Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-10-06
AN ADVANCE WHICH HAS BE-
COME A RETREAT.

tee has been for some weeks sending
out documents and circulars to per-
sons supposed to be in sympathy
with the independent movement and
willing to distribute its documents.
Among the many independent men
who have declined to be so used to
aid cause, the success of which
would be death to all hope of true
reform for generation to come, is
Rev. DR.. Barrows, the eminent pas
tor of the first Presbyterian church
of Chicago. DR.. Barrows' letter, in
which his refusal was conveyed, is
decidedly pointed one, and furnishes
some excellent food for thought to
any honest man who is inclined to
join the democratic-annex. 1t is as
follows:
Mr. George W. Green, Secretary National
Committee of Republicans and Ipdepend
eRts.
Sir:-I have received your favor Of
Aug, %, together with the political doc
uments which you desire me to read, in
the hope that may aid you in distribut-
ing similar literature. 1t has generally
been nay habit to think with the independ-
ent elements of the republican party, es-
pecially in regard to administrative re-
form; and 1 have an admiration for the
record, services and abilities of your hon.
of none of his present followers, among
whom am not to be numbered.
You address me as San earnest and
conscientious republican" l sincerely
in desiring republican success now as
ever before, and / am as "conscientious"
in my opposition to the triumph of the
democratic conspiracy for plumber and
spoils'' as 1 was in opposing the demo-
cratic conspiracy against human rights. +"
| So many civil service reformers have
shown the absurdity Of expecting further
| civil service reform from the triumph of
this "conspiracy"-nonem more ably than
| Mr.. Curtis and Mr.. SchurZ in former
years-that prefer to trust the republic
can party to carry on the good work in
the lines marked out by Mr.. Curtis in the
national platform, and more specifically
by Mr.. Blaine in his letter of acceptance.
The movement which you represent has
been thrown continually on its own de-
fence; some of its leaders have been
forced to disown their former opinions,
dispassionately reached, in regard to the
republican candidate; Mr.. Beecher for
gets the remarks which he made at the
Arthur meeting in New York; Mr.. Schur,
swallows the bitter medicine which wa:
so hurtful on the first trial, and which h,
promised never to take again; Colone
Goldman joins the democracy at tim
which he once pronounced improper, tina
is, before it had repudiated its bloody op
result has been that the independent ad
vance has become a retreat, with dali
diminishing ranks.
, The literature which you kindly sen
f me am already quite familiar with.
cannot aid in circulating it, Its juds
ments 1 deem misjudgments, the accept
ance of which would hinder and jeopar
the good causes that we all have at hear
/ should much prefer to distribute III
Y Boston Adcertiser's opinion af Mr. Carr
son in 1850 and his judgments of Harper
i Weekly on Mr.. Lincoln in 1860, or an
other old-time and exploded criticisms
with which these papers against Mr.. Blair
s deserve to rank. Mr.. Schurz's able speec
: | appears to exhibit more of the adroit ma
ious candor and wise discernment of 9
impartial historian. / find no reason I
" believe that Mr.. Schurz understands I'll
!. character of Mr.. Blaine better than Pres
if dent Garfield, better than Mr.. Blaine
II companions in the national legislatu
# and his neighbors in Augusta, better eve
than the confederate congress" while
conld manufacture no case against hir
4 better than the democratic senators wi
lie voted his confirmation as secretary
d state. For those independent frien
9. who have become convinced, some of the
quite recently, that Mr.. Blaine is an u
/, worthy man, l have felt like offeii
= Cromwell's prayer before one of his ps
II liaments: 81 beseech you, brethren,
D. beseech you in the bowels of Christ,
fy believe that you may be mistaken
,o his memorable eulogy of Wendell Ph
II lips, Mr.. Curtis said: "No man, indee
can take the chief part in tumultuous 1
\ tional controversy without encounter
IN misjudgment and reproach and unme;
t !! ured condemnation" / look on n
at Blaine'S candidacy as a cheerful sign I'll
ba our greatest statesmen are not to be pu.
= ed aside because they have aroused JIG
" ousy and excited animosity. The ed:
'e horse" mania is a discredit to popu
OF government. quote once more from
n eulogy. Mr.. Curtis says of the anti-sla
IL ~ ucIO LHdt lc rCJcCIcu IlldG lear Vi
multitude which springs from the feel
that the many are ignorant while the f
. are wise: and he believed the sayi
zee too profound for Talleyrand, to whom
en- is ascribed, that everybody knows m
on than anybody" Is it not possible t
ITO ''the supreme council of the republic
IA party" was fully as wise as it's most ill
trious member? Is it not probable t
u one who has long been in the hearts O
III. great people has right to that aug
By position? To me at least it is signifc
to that Mr.. Blaine is held in the highest
ho- TEEN by many of the best men that / h
the honor to call my friends. He is cl
- ished with equal regard by some of
as noblest men in the nation; and I can
I'm, circulate any misleading judgments, b
be ever honestly entertained, in regard
to- his character.
1t is evident to me that indepenC
VI spirit has made mistake, as Cover
csc Long has suggested, both in it's vic
in and its hero. The present campo
his with all its surprises, has witnessed n
,col ing more surprising than the humilia
of those who. discovered in Cover
Cleveland an ideal candidate Let
ons Mr.. Roosevelt expose the democI
ges nominees reform pretences. and the