New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-04-03
THE LESSON or CONNECTICUT


We understand the result in Connecticut.
The majority is larger than we figured up yes
terday and the delegation to Congress consists
of three Democrats and one Republican. The
vote was large, and the canvass fought upon
square issues. The efforts of the Democratic
party were INSCRIPTIONS and unresting. The
good old Democratic custom of extracting the
largest number of votes from the smallest
given number of voters was practiced very
effectively in many places, so much so, indeed,
that at least one of our candidates for Congress
speaks of cOntesting the seat of his successful
opponent. Our friends hold the power in the
Legislature and for all practical purposes. so
far as the State and the Republican majority
i'm Congress are concerned, the Copperheads
have gained barren triumph
Aside from this, il is well to look the can
vass fairly in the face. A minority Of The peo-
ple of Connecticut hare carried this election by
a prodigiow outlay of money and effort because
a part of the majority are most unuStfy digrdn-
chised. In October, 1865, the voters were
called upon to decide upon the question OF
impartial suffrage. An amendment permitting
the negro to vote was submitted. The issue
was plainly made. There were in the State
about 1000 cOlored men, Americans by birth
and observation-disclosures who had borne their
part in the war, and of whom nine tenths
were Republicans. There was no excuse for
the denial of suffrage-nOt even the shadow of
a reason-but it was refused in a poll of over
10000 votes by majority of 6,212. Our friends
polled about $1,000 votes, although in the Spring
they gave Gen. Hawley nearly 1900. In other
words there were 5000 Republicans who were
willing to make Gen. IIawley Governor who
did not think enough of the honor of Connect
cut to give the ballot to the negro. The
amendment was lost and the apathy, we might
as well say the cowardice, OF fragment of our
friends in 1865, disfranchised voters enough to
have elected Gen. Hawley on Monday.
When Connecticut voted wrongly in 1865, it
was felt that her decision would injurc the
progress of reconstruction i'll the South. Con-
gress, it was thought, would not dare to give
the negro in the South the justice that was
refused him in a NewEngland commonwealth.
1t made the argument more difficult, we admit,
and gave our enemies a reply that we could
not very well answer; but the work went on,
and to-day South Carolina is more free, in the
sense of freedom according to the Declaration
of independence, than the old Charter State.
We are not alarmed about the influence of the
present vote upon the Republican party else
where, and especially upon the good work now
doing in the South. 1t would have been well
to have had Connecticut with us in this great
labor but it can be done without her.
And now we urge our friends in Connecticut
to begin this day the work of regeneration.
Connecticut is Republican whenever Repub
licans choose to make it So "The fault is our
GOWN" says The Nep-H arn Palladium. "The
"whOe State has been timOrous, time-serving,
conservative" Let there be an end of this.
The defeat of Gov. Hawley is the punishment
of the Republican Union party for the iniidel-
ity of q fraction of its members to the benign
principle of impartial suffrage. But for this,
we could have enjoyed the detection of
Dixon, Babcock, Cleveland, and their fell
low-renegades, and carried everything but
one member of Congress. The lesson must not
be lost. Hencetorth, the Republican party from
the 81. John to the Pacific is a unit for Universal
Liberty and Impartial Suffrage, regardless Of
caste, race, or color. Those who are hostile to
this principle will go to their own place as
Judas did. What little we may lose tempo
rarily in one section will eventually gain a
tenfOld recOmpense in another with malice
toward none, with charity toward all" the
National Union party, proudly proclaiming it
self Republican in faith, and works, and name,
devotes itself anew to the achievement of All
Rights for All.