Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-09-10
The Work Before Us.

This is the 1st Of September. Nine
weeks from to-day, the Peoples votes
will decide who shall be their President
and their Vice President respectively for
four years from the 4th of March next.
How very far we are from being ready
for that ordeal, the intelligenS well
know.
Our National and State nominations
were made early, as was right. They
were received with very general and
hearty approval. Gen. Grant h;id already
been nominated for President by the
people, so that the Convention had no
duty but to ratify the popular choice
The selection of MessFs. Colfax, Girls
void, and their associates, are abun-
dainty proved wise d d happy. We are
consciously strong; and therein is our
chief danger.
AS yet, we have had to struggle against
a very general and sanguine presump-
tion that 70 effsct is needed. The mass
of our voters cannot be made to realize
the possibility Of defeat. They know
that many Democrats proclaimed him
their candidate for President long
before he received any formal nomina-
ton. They know that nine-tenths of
those voters who are not partisans are
instinctively Grant men. If there be
township which contains $50 pronounced
Republicans. with as many Democrats,
and 25 voters who are neither, but vote
habitually for the best men, that town.
ship will cast at least 40 for Grant. No
American needs to be told who Grant is,
nor what he has done to commend him
to popular favor and confidence. He is
emphatically the Peoples man, and will
poll more. votes on personal grounds
than any President since George WASH
ington. That there are and have been
more voters who desire Grants than
there are who favor SeymOur's election,
we have never doubted.
Hitherto, blind trust has been made
an excuse for Incidence. "Grant can't
be beaten by "such a man as Seymour"
has been the cry Of all the do-nothings.
If we do not misread the signs, they
sre likely to have their confidence rude
ly shocked within the next six weeks
For, while the friends ef Gen. Grant are
abundantly able to secure his election by
proper effort, it is grave mistake to
imagine that he can or will Oe elected
aOithout such effort. And this we took
to see demonstrated alike by our success
es and our reverses in the October Elec-
lions. We may instance the Territory
of Colorado, where an election is to be
Republicans act as though intent on
defeating their candidate for Delegate in
Congress. When they shall have done
it, they will tell US how strong Grant is
with them, and what a majority they
could give him if they were in the
Union! Very likely they could; but
such support as theirs would never make
him President.
We know, as every one knows, that
Gen. Grant is stronger than his party
and will poll thousands of votes that
will not be given to our local candidates
in the September and October elections.
But let him poll ever SO many, he will
be defeated by monstrOus
frauds unless there be seasona bly, effect
ed q thorough organization of his sup
porters. Such organizations in half the
towns will simply restrict the meditated
frauds to the other half; it will nowise
defeat them.
We speak frankly; for the crisis is
very grave, and the necessity for action
We can certainly elect Grant
and Colfax, If we can keep down illegal |
voting throughout the Union to one per
cent. Of the total; we shall be beaten if
1t shall be swelled to five per cent. or
over. We can keep 1t down so that it |
shall be harmless, If we can have such |
an organization throughout the country
that we shall surely get out our full !
legal vote and keep out the illegal votes |
which, III default Of due preparation,
exertion, and vigilance, will inevitably |
be polled against us.
Friends of Grant and Colfax we need |
an effective, working, wide-awake Club |
in euery township! Even where we are |
a small minority, we can keep out illegal
votes by so organizing that minority |
that they will know beforehand who are
and whe are not legal voters in their
respective districts, and be on hand |
when the poll opens, prepared to chal-
lenge sternly and prosecute fearlessly.-
Will you, who are already organized,
look at once to the towns around you
which are moi, and see that they, too,
shall speedily have followed your excel
lent example?-[N. Y. Tribune.