The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1867-10-24


1t thus appears that the total vote cast
in 1866 exceeded that cf 1865, 143, $50
!. and that the total vote of 1867 falls short
of the vote of 1866, 62,8O0.
On an examination of the details it fur
ther appears that the decrease this year
is 4O,7l0 on the Republican vote of 1866
and decrease of Only 22090 on the
Democrats vote of 1866. Or, in other
words, there were over IS, 200 more Re-
publicans who did not go to the polls at
the last election than there were Demo
Gratis. There are eight counties in the
State, viz: Allegheny, Bradford, Craw-
ford, Erie, Lancaster, Philadelphia,
Sehuylkill and York, in every one of
which more Republican voters remained
at home than were required to elect Judge
Williams !; and in both Allegheny aud
| Philadelphia there were more than four
times as many absentees as were needed
TO give US the State. In no county ex-
cept Philadelphia and Forest (the latter
tby change OF boundary line) did either
party Increase the vote of last year.
1t is hoped these plain figures will
teach Republicans the simple but impor-
tant lesson that a mere numerical ajority
of voters will not carry an election, unless
they are at the polls and vote on election
day. General apathy, caused by an appa-
rent failure to appreciate the importance
of the contest, is the primary cause OF our
defeat. Besides this, we had local diff
culties and side issues to contend against
sufficient of themselves to destroy U.S.
We lost votes in many places by reason Of
| the Legislation Of last session, and on the
apprehension Of negro suffrage; and in
Philadelphia on the question OF city tax
alton, and what is known as the Sunday
car question, and by sundry frauds. And
worse than all these, our friends there
nominated a ticket fer city Offices not ac-
| cepta5le to our people, maiuly because it
had no soldiers upon it. The soldiers
themselves, to their credit be it recorded, j,
stood up maufully to their principles, and
voted with us as heretofore But large
numb 6erS of their friends would not sup
| port the ticket; and in every Republican
precinct in the city, there were from ft-
teen 20 one hundred and fifty of our
| friends who refused to vote. Thus we
lost Philadelphia, aud consequently the
| State
| The defeat Of so worthy a candidate as
| Henry w. Williams is q humiliation to
which our friends who staid at home
should not have subjected US. They have
been unfaithful to the great principles for
which we have struggled and suffered to-
gethcr during the last six years and they
have imposed upon us additional laborS
aud trials for the future, which proper
discharge Of duty now would have avertcd
| But, let us "never despair of the Re
public" Reconstruction on the basis of
universal liberty and impartial justice
must yet be accomplished and there can
be no doubt the Union Republican party
is as strong to-day, on all great National
issues, and as determined to accomplish
its mission, as at any time during the last
six years. Our duty is plain and is well
stated In recent private letter from our
standard bearer in the late contest, as
follows ''Instead of being dispirited, we
should grid up our loins and burnish our
armor for next years Presidential cou-
test, and make such use of this defeat as
TO secure decisive and overwhelming
victory"
Many thanks tc those wto so nobly did
their duty in the late canvass and as to
those who did not, the earnest hope is
INDUCED that they will make ample
amends hereafter.
BY order of the Committee.
+. JORDAN, Chairman.
|