The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-10-07
THE UNION TICKET.
Election, Tuesday, Nov 8.
How Will the Soldiers Vote -?

diers now under arms or III hospitals are
ooino TO vote all one way; there are
doubtless two parties among them AS well
a. among civilians. Yet, Gen. Mcclellan
was nominated at Chicago simply because
it was thought he was an available man
and popular with the soldiers. Doubtless
he is 50 with a great many, but the plat
form upon which he stands is the stick,
They have not left home and friends and
zone forth to lie on the ground nights and
expose their lives to the bullet by day, for
one. two or three wears. as the case may
be, to now give up ali. They say. we
have nearly conquered the Rebellion, and
to give up now would be to undo all that
we have fought and suffered for-no, we
will fight little longer.
But let us look at the past and see how
the soldiers Hare voted, and then perhaps
we can give shrewd guess as to how they
will vote in the coming Presidential cleo
ton. In a carefully prepared article in
the last independent, Mr. Horace Greeley
gives us light on this point. We copy
from his article:
Pennsylvania alone allowed her soldiers
serving in other States to vote at her cleo
ton of 1861 Her soldiers then cast, in
all. Il ,3Gl votes for the Union. 3,l13
for the Democratic State titket-nOt quite
four Union to one Democratic. The Su-
preme Court ultimately decided these votes
invalid but that did not affect their sig
nitcance so far as regards this inquiry.
In 1862, the legal voters of a few regi-
ments and companies voted in ignorance
or in defiance Of the adjudication above
noticed. They gave in all l,SG7 for the
Union, POI for the Democratic ticket.
And in 1868, five regiments. then station
ed at Knoxville, Tennessee. held a volun-
teer election. and cast 1892 votes Tor
Governor Curtin. Union. and 50 for Judge
Woodward, his Democratic competitor
These votes. though necessarily rejected
BY the canvas,ers. may fairly be considered
by the people.
The soldiers OF Iowa were in 1862 first
authorized to vote while out Of the State A;
and they then cast 14,S14 votes for tbs
Union to Abs for the Democratic ticket
-between three and four TO one. Ii
1868. they voted a second time. and now
gave l7,Oil for the Lincoln to 1904 TO
the Democratic candidates-more thai
five to one Yet the Democratic candi
date thus badly handled was Gen. futile
then fighting in the war, and who hat
written much stronger war letter THAI
Gen. Mcclellan acceptance. In his owl
brigade he was very badly beaten by hi
Union competitor.
Wisconsin in 1862 polled a soldier-vol
of S,3773 Republican, Mon to 2.0lG 70
the Democratic candidates-over four t,
one. In 1868, her regiments cast 9.25
votes for Lewis. Union for Governor. Il
a. for Palmer. Democratic-more tina
twelve to one.
Ohio enabled her soldiers to vote in tn
field for the first time last Year and the
gave Brough. Union Tor Governor, Al
453 to 2,3Ol Cor Vallandigham. the sex
lie and martyr AT least eighteen to on
But for the losses of her regiments in II
desperate, protracted, untoward, battle O
the Chicamauea, a few days before he
election. Brcugh's majority would ha,
been considerably larger The above az
gregates do not include the vote polled i
the Libby prison at Richmond-l62 to
Brough, none for Vallandigham-whic
could not be legally counted.
Missouri in 1862 allowed her soldier
to vote under certain circumstances, ar
they cast 2.l39 for the Emancipation
to seven for the Democratic ticket
1868. the Missouri soldiers voted mo-
generally. polling 1927 Radical to II
Conservative ballots. Many mOre-3. OOl
1t Is Stated-were re iected and suppresse
by Conservative county clerks, who a,
Judged them not cast according to the pr
scribed forms One colonel in actual Sc
vice WAS a Conservative candidate. al
polled 90 votes in his own regiment.
California first enabled her soldiers
vote at the election of 1868: and the
pollcd for Low. Union candidate for Go,
ernor, Alb; Downey, Democratic. IA
Colorado chose delegate to Congre
IN 1862, and authorized her soldiers
vote. They polled 561 Republican
twelve Democratic ballots.
These are all the votes cast by soldit
whereof we have any record-nearly
that have been cast by soldiers in the te
since the war began They show tn;
IN the aggregate. l20.GOe votes have be
cast during the war for Republica
Emancipation, Radical. or Union ticke1
to 10. $50 for Democratic or Conservat;
candidates. The Democratic vote
rather short of one-eighth OF tho tot.
and its proportion has diminished fro
year to year with the progress of t
struggle.
Mr. Greeley gives list of the Sta
that permit their soldiers in the field
vote; and throwing out Missouri as dou
tul, he arrays the following for Mr.. L