Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-10-23

II ,t 40 late an hour as to constrain US to defer a re-
'<iew Of it until tomorrow.
The communications in to-day's paper, stiiicah'"s
upon Mr.. Hunter, we need scarcely cay, were "''p'
before the paper containing his letter was CIV
RIACK REPUBLlCANISM RECEDlNu'
The signs of the times are strikingiy s'gn'uoon'
either Of inactivity on the part OF the biack nep"o
,;,., ,osds-s or of A loss of confidence in their cause
~ ~. ner, IF those who have been fanatically iol'
-. r., Whatever reason may be assigned, It'll
,,d.n;.bIv true. that abolitionism is apparently on Inc
wane-that its energies seem TO nave oeen eApeuu'u
and its resources exhausted. Whereverits cohor's na'e
bssu recently encountered by the National Demoets'
nv ,bsy have either been driven from the held af'er
an Intellectual struggle, or the victories they nave
achieved have been only in successfully oe'enu''s
a., .,ronosst of their strongholds, and with such re
rious sacrifices. as apparently to render them =.
of disastrous defeat in the next nationa' oo"'''.. a.
n.d.v. .oo wa recspitulatsd briefly the results OF
...~.i ,a,a oIec,;ons in the non.slaveholding States
showing conclusively that the Democratic cause q
Gained ground rapidly in the North since last ram,
Tns result, of the gubernstorial %contestin ohio' wn'en
has inst closed, affords an index to the pollticai con'
.H,;S, of rho free States more encouraging even than
l10 u lu6 lICO
ma ;nmsnss majority in favor Of the Democratic
candidate in Pennsylvania. We have little doubt
,ba, the official returns from the whole State VIII al
test the re- election Of Chase, by q small m''o'"y'
perhaps a few hundred only.
But lie, it be remembered, that Ohio has been long
ago given over to abolitionism, and conceded 10 Oe
one of the most embittered of the antl.slave STAKES
In its Incorporating luminosity towards the inst'u'
lions Ct the South. Three years ago, it gave a BLACK
Republican majority of eighty thousand Ana ho"
tina, majority is reduced, doubtless, to less than TWO
snd il may be less than one thousand. Inc pe'
mocrats have been claiming the victory; ana 'e
vote ia 30 close that the official returns alone can
nositiyely determine the result. We still indulge
a hope, but nothing more, that it may prove the
s,sc,;on of the Democratic candidate. But admit
ting that in Ohio, the National Democracy have
soaip been beaten, We have, nevertheless, reason 10
rejoice over the victory achieved in such q defeat
The Buck Eye State" is almost delivered from Inc
diseraceful thraldom of Black Black Republicanifm
One more effort and her political equilibrium may be
restored.
The contest last Fall, was angry and active
throughout the North. In the South there was e1'
element enough; but it was the excitement OF an
anxious and interested spectator of a scene OF strife
beyond his reach, and in which he could participate
only by encouraging the defenders OF his cause WIN
-ords instead of acts. Here the Democracy had
keeping at IS check ok afesbls opposition. There M' they
by the starvation which enteev..s m.da desnsrst.
capacity to do harm; while they struggled .ond III,
lusty lion, frantically aroused. s-'-- 10 oafsgave
wrath. The results nf .-0uiatic party, and saved
the yicfn-.a immediate disruption.
The hard. fought battle was won BY the South and
the friends of the South. But the heat of the CON.
test was in the North. And though the National
Democracy, notwithstanding their indonitable euer.
gy, we're then badly beaten in the anti slave Sts,ss.
they turned The tide of opposition enough to save the
South from the awful alternative of secession.
The signs Of the times, we say, indicate that Black
Republicanism ia %reoeding. The Northern horizon
wears a more cheering aspect. The howlings of the
asorm aTe not 30 horrible as they were. The aboli.
lion ermyis reduced, and the National Democracy, in
the North as in the South, are still marching on. with
continued accessions TO their strength. But, while
We are gladdened by the prospect, let us no. deceive
ourselves with the belief that the enemy is in our DOW.
or. Let us not be beguiled into a false sense of securi.
ty by promising appearances. LIE. us not calculate
" az StCol dtlI6 W our OVID bucCpRB
in skirmishes. 1t may be that the decline of the
oisck Republican party has commenced, and that
the day OF its downfall is not distant. There ara
indeed hopeful, if they be not false forebodings of its
overthrow at the next national election. But even
adEitting that it is already rapidly recedipe, the
defeat OF abolitionism in 1861, must depepd
upon the continued unity of the South. The
Northern Democracy will, doubtless, do their
DUTY and We trust that they will push on their col.
auns g'orlous!y and VIGOROUSLY until they are in a
triumphant majorlty. But it would probably prove TOO
sansuine TO expect any such aspect Of affairs at the
close OF the next Presidential election. The disease
ls Deep and it csa only be eradica,ed by degrees
oira Aoolltionism rests upon no broad basis of DO
ltical principles. Its fanaticism Auctuates with
every momentary source of the excitement on which
1t lives, just as flames burn briskly or sluegishly az
the fuel is diminished or increased. Aud its fortunes
vary with the varying events and incidents of the
day. A fight over a fugitive slave in the streets Of
Boston, on the eve of the election, would be worth
OF votes to the Black Republican cause;
and another ''bleeding Kansas" would be a God. send
to the "shriekers." But even without uny such
source Of available strength, il is etill doubtful that
will be easily routed in 1860. The
Back Republican party is we'll organized. 1t has q
nucleus OF ambitious and designing demagogues
which nothing but self. interes. can destroy or impair.
Us leaders are able, astute, unprinoipled and despe.
rate. And however We may be encouraged by the
tidlngs of Democratic gains, let us not be unmindiui
OF the fact that tho danger is not over yet. The enc.
my may be losing ground; but the last struggle will
be the most desperate, and 1t behooves US, in view of
tho contest in 1860, neither to divide our forces or re.
az our energies, but to remain united, and sleep upon
our arms.