Morning journal and courier., 1883-09-11
September II, 1883.
nTORE INDEPEHDENCE.

AAOt&G
 The meeting of the Massachusetts Inde-
 pendents which has just been held was very notable and encouraging one. About two hundred persons were present, and letters
 were received from many in sympathy with the movement including President Seelye of Amherst college and President Garter of
 Williams. Prominent among those present were: General F. A.. Walker, Moorfeld Storey, William Everett, William Endicott jr., Judge Davis of Plymouth, Josiah Quincy. ir., Prof. Child of Cambridge, Rev. Dr. Daniel Dorchester, E. H. Clement, Rev. Dr. I. N. Tarbox, Col. Henry Lee, Robert Grant, Rev. Stacy Fowler, John Quincy Adams and Bancroft c. Davis.
 The address adopted, like the recently pub lished letter of Hon. Sherman s. Rogers of New York. deserves the attention of party leaders, for it well and forciblF expresses what is in the minds of Independents every where. It points out that the great revolt of the past year throughout the nation showed the people to be far in advance of their &C., customed leadersAand eager for men who rep resent principles. It further says: Office as public trust, to be administered for the benefit of the people, and not of the party, is what the people rightfully demand. And any party that would replace the present ad- ministration must be pledged to something purer and better. Tho time has passed when 8 nomination means an election and the peo- pie are more critical than ever before of the men and the principles offered to their choice. As Independents we rejoice at this, and no desire for temporary success will lead us to the support of weak or untrustworthy men. Party platforms have become traps for the unwary, and party professions are to be trusted only as far aS the character of the nominations afford 8 guarantee of earnest de- votion to tho reforms needed in the State and nation. Anxious as we are to defeat the present executive, we yet remember that while the person is but temporary humilia- tion, the system he represents is more dan gerous and insidious than the man, and calls for our emphatic and lasting condemnation.
 While the Massachusetts Independents are anxious to defeat Butler and that which he represents, they have their own ideas as to how he can and should be beaten. They say: The Independent voters whom we rep resent hold in their hands the decision of the coming contest They stand ready to assist any party with honest and right principles, but they are equally ready to withhold their votes from any party that weakens in it's ef- forts to obtain the reforms which the people demand No man of untried courage or fl. delity can obtain their aid; and while they are ready regardless of personal preferences, to assist in securing the best, their votes are not to be had for merely expedisnt nomina- tions, oven to escape the impending disgrace. Reform in the civil service, reform in the methods of taxation, economy in State affairs, and more careful legislation the peo- pie will have through parties now existing or over the remains of parties which lack the ability of the desire to secure these reforms. The time may not yet be for new parties; but only so far as parties now existing have the courage to proclaim and adhere to these principles through victory or defeat will they prevent independent action, leading to B reconstruction of party lines or to an &C., tive independent organization.
 This is the right kind of talk. Massachu- setts is to be congratulated upon the charac. ter and strength of her Independents. We hope that there will sometime be enough h. dependents in Connecticut to hold a meet ing and that they will say what ought to be said as well as the Massachusetts Indepen- dents have.