The Van Buren press., 1866-06-30
MIppIETowN, Conn. June IL. 1866.

| MIDDIETOwN, CONN- June IL, lS66.
I Us. DUNHAM Perhaps you would like to
be posted, politically, with regard to matters
and things In the old puritan State of Connec-
ticut. AsyOu know we have recently passed
through an excited election of State officers.
Senator to Congress &c.
Inasmuch as the Republicans elected their
officers you probably had come to the conclu-
sion that the State as heretofore. Is an out-and-
out radical republican State; so it must ap-
pear to those at distance, but It'll not so. in
fair election, when every eleCtOr could vote
according to his conscientious convictions, the
Democratic party would be found largely in
the majority. The reasons for the conclusion
have come to. are these; in 1865 the Repub-
lican majority for State officers was over elev-
en- thousand. in the last election it was about
five hundred. Previous to the last election.
the Republicans became somewhat alarmed;
they were not to receive the expected help
from the returned soldiers. They gave out
that they fought for the restoration of the
Union. and should vote to sustain President
johnson in his policy. and the Republican
party almost uniformly is opposed to the pO-
sition that the President occupies. To secure
the soldiers votes they. nominated Gen. Haw-
ley for Governor, who had been an officer in
the northern army through the war. They
sent abroad for all of the voters belonging to
that party, at the time out of the State. to re-
turn and vote, their expenses to be paid out of
their funds. They sent to Washington for
money and speeches. | thought that party
| had heretofore been famous for spending mon
! ey but the like was never known before. Open
| bribing was reSOrted to, and doubtful voters
were offered from five to fifteen dollars to vote
| their ticket The prOprietors of our factories
and quarries threatened their employees with
loss of employment and occupants of tene-
ments and boarding houses were to be turned
into the streets if they voted the Democratic
ticket. They gave out also that vote for the
republican party would be vote for the re-
election of Mr. Foster to the u. 5. Senate.
Mr. +. is, very popular with the masses, his
being placed in the position of Vice President
is somewhat gratifying to the vanity of his
constituents. and the use of his name for the
Senate evidently secured the small Re-
publican majority But now for repub.
lican honesty and sincerity. AS soon as the
result of the vote was made public. orders
came from Washington that Mr.. Foster must
not be reelected to the Senate he was too
conservative. and did not come upto the rad-
cal views of Messrs. Sumner Wade Fessen-
den and that clique: the conservatives gave
them great trouble. They knew Mr.. Ferry.
He had been in Congress, and he was their
man; bis ultraiSm would qualify him to sit
by side of the disunion radicals which COM
pose the majority in the Senate. They insist
ed on having one from Connecticut who hated
the South as intensely as they did themselves:
at all events the south must be kept out until
after the next Presidential election. After
great deal Of trouble and by resorting to
threats and promises. Mr.. Ferry obtained II
majority and was elected; it is bitter pill for
them to swallow. but Stevens and Sumner
have ordered it and it must 60 down.
But the ball Is in motion and if negro suff-
rage and the republican programme is carri-
ed out. as laid down by the radical leaders the
Democracy of Connecticut will at no very dis
tant period be in the ascendancy. Negro suf
frage has. in this State. been voted down by
over six thousand majority, and they are not
quite ready to force it upon Arkansas without
their consent. C.