The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1867-10-17
The Elections and the Northern Press.


rainst the Radicals, and elected the Demo-
cratic ticket by fair majorities. So great q
change of the people is signal rebuke to the
prosecuting spirit and ruinous policy of the
ultra Republicans. The radical losses in Cali
fornia and Maine, were sufficiently alarming,
but the loss Of these great Statcs Pennsylra-
min and Ohio, writes the doom Of the party.
The Northern papers are filed with comments
and speculations concerning the causes of
this defeat to their hopes, some of which are
amusing and ingenious specimens of the pro-
pensity of men'to shut their eyes tothe truth,
and to pretend not to see it. The Tribune,
for instance, attributes the loss of the Calitor
mia elections to The "non- christian intidcl
Germans" who voted with the Democrats, in
order to effect the repeal of the Sunday laws.
a suppositicn, complimentary 10 say the least
for it, to the people Of that State, and cspc-
cially the Germans. In anticipation of The
loss of the German vote in New York, it de-
nounccs in advance the !" German infdels"
of that city, as governed by their opposition
to the excise law, in their dcsertion of the
radical ranks, and with pharisaical self
Righteousness, calls on the religious press,
and christians of New York: to;unitc with the
radicals to ruin the country, for the sake of
sustaining the puritanical Sunday laws.
In regard to the Pennsylvania elections,
the Tribune says the result was brought a.
bout by the failure of the Republicans put
forward the right men as candidates, under
the mistaken belief " that any thing would be
elected that could get on the Republican tick
et" while the Democrats "nominatcd three
soldiers with a good warrecord." The same
paper recommends MI those in. the republi-
can camps "whose hearts are with the ad-
verse host, to let their bodies follow" and
very frankly tells the country in the words Of
GAnrDALDI, that they offer us "privation.
hartlslips, hunger, wounds and death" This
is precisely what VIC all along knew the rad
icals to be Offering to the freedmen of the
South, but were not prepared to hear it ad-
mittcd in this disingcnuous manner, by the
great organ of the party. So much for Mr..
GnEELY.
The New York Tines is not so bold az the
Tribune, and undertakes to read 'thc lessons
of the elections in this wise: 1t warns the
democrats, that they deceive themselves if
they suppose that their success indicates any
Increase of confidence in thcm-says it only
shows reaction against the extrcac acts Of
the Republicans. That these acts and meas
ures were forced upon the people, who would
! have repudiated them long ago, but for the
danger of restoring the Democrats to power.
The people wanted prompt restoration of
the Union, at the close Of the war, but did
not want restoration of the rebels to power.
AS an alternative to that, they accepted the
radical measures. "And the only reason they
seem now to have halted in their support, is
bcccusc they have reached point where it
can be done, without the risk of rcinstating
the rebels and the Democrats in their old su-
premacy." The leaders of the Republicans,
it says, have grown arrogant and reckless,
Incorporate and relentless" Have forced
upon the party, "tle most extreme theories
Of the widest and most impracticablc," as the
basis of the party creed. The party "grew
too strong to be wise" ':The first result of
such a course, is to make the party which a.
dopts it, corrupt, and the next is to make it
weak" 1t advises them to reform, ,-''no par
ty can long retain oower which seeks it solely
for its selfish advantage" The Times con-
cludes by admitting the danger of New York,
following the example of Pennsylvania, for
the general reasons suggested, and also on
account of certain local and special reasons.
In this article, we hare charges enough
against the radicals to erllsh any party, and
being the testimony of m inmate Of the
household, VIC take it to be in this rcspec.,
true to the letter.
The great cosmopolitan sheet, the Herald,
in its numbering way, wise and oracular as
usual, declares that these elections Indicate
the great groundswell of the people against
Radicals and Democrats alikc-a protest a.
gainst the surrender of the country to the
rule of an ignorant and irresponsible constit-
ucncy, and in favor ofreconstruction and har-
mony, so necessary to the nation. The Her.
aid advises Mr.. JOHNSON, to change his Cab
met and surround himself With "mep thor
oughly identified with the Union cause in the
war-men of whom The loyal masses of the
North are justly proud, and yet men who are
not committed to the revolutionary schemes
of radica. fanaticism-not visionary, but
clear-headcd men-such men, if you please,
as Grant, Thomas, Sheridan, Hancock, Far
ragut and Porter" The Herald also advocates
the election of Grant and Sheridan as Presi-
dent and ce-President-ihe former because
he possesses the capacity of all great rulers
of selecting the right men for The right places,
and the latter as a great expouuder Of the
Constitution. The Herald demonstrates this