Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-11-09

10 all Republicans in this section the chief
interest in last Tuesdays elections centred in
the contest against Butlerism in Massachu-
sets, and now that the elections are well over
the leading cause for rejoicing lies in the fact
that Butler was buried under a majority
which precudes his being heard from again
as a mischief maker just at present. When
Gen. Butler was elected governor of Massa-
chusetts a year ago we were of those who be-
lieved that having secured the coveted cleo
ton, his native shrewdness would lead him
to exert all his acknowledged ability to give
the state strong, clean administration, and
SO put to confusion those who had predicted
i'll of him. But this confidence was mis-.
placed. 1t was born in Benz mn F. Butler
to act like a dancing bear to prefer false.
hood to truth, vulgarity to decency, the antics
of buffoon to the dignity of gentleman,
the tricks of demagogue to the uprghtness
of statesman. And in the past year he has
followed his natural bent to his own destruc,
ton. His reckless use of his great oppor-
tunity has disguised all decent people, and the
one hundred and sixty thousand voters who
on Tuesday elected Geo. D. Robinson gov
ernor were united as one man in their righte-
GUS indignation and their determination to
wipe out the disgrace which their state had
suffered.
In rejoicing over Buffers downfall, how
ever, it must not be forgotten that, though
Butler himself is squelched for the time be-
ing, the spirit of Butlerism is not dead, and
that in spite of the strong fight which the
ipfalliuanoa nd tba OH - h.
state made against its ignorance and dema-
gogy, Butler secured seventeen thousand
more votes this year than he did last But
ler's following in the state, therefore, remains
unbroken, and it is only because the better
! element of the state was so thoroughly
aroused that he was beaten. For the present
he is bottled up" but he knows that he has
100, 900 voters behind him in Massachusetts,
and it will be entirely unsafe to count on any
thing in the political line that he may not at
tempt in the future.
OF scarcely less Significance, though of less
vital interest to us of the North, is Malone
downfall in Virginia. In his own peculiar
way, Malone has shown himself the Butler
of Virginia, and there are few Republicans
who will experience regret at his discontinue.
When, some five or six years ago, Malone first
appeared as a factor in southern politics, there
seemed to be some ground for hope that he
might prove an entering wedge to break the
solid South. Instead of this he has proved
simply self seeker, whose chief ambition
is to control the spois in his state and to be
'boss" in its politics Because northerp
Republicans do not regret Mahone's downfall
is not that they hate and dstrust Bourbonism
less, but that they repudiate Mahon eism and
Butlerism more. More and more it becomes
evident that the conditions of Republican
success next year lie in the dropping of doubt
full allies like Malone, and in cutting cleai
from entangling alliances of all sorts.
If we look for indications as to the drift
| of political sentiment in the country at large
we find them unmistakably given in the graf
flying result of the elections in Pennsylvania
and New York. Last year the head of the
Democratic state ticket in New York was
elected by 1880 plurality; this year the
head of the Republican state ticket is elected
by 10000 plurality. Last year the Demo.
Gratis carried Pennsylvania by 40, 900 plural
ity this year their ticket is beaten by more
than 10000 plurality. Stronger evidence
than this that last years tidal wave" is stay
ed and that the voters of the country have re
turned to their normal condition of sanity
and sober-mindedness could not be given.
Summed up in the plainest English possible
the elections of last Tuesday have shown
that the Republican party starts with squar,
chance for carrying the country in next year
presidential election. If the party nomin
ates its best man, and holds true to the re
form principles and reform methods which
the people have 80 Enthusiastically declared for
success is practically assured.