Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-09-17
How the Radical Papers Excuse
their llefeaf i'm California;.

AAO" tHc AAH0lCaA k-dRcES EAC06C
their Defeat i'm California.
The Chicago Republican makes the follow
ing comments upon the late Radical defeat
in California. 1t says:
"The Republican and more intelligent
Democratic papers, in all the States, point
out the direct moral teachings of this
wholesome defeat, viz: that parties are not
created for personal ends, and can not be
rum for personal interests. However
much individuals in Office may prostitute
themselves and make merchandise of their
power. they can not mount the party horse
avowedly to ride in their schemes of plum
der. Mr.. Gorham came before the people
OF California-we confess it with shame, as
the Republican candidate for Governor
dripping with the corruption which
it was his paid purpose TO deposit
in the Executive chair. Plastered all
over him, in front and rear, were the con-
spicuOus insignia of his own shame and
the party's disgrace. His pockets were
stuffed with still other hidden schemes OF
plunder. We early predicted his defeat,
but as eminently desirable. The defeat of
Senator Conness, throwing himself as he
did with mulish obstinacy in the way of an
outraged people, was no less deserved by
him. Much as we may regret the loss of
Republican vote in the Senate, there will
be no tears for John Conness. For he is,
indeed. charged with the prime respon-
sponsibility of the disaster. He, it is
said, coaXed and bullied the combined
moneyed interest to work this campaign
on contract. Instead of leaving his own
reelection in the hands of the people
who had been proud at one time to honor
| him. he undertook to drive measures with
high hand. The evil tendencies of such
canvass, and the malarias that hung over
| y ill hxyfI fI,safh hmm 6oro of do
| feat. The political atmosphere of Califor-
MIA is purified. We shall have more hope
| and confident expectation OF genuine Re-
publican triumphs, both there and else
| where, hereafter, than as if the COnness-
Gorham combination now succeeded. For
Conness there remains an uneXpired term
| in the Senate, in which to do works meet
for repentance. For Gorham there can be
only pity and contempt that his early and
brilliant youth is thus indelibly stained"
The Worcester (Mass.) Gazette is one of
the intensely Radical sheets, and it tells its
party some unwholesome truths. Speak
ing of the California election, it says
"The California election has lesson in
| it which the politicians will do well to
heed. We may attempt to sooth our feel
ing by laying the Republican defeat to this
or that cause, yet it does not remove the
| ugly fact that the Republicans have been
| routed in that State, horse, foot and dra-
goon;' showing that whatever may have
been the cause of this defeat, there is ten
dency in the Republican party to disin-
tegrate, which tendency must increase
rather than diminish. This is perfectly
natural when we consider that the founda-
ton upon which the Republican party was
built has been removed.
THE Republican party, only under the
most favorable circumstances, can expect
TO retain its political ascendency. Under
the spur and excitement of the last cam
paign, which resulted in the reelection of
the lamented Lincoln, change of less than
six per cent. in the aggregate vote would
have made General Mcclellan President.
If the Republican triumph, at time when
the nations life was at stake, was only
six per cent. in the aggregate vote of three
millions seven hundred and six thousand
one hundred and seventy mine, how can
the party expect to retain the ascendancy
in the elections crowding upon it, with no
clear and defined policy upon single
question which has grown out of the late
war?
s.Every local defeat sustained by the
Republicans tells feariully upon their six
per cent. of prestige, and calls in thunder
tones upon the leaders of the party to dis
solve it and acknowledge their inability to
answer the demands upon them, or mark
out clear and well-defined policy upon
those questions which to-day SO intensely
interest the people,"
THURLow WE'D, the old leader in New
York of the opposition to the Democracy,
and now editing Republican paper, the
Ne,o York Commercial, warns his party
that sJ
'.The day approaches-nor is it distant
when the Republican party will deeply de-
plore its intatuation: when its eyes will be
opened to the dangers which threaten it;
when the folly of committing it to the lea
dership of Sumner, Stevens, Butler, &C.,
&C., will be apparent; and when the attempt
to demoralize suffrage by the admission of
masses of persons who, as is admitted in
National appeal, are ignorant of the means
by which suffrage is expressed will recoil,
not merely to plague the inventors but
to jeopardize, if not overthrow our Repub-
lican ascendancy."
We might continue our quotations until
we filled our entire paper. The above must
suffice for the present.
I,