The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1867-04-23
.CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS
oF Thu
Democratic Executive Committee,
DgxoeRArIc ExEcUTIyE COMMITTEE Rooms,
COLUMBUS, O., April IA, 1857.


DEMOCRATS OF OH1o: We congratulate
you upon the cheering political indica-
tions. Our party, as it were, has passed
through a long, dark political night-so
long and SO dark, that many have de-
SPARED Of the dawning of day; but at
last the night IS passing away, and a ray
of light breaks through the thick dark
ness eastward In New Hampshire the
Republican majority has largely fallen of, !
Connecticut unfurls the Constitution and
records a decisive majority for the De-
mocracy-giving to the Democratic can
didates on the State ticket a majority of
about one thousand, electing three out Of
the four candidates for Congress, and
causing the Legislature to stand Senate,
II Republicans and 10 Democrats; House
127 Republicans and III Democrats. AT
the spring election of 1862, preceding the
fall election wherein the Democracy car
ried Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, In
diana, Illinois, New jersey and Delaware
Connecticut gave to the Republican candi-
date for Governor a majority of nine
thousand. The Senate was unit against
the Democrats and the House stood: Re-
publioans l81; Democrats Sc; being Re-
publican majority of 145 on joint ballot,
against a majority of only II on joint
ballot now. By reference and compari-
son, we find that the spring elections this
year in New York, Pennsylvania, New
Jersey, Indiana, and particularly in Ohio,
are as much of an improvement on the
spring elections in these States in 1862,
as was the election in Connecticut on the
1st instant an improvement on the result
in that State in the spring of 1862, in
the fall of which year the Democratic
party trlumphed SO grandly.
We herein recognize cause for congrat-
ulation and an incentive that should spur
Democrats everywhere to the most ener-
getic effort. IF our information is not
faulty, continuously for fourteen years
did the Democracy of Connecticut en-
counter defeat at the polls; but, nothing
daunted believing in the righteousness of
their cause, they fought on, and they
now find their reward in triumphant
victsry. They had to encounter desper-
ate antagonism-intellect money, and in
temperate appeals to passion and preju-
dice. They have overcome ALI What
the Democracy in Connecticut did the De-
mocracy of other States can do through
the same dauntless and, persistent effort.
You, the Democrats Of Ohio, can do it.
You have not suffered exclusion from pow
er in the State for fourteen years, as did
the Democracy of Connecticut. You car
ried the State in 1862 by majority ran
ging from FIVE to over seven thousand al
though at the preceding State election
you were defeated by majority Of 3D.
203-your aggregate vote in the State be-
ing only 157, ,694, whereas the Republi-
can aggregate vote in the State was 206,-
997. The very next year your vote for
Secretary of State was 184, ,332-an in
crease Of 32,538 on the preceding year,
whereas the Republican vote for Secreta-
tary of State was 17S,741-a falling of
of 2S,256 as compared with the vote Of
the preceding year.
The Republican. majority in the State
last fall on Secretary of State was 1896
-12,507 less than it was against you in
1861, and yet you carried the State at the
ensuing election triumphantly. We cite
these to encourage and stimulate you to
an active CO. cooperation with US in the eff
fort to carry the State. Even did not the
result of the election in Connecticut and
at the municipal elections elsewhere, bid
us hope for success as the reward of en-
ergetic work, the revolutionary conduct
of the Radicals in Congress, and espe-
cially the effort of the leaders of the Re-
publican party here in Ohio to drag the
white man down to political, and thence
to social, equality with the negro, should
cause such repugnance as to arouse the
pride of race in every white man to resent
so impudent an insult by voting upon the
Republican leaders and their candidates
overwhelming condemnation. We,there-
fore, beseech you, one and all, SO to di-
rect your labers as to bring about this re-
suit. It will require work-hard, un-
ceasing work from now until the election
Gould vote be taken tomorrow on the
question of negro suffrage, without an
appeal, pro or con, that question would
undoubtedly be overwhelmingly defeated
The advocates of the measure-and they
Include all the leaders and organs Of the
Republican psrty-intend to bring inte
requisition every conceivable agent to Sc
cure its adoption. To be defeated il
must be fought with the same ceaseleas
energy and stubbornness. Every man
who is opposed to the establishment Of
an equality of the white and black races
In this State, and to the disfranchisement
of those soldiers who did faithful ser
vice throughout the actual continuance
of the war, but who returned home be-
fore receiving an official discharge, must
now be enlisted. To this end, organize
clubs in every township in the State, dis
seminate Democratic journals, as exten-
sigely as possible, ,as well as such publica.
tions as treat scientifically and Impair
tally upon the two races.
Again we would congratulate you upon
the cheering indication for Democratic
success in the fall, and urge upon you
the importance of Immediately institu-
ting such measures as will insure it be-
yond peradventure.
JOHN G. THOMPSON, Chm.
e. B. EsHELMAN, Sec.
GoJuMRrs a. April 16.-The Senate