Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-02-12
The Late Vhig Party,

II is quite common for political writers in
this country to speak Of the Whig party as
utterly extinguished. The fact that out of
296 Electoral votes, Gen Scott received only
-, while Gen, Pierce had 2l2, does certainly
indicate at first sight pretty elfectuai de-
feat Of the Wing party, and would lead has
| ty observer to the conclusion that General
Scott had no votes at all. But a scrutiny of
] the popular cote will show a very different
state of things. Gen. Scott received, in fact,
more Dotes tim ,0ere eger cut for a Wig
candidate before! The Wing party never
received so large popular vote as at this
last election. Gen. Scott received IL, 609
more votes than Gen Taylor, $4,000 more
than Mr.. Polk, and 9S,Gl2 more than Gen
Aarrison The aggregate vote cast at each
of the last four elections, with that given for
each party, was as follows
YEAR WING. DEM f. Soft. TOTALS.
1910 1,274,42S l,12S,222 2,4O2,65O
1914 l,30l,723 100000 62,102 2,7O3,O3l
1913 1851, 1921 l,222,533 202, 1923 2,S76,Gl2
1852 1,373,020 1,5S6,909 l55,9l8 3,I15,677
! Gen. Scott was not defeated therefore, be-
cause he had no votes, nor because the Whig
vote had fallen off, for it had very largely in
creased. But the Democrats vote had in
creased still more.--beng 240,59S greater
than was ever cast before, and 3G4 ,24G grea-
ter than was cast for Gen. Cass. Most OF
this increase came from the Free Soil party,
which fell of l36,Ss0, nearly all OF which
was cast for the Democratic candidate in this
canvass, as it had been withdrawn from that
party in lS48
Another fact shown by this statement has
interest as indicating the manner in which
taking the vote by States instead Of by gen
eral ballot, affects the result. Ii the election
had been had directly by general vote o.
the people, General Pierce would have been
elected by an absolute majority OF only 81,
74l-receiving l,55G,7O0 against i,52S 0j8
given for the other two candidates his ma.
jprty being thus not one Gttiet6 part Of tn,
aggregate vote. But it was taken by States
and, being thus distributed, it gave him al
absolute majority of 2l2 out Of 2Gj eiectora
votes, or a majority of more than nine tenth!
{ OF the whole number cast. This result exbb
its in n very curious manner the working o.
t our federal system; rs it gives the successful
) candidate the appearance OF having been elec
ted almost unanimously, whereas, in point d
fact, bis vote was less than two per ceat. grea
ter than that given to his opponent.
We refer to these statistics now, simply a.
showing that it is two soon to pronounce tn
| Wing party absolutely dead No party, which
t under such circumstances as those of the re
{ cent canvass, cast very nearly million and
= half of votes, and within two hundred thou
) sand Of its opponents can be properly con
: sidefed extinct 1t may not renew the con
r test in precisely its old shape, nor upon exact
t ly the same issues which have been promnen
= hitherto Indeed, at no two successive Pres
+ idential elections, have the questions at staS;
e been quite the same, and they are likely to b
modified hereafter more considerably tina
o they have been hitherto But unless the in
, coming administration shall be wiser, NOR
$ united, and more fortunate than has fte
o fallen TO the LOT Of the dominant party, th
It l,373,O2O cIizens vino cast their votes fl
Il the Whig candidate at the last election, w
/ find their services again called into requis
1t ton. They seem inclined just at present
Is watch and wait-content to float quietly u
d on the stream of public sentiment, leavn
~ the Ship of State to the guidance Of tho'
5, who have become the responsible pilots. b
J. ready doubtless. to make new struggle f,
e the helm wherever ell on board shall clear
e see the rocks on which the goodly craft ma
be in danger OF wreck.
y H1yJgee p n lines