The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-01-07
Politics end the Newspapers.

As the smoke of the late national
conflict lifts, clearer views are obtained
of the political situation. AS mems
minds have cooled and assumed the nor
NAL temperature of citizenship, more
just judgments nave prevailed, and the
methods employed to influence the re-
suit Of the late election have been criti-
cised with wholesome candor and
freedom. Mr.. Blaine's passionate ar
raignment of the South, in the first bit
terness of defeat, has been followed by
the reassertion, by men of calmer
mood, of the juster views and more mag
unanimous sentiments of his midsummer
letter of acceptance. In the news
papers and periodicals, by individual
testimony and by the evidence of rep
resentatives Of the race, the education
and moral elevation of the freedmen is
declared to be the effective remedy for
the failure of the suffrage experiment
in the South; the development of COM
mercial relations and the patient cult
walton of fraternal feeling, under the
constitution and laws of the nation, the
true basis of political union devoid of
sectional divisions and antagonisms.
The party jealousy which would not
brook criticism of the conduct of the
canvass during the heat of the contest
now welcomes candid review of /" the
campaign" Some of these sober after
election reflections are full of such
plain truths and derived lessons as the
subsistence of violent disturbances in
society or politics is apt to leave behind,
as great connections in nature, by way
of compensation for the havoc they
have wrought, raise new islands in the
sea or disclose hidden sources of wealth.
The Century, among others, with much
candor and plainness of speech, re-
views some of the distinguishing fea-
lures of the late canvass. We believe
the experience of large portion of the
American people has prepared them to
concede the substantial fairness of this
periodicals structures and the wisdom
of its conclusions. 1t declares that
" the memory that recalls with vivid
ness nine or ten presidential elections
will not report any such widespread
deceit and duplicity as that which has
overspread the nation during the last
few months" The campaign, it says,
has been exceptional in many ways
chiefly because of the damage wrought
upon public morals. The nation was
resolved for months into a cont
mental school for scandal" and "gen'
erations will pass before the harvests
will all be gathered from the seeds Of
corruption sown in this campaign" Be
sides the pollution of innocent minds
by the vile stories kept in circulation
and the perversion of honest con
sciences by specious reasonings abou
the laws of honor and honesty, 9th,
amount of trickery and falsehood EN-
ployed in the conduct of this canvass b,
newspapers and public speakers " wa
"altogether unprecedented" TIL
average political campaigner is no
in quest of truth. "To him politics i
war, and victory is the chief end
He will tell any truth that will in
jure his antagonists or favor his ow
cause; he will conceal any truth tina
helps his foes or hurts his allies.
This species of political warfare, it
alleged, has this year been worse tina
usual. The comparative disuse c
sober and earnest discussion y is M
tced. The chief dependence has M