Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-11-17

bow to the viii of bare majority,
and see the men whose election they
resisted pass to the seats of honor
and power?- They will quietly submit
when once the will of the majority is
fairly determined and expressed. In
1889 the people of Massachusetts
scrutinized and contested every cleo
ton return that was made, and when
beyond question it was evident and
declared officially that Marcus Nor
ton was elected governor of the state
by a majority of one cote, his Access
sion to office was conceded as quietly
as if he had received fifty thousand
votes more than his competitor. 1t
is not the number of the majority but
the fairness of the election and of
the count, that satisfies the American
citizen. Having made the laws him.
self he submits to their operation.
And here comes in the saving infu-
ence of good men in politics. The
only real danger to be apprehended
to our republican institutions springs
from the fact that good men, Chris
tian gentlemen, too largely leave pol
itics to the manipulation of mere ira
ding politicians, the worst class of
citizens, dangerous always and every
where. We shall never cease to plead,
as we often have pleaded before,
with good men to come forth from
their retirement and their leisure, and
from their business too, and make
themselves felt as controlling fac
tor in the politics OF the country. 1t
is now, after an election has just
been held, that good men should re-
consider their course, and ask them
selves if they cannot in the majesty
of citizens SO assert the necessity of
righteousness in politics as to compel
the nomination of honest and pure
men in all parties for high office?
We say the election is over. So
we thought on Tuesday night Nov.
4th. But it was not over then and
each succeeding day the excitement
grew apace. Mems minds were in
famed. Fears were the precursors
of threats. Every delay of news was
thought to be an indication that
wrong was going on. But the good
sense of the people never yielded to
the fame of passion. 1t was sub
lime sight to see thousands of heated
citizens, of opposite sides in the con-
test, now standing close together,
mingled indeed. watching and wait
ing for news, and, when it came,
giving vent to their feelings, not by
blows, but in wild hurrahs, taking it
as il came, good or bad, with the ut
most good humor. If snch a sight
strengthens our confidence in the
system of government under which
we live, it also quickens our gratitude
to God who restraints the wrath of
men. There is deep stratum of re-
ligious sentiment in the American
people. They know that God is, and
that he reigns that the country is
safe whoever administers it, SO long
as the people are honest and put their
trust in the sovereign who is God
over all. The anxiety now prevailing
may be allayed before these words
are read. 1t is possible that it may
not until the official verdict is render
ed. In either case we have implicit
confidence in the patriotism and in
telligence of the country, and in the
protection of that wise and holy prov
idence which in the darkest days and
nights of our history has been oul
3. shield and buckler and strong tower
Observer.