Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-11-16
YESTERDAY morning we introduced an article

A'O1 o"e ol OuFEe1changes, by some remarks
upon the general condition of public feeling on
the great4uestiou Of the day; as indicated inthe
large non-voting vote of Massachusetts, of
the most radical States-in the recent election.
We argued that this manifestation was a hope.
fnl One-that it was evidence to our mind that
the tOneand temper of the public was prone now
to settle down from all sectional acerbity and an
imosity, ifiscould only belet alone by partizans
The more we looSinto the returns, as they come
in from the different States, the more are we
convinced that this is now the general tendency
OF the public mind. To- choose between the
lesser of two evils, seems TO have been promi-
'nent consideration before the minds of thous-
ands and tens of thousands of people. ITO en-
courage quasi abolition sentiment was, on the
one hand, strongly objectionable to them, while,
on the other, it was equally repulsive to patro-
nize or affiliate with the despotic innovations of
the present administration. A very large class
reasoning thus were induced to take rupfthe
position, as it were, of an armed neGtrality''A
holding themselves aloof for more pressing
exfgency than as yet, in their estinations, had
come to hand. This very large. and influential
class were. unwilling to put themselves on the
record assendorsers of the present condition of
politics, either on the one side or the other
Their voice, negatively proclaimed was, that
they were not in tho fight and that those
who were might fight it out. s&
And while lthisis the Interpretation to be put
on this expressive silence" of SO many voters.
very close and hardly less preceptible resern
blance to it is to be seen in the vote really
cast The people were cautious how they voted.
They were, careful to mako their votes. as nearly
as might be, express just what they felt
Thousands upon thousandssof Anti-Lecomp-
ton votes were cast, which were intended to be
reckoned as nothing more than Anti-Lecomp.
ton. The authors of them in giving their votes
ut the polls, did not wish to be understood as
forming any new affiliations-as relinqnishing
their former tehets, state or nationul-but as
simply and solely setting the seal of condemns
ton upon something which they considered was
dangerous and repulsive Interpolation, not only
into party creed but into the policy Of the whole
country. While they remained in all else as
they werss Aeither as Wings, Americans or Z
Democrats, they were a unit in the desire to
rebuke Dred Scottish, Lecompton-isn and En-
glish bill:ism. They were,a as it is styled in
military Parlance, 'senlisted for the campaign
having clearly defined foe before them, but
under no obligations or agreements to cooperate
upon acomtnonplatforrn after they had conquer
ed the common enemy. They went forth TO
meet Phillip, laying aside their own differences
for the present This, in our judgement, is the
fair Interpretation toibe put on the complexion
of the returns from the elections recently held.
For look at it. No one can reasonably suppose
that the Berks (Pa) district is altered essenti-
ally in its political faith. Itnever was Lecomp.
ton, and because itrefused to be, is no reason
why the refusal should becarried to the account
ofany party any principle, save Anti Jonesism;
or, on nearer analysis of it, Anti.Lecomp
ism. In more than one instance, in the recent
elections, is,this temper Of the public mind dis.
cernable. In thescase Of our neighbors Of the
Washington, Pc, district, it is strikingly So
We acknowledge that Mr.. Montgomery had the
advantage otlatvery amphibious position before
thepublic. He was Iecompton or Anti .Lecomp.
ton-just as you pleased-his case being some
what analogous to the privileged individual in,
the show, who; in consideration of having paid
his footing, was'allowed by the Snowman to call
the beasts in, the cage by whatever. title he
thought proper. But still the fact is 'aappafeht
and must be admitted that the very great change
of the vote of the goth district from some $500
majority for knight in 1854 to some 34OO. for.
Montgomery in 1868, @adssnot altegetherAa p.h67.
zard or the result Of accident: On the contrary
it was very expressive vote. It vas an Anti
Lecomptoh votc-a hybrid compound of all
sorts and shades of political opinion drawn into
common focus by one common aggraYation.
Negroes in the Stntes or in the Territories were
not in the reckoning but white imeny in the
oxford and MCGEE precincts of one of the terri-
tories, were. The people had all read in chat
district, as well as everywhere else, the history
of the frauds and usdrpations which had been
attempted, and perpetrated upon their. white
brethren they had read of and,heard of
Montgomery making common cause with Walk
er, staunton. Douglas. and the, whole Anti
Lccompton wing, in the resistance Of these
frauds, Leeompton was something palpable.-
1t was something which appealed 10 the moral
sense of the people whatever name or creed
in the recent elections, and something which
neither the distractions OF the apologists of the.
4a1 vet ffe {bre, 4. ~ Ii,,t1,