Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-02-17
The Hlig Party II I77rginia.

wealth to transmit their returns to the Capital,
as required by law, the exact vote i'll the late
election of State Officers has never, we believe,
been officially ascertained. ltmay be safely as
sumed, however, that, as heretofore stated, the
whole number of votes cast in the gubernatorial
contest is about $50, o00 and that Jolnson's ma
Jority Summers does hot exceed 5000.
From the clamorous exultation with which
the Democratic presses hailed the first intelli-
gence Of their victory, aperson unacquainted with
the facts might have fairly informed that Ii was
victory unparalleled in the political history OF
our State-that the Wing party of Virginia had
been totally annihated and could never by any
possibility again rally their broken and scatter
ed forces for another conflict. The Wings, ever
prone to be temporarily discouraged by such re-
verses, and to look for time only ut the dark
side OF the picture, were at first disposed to
countenance this idea and to acknowledge them
selves beaten for all time to come; but we are
happy to believe that they are now beginning
to take more cheering and a more rational
view of the subject. What just ground for inor
dinate rejoicing the part OF the Democracy,
or gloom and dependency on that of the Wings
the December elections supply, we acknow
ledge ourselves wholly unable to discern. Our
opponents. it is true, have succeeded in secur-
ing the Executive and Legislative branches OF
our State government, but these they have held
uncontrolled possession of for the last fifteen
years, with the exception of one or two brief in
tervals. The Democratic party have simply
maintained their ground and nothing more. The
Wings are no more annihilated now than they
have been dozen different occasions within
our recollection. That they have sometimes
done better than in the recent struggle, we read
lily admit but it is equally undeniabe that they
have much ottener done worse: and as past de-
teats have failed to make them embrace the ig-
nominious alternative of abandoning their or
ganization and marching under the yoke of
their adversaries we are at loss to conjecture
why they should do so now. In the Presiden-
tlal election of 1914 Folks majority over Clay
IN this State was 1898, the whole number of
votes given being about $4,000. AT the late gu
bernatorial election, the Democratic majority
OF the popular vote was only about the same as
IN the fall of A. although the aggregate vote
amounted to 100000. Thus it will be seen that
the Democratic party have gained nothing, if we
compare their relative strength now with what
1t was IN 1914, but have actually lost ground the
largely increased aggregate vote being taken in
to consideration. We repeat, that the defeat of
the Wings in the fall of "A was more disas
trous one than that which they have just exper-
fenced, and the same may be said ofthe Congress
: sional elections of AS, of 40, and of 81. But
these reverses though followed by temporary de-
preston and short intervals of inactivity never
caused the Wings of Virginia to despair of u-
timately redeeming the State In the spring
OF AZ they made gallant fight and notwithstan
dins the shameless gerrymander by which it had
oeen sought to effect their political disranchise-
ment' they carried six out ofthe fifteen Congress
sonai districts and lost two others by maiorities
merely nominal. But for the operation of To-
cal causes they would have succeeded in secur
Ing majority of our Congressional delegation
on mat occasion. In the Presidential canvass of
1918 they again aroused themselves from their
apathy and shook the boosted citadel of Democ-
facy to its foundations, the locofoco majority of
She popularvote falling short of i 500. And last
y' though still laboring under the depressing in
huences OF their defeat in October last, thew
promptly rallied in December, and to saw the
least of it, recovered all that they had lost on the
former occasion
When we bear these facts in mind, we can
not share the apprehension in which some few
responding Wings are disposed to indulge, that
Inc p" mig party OF this commonwealth, will
SINK under their late discontinue, and abandon
stheir organization. Our adversaries are per-
1ectiy welcome to cherish this pleasing delu
son. II they are thus inclined, but we have too
much confidence in the patriotism and good sense
Vi 'he =" mgs to believe that they will furl the
banners OF their faith and bow their necks in
tame and servile submission to the woke of loco
focoism, because in an aggregate ponmor vote
10000, their opponents have now MAORI
~ OF $780, 5000 bears about the same pro-
portion to 100000, that so does to 1000 Now
what would be thought of the Wings of sim
gle county, polling, will say, 1000 votes,
who should strike their flag and abandon them
selves to despair because they had been beat
en- fifty votes Such an instance of unmanlv
dependency and faint-heartedness we are
hrmiy convinced, was never witnessed in anv
county OF this commonwealth. Such county
would be universally regarded as highly debate
able, and no man would be surprised at IA rever-
sal ofits poiicalposition. Equally debateable, we
THINK, should this State now be regarded; more
particularly as we have a system of unre-
strlcted suffrage, for it is well known that under
such system the fluctuations in popular senti-
ment are much more rapid, and the changes in
tho x.iot.x 4. T.
quent, than under the system which we re-
Gently abandoned.
But even admitting, for argument sake,