The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-01 00:00:00

THE ELECTION IN CONNECTICUT.

It is amusing to read the Republican and Demo-
cratic papers before and after a great election, the
utmost confidence of the prediction, the contempt
for the efforts of their poor weak opponents, the
smile of pity at their vain struggle, the sarcastic
remarks and insinuations of dishonesty. Then
comes the event—the triumph of the one, the defeat
of the other. The victor bursts into bonfire, and
sings a song of triumph amidst the discharge of
artillery, illuminations, and fireworks. These are
the demonstrations of men who rejoice greatlyin gain-
ing something till then very doubtful. Yet to read
what the party wrote before the event, you would
suppose there could be no doubt whatever about
the matter, and therefore the unsophisticated wonder
at the exultation. But we may turn with more
curiosity to see how the vanquished bear the result
so totally destructive of all their declarations and
prophecies. It is extraordinary what a small thing
the event really was—it was scarcely worth con -
tending for, certainly not worth any concentrated
effort of the party. It was caused by a mere side
issue, aided by a lot of rowdy foreigners, whose
votes could be purchased for a drink. Indeed,
the meaning of the votes when analyzed is
shown to be favourable to the party. Those
who announced the victory to be as certain as that
the sun shone, unblushingly assert that they never
looked for any good to come out of that State,
that a people steeped to the neck in electoral cor-
ruption could have no lot nor part with them. But
what is written is written, and comes back rather
awkwardly to the writers. The election of Gover-
nor English in Connecticut is a decided defeat to
the Republican party, yet one susceptible of expla-
nation. It will be observed from the list we pub-
lish below, that out of the total vote, not far short
of one hundred thousand, the majority for Mr.
English was 1,735. This was the heaviest vote
ever cast in the State, and when scrutinised it will be
seen that it is due to the larger towns, and notably
to the three—Bridgeport,Hartford, and New Haven.
In New Haven it will be found, on examining the
figures, that Governor English gained on his last
year's majority no less than 453 ; in Bridgeport,
207 ; and in Hartford, 160 ; giving a total for
these three towns of 820, or little less than half the
full majority. The New Haven vote excites the
gravest suspicions, and there is said to be proof
that frauds were there attempted ; 350 names of
Democratic voters were during the week preceding
the election, struck from the list. The Democratic
gains are in the large towns where colonizing is
most practicable, and the Republican gains are in the
small towns and rural districts. According to the
English notions the Republicans are more pro-
perly the Conservative party, being the rural and
farmer class, while the other,; as ..the urban and
burgher class. The Legislature being largely
increased in the Republican interest, the party
lays some claim to having carried the State ;
the more so as from it emanates the great
prize of the contest, the seat for the long term in the
United States Senate. Mr. Dixon, a Democrat, is
now a Connecticut Senator, and his term closes
with the present Congress. It is believed there is
no chance of his re-election, as the majority in the
Legislature is decidedly Republican. The party is
very bitter against Senator Dixon, whose desertion
lost them the State. His successor will probably
be Governor Hawley or Governor Buckingham.
The Democrats, in reply to the charge of colonizing,
assert that the Republic tus gained the LegiAat urn
by " jerrynianderiNg," which, for the information
of our English readers, we may say, means so " dis-
tricting" the State, that the strength of the party
ruling in the Legislature is brought to bear on the
elections. Thus the Republican strength being in
the small towns, the plan was to raise them to the
same level as the large ones, wasting the super-
fluous strength of their opponents. Connecticut,
very generally nicknamed the " Nutmeg State,"
is the home of " notions," and her trade has been
disastrously affected by the distress and utter pros
tration of the South. This has been used to give
point to the attack on the Congressional majority,
who are accused ,by their Legislative blunders of
preventing the anticipated revival of Southern pros-
perity. Negro suffrage also told against the Re-
publicans and had its influence o❑ the vote. But
whatever may be the causes we give the figures as
we find them carefully compiled in the Springfield
Republican :

1867.