Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-10-16
CLEARFIELD, PA. OCT. Is. 1861.
rHE RESULT IN cLEARFIELp COUNTY.

The election is over. The majority against
McEually and Wilcox for Assembly in the
county is about 427, which has been reduced
by army returns already received TO about
800, and will probably be further reduced be-
low 900 by the army returns yet to be receiv-
ed The majorities against our county ticket
are on an average 100 votes or upwards great
er than against our Assembly ticket.
1t will be said that this indicates change
in the minds of the people. But it is not true
that there has been change in favor of the
policy of the Democratic party. The vote on
Assembly is the best test as to the public SEN
timent respecting questions of State or Ma
tional policy. And, taking that as the test,
there is nothing in the result to discourage us.
In Oct 1860 the vote was more fully out than
ever before, and then, Fosters majority over
Curtin was 285. And we doubt whether, when
the army returns are all in, if the majority
against us en- the Assembly ticket will exceed
that number. If it does it will be but tride.
The result is owing to several causes. First,
There are from $50 to 400 voters of Clearfeld
eounE in the army, and of these quite four
fifths would vote the Republican ticket. This
would take from us from 90 to 240 of our old
majority and transfer it to the army. a por-
tion of this majority we will get back again
with the army returns, but another portion we
will lose altogether. Some of the men are
scattered in distant companies and in some
companies, the leading officer under the
influence of Breckenridge politicians, may
have held no election and thereby deprived
the soldiers of their right to vote. We may
from these causes estimate loss OF about
100 in the general result.
We lost again from rafting flood on the
day of election, which took away large num-
Der Of our men. This cause made the general
result in the county at least so worse for US
than it would otherwise have been. We lost
again by the superior zeal of our opponents in
bringing out their whole vote. They brought
out every thing within reach that belonged to
their party,-they made desperate effort,-
and if one of their men went TO rafting that
day he was sure to 60 and vote first. Our men
were generally at the polls, but we think that
some were not out who ought to have been
there, and that thereby we lost many votes
throughout the county. An occasional per-
son who voted the Republican ticket last year,
may have gone over to the Democratic party
this year, but this class is small. On the
other hand, we know of changes from the
Democratic party to the Republican side which
will overbalance all changes Of that kind that
may be against us.
The Breckenridge leaders of the Democratic
party were untring and unscrupulous in their
efforts. In the beginning of the compaign
the war was denounced as ssLincoln's War;
and as ssWar of subjugation of the South -
and the Infamous Day Book was circulated as
a kind of textbook, backed by their organ
the Clearfeh Republican. 1t was hardly to
he supposed that any Democrat who believed
such stuff would enlist in our army at all.
And in truth very few of them did. After
having tried this course till they found the
patriotic public sentiment of the country to
be against them, they suddenly came to halt,
modified their platform and professed to be
very patriotic in sustaining the Government.
The Das-Book was suppressed by the Govern
ment and the C2sarfeld Republican h0 been
lately trying, with as good grace as possible,
TO lower its tone. With their usual disregard
of truth they proclaimed abroad that large
majority of the volunteers from this county
were Democrats. The returns from the arm y
answer that falsehood.
We see nothing in the result to discourage
any Republican. We are more assured than
ever of the justice of our cause and the truth
of our principles and We have no doubt OF
their ultimate success. Whatever appears
like loss to the Republican party of this
county, arises chiefly from the patriotism OF
it's members in enistifg in our armies, and
going forth to fight the battles CT the coun-
try; whilst tho Breckenridge Democracy more
generally remained at home to abuse the Ad-
ministration and to vote.