Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-10-06
TIE AUTUMN ELECTIONS.

The autumn elections in Maine, Vermont,
and California show little sign of that great
and sweeping reaction against the Union
party of which there have been SO many
dismal forebodings Indeed, upon a smaller
vote, the Union majority is proportionately
larger than it was last year.
The reason is plain. In the utter wreck
of its hopes pr0phesies, and policies, the
Democratic party has been engaged all the
autumn, from Maine to Iowa, in coming as
near to the Union party and its principles,
as possible, but with very various result.
La Maine the effort was. .laudable. La Penna.
the old currents were too strong, and the
Convention was like congregation Of dead
men solemnly affirming obsolete falsehoods.
In New Jersey theresult was characteristic.
The Copperhead gentlemen, who knew that
the war had settled their position unless they
assumed an aquiessence 1t it, said as much
as they dared to show that their syInpathies
were still with the rebellion, and then nomi-
nated--since there was no escape--the least
warlike of warriors, who Immediately atoned
for his errof in having been for short time
a soldier by ribald speech, appealing to the
hatred of one class OF citizens for another
In Ohio V VALLANDIGHAM ruled the ConYen.
ton, and doomed the distracted party to
QGtDtT Aulll1ldllB1s Dub III ANEM l. OIh ElCN
made clean breast of it. The party faced
straight about, of course declaring that it
always looked one way; and not only an
announced doctrines which, with some ex-
ceptions, are agreeable to Union men, but
actually snatched their chief candidates from
the Union ranks
This was the crowning proof offered by the
most sagacious body OF Its opponents that
the Union party is the party of the country,
and that success is to be expected only
in the degree that its principles are pro-
fessed.
Yet notwithstanding this amusing revela-
ton of the fact that the Democratic party is
utterly confounded and discordant, there
have been those who prophesied a great
| Democratic reaction. In Maine, however,
where, next to New York, the recantation
was most complete, the event shows the
| Union ranks firmer than ever. In Vermont
model conmunityof sober, intelligent, and
industrious citizens, the hunlbug of De
mocracy" IS utterly exposed In the coun-
| ties of California the Union members of the
| Legislature are generally elected. In New
| Jersey the Union men work with cheerful
yigor and resolution which no reverse can
| daunt, which viii soon redeem that State
| from its long subseryience to narrow aud
| inhuman policy In Ohio, the Union party
| will gladly show again nitsoYerwhelmiug seern
Of Y V4ALLANDIGHAM and the doctrines of the
rebellion.
Meanwhile every vuter viii naturally ask
himself what is gained by desertiDg an orga-
nizatioH which has always held those princi-
pies from conviction, for an organization
which has steadily derided them until the
war put them beyond question? Or, grant
| ing the sincerity of the Democratic conYer
sion, conceding that the leopard has changed
its spots, why should the veterans Of long
! and victorious campaigns be discarded for
the raw recruits of yerterday? The Demo-