The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-04-23
State Politics.

Several of the opposition and copperhead
Journals of the State, are making a display of
figures to show, that there have been large
democratic gains in Wisconsin. This they
attempt to prove from the returns of the late
vote on the election Of Supreme Court Judge.
Now that the excitement of the Judicial cleo
is over, it may be well to review some of the
facts in the case. From these facts it will be
seen, that the Union cause has been maintain
ed in the face of obstacles most disadvantage
Gus. That Cothren, the copperhead candi-
date received the full vote of his party, no
one pretends to deny. That Dixon obtained
the full strength of the Union Republicans of
the State, will not be asserted by any intelli-
gent men. There were strong influences
brought to bear against Judge Dixon among
Union man i'll different parts of the State
whether these influences were justible or not,
we will not at this time stop to enquire.
First and most prominent among the in
huences against Judge Dixon, was that which
Cdlllt 1IOlh tHc ram -IOlISdSC League LC
was believed by this class of persons to hold
opinions adverse to their interests, while the
copperhead candidate, Cothren, was under
stood to be favorable to their claims. The
Farm Mortgagers in several counties in the
state, constituted a large and influential class {;
they are generally Union men, but many Of
them consented to place a copperhead on the
Supreme bench, in the hope of gaining a per
sonal benefit. From an inspection of the late
vote, it will be noticed, that there are appar-
ent gains for the c%opperhead cause, in those
districts where the Farm Mortgages are most
numerous.
Again, Judge Dixon was not nominated by
a Republican or Union convention; anumber
of lawyers in the Stateunited in a call address
to him, to run as an independent candidate,
and from this fact advantage was taken the
predjudiccs of the people were appealed to, by
calling him the Lawyers candidate
There was also q strong distrust among
many earnest friends of the administration as
to Judge Dixon's ~soundness on the Union
question. His decision in the case of the
Ozaukee county rioters, was regarded by
many Republicans, as a surrender to the cop
perhead policy Of obstructing the prosecution
of the war by legal bubbles. So strong was
the dissatisfaction of his judicial course in this
respect, that some of the Republican news
papers Of the State, declined to put up his
name, while others gave him but a cold and
indifferent support.
The fact also, that Judge Dixon's name
was used in the copperhead convention at
Madison as a candidate, and pressed by such
notorious men as Ryan of Milwaukee, did
much to Great prejudice against Judge Dixon.
1t may therefore safely be said that Judge
Dixon came before the people as a candidate
under great disadvantages. Although we
believe Judge Dixon will prove himself an
upright Judicial officer, and a reliable Union
man, yet we know this confidence in him was
shared by thousands of Union men in the
From q review therefore of the late
election, the conclusion is legitimate, that in
a fair political contest, with the line between
unionism and apprehension clearly defined,
we have nothing to fear. Let a ticket for
State offices, be placed before the people next
fall, composed of men of unquestioned loyalty
and firm adherence to the Government, and
the union cause will sweep the State by thou
sands.