The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-11-07
The -SPIRIT-OF DEM ACY-

The Vote Of Ohio at the Recent Elect
tlon-Comparison with Other Years
Facts for Democrats.
Upon our first page will be found the
official vote of Ohio on Governor and
Lieutenant Governor as returned by coun-
ties to the office of the Secretary of State,
at Columbus. 1t is taken from the State
journal, and may be relied upon as strict
ly correct. In giving it to our subscribers
for preservation, we propose to compare
| it with the results of elections in former
years, and make such remarks as the COM
parison suggests. In 1852, at the State
election in October, for Supreme Court
Judge, the vote stood as follows:
Caldwell, Democrat, l47,936
Haynes, Wing, 13O,5O7
Sutif, Abolitionist, 22,524
1t will be seen that had there been a
'fusion" of the opposition, such as exist
ed this year, Caldwell would have been
beaten in 1852 about five thousand votes
The whole vote Of the State was three hun
dred and ten thousand. In November,
1852, the Presidential election took place.
the total vote was forty thousand more
than it had been the month previous, and
was divided as follows among the candi-
dates:
Pierce, Democrat, 169,22O
Scott, Wing, 152, 2,526
Hale, Abolitionist, 3l,6S2
Although Pierce beat Scott sixteen
thousand votes, yet had there been fu-
sion, such as existed this year, he would
have lost the State by fifteen thousand
In 1858 the vote stood thus for Governor:
Medill, Democrat, 14I,663
Barrere, Whig, $500
Lewis, Abolitionist, 5O,346
The whole vote of the State was very
small-only two hundred and eighty
thousand. The wings, despairing of sue
cess, and dispirited by their Presidential
defeat, made no effort, and the consequence
was Medill had about eleven thousand
more votes than both his competitors COM
bined. This was owing, we repeat, to the
diminution of the whig vote, and not to
any increase in the Democratic In 1854,
the 'fusion" of the Wings and Abolition
lists took place in Ohio. The public mind
was crazyabout abolitionism and Know No
thingsm and upon the excitement the op-
position carried the State by an altogether
unprecedented vote. 1t stood thus on
.Supreme Court, Judge:
Swan. FusiOnist 1Se4GS
Norris, Democrat, 109,075
The whole vote was two hundred and
ninety-six thousand, and Swans majority
was serenty-seven thousand. But eleven
counties in the State of the eighty-nine
gave Democratic majorities, and they
were all very small. The opposition loud
ly boasted that the Democracy were "crusll-
ed out" and anihilated in Ohio, and could
never make another rally. The Fusion
lists, in July, 1855, made complete union
upon a State ticket, with the exception
of the Office of Governor, and even upon
him the division was 10y no means formi-
dable. They were perfectly organized all
over the State, and, encouraged by their
great victory of 1854 were in the best OF
spirits. The Democracy on the other
hand, were demoralized by the desertiou
of many of their most trusted leaders tO
the Know Nothings and to the Abolition
lists; the issues in the campaign were not
as boldly and strictly defined as they
should have been by the Democratic State
Convention, and the State ticket had up
on it two or three names by no means
popular with the Democratic masses, and
in whose behalf it was impossible to draw
out full vote. Under these circunl-
stances the election came on, with the fol
lowing result for Governor:
Chase, Abolitionist, 14G, 641
Medill, Democrat 13l,091
Trimble Wing, 24,3lO
CHASE, although he had fifteen thou
sand plurality over MedilI, is in minority
on the popular vote about nine thousand.
The vote of the State is quite small, the
increase over last year only being six OF
last Presidential election On Lieutenant
Governor the vote stands thus:
Ford, Fusionist, 169, 439
Myers, Democrat, 1873, 1876
Ford's majority 35,953
The net Democratic gain since last yeal
is, therefore forty-one thousand. The
Democratic vote, which was only one hum
dred and nine thousand in 1854, has in
creased to one hundred and thirty three
| bnn in
has fallen off from one hundred and eighty
six thousand to one hundred and sixty
nine thousand. Our vote is only four
teen thousand less than it was in 1858
when Medill was elected by eleven thou
sand majority over all. This shows that
| on ipoonciHoral 10 pumhar Of orr man l,o, ",