The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-11-22
THE NEXT ELECTIoNs-THE POWER OF THE
PRESS
ALBANY, N. Y, Nor. l6, 1855.

ALBANY, N. Y, Nor. 16, 1855.
To the Editor o the National Era:
Your views of the recent elections, as ex
pressed IN your last paper, are very just. The
fact cannoO be too often reiterated, that the
great obstacle to the triumph of Freedom is
Know Nothingism. Not that the Know Moth
ings are opposed to Freedom, but that they care
more for the fripperies of their Lodges than for
the maintenance of the principles of Liberty
more for the exploded errors of the Catholic
Church than for the sufferings of the slave,
and more for the triumph of their party than
for the overthrow of the Slave Power in the
National Government. 1t is with frivolity and
thoughtlessness that the Republican cause has
most to contend.
But wish particularly to call your attention
to the results of the recent election in the coun.
ties in this State where vigorous efforts were
made to disseminate our principles. In every
one we have triumphed beyond our most ar
dent anticipations. Look at Monroe, Yates,
st. Lawrence, Allegany, &c. Our maorities
in those localities are overwhelming. But in
New York. Albany, Rensselaer,, Washington,
Franklin, &c, we are overpowered because in
these counties the Hindoos were allowed to oc-
cupy the ground with their newspapers, books,
and stump speakers. In Franklin, Essex,
Clinton, and other counties, the Hindoos got
possession of the old Wing presses, and the vo-
ters really believed they were subscribing the
interests of Free Soil, by opposing the Demo
Gratis under the banner of Know Nothingism
In Washington county, Otsego, and few
others, the Republican cause suffered fl ON the
treachery of men heretofore known as prom-
nent FreeSoilers.
II. B. Northup, who is known more as an
Abolitionist than anything else-the rescuer of
Solomon Northup from Slavery-and who was
once defeated, IS candidate for Congress, by the
Silver Grays and Hunkers of Washington coun-
ty, is now Know Nothing member of Assem-
bly, from that county. He stumped the north
ern part of the State for Hindooism, and made
many of bis hearers believe that his present
position was consistent with devotion to Gov.
Seward and his principles. Then there were
John Van Buren,, Martin Grover, Lieutenant
Governor Church, and other old Free Soil Dem
ocrats, equally industrious in making the peo-
pie believe that a vote for the Soft ticket was
not against Freedom and Free Soil. But
will not weary you with rehearsing the causes
Of our defeat. Our opponents will say the main
cause was, a lack of votes.
Without desiring to excite unreasonable
hopes, or to disguise our disappointment at
the result, | must be excused for thus abiding
to some Of our difficulties, and also be allowed
to speculate little about the future. In 1856,
the Republicans will gain largely from the now
disbanded Softs, equally from the "Stay-at-
homes" (some 20O,000,) and, to some extent,
from the Know Nothings. believe these are
reasonable hopes, but l will not take up time
in any argument to show that they are so at
present; for, to succeed, we have only to rely
upon 7edouJ1ed erertions. Specu!ations on pa
per will not avail us; dissemination of light
and knowledge will. We know this from the
experience of the recent canvass. AS said
before, ,rhererer there soas a large circulation
of Republican papers and documents, our cause
triumphed. Although the Tribune is printed
in the city, its circulation, as well as that Of
other Republican papers, is in the country. In
New York city, the Herald and the Journal o.
Commerce are read; in Albany, the Register
Express, and Transcript; in Rensselaer,, the
Troy Wig. These are all Hindoo or Pro-Sla
vsry papers. The result is, these three counties
give 10000 majority against the Republicans
The rest of the counties give 10000 majority
in their favor. If every family in the thre'