Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-10-13
WHAT THE ELECTIONS PORTEND

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In another part Of this issue will be seen
a summary Of the result of the elections held
on Tuesday in some of the leading States Of
the North, 1t does not sensibly change the
political condition, and is significant, only,
in the fact that it entities the Radical Con-
gress to claim that their action has been sus-
tanned by majority Of the people in those
States, and encourages the artful and ambi-
tious leaders Of that body to abate nothing
Of their audacious attempts to rule the na-
ton in the interests Of a sectional party, and
in violation Of the Constitution; and to inn
pede the patriotic efforts Of the President to
restore the Union, 10 re-establish peace
under the purely civil forms which our sys-
TEN Of government contemplates, and to re-
assure the public tranquility by guarantee
Of equal and impartial rights to the citizens
Of every section of the country. We con.
fess that this IL a deplorable result, but it is
one not unexpected in the calculations Of
any one who has closely observed events for
the past few months, and therefore should
not sink those who hoped for a different re-
salt in the slough of dependency, or cause
them to relax in effort to avert from them
selves and the nation the untoward conse-
quences which may ensue. We do not I'M
derrate the significance Of expressions of the
popular sentiment, but as a people we are
prone to magnify the effects Of elections. In
the first flush Of a triumph at the ballot-box,
the successful party exults, and exaggerates
the Importance Of their achievement while
the defeated party suffers corresponding
depression, and, being in the mood to con-
cede all that its opponent claims, gives way
10 gloomy Vaccinations, and commences to
coljure up horrifying images Of the future.
There is something too much of this" and
we can perceive no reason In the result of the
recent elections to indulge the fears that
some express Of further and extreme action
by the Radicals, either looking to impeach-
ment Of the President or more direct revo-
lutionary assaults upon the Constitution, or
greater expressions upon the Southern peo-
pie. In it there is no ground to justify
dismissal Of all hope that the Northern peo-
pie are not utterly insensible to justice and
magnanimity, and that they have cast their
constitutional obligations entirely to the
winds. Il does not show that the masses Of
the North are prepared to support the more
reckless Of their leaders in the bold schemes
Of revolution which they have promulgated.
We think that any one who so interprets the
result, is yielding too readily TO the first feel
ings of gloom that follow political defeat,
and that they will soon see cause to revise
such an opinion.
1t should be borne in mind that, by the
shrewdness Of Radical politicians, the real
issue in these elections has been avoided, and
the popular mind diverted from the conside-
ration of the main question, which is tbs
preservation Of the Government under the
Constitution, from the invidious dangers
which lurk in the licentious abuse Of undele
gated power by the party now in the ascen-
dency. This grave and really threatening
problem which the people win have to solve,
sooner or later, il they save the substance Of
their liberties in this contest, has been inge-
niously concealed and postponed in the re-
cent canvass. The people Of the North have
pronounced no opinion upon this question
fairly and justly presented. Their judgment
and reason have not been consulted. On the
contrary, they have been dashed into convul-
sions Of passion, and electioneering
has been applied exclusively to their
feelings and prgudices. Amid a
senseless clamor about copperhead-
ism" and infammatory exhOriations against
rebels, and under the influence of fears excl
ted that by the re-admissionof the Southern
States to their lawful and rightful status in
the Federal Union, the Government
would again pass under the control
Of those still hostile to its integrity the I'M
scrupulous leaders have contrived to shuttle
their nefarious schemes TO the bottom Of the
pack, and coaen many honest and we'll
meaning citizens into their support. These
elections, in our opinion, mean this and no
more. The effect is detrimAtal to the
carly return Of Conservative rule in the
counsels Of the country It Is true, but they
do not signify deliberate support Of a spirit
Of revolution, such as will take form in
the Impeachment Of the President. The
boldest and most wicked Of the leaders who
have melted the popular feeling Of the
North to this pitch, upon a close calculation
Of Tuesdays figures viii learn, too that
twenty thousand msioriiies in States that
cas-, from a quarter TO half millioa votes
each. do not afford sanction or encourage
ment 70 their schemes. We have confidence
that ultraism does not dare yet TO sc be-
/ yond the point il has reached
We commend 10 our Conservative irienas
/ IN this season Of depression, the example OF
the PrcsidenL lie stands hrm ana nnois-
MAYED on the ramnarts Of the Constitution,