Year: 1876




terested, in what may bo called direct per-
sonal or pecuniary sense in the result OF the
November elections. The number is not
greater if we count the ins who want to stay
in, the outs, who want to get in-in short,
the people of all kinds of whom it may be
said that ''the hay at the end of the pole"
makes them pull.


The rest of us have a less direct, but still
an equally important, interest in the result
What we want is good government; and we
are to be congratulated that both political
parties and their leaders promise us this
not vaguely, as is too frequently done, but
specifically Both candidates promise us
distinctly a sound currency, q reform of the
civil service, reform and peace in the South
ern States and economy in the public expen-
ditures. Both candidates are men of char
ac.er, determination and settled convic-
tions Neither will ruin the country
If he is chosen, in spite of what
bigoted or self-interested partisans may
declalm on the stump, and neither will do it
all the good their over-zealous friends assert.
Either will have difficult task to- withstand
the demands of scme Of his supporters
for In a matter of a reform of the civil SER
vice Governor Tilden will have as great diff
culties to contend with as Governor Hayes,
perhaps even greater, though it is not useful
to underestimate the opposition which Mr..
Hayes will have to meet from his political
allies if it shall be his fortune, as President
to begin this great and needed reform.


Why, if this is true, if both candidates
promise equally WE'LL and if both are men
of character, likely to perform what they
pledge, should the people allow themselves
to become excited about the election ? We
know no good reason, and the fact is notor-
GUS that they are not excited. A certain
number of stump orators in the Senate and
elsewhere have already begun to beat their
gongs, but they get very little attention.
Mr. Boutwell, has demonstrated that the
country will be ruined if the democratic
party should succeed, and Mr.. Eaton has
proved that it will go to the demnition
bow-wows if the republican party should
succeed. In either case, if we might believe
these orators and others of their kind, our
liberties would not be worth weeks pur-
chase, and those of US who like free insttu-
tions and constitutional government might
rs we'll emigrate in body to Lake Tangan-
yika or the Island of New Guinea. But, in
point Of fact, nobody is scared. Nobody be-
lieves that either party will bring us either
ruin or political millennium. The people
If tha TIDitad Stotas axc1uIipo hac;daS Tp
dians untaxed, the office-holders and the
office-seekers, see great amount of folly and
possible mischief in both parties. They see,
too, that both have chosen for their leaders,
under the pressure of the public demand for
reform, honest and capable men, who have
essary reforms. They are aware that which
ever Of these leaders shall be chosen will
have q difficult task to perform, and
will find his opponents largely in his
own party. But they have reason to
believe also that in either case, with
the support of right-minded people of
both parties, the new President will be able
to lead the country toward tho reforms it
needs. Why, then, should anybody be ex-
cited? Let us be devoutly thankful that in
this centennial Of the Republic the can
didates before the people are both men
to whom the great interests of the nation
may be safely intrusted, and that we are not
in that calamitous condition when q nation
stands, to use sailors phrase, "between
the devil and the deep sea-" and is threat
ened with ruin if it votes wrongly.


What, then, is the average citizen to do?
We advise him to keep cool to read his
HERALD, where he will find great variety
of information, daily, and to make up his
mind to vote for the best men, when all the
tickets are made up. He will have to vote
for Congressman, for Governor, in many of
the States, and fer some minor officers. Let
the average citizen select the best men, re-
gardless of party thus he will best serve the
country and himself. DO not vote for an un-
fit man because he belongs TO your party but
split your ticket, use your Judgment, and,
beyond this, watch the canvass Tie con-
duct, the words of party leaders between
now and the election will, of course, be care
fully guarded, yet they will let out the
truth in spite of themselves. Between now
and November there remains abundant
opportunity for the average and impartial
citizen to determine to which of the two
parties it is best to confde the government
for the next four years If he reads many
political speeches he will change his mind
very often. When, for instance, he reads
Senator Boutwel's diatribe on Mississippi
he will be moved to vote the democratic
ticket. When he reads Senator Eaton's
speech he will determine to support the re-
publicans. Every violent or foolish or par
tisan speech which he hears or reads will
impel him to the other side, and the average
citizen will probably remain until the last