The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-12-04
POLITICAL ITEMS AND COMMENTS.

THE STATE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION FOR
CONNECTICUT is to be held in New Haven on
the 18th of January ensuing.
RETURNS FROM THE WESTERN CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN show the reelection OF
Mr.. Washburne, by 10000 majority. The en-
tire vote of the district is over 40,OOO-an in
crease of 100 per cent. over that of 1854. The
three Washburnes are all reelected by very
heavy majorities.
In THE NINTH DISTRICT, ILLINOIS, which
gives Mr. Buchanan $4,000 votes, it is said
there are ii 900 adults who can neither read
nor write. If the Republicans wish to do any
thing there, they must first send the school
master.
THE LEGISLATURES OF ILLINOIS stands-Se1s-
ate Buchanan men l3, Republicans ID; House,
Buchanan men 80; Republicans 81; Know
Nothings 6.
Another account gives the Republicans a
majority of one in the House, and makes the
Senate tie. The official returns of the Con-
gressional votes show a Republican majority
In the state OF lU,ZoI.
THE OFFICIAL RETURNS AND FooTINGs OF
New YORK CITY show the following aggre-
gates: Buchanan Abb; Fremont l6,469 +;
Fillmore 1922. 1t is somewhat marvellous
that the daily issues of the Herald, Courier and
Enquirer, Post, Times, and Tribune, should
have worked up scarcely more than one-hfth
of the voters of the metropolis in favor of FIRE.
mont.
BLOWING HoT AND CoLD.-October 10th, the
Richmond Enquirer wrote: I" 1t is much easier
to dissolve our Union than to preserve it.
Nor has it any common interest or necessity
within, binding it together and compelling
Union. With no elements of union,
with no common consent, diverse and oppo-
site social systems have engendered hatred
and jealousies." A few days later, it wrote
"Our Union would not have lasted twenty
years, but for Southern Slavery.
Without Slavery, there would be no mutually
of interest, no dependence between North and
South. Slavery, and nothing but Slavery, has
preserved our Union, so far, or can preserve il
hereafter. Without this institution, there would
be no good reason for keeping together Con
federacy so inconveniently large" These con
Trajectory opinions are editorial, announced
in the same paper, in one week. Will the En-
qlirer say to which it intends to adhere? 1t is
needless to say that contradictions so palpable
argue lack of sincerity, or any settled opin'
ion at all.
DocroRs DIFFER.-The Detroit Free Press
1.-THE leading Buchanan paper in Michigan,
says of the act of the Vermont Legislature
appropriating twenty thousand dollars for the
relief of the oppressed and furnishing people Of
Kansas
"Ths is sensible, and it is the first sensible
thing we have known any Black Republican
body, be it a Legislature, Convention, or
Church, to do relating to Kansas.
We hope all the State treasures may be open
ed, rather than that there should be famine il
Kansas"
Per Contra, the Richmond Enquirer, thu
leading Buchanan organ in Virginia, says:
"Always foremost in the path of infamy
Vermont has taken a step from which its mor'
considerable sisters of New England shrunk il
prudent apprehension of possible consequences
But even Vermont exhibited some hesitancy il
placing itself In the unequivocal attitude of an
tagonism to the authority of the Federal Govern
ment, which it assumes BY its vote of supplies Il
the rebels in Kansas. At last, the thing is dom
under the decent disguise of a charitable con
tribution to destitute emigrants from the tre'
States"
How delightfully."- the brethren agree
A New YORK PAPER STATES, on what
deems "good authority" that General Cass ha
| accepted the appointment of Secretary of State
rendered him by Mr.. Buchanan. Very doubt
| full.
MUNICIPAL ELEcrIoNs.-No Party that woul
be permanent and victorious should neglec
the municipal elections. The policy of the De
mocracy on this point lies at the foundation G
its success. By securing the towns, it make
sure of the States, and then of the Natior
No matter whether defeated or triumphar
in Presidential contest, it keeps up its locs
organization, the basis of its national, by X
cal acknowledging no municipal election
go by default. The Republicans must d
likewise, or they will inevitably fail. The
must win the primary elections, or calculat
on ultimate failure. 1t seems that in som
quarters they have got their eyes opened
this thing. In Indianapolis, Ind on the Ok
the Republicans elected their candidate fo
the Office of Mayor, by $50 majority-an
this little more than two weeks after Mr.. b
chanan had carried the same town. 1t is sts
ted that the citizens of German birth voted fo
Mr.. Wallace, the Republican candidate, an
it is also inferred that many spurious vote
must have been cast for Mr.. Buchanan. A
the annual town election in Hartford, Conn.
the whole Republican ticket, with the exec
ton Of Collector, was elected. The vote o
Town Clerk was-Francis, Rep, 1884; Fitcl
Dem, 1882. But in New Haven, Conn.,, O
the 9th, the Democrats carried the ele
tion-the first time, it is said, in twenty. thre
years., 500 votes were polled, and the Dem
Gratis had majority of about 200. Their
must have been great remissness on the pa
of the Republicans.
AFFAIRS IN KANSAS.
The letter of our regular correspondent frol
the Lecompton prison, continues to record ii
indignities to which the prisoners are suhiecte,