The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-24
The Reaction Il Myth

The Reaction myth'
THE great s'reaction" upon Whioh ou'
80 fr;o,,ds have been so confidently relying
CO.. s,,oooss this fall, is daily proving ITSELF TO
a. oovtb. Even the California election over
.-It.k % Great a "fuss" has been made, turns
o,,t to have displayed only the average Demo-
cratic strength Indeed, the Democratic vote
a. the last election is absolutely smaller than
at any previous election since 1860, excepting
1865 when there was no contest. In 1864,
at the Presidential contest, which brought out
tbe full vote and in which party strength was
accurately measured, the Democrats polled
az. .S4I votes for Mcclellan. This year they
have polled only AZ, 300, showing an absolute
loss of nearly $500 votes. The figures show that
in California there has been no reaction against
the Republican party. Had there been, the
Democratic vote would have been not rela-
lively but absolutely increased. They show
merely that large number of the Republican
voters-suficient to determine the result OF
the election-dissatisRed and disgusted with
the quarrel in their own party, simply stood
aloof and refused to vote. These men are no
less Republicans than BEFORE and upon any
issue involving the national ascendancy of
Republican principles will be found acting
again in the ranks. The California election
gives no ground for supposing any popular
reaction against the Republican party. 1t
does teach the necessity of more care in the
management of the internal machinery of the
party.
The truth is, that this cry of great "re-
aCtiOn' is merely an electioneering trick of
our enemies. They do not believe in it them
selves. AS New York contemporary we'll
remarks, if the Democratic leaders in Penn
sylvania were satisfied of a great popular
reaction in their favor, they would
not be besieging the White House
for aid from Johnson. They would not be
trying to pack the Navy Yard, the Custom
House, and the Internal Revenue Depart
ment with Democratic blowers and strikers.
In q word, they would not be invoking the aid
of the Administration. to accomplish by the
corrupt use of Government patronage the very
result which they claim to be certain as the
fruit of a revolution in the public mind. The
fact that they are resorting to these corrupt
appliances shows that they are depending
upon Andrew Johnson rather than the people.
1t shows that there is no popular reaction in
their favor, and that they have no belief in
any. great movement of the people, having
its springs in their own bosoms, is not depend
ent upon few sops from the Navy Yard or
from the Internal Revenue Department
On the other hand, the Republican party.
both in our own State and elsewhere is alb
solutely in a stronger and better working con-
dition than it was last fall. At that time, the
conservative movement inaugurated by the
August Convention had the charm of novelty,
and of being the apparent commencement of a
real reaction. 1t had attracted to it some mel
like Henry J. Raymond, of New York, of &C
kuowledged power and influence. 1t threatened
a serious breach in the Republican ranks
That movement has since died out, and tn
most of its supporters, all of whom had bee
drawn from the Republican ranks, have re
turned to the fold of the party. The event
of the past year have served to consolidate tn
entire sentiment of the party in favor of tn
Congressional plan of reconstruction. MI
Johnsons apostacy to the Democratic part
has become more evident and indisputablt
Many conservative Republicans, who woul
have been willing to follow him in an indt
pendent movement, have no idea at all (
being transferred bodily to the ranks of tn
Copperhead Democracy. Hence it is that tn
real sentiment of our State is more soundl
Republican to-day than it was last year.
only needs that our friends do their Who'll
duty in thorough canvass, to show to tn
country result which will be especial
astonishing to all who have been pinning thei
faith and hopes upon great reaction"