The New York herald., 1862-10-21
The Popular Revolution at the PoNs-
What Are tho Causes Therc0fs

| aS tEe elecJlOn returns come 10 MANU- vac
overthrow of the republican party at the polls
appears to be more overwhelming. II is, in
fact, the greatest political revolution that ever
took place in the country, not excepting even
| that in Jacksons time and at the election of
Harrison. In Pennsylvania the State ticket is
carried by the democracy, and the popular
branch of the State Legislature to such An ex-
tent as to secure a majority on joint ballot; so
that the defeat Of Wilmot for another term in
| the United States Senate is q foregone conclu-
| sion. To squelch the author OF the free soil
| proviso, which has had so much to do with the
calamities Of the nation. is blow struck in the
right place-a retribution which harnonizes
with the fitness of things. Grow is also fortu-
nately numbered with the defunct Thaddcus
| Stevens would have shared the same fate had
not Mr.. Buchanan and the sympathizers with
secession appeared as his prominent opponents.
| The revolution in Ohio is still more extraor-
| binary. The democratic majority in that State
| is IsOO0-being q gain Of $4,000. Among the
| defeated is Bingham; and the notorious Wade
| the United States Senate-another just retri-
button, over which the friends Of law and order
and of constitutional rights villa rejoice every
where throughout the land. In Indiana the
| democrats elected the State ticket and ma
| jority of both houses Of the Legislature, which
will give democratic Senator for the vacancy
caused by the expulsion Of Bright 1t is only in
Iowa that the republicans have held their
ground, because, from the distance of that
State, political light reaches it more slowly,
and because its frontier is more distant from
| the seat Of war
The strength, volume and rapidity of the
popular current will be indicated still more
| clearly in November, when the elections in
New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Michigan, Wis
| consin, Minnesota and Massachusetts will take
| place. There can be little doubt that at least
| New York, New Jersey and Illinois will follow
| the example of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indi-
ana; and we would not bs surprised to see even
old Massachusetts reject Andrew for Governor,
and elect such q State Legislature as willssend
Sumner to the tomb of the Capulets 1t is be-
yond question that the next Congress will be
| democratic and that there will be clear con-
servative majority against the republican party:
Now, what are the causes Of this wonderful
revolution There had been little or no
! canvass, the press and free speech had
been under rigid restriction and censorship.
| The influence Of money and contracts was all
on the republican side. Yet the people voted
on the opposite side, and that of their own ac-
cord, and without persuasion or inducements Of
any kind. Why have they done SO! Because
the republican party, which ousted the democ-
racy from power on the ground of its corrup-
| ton. has proved itself ten times more corrupt,
| while at the same time its tyranny and utter
| incapacity for rule have brought the nation to
the verge Of ruin. The venality, ignorance and
despotism of Congress- violating by its acts the
| clearest provisions of the constitution, and the
incompetence of the War, the Navy and the
| Treasury departments, have filled the people
| with intense disgust and alarmed them for the
safety Of the republic.
And these revelations have been made by
the republicans themselves, one set Of then,
laying bare the iniquities of another set. Wit
ness the reports of the investigating commit
tees. in which the frauds and extravaganza at St
Louis under the auspices of Fremont, were ex.
posed; the shoddy and shoe contracts; the delin.
quencies of Senator Simmons, of Rhode Island;
the course Of Secretary Welles in giving two
and half per cent job to his brother-inlaw,
amounting to some 100000, for doing what
could be executed equally well without charge
/ by some officer Of the navy; the failure of the
Navy Department to cooperate with General
Mcclellan in his advance on Richmond; the
| mismanagement and blunders Of the War De
partment in causing premature movement OF
the army Of the West before the advance of the
army Of the East; dividing the Army of the Po-
tomac, and afterwards failing to effect juno.
ton Of the disointed corps at the critical mo-
ment; refusing to send reinforcements to Gene
raj Mcclellan; the appointment to importan,
commands of such incompetent generals a
Fremont, Hunter and Phelps; the neglect to
provide the army with clothes, shoes and tents
and sufficient surgical attendance for the
wounded, and medical care and other neces.
saries for the sick-all of which has been duly
communicated by the soldiers letters to their
friends at home, producing a most decided
effect. Add to these causes Of the popular
revolution the suspension of habeas corpus in
the loyal States; the summary arrests and arbi
trary imprisonments without trial. the pro-
gramme of universal emancipation and servile
insurrection in the South, and the extermina-
tion of the whole people; the apprehension Of
the Northern States being overrun with the
negroes of the South; the abolt onising of the
republican party and its rapid develop.
ment as a party Of blood; lastly, the
breaking down of the financial schemes Of
Secretary Chase, partly through want Of prac.
tical acquaintance with such business, and
partly through wilful disregard Of measures
which would have prevented disastrous de.
rangement Of the currency, amounting to de-
probation of thirty per cent; and no person