The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-10
T-oIo,e contest and It's Results.

srcb lessons as the occasion may seem to die
tate.
So far as our own State is concerned, the
democrats, while fully entitled to rejoice on
account of the success they have achieved,
have but little cause to exult over any of the
fruits of victory. Even if they have elected |
Judge Sbarswood, the Office is one of but little
political influence, and he merely replaces an
incumbent of like political faith. The city |
Offices secured are more valuable in the matter
of dollars and cents, but are none of them of |
any great political Importance. The State
Government remains, as heretofore, in the |
hands of the Republicans. 1t is only in moral |
prestige that we have really suffered. Many |
causes have combined to give our opponents
temporary triumph, but upon the vital !
issues of the Republican party we have no |
doubt that the State is still sound.
As we predicted during the canvass, the |
Democrats are attempting to claim the result !
as a popular rebuke of the national policy of
the Republican party. Every vote given for
Judge Sharswood is claimed as a vote endorsing
Andrew Johnson and condemning Congress.
We hear no more Of an independent Judiciary
of Judge Sharswood's S peculiar qualifications as
judge, or of any of the local issues which
were so persistently and successfully used
during the campaign. Everything is now
claimed on national questions. 1t is unneces-
sary to point out how false this is. We lost
largely on account OF the Sunday liquor law
passed last winter. The Germans are pecu-
harly sensitive upon that point, and many of
them, who, upon all national issues, are with
us, have thus sought to testify their disappro-
baton Of this restrictive legislation. We lost
also in this city on account of the Sunday-car
question.
But while ascribing to these local issues
their due weight in the canvass, we are not
edtoconceal from ourselves or our readers
the fact that the advanced position assumed
by Congress in the work of reconstruction has
cost us some votes. Doubtless many conser-
Vative Republicans have thought that we were
going ahead too fast. They have not yet been
educated up to the point of accepting in full
the great results which the overthrow Of
slavery has rendered sooner or later inevitable.
Every advanced step taken by the party since
this great struggle commenced has in like
advanced steps were logical and necessary, and,
in the end, have justified themselves even
TO the minds of conservatives. Thus the
emancipation policy of Mr.. Lincoln was fol-
lowed by the temporary reaction evinced in
the elections of the fall of 1862. Yet that
great and good man did not hesitate in the
course he had marked out. With the first day
Of January, 1868, came the promised Proclama-
tion Of Emancipation, and the grandest act in
history stood accomplish ed. 1t was not long
until the very conservatives in our own party
whose momentary detection had lost us the
control of several great States, saw the pro-
priety of the step taken by Mr.. Lincoln and
returned to their allegiance to the party. 1t
will be so now. Those who have not yet
realized the grand truth that the overthrow
of slavery involved, as a moral and logical
necessity, the enfranchisement of the hitherto
chattelized bondman, will surely be brought
to see and acknowledge it. Upon no other
basis is reconstruction of the Rebel States
possible. The policy of disfranohisement
means the establishment of Rebel Oligarchy
in each Southern State, more offensive and
dangerous than was the old slave Oligarchy.
For the moment, many good men have lost
sight of this fact in the clouds of dust raised
by our enemies over false issues. As a speci-
men of these, take the following from our
Democratic contemporary, published upon the
morning of the election
"As goes Pennsylvania so goes New York
These States seldom separate on important
issues. IT. therefore, the Keystone State places
the seal OF condemnation upon the reVOlu-
ticrary policy OF the radicals by her action this
uay, most assuredly New York will follow; and
h these two great States championing the
nSlltutlon, me ttde Of dgrdrfdntSm OU be
eked, and a brighter day dawn upon our dis
ctea' wounded, and bleeding country"
The same paper announces the following as
the programme of the radicals
IAN impeachment of the President. tbe
ueaTucttVf U 9le STATE Governments in AfdrVLand.
Detd1odTe. ana kentucky; The Jorci1lg of negr0 sur
frQ0e upon alt the Northern S1tes, X o,J0o,IJi,gg
ton Of ue Supreme C0urt 10 he qgU NJ " poiii
party; ana practical applicGtion oT iSooI,ior
Wdde's scheme for diUisiya or lroDSyt,I IN fGs
.SeueTdl States" W WV
1t is fortunate for the country that what
ever OF popular reaction is displayed in the re-
suit of the elections this fall, occurs at time
when it cannot seriously jeopardize the great
work of reconstructiSn. That work must and
will 60 on under the laws of Congress. These
false issues which have been raised to frighter
the tlmid will be shown to be false. The prao
tical success of the Congressional plan of re
str,,otion will he its own best iusti6 ,atinn