The advocate., 1895-06-05

"The principal towns will, of course elect dele
gates in favor of the Constitution, while the dele
gates from the country towns may be largely against
it; but the majority of delegates against ratification
cannot be very great, and it will be much easier to
win over score Of delegates than thousands of the
rabble. Yet the people vote for the delegates and
are thus sppeased. DO you perceive how clever
| plan it is?"
"The plan is clever enough from the point of view
Of the propertied classes but doubt whether those
who are to be deprived of their liberty would dignity
the scheme by SO mild an adjective as cleVerifthey
understood. very much fear the adoption of this
Constitution will be the death of American liberty
and that your new government will end in despot
ISM"
"Liberty? American libertyP My dear Reuben,
liberty is dangerous deusion if you mean liberty
of the groVeling herd Liberty is safe for men Of
property and Of family, and they will always be
found ready to defend it in their own behalf but
liberty to the masses simply means the power to
Iplunder men of fortune through the forms of law.
"And of course the correct state Of things is that
which will enable men of fortune to plunder the
masses under the forms Of law However, do not
yet understand how you are to win over delegates
who have been elected in opposition to the COnsti
tuition"
"Reuben, you are not as innocent as your words
imply" and the merchant grinned knowing grin.
ooh, seel So we lofty.minded patriots are to be-
gin our glorious new career by reViVng WalpOle's
execrated plan of brbing opposition into supporting
our schemes! We are progressing. Of course, we
shall not in every case resort to mere vulgar money
bribery; but this new government OF ours will have
offices and places to dispense, and promise OF gen
teel federal employment will serve our purpose. No,
am not entirely ignorant of such things, Isaac.
have lived quite while at London and at Yer
salles."
"Wel, now that you have dropped from your
lofty Rousseau altitude, l will proceed to my per-
sonal interest in the matter. l am standing for
delegate at the election soon to come off, and am
very much afraid l shall be beaten. A week or so
ago, q young scoundrel who fed to Canada after
taking part in the rebellion spoke Of returned and
is violently opposing the Constitution. He is most
dangerous and scsndalOus demagogue, even going
the length of declaring that all the land OF the Com
mOnWealth ought to be held by all the peope1n com
mon and that no man should be allowed to live
without labor, and such preposterOus notions He
has been making speeches, and circulating printed
papers of the most inhammatory and dangerously Sc
ditiOus character, and | greatly fear he may COM
pass my defeat and that an nti-Federalist may be
chosen to represent this constituency. 1t would be
an indelible disgrace to the community"
"Why do you not meet him on his own groundsnd
oppose his views in speeches. md papersY
81 extremely dislike to become mixed up with alot
of mechanics and such like. l scarcely know what
course to pursue. To either withdraw, or be
beaten by such fellow, would be dsgraceful. What
would you advise"
Greatly, Isaac, L"
There was knock at the door and the sheriff en-
tered.
"Mr. Stilwell, Mr. Hotchkiss went to Rutland this
morning to collect bills to the amount Of several
thousand dollars. He was to have been back in time
to join us in arresting Stone and we have waited.
The horse he rode has just come home riderless, and
there is blood on the saddle. l greatly fear Mr..
HOtchkiss has been murdered. Mrs. Hotchkiss is dis
tracted. think, sir, we had better organize
searching party and go out the road"
| "My God, Reuben, do you see now in what danger
we all liveP Hotchkiss murdered Great God, this
is terriblel'
81 will make one of your searching party, Mr..
Sheriff, - said Reuben "Isasc, you had better not
60. 1t will be unnecessary"
Isaac StiWel was dumb. The sheriff and Reuben
went out.
|
Toward midnight, Gertrude heard the noise of a
crowd of men in the street they passing the
house, and looking from the window saw, in the
uncertain light of the torches, score of men having
in their midst man with his arms pinioned. His
face was aVerted but she trembled with agitation
as she looked. In moment the door was opened
down stairs and she heard her uncleS voice:
"We found Hotchkiss' body in the road about
j half runu To Rntlanh with hnllat hnla in his