The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-04-12
THE ELECTIONS.

Inc elecIlOn In connecticut has resulted IN
the defeat of the Administration. All the mem
bers of Congress, and a large majority of the
Legislature, are Wings and Know Nothings
As to their opinions on the Slavery Question, we
know nothing. The Free Soil Party resolved
to cast its vote for Governor Duttor, the Wing
candidate, Temperance and an Anti-Slavery
man, but he seems to have been deserted by
his own Party, as he received only about ten
thousand votes. The contest, so far as we can
see, was mainly between the Know Nothings
and the Democrats, and the returns show that
lngham, the candidate of the latter, is a few
hundred ahead of his Know Nothing competi
tor. If Liberty has gained anything by the
contest, we should like some of our well-inform.
ed friends in Connecticut to show US wherein.
We really seek information.
AS to Rhode Island, the Know Nothngs
have elected Wing Governor and Wing
Congressman in the Eastern District, and q
Democratic Congressman in the Western-that
is, men who formerly were so designated OF
course, they are Know Nothings now
Here, we speak with more certainty. The
Slavery Question was not the issue-and the
Know Nothings cared so little about it, as to
reject THOMAS DAVIS, the truest and ablest An
ti-Slavery Representative we have ever known
in Congress from that State. Shame upon the
policy that sacrificed such man, because he
was born in Ireland!
In Portland, Maine, Neal Dow, the origina
tor of the Maine Liquor Law, has been elected
Mayor, by the combined forces of Anti-Savery
men, Temperance men, and Know Nothings
The main issue was, Temperance-and yet, in
replying to congratulations rendered him after
his election, he was guilty of the bad taste o.
appealing to a popular but low prejudice.
"No one," he proceeded to say, "reviewing
the circumstances attending this canvass, could
resist the conclusion that measures should be
taken to restrain the right of suffrage, now exer
cised by our foreign population, and to prevent
their overawing and controlling our elections
as they have done.
"He had been informed that not only had a
large foreign vote been added to the list, but
that paupers even had been accorded the right
of suffrage, while Portland-born voters. who
had ever resided here, had been excluded. The
necessity of restraining the sufrages of the for
eign population, he was sure, was becoming a
general sentiment, not only in the North, but
in the South as well.'
The ballot-box, of course, should be protect
ed against fraudulent voting-but native a.
well as naturalized citizens should be punished
for corruption. 1t is also to be regretted thai
the latter, as is represented, should have voted
against the Temperance ticket, but were they
any more blameworthy than the former, who
made up the majority of the Anti-Temperance
Party? Besides, the foreign-born voters doubt
less understood that Mr.. Dow was Know
Nothing, and in favor of policy calculated tC
degrade them. Was it exactly reasonable tc
expect them to vote for him? Would you ex
Pect Fred. Douglas to support candidate fol
Office pledged to disfranchise the much-abuseG
class whom he nobly represents?
The result in Cincinnati, despite the violence
attempted and committed, shows Democratic
victory. The american Organ here justifes
the conduct of its Know Nothing brethren il
destroying the ballot boxes, and says they
would have done right, had they thrown the
foreign "ruffians" into the river. 1t differs
somewhat from the party in Cincinnati, which
since the disgraceful transaction alluded to, has
held public meeting, and condemned the con
duct of its riotous members. Such an outrage
is indeed unprecedented, and must tend t.
ALLEVIATE from the Order the honest, minded
persons who have been entangled bv it.