Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-11-05
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

with questions relative 70 the late elections.
To those questions we can have bat single
answer. Viz See the rsturns az they are
vouchsafed to us for the benefit of the public,
Per telegraph. Meagre. and confused as they
are, they tell most unmistakably Of the rout
OF our friends in all the States voting on this
occasion. To US this result is, of course, not
unexpected; for we have explained of late, over
and over again, that defeat in elections at this
period of Democratic administration has in
variably happened since Jackson's time, it
matters not what the issues were, or under
whose flag, as President, the Democracy fought
1t never has happened that there failed to be
disappointed leaders and applicants for office,
or for chances to plumber the treasury, in sufj
icient number "ratting" from the Democracy
to insure victory to the enemy in these Fall
elections to the second Congress of Democratic
administration.
In this case the victory of the Opposition is
at least as complete as ever before, though we
SEQ no reason whatever to anticipate that it
will eventuate in anything more substantial
for the Opposition's benefit, than heretofore
The detection of Mr.. Stephen Arnold Douglas
aud his followers, last winter, carried of voters
in all the non-slaveholding States from the De-
mocracy, by tens of thousands. They believed
In the honesty of his positions against the Dem
ocratic party and in the truth Of his eulogies on
the patriotism of the Republican and American
parties, and of his charges Of fragrant deser-
ton of their principles, de-, against the Demo-
cratic majority of Congress and the National
Democratic Administration. Thus there was
carried off for the time be ng under the influence
of the specious complaints and misropresenta-
tioas of Douglas and his co-plotters, n large
force Of I" weak brethren" In this case per-
haps a larger force Of them than usual wont
of Douglas was undcniably the idol of the
party, more Of whom-North, South, East and
WeSt-were ardently attached, personally, to
him than to any other leader. His detection
from Democratic principles and the Democratic
party therefore loosened the bonds by which
thousands on thousands were bound to US =
Messrs. Seward, Greeley ct al, were not slow
to perceive the immense advantage to them.
solves to grow out of his detection. Out of ILL.,
nois, every where, they have managed to secure
the vote of the Douglas party, to man, for their
Congressional candidates In New York, New
Jersey and Pennsylvania, every man running
as an anti-Lecompton or Douglas Democrat
avowed himself also protecticnist, supporter
OF the Republican psrty's position upon all the
branches Of the slavery question, and a bitter
enemy of the National Democratic Administra-
tiOh Or, in other words, practically an out
and-out Republican-party man upon every
possible issue between the Democratic party
under its present auspices, and the Republicans.
Messrs. Seward and Greeley could wish for
nothing more in the way of strengthening the
formers Presidential prospects for 1850. Re-
sulting as the Douglas detection has, SO far,
Mr.. Seward and Mr.. Greeley have been bent
on securing the reelection of Douglas 10 the
United States Senate. This has been freely
ayoWed by Greeley, through the Tribune, ever
since the desertion of Douglas to the enemy.
last winter. Their object has been to strength then
him for the mischief he may be able TO do to
the Democracy. To that end, they have both
performed pilgrimage Of late, to Illinois,
arranging the election of Douglas candidates to
the Legislature, in doubtful counties, in return
for arrangements on the part of the Douglas
managers of that and other States to aid direct
ly and indirectly in the election of Republican
members to Congress from doubtful districts.
Mr.. Seward plays to secure as nearly an
out-and-out Republican party majority Of the
next House, as may be, and has been very
willing TO permit the return of Douglas to the
Senate, if by so doing he could bring about the
triumph Of two or three of his own devoted ad-
hcrents to the lower house of Congress; more
especially as be feels assured that in strength
ening Douglas per Sc, he is building up pow
orful influence in the North and Northwest,
which, while claiming utilization with the Ma
tional Democracy, are far enough on the road
to abolitonism to play into his hands, in 1860
Such is the key to the motives of the inter
ference of Mr. Seward in behalf of Douglas,
as well as to the latter's success in the recent
Illinois election; and also to the SUCCESS of many
Republican candidates for Congress in place of
anti-iecompton men pretending afiIiation With
the Democracy who hesitated to give secret
pledges to vote for Mr.. Seward in case the next
Presidential election goes into the House of
Representatives - whether from New York,
New Jersey or Pennsylvania.