Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-10-23
THE KNOXVILLE WHIG
Knoxville, Tenn, October %, 1867.
Politics Of the Day.--Slgns or the
Times.

By BRowNLow g. HAWs.

The Republican party has met with check
which, If we'll used viii secure them in power and
If not viii be fatal to s success This is the sleepy
and careless year. in which success on either side is
not very importsnti but next year ls6s is the one
which must settle the politics Of the country for
long period. No experienced politician il in the
least coubt 20 the cause Of the falling of in Ohio;
and Is not therefore by way of excuse (ior there
is eEcusel, but of instruction for future benefit
that we shall comment little on the state of affairs
both in Ohio and in the country. Before we pro
coed, however, let US say, for those whom a little
check discourages, that in 1862 the whole Demo-
cratic State ticket was elected by $4,000 majority
and fourteen out Of nineteen Congressmen elected
Notwithstanding, the Democratic ticket was beaten,
in 1853 by 100000 majority Now we have not
done half as bad in 1862 and, if there any pru-
dence good sense left in the Repub blican party we
shall carry the Presidential ticket in 1863 by near
ly as large majority in 1863 But, that is the
question. Will good, Jealous earnest men ever
learn that they cannot turn the current Of human
nature by law and logic Will they ever learn a
still greater truth that there are many things which
ought not 10 be turned by law and logic2 Many
things on which the people have a right TO consult
their Interests and their prejudices2 We never
the particular advantage of running our heads
against stone wall in order 10 test the the exist
ence Of matter. We know Il beforehand. But, let
take the particular fscts before US. The falling
of in the Republican majority in Ohio is caused
solely, as it was in 1862 6y the diSafeetion (for a
opinion among the people worth counting. Nay,
far from it, that If Congress had taken more de-
cslve measures in regard TO the South and crushed
the rebel element there entirely it would have been
more popular than the dilat0ry measures they have
adopted. If there are any Democrats or Conserva-
tives who believe that the Ohio election had any
thing TO do with the military reconstruction Of the
South, they are preparing for themselves a bitter
disappointment. The proof on this head is posi-
tive. Messrs. Ashley and Shellabarger are the two
most radical members of the Ohio delegation, and
the former the most abused man in Congress, and
strongly ia favor of impeachment yet these men
are the very ones which are the best sustained by
their constituents, if tho election any test on
that score But we all know the question of recon-
struction was not in the canvass. Many Of the Re-
publicans we're disaffected, and all disorganized.
Why For two reasons mainly. Because, first, Of
negro sufTrage-pressed upon them in the most inn
polite Gnd obnoxious form. Had the question Of
negro suffrage been put to the people of Ohio, as it
ought TO have been, a distinct question, it would
have been voted down, but It would in no way have
affected the Republican party. But il was put with
two conditions, which were positively wrong and
absurd. First it was attached to condition that
deserters should be disfrancbised Most of these
deserters were not deserters in Just sense and yet
hey would have been disfranchised. They loft the
army without legal discharge, but with no bad in
lentions. Secondly, the amendment was put in the
middle Of the Republican ticket where every man
who resolved to vote against it must either not vote
scratch the ticket vote against it. The largest
number scratched the ticket few voted against the
whole ticket and many stayed at home. These
facts will appear the face of the official returns.
Yet with all the tremendous odds against Us, Gen.
Hayes the gallant and worthy candidate of the Re-
publicsns is elected and If il is necessary TO organ
ize the militia Of Ohio and march 20 Washington,
be is, doubt not, ready to do it.-CtaeinpoE Go
-Sffs