The Ripley advertiser. [volume] (Ripley, Miss.) 1843-1897, 1856-11-27
Explosion Of Popular. .Fallacies.
We take the following good article
from the Pittsburgh Union:


We take the following good sarticl'
from the Pittsburgh Union:
The disposition to generalize on 4
few condolences without regard t.
the relation Of cause and effect hal
led political leaders into some singu
lar delusions. The late election ha'
scattered some of these apparently
plausible absurdities to the four winds
First, there was the old Friday su.
perstition, which led many persons to
proclaim that Buchanan would be de-
feated, because his nomination was
made on that unlucky day. !: would
be well for those who place their con-
fidence in signs of this character to
keep a record of the instances in which
they fail. A few months spent in the
Observance of such system would do
much to exterminate erroneous i'm
pressions which too often exercise an
unwholesome influence in society.
The Empire State superstition is
another of the popular delusions
worth noticing. For many years it
has been thought by some people tina,
New York and the United States were
synonymous, and that no Presidential
candidate could succeed without the
electoral votes of that singularly d.
vided region. The late result has ex-
ploded this fallacy, and it may per
haps exercise a salutary influence on
New York politics hereafter.
Then there was another idea foun-
ded on the experience ofsixteen years,
that the administration ofthe govern
ment of the United States was bound
to 90 alternately into the hands Of the
Democracy and ofthe opposition eve
ry four years. This theory held good
during four successive terms, but it is
now laid up among other wrecked alb
surdities by the storm which prevailed
on Tuesday.
Still another prevailing error was
the opinion entertained ofthe political
omnipotencs and omniscience ofthe
New York Herald. 1t has generally
contrived to get on the winning side
before the election, in order to create
a belief in its own sagacity OF inhu-
ence; but this year it has proved to
be alike deficient in power and dis
elimination. 1t labored for several
months in the cause Of Fremont, pre-
dicted the election ofthe Fusion State
ticket in Pennsylvania by ten thou
sand-announced that for two ofthree
days in spite ofthe figures--then gave
up all hopes for Fremont, but finally
on the morning Of the election pro-
claimed a complete fusion between
the Fillmore and Fremont men in
Pennsylvania, and renewed its conf.
dent prediction that Fremont would
be elected. 1t is only necessary to
compare the result with the He,alfs
prophesies, to exhibit the ridiculous
character ofits pretensions.
We might 60 farther and notice the
explosion of sundry other absurdities
equally ludicrous; as for instance, the
energetic campaign tour of Governor
(?) Roberts and the Mayor ofTopeka,
two gentlemen with formidable whis-
kers, who stumped Fayette and Green,
and increased the Democratic MAORI
ty BY talking about themselves in gen.
eral, and telling outrageous falsehoods
about Kansas in particlar. The po-
litical clergy deserve passing notice,
but unless they should turn the Gov
ernor's Thanksgiving into day of hu-
initiation, fasting and prayer, we shall
class them only with the humbugs Of
the day.