last winters SEES
sion of the present Congress Robesonism was
triumphant in the election of Speaker, in
the makeup of committees, and in the gene
raj management of business Vital subjects
for legislation like revenue reform, reduc-
ton of taxation, the reform of the civil SCR
vice, and the establishment of some system of
national education for the salvation of the il.
literate South, were utterly neglected while
week upon week was thrown away in an effort
to gain some petty partisan advantage and
that an enormous river and harbor steal might
be forced on the country. During the spring
and summer most outrageous system of DO
litical assessments has been in operation, bold
ly challenging and defyng public sentiment,
and, as if to complete its destructive work,
the Republican congressional committee sent
out Campaign book" whose contents were
an insult to the intelligence of every reader.
In several of the states, and notably in New
York and Pennsylvania, bossism and machine
politics were never more fragrant than in the
campaign just closed while in the state first
named there was the new development of q
Republican candidate for governor nominated
by fraud and treachery, with Jay Gould Ros-
coe Conkling and the active interference of
the national administration entering as essen
tial factors into the fight Add to this bill of
particulars the fact that for these two years
past the spoils system has been in full opera
ton, and we have partial list of the causes
which have now led to Republican defeat. In
other words, the Republican party has defeat
ed itself through the blunders, incompetence
and wrong. hesdedness of its leaders,
These are not pleasant words to write, but
they are words which must be written aud
read and taken to heart if the Republican
party is to recover from its reverses and be-
come once more what for twenty years it has
been-the party of the people.
The country is not whit the less Republi-
can in its Utmost convictions to-day than il
was two years ago, but the people are dis
gusted with the actions of the Republican
leaders, and the only way they had of show
ing this disgust was by using the Democratic
party as a club with which to Delay the party
in power. 1t is positive source of satisfac-
ton to know that the majority for Cleveland
in New York state is close upon 200, 600, be-
cause these figures show beyond a question
that it is the Republicans who have done the
business.
We do not for moment suppose that the
Republican party is dead and its mission end
ed. Nothing but failure of its constituency
to take in the sense of the situation can make
such thing possible It is a day of rejoic-
ing for the Democrats, but they make a great
mistake if for an hour they hug the delusion
that the vote of last Tuesday means a vote OF
confidence in their party. The elections
mean simply that the people believe in hon
esty, purity and economy in national govern
ment, and that every administration is direct
ly responsible to the people for its use or mis-
use of power. Unfortunately for the Demo-
cratic party, there is nothing in its record to
show that the people can depend upon it to
carry into effect the principles which they are
determined to see prevail in our government.
al administration. On the contrary, there is
every reason to believe that it will abuse and
throw away the power which has now Incl
dentally been given it.
Let the Republican leaders, in genuinely
teachable spirit, Iced the rebuke which has
been given them let the bosses step grace.
fully down and out; in the coming session of
Congress let all partisan strivings be laid
aside; let system of revenue reform, tariff
revision, reduction of taxation, and economy
of expenditure be inaugurated let an une.
quivocal declaration for civil service reform
and national aid to education be made, and
Republicans need then have no fear that in
1884 their party will not triumphantly recov-
err from the over helming reverses which it
has this week sustained.
The Vermont Rhetorical GRzetteer.
Volume ". of Miss Hemenway's Gazet-
teer, comprising Washington county 1882
pages and about 300 pages of supplements to