The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-10-08
THE ELECTIONS TODAY.

The States of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Iowa,
to-day hold elections for State officers. In
Ohio and Iowa, a Governor is to be elected,
and in Pennsylvania Judge of the Supreme
Court A member of Congress is also. to be
elected in Pennsylvania, in the place OF MIR.
DENN1sov, deceased, and in Ohio in place OF
the Radical nominee for Governor, who resigns
his seat in consequence of his nomination.
The eyes Of all men who love the Union as it
was, who aim at the destruction oftyranny, and
seek the permanent preservation of their liber-
ty, are turned anxiously towards Pennsylvania
and Ohio. On the result Of the elections to-
day, largely depends the preservation or the
loss of our national freedom. If the Radical
majorities are increased in these States, which
is very improbable, all hope is dead. They
will be as they have been hitherto, the indices
of public opinion through the North and the
Northwest; and if Radicalism triumphs there.
the cause of Constitutional liberty is hopeless
indeed. If in these States the Radical majori-
ties are diminished, which is very likely, then
may the whole country rejoice at the dawn of
returning reason, the commencement of re-ac-
ton in favor of Constitutional guarantees. If
the Radicals are defeated, as they probably
will be in Pennsylvania, and not improbably in
Ohio, at least on the question Of negro suffrage,
end possibly with their Legislative ticket, then
every man will rejoice who loves his country,
and desires to see her institutions pure and un-
defled. We are free to confess that We are
anxious for this result, because we know that
the Constitution of the United States is on trial,
and we do not desire to see it condemned by
any portion of the American people.
The Conservatives of the North are to-day
making q manly fight for the liberty cf thirty
two millions of white men. The Radicals, on
the other hand, are making bold struggle for
despotic control of the Government While
they have skilflly, artfully and shamelessly
avoided making the question Of negro suf-
frage portion of the Pennsylvania platform,
all of the leaders in that State, as do all of the
leaders of the party every where else, openly
advocate the doctrine. THAD. STEVENS and
FonNE1 in that State, certainly dictate terms
to the party. and if the prudence of McPHER-
SON succeeded in having it left out of the
platform, it was only done in order to veil the
intentions of the party from honest and simple
minded men, who are still foolish enough to
believe that this is white mans Government
The party certainly intends to force the issue,
and to-day the people of Ohio have it fairly
and squarely presented.
That the party is revolutionary and means to
force its doctrines on the people of the United
States, is evident from the fact that there is
no Radical organ which does not openly advo-
cate the unconstitutional acts of Congress,
and openly insist on negro suffrage. 1t is
true that Mr. Senator TRUMBuLL, by sort of
logic which we confess that we were unable to
understand, succeeded in demonstrating to his
own satisfaction, that Ohio and South Carolina
are beth States in the Union, but that what is
constitutional in the State of South Carolina,
would be glaringly unconstitutional in ONO;
but the mass of the Radical leaders swallow
the whole doctrine without attempting any
very refined argument, tending to prove that
a State may be and not be member OF this
Constitutional Union at one and the same mo-
ment Mr.. THuRLow WEED who represents
what may be called the Conservative wing OF
the party, said recently in the Commercial Ad-
rertiser, in speaking of negro suffrage:
"That it is q simple, direct, naked question,
without detail or embarrassment It is also,
present question. Indeed, it is THE question: IL
is the issue between Congress bud the Presldent.
1t is the question that is to- determine, lmmea-
ately, the relations OF niue States to the Union.
It Ia the TEST question-the Shiboletb OF the Re-
publican party.
The Springfield Republican, in speaking on
the same subject, calls it the main Issue, and
says:
"By all means let us adhere TO the vital issue
until that is settled, and let us understand wnat
is. Briefly, it is equal suffrage. 1t includes the
Congressional plan Of reconstruction, but that is
valuable mainly because it provides for equal SUI
trape in the Convention elections, and in the State
Constitutions to be framed for the South. As
matter Of consistency, the party must also endea-
tutions Of a the States, and any attempt to evade
this duty, will necessarily dishonor and weaken
the party.
EQUAL suffrage is the prime issue. 1t Is the
strongest possible one Every man admits that 1t
is Just in ITSELF and that there can be no true he
publican Government without it. Let this issue
be kept before the people"
Mr. CHARLES SUMNER, than whom no one
better knows the views of the Radical party,
recently wrote, Congress will leave undone
what it ought to do if it fails to provide prompt
ly for the establishment of equal rights, wheth-
er political or civil, every where throughout
the Union This is q solemn duty which can
not be shirked or postponed. The idea is in
tolerable that any State, under any pretension
of State rights, can set up political oigarchy
within its borders, and then call itself Re-
publican government. l insist with all my
soul, that such government must be rejected,
as inconsistent with the requirements OF the
Declaration of independence.
The New York 7ribane insists that the ques-
tion Of :. manhood suffrage" is The great ques-
ton before the American people. HENRY
WILSON, and almost every other leader of the
party, says the same.
This all sounds we'll and seems to be an ele-
waited philanthropy, calculated to catch the
car and to appeal to the imagination of the un-
thinking. In America, however, the number
of those who can be deluded by such phrases,
is daily becoming less and less. Four years Of
war for the preservation Of the Union, and
near three years of peace spent by the Radi-
Gals in attempting to destroy the Union, by sub
verting the Constitution, have taught many
that their own liberty is in danger. Some of
the best among the Republican leaders, see the
results of the present policy of the Radical
party, and have left the organization. The
Governor of California, elected q few weeks
aro was formerly q Republican, but he was