The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-12-26
Total 1,374,O 3G 1854 2l5, 5ss

Al examination of these two tables reveals the
fact that at the late elections there was IN the ne
| publican ranks a large silent vote; oven allowing
that the gain Of SO, 6O6 III the Democratic vote OF
1861 in these States came from tho Republicans
| (which is almost beyond the bounds OF probability,
| if not of possibility, there remain q ,042 Repub-
| lican votes uLaccounted for except Oh the hypotne-
sis that they wero not polled. The Democrats, 1t
is clear, voted almost to a man, especially on Tue
negro suffrage issue, but their opponents failed to
| show their strength. Ohio furnishes q very peril
| nent illustration of this point. In that State the
| Republicans polled 243, 532 votes for Governor,
| whereas, on the question OF negro suffrage, thcre
| were but 2lG,9 S7 votes cast III Its favor; While on
| these two issues tho Democratic votes were re-
| spectively 240. 622 and 255, $40, showing very plain
" that at least 26, 500 Republicans rctrained from
| voting at ali on tho question OF negro suffrage, or
voted against it, yet came TO tno support OF tner
| candidate for Governor. There Is, therefore,, oYery
reason for believing that the vote OF 1867 was In
| tended by the moderate Republicans to convey the
same moral to the leaders OF their party that the
Democratic victories in tho Middle States Ill 1867
did 70 the then existing Republican administra-
ton. They were significant, noe as showing thai
the country was becoming Democratic, but that q
| great many Republicans were dissatisfied with the
| course Of public events, and with the actions OF
their Own party leaders.
Bnt what OF tic future? IL is plain that If Con-
gross, at It's session OF 1867 -'GS, does nothing to
reform the intcrnal. revenue department, II the
business OF tho country is to so from bad to worse,
| ard il no practicable scheme DO proposed Tor pacl-
tying the Sout)I and restoring the Southern States
to the Union, the Republican party must expect to
be defeated at the Presidential election. Thercls,
! however, every reason to lnler from tic Tone OF
| ihc Republican press and OF those OF It's leaders
| who haqa cpoken since the lato elections, that 1t
will profit by tile :cvorses Of 1867 as the admins
tratiou of President Lincoln did by those OF lS62.
Whatever may be said against the republican Or
oanizaiicn, it must DO owned that 1t has sho IN
itself to be = very flexible party, and willing to
IL tit . "a tln a--iD ar rllp rn. nT nnhnr Onln-
ion. Its history is full Of RECORDS OF Its changes
not only in name, but in doctrines. originally
COMPOSED OF divers clements, such As Wings, De
mocrat5, snG Know NotDings, IL Incorporated
Barnburncrs, FreCso.icrs.. Anti-NeDragha Demo
Gratis, and every section OF The Democratic party
that showed q disposition to revolt was Encouraged
sc to do, and It's leaders given positions oi profit
and hGnGr. The case is far different with the De-
mocratic pait,. It has not only retained IT'S name
FOR more than 3 gener.t.cr, hut has been lntolc-
rant of dissent, and has permitted NJ T'odIhratlons
OF It's platform save sach a. II could not iicit %.
ve~e forced upon ii by its opponent Once the
moycmcii, party, daring the great slavery agita-
ton and the cnsuiEg war 1t became tilc CUi'scrVa-
tive party. Nj. John otuI.. Mil bas called tho
conservatives OF England, as colnpalet- "it' their
nppo?ont5, 1.-THE %stupidest party'-an eplthcG
which is uUc ~ Il certain sense of The Democratic
party cf the United St.l,s- Not tlat It's leaders are
stupid. or that il docs not ine!r"e = great many
ysr" clever men, but, from the position HLl@ii' II IL
compelled e occupy. 1t necessarily embraces near
" all the stoitd arl ignorant voters, especially
such as are influenced by prejudice OF race, AS L
party, it has shown no i~lcx,plhty, Is leadership
has been very unwiso, and its position during the
val Naa, 10 say the least, unfortunate. History
will yet do justice to it's defence of personal rights
and Of the liberty OF the press curing The progress
of an cxasperating civil war; bu, upon ia contcm-
porarics its ACTON has been unfortunate lor liz
reputation, howGyer unac5cry9d that rrPutation
contain to-day ono statesman who has the COM
prehensiyc ideas, breadt q gicw: sngscstiyeness
Presidential contest. As political organization,
it lacks brains, sound leadership, and generous
ideas.
Republican party is no better of than its rival;
but it has shown Itself 10 be moro ready to con-
form to the changing aspect OF public affairs, and
generous, il not wise, in its various programmes
Of action. In demanding universal suffrage, with
out respect to race or color, it has placed Itself Ill
accord with the spirit Of the age. The tendency
of modern thought and civilization everywhere IS
toward the widest possible extension Of the right
of suffrage. But the Republican party undertook to
run faster than public sentiment. 1t Is one thing