The southern press., 1851-08-26
The Rsssat Elections.

hciently known to Indicate the present and fu
ture position Of the people on the great question
of the day, in the States where the elections hav
been held
In Indiana Mr. McGAUGHEY, the late membe
of Compress and candidate for the Terre Haut
OF central western district Of the State, has bee
defeated. He is Whig he supported tn
Wilmot Proviso and opposed the Mexican war
He is man of decided talent yet, for support
ing the Fugitive slave law, he has been defeated
The New York Tribune alledges that his sue
cessful competitor, Mr.. J. G. DAVIS, is Free
soil Democrat. We don't know how that is
but Mr.. McGAuGHEY was elected before by q
large majority, and now of course he has been
deserted by large portion of his party.
In the Richmond, or central eastern district OF
the State, recently represented by MIR. JULIAN, a
Free-soil Democrat, Mr.. s. w. Parker, is elect.
ed. 1t is said that he proclaimed himself bet
Ter Freesoiler than JULIAN; but we do not know
this to be the fact. 1t seems probable, from the
large numerical superiority Of the Wings in that
district, and the success Of JULIAN before by o
junction of the Democrats and Freesoilers. In
the Fort Wayne district, Dir. BORDEN has sue
ceeded over Mr.. BRESToE, Free-soil Wing, by
a small majority and we observe that the Tri.
bune claims one or two others of the members
elect as Freesoilers. However this may be, il!
seems that Free-soil doctrine is stronger in In
diana than it was at the election before The
parties stand now two Whig-the rest Demo-
cratic. Mr.. HANNEGAN, ex-senator of the U. s..
was candidate for the legislature in McGAuGH.
HY's district, and was defeated lie asserted the
rights of the South
In Kentucky Democrat has been elected
Governor for the first time in many years. This
event is due, in great degree, to the slavery
question. Mr.. Dixon, the Wing candidate, was
strong opponent to emancipation, when the
constitution of that State was lately amended =
Yet although he warmly supported the compro-
mise he failed to get the full vote of his party,
many OF whom were in favor of emancipation.
On the contrary, between three and four thous
and votes were given to CAssIus M. CLAY for
Governor, an open and avowed advocate of en-
ancipation. This vote is much larger than was
expected by intelligent politicians of the State.
They knew the number of this class was much
greater than even that But it was expected
they would not appear at the polls They have,
however, committed themselves, and thus has
appeared, for the first time in a Southern State,
Freesoil balance Of power party, and already
is it strong enough to control the vote of the
State, as between the two pre-existing parties
of Wing and Democrat--for the majority O
POWELL is over one thousand. When il is con
sidered that each of the old parties is thus de
pendent on this new one for success, and whel
we reflect on the probable patronage which tn
federal government will extend in future to thi
new party, we will understand the signifcanc
of the ntw movement
In Tennessee the Democrats have been de
feated-thanks to the shallow cant of Union
made by few prominent men of the party, and
their attempt to demoraze the Nashville Con.
yention. Governor TRoUsDALE, it seems, would
not Join in this cant, nor congratulate the South
on the dishonor and disgrace of the compromise
lie knew too we'll the sentiment of the mass OF
Tennessee Democrats. But he has been de-
feated by the detection of those who listened to
the silly and suicidal course of those who op-
posed the Nashville Convention, and supported
the compromise measures Gov. TRoUsDALE
has been defeated, but he has the confidence Of
his party.
In Alabama the contest has been more in-
tense and important than in the other States
The result is the reelection of Gov COLLIER
who openly asserted the right of secession; anC
that is great point gained. Then there are
two, and very nearly four, members elected to
Congress who denounced the compromise
The political history of this country shows
that every party which has undertaken TO resist
federal usurpation, has at first been beaten.-
Such is the case now. But the display Of
strength recently made in this last movement,
however inferior to the hopes Of its friends, has
largely exceeded the expectations Of its enc
mics. They thought that the cry of Union
would be overwhelming; they proclaimed that
whoever would not fall down and worship the
idol of Union at the sound of the organs, if
harp sackbut and psalter, should be cast into
the dungeon of infamy and treason. But the
edict has been treated with scorn by large
body Of the most intelligent and patriotic poo
pie of the South, and the cry of Union is now
generally regarded as the expedient of dema-
gogues TO escape from argument, and to obtain
the spoils of government. The compromise has
been weakened in Indiana; it has been con-
demned in Kentucky; it is barely endured in
Aabamy; it has been endorsed in Tennessee
40 far M recent elections Indicate.
In North Carolina every opponent of the com
promise in the last Congress has been reelected,
and we believe by increased and overwhelming
majorities. Its most active supporter, Mr. STAN
LEY, has barely escaped, by some three hundred
votes, defeat by STRIPPING but promising po-
htician, Mr.. RUFFrS.-So that, according TO the