St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-07-31
The Independent Address.

The paramount issue of the presi-
Dental election of this year is moral
rather than political 1t concerns the
national honor and character and
honesty of administration rather than
the general Spolieies of government
upon which the platforms of the two
parties do not essentially differ, and
the position taken by one platform is
seriously trIversed by the other. Both
evidently contemplate il general agree
ment of public opinion upon subjects
which have been long in controversy,
and Indicate an unwillingness to de
clare upon other and cardinal ques-
| tions. views which in the present
condition of opinion might seriously
disturb the parties within themselves.
| Parties indeed now cohere mainly by
habit and tradition, and since the
great issues which have divided them
have been largely settled, the most
vital political activity has been the
cndeavor of good citizens in both
parties to adjust them to living issues
| and to make them effective agencies
of political progress and reform. The
| indispensable necessity of this course
has long been apparent, for III time
of profound peace at home and abroad
the ILOst threatening national peril Is
an insidiOus political corruption, a
merccnary and demoralizing spirit
and tendency, the result of what Is
well described by Senator Hoar OF
Massachusetts as "the shameless doc
trinc that the true way by which power
should be gained in the republic is to
brbe the people with the offices created
for their service, and the true end for
which it should he used when gained is
the promotion of selfish ambition and
the qualification of personal revenge
But this doctrine naturally has pro-
duced results which are still more
alarming. The corrupt spirit and ten
dency have so rapidly developed that
they seek political power not only ia
crafty ambition and revenge but to
promote private gain. They decide
appeals to the public conscience, de
fend the soiled regulations of public
men by the bold assertion that al
public men are equally guilty, declare
that success in obtaining eminent posi-
ton dispOscs of every imputation and
suspicion of wrong doing and despising
all practical measures to reform the
system of official patronage whicl
fosters dishonest politics, makes 3
great party nominally responsible fol
prolonged and mOnstrOus fraud and
proclaimS that it is the duty of every
citizen who for great and benefcent
ends has habitually supported II party
to regard the success of the party n
an election without regard to the char
actcr of those whom it selects us its
executive agents to he il supreme ma
tional necessity.
A tendency more fatal To the publ,
welfare cannot be conceived, and wheI
by public Indifference or misunder
standing this corrupt spirit is able tt
demand that the country shall approve
it by according to it the highest homo
III its gift, every patriotic citizen mus
perceive that no duty could be mor'
pressing, vital and imperative thai
J that of battling and defeating the de
mand. If the republican convention
had presented IL candidate whose char
acter and career were the pledge of !
resOIute contest with the Tendencies
that we have described if they hat
, forrtold Il stern dealing with politica
corruption and IL vigorous correction
of the vast abuses which the long an,
undisiurbcd tenure of power by an,
party is sure to breed; if the success
of the candidate had promised infieXi
bile honesty of adminis.r ton, puri
\ fication of the government and eleva
ton of the party standard, ever
republican voter would have gladl
supported the nomination. But thes
are precisely the anticipations whic
/. candidate who is an unfit leader, show
by his own words and acknowledge
= acts, which are of official record, to h
unworthy of respect and confidence
who has traded upon his official trus
for his pecuniary gain, a representative
of men, methods and conduct whic
the public conscience condemns an
which illustrate the very evils whic
honest men would reform. Such
nomination does not promise in tn
executive chair intleXible official III
:. tegrity, calm and wise judgment,
Z sole regard for the public welfare an
: an unshrinking determination to pre-
mote reform in the civil service an
ceaselessly to pursue and punish publ
robbers of every kind and degree.
Independent voters have general
supported republican nominations 4
more surely promising reform tha
those of the democratic party. lnde
pendents, however, cannot support
nomination which is the culminatio
= of the tendency that they would col
rect. Republicans cannot hope til;
under such leadership as we hav
mentioned the abuses of the past ca
be corrected or the party reforme,
We are very proud of the great recoI
and services of the republican part
but not with our consent or connivant
shall the record be disgraced. Ever
party must be consistently renewed /
the intelligent independence of i
own members, or it will sink from q
agency to secure good government in
"A remOrseless despotism.
The republican party first spraI
from a moral sentiment. 1t was Il
party of political morality and of pc
sonal liberty. 1t appealed directly
the conscience of the citizens. Bu
like all parties, it was a polite
agency not to be worshiped, but to
carefully held to the spirit and purpo
AZ Oh which it was organized. II do N
know said Mr.. Seward, 30 years az
when he left the whig party to join Il
republican, 81 do not know that it W
always or even long preserve its con
age, its moderation and consistenc
If it shall do so it will secure and sa
. the country. If it, too, shall beeor
unfaithful as all preceding parti
= have done. it will without sorrow al
regret on my part perish as they a
Perishing, and will give place
Al