Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-12-20
Letter from GoIdvvIn SmIth-HIs Inn
presstOns OF the Presidential EIec-

Letter from GoIdvvIn Smith-HIs I'm.
presStOns OF the Presidential EIec.
lion.
The London Daily Netus publishes the
following letter from Professor Smith
written at Boston ON the day after the Pres,
idenIial election:
TO The Editor of the Daily Net0s:
''Sir: a day which, i'll mistake not, will
be long memorable in history, has passed,
and the American people have decided, by
a great majority, that free institutions are
not faiturs. aud that the hope of self
government shall not be quenched for
themselves or for the world"
"Under the abused name of the demo
cratic purity all the ensmies of the repub-
lic-Ihe southern planter, the social aristo-
crat of the North, and the Irish of the
great cities-strangely, or rather naturally
leagued with tyranny against freedom,
have made combined effort to snbvert
the object of their common hatred in its
hour of peril; and they have received a dis
astrous, perhaps final overthrow
'.In this city, Notwithstanding the great
ness of the issue and the fierce excite.
ment of parties. the election has gone off
with perfect tranquility. In the lowest
wards the crowd at the polls was almost as
orderly as a crowd going into church. a
few Jokes and jibes were the only signs of
party conflict.
al have looked in vain for the evidences
of tyranny of the majority The orators
and journals of both parties have spoken
their sentiments with the utmost freedom.
The banners of both parties have hung
nnmolested across the public streets; the
professions of both parties have have NOV.
ed uumolested round all parts of the city.
Nor could perceive that social divisions
were carried to an extreme. have seen,
through the contest, leading men of the
opposite parties in friendly intercourse
with eech other.
81 can scarcely conceive nation in the
midst of great political struggle more
temperate, more orderly, more respectful
OF each others rights. moro obserVant of
the law
"Ip a country town to which went in
the afternoon the aspect of things was the |
same Us in the city, end there l saw ne
groes taking part in q town meeting, ap-
parently on a perfect equality with the
whites. In the city l saw the negroes go
Jog up in the line of voters to the polls,
Mingled with the nrst men in the place.
'.By the defeat of the democratic party,
Engiand as we'll as America has escaped
great danger. The concessions which the
democrats we're prepared to make to the
slave-owners they would certainly have
had to bniAnce by a spirited foreign pol"
ICY of which England would have been
the object. This party, as you know, are
inveteraieIy hostile to us. They rest on
the slAve-owuers aud the Irish, both of
them our mortal encmies-and the only
enemies that, but for the reckless malig-
nifty OF our aristocrntic press, We should
have in this nation.
1.-THE best blood of this city is in the
war. Almost every family ono hears OF
has paid the tribute of life. There are
no doubt very mixed elements in the army;
but, on the whole, l do not believe that
any country has ever received more
costly free.will Offering of the blood of lit
children"
THE tone of society, so far from being
iudecent'y gay, is subdued, and great par
ties are thought not in good taste. Thi
fact has come distinctly under my notice.
THE more intercourse have with thes
people the more convinced am that the
have in them the love of their communit
and the devotion to their cause, which
after all their calamities aud errors, wi
bring them out victorious, to the confusio
of their enemies aud ours.
Slam, ETC., GOODWIN SAITH.
"BostOn, November g."