The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-15
MArNE has spoken, anu

NN-~N-N-~N-
sleotion yesterday resulted in an unequivocal
Republican triumph. As our facetious Demo
,ratic contemporary says this morning, the
result ''is the coming event of victory, cast
ng Its glorious shadow BEFORE"
Lat us examine the figures closely, Tor
studied effort will be made by the reactionls''
10 peryert them inte an indication OF Demo
cratic gain and the presage of Democrats
triumph in November. The Repubhcan ma
jority Of last year was IL, GA, in total Vots
of lO3, ,684. Yesterday the aggregate vote
to 10000 with Republican
majority of about $4,000, which is conceded
by the leading Democratic organ OF the state,
az will be seen by our special despatches'
The Democratic mathematicians are remark
ably addicted to percentages, and tney
will endeavor to show that their vote
was increased at larger ratio than tha'
of the Republicans. Now percentages are
decidedly convenient, and may be so contortea
as to answer almost any purpose. Thus the
aggregate vote of this year shows an increase OF
not more than 26 per cent. on that OF 1867, while
the Republican majority, when similarly com
pared, gives a round and square increase OF
100 per cent, which is eminently satisfactory
from every point of view, and highly encourag-
ing from the most fastidious.
But at the very outset the Seymourites will
demand that the Republicans should regain
the majority Of full 27,667, which Governor
Chamberlain received in 1866, to enable them
to claim substantial triumph, and that every
vote short of that which is shown by the
majority OF the present year is to be accredited
as Democratic gain. This assumption is
based on the fact that in 1867, when the
aggregate vote showed decrease of 8lS9, aud
the Republican majority decrease of l6,073,
the contest was materially affected by local
issues, which caused the heavy falling off in
the Republican vote and majority. AT the
time the Democratic journals and orators were
not slow to claim the full benefit Of this
decrease, in favor of the presumed endorse
ment of their national platform, and to herald
il as the first bright omen of the coming reao-
ton which eliminated at the recent farce of an
election held in the State of Kentucky. Now,
however, it suits their purpose to take diff
ferent view of the situation, and to regard
their increase in 1857 as merely an episode.
The one position is as untenable as the other.
What the Democracy gained in 1867 was In
great measure owing to local dissatisfaction in
the Republican ranks, but it was fairly gained
and was their own henceforth-uutil they lost
it. At the gubernatoral election in 1854,
when the aggregate vote was the same as in
1866, almost to unit the Republican ticket
received a majority of only 19, $50. AT the
eubernatorial election in 1860, when the total
vote was almest equal to yesterdays
the Republican majority was but 1901.
il be at all necessary to 60 further back into
the past than 1867 for purposes of comp arison,
why should we pause at 1866, when the Re
publican majority was larger, by 5000, than
ever before Simply for the sake of permit
ting the Democratic leaders to pervert the
teachings OF figures, which are proverbial fol-
their propensity for truth-telling, but never
theless may be so twisted and contorted by G
sophistical reasoner as to turn everything
topsy-turvy, and make the weaker side appear
the stronger. ..
The plain and simple truth in the matter Il
this. The majority rolled up yesterday il
Maine was greater than that of last year b.
at least IL 900 votes, and full 5000 in exces
of the average Republican majority during tn
past twelve years.
The field was ho1y contested from the first
for It was felt and fully appreciated by tn
leaders of both parties that her voice was t.
give the key -notsto the great struggle whicl
is still impending. The ablest speakers O
both persuasions were employed, and no ston
was left unturned that might impede the pre-
gress of either. The issue-not betwee
Chamberlain and Pillsbury, who are bot
good men in their way, and either of ther
abundantly capable Of discharging the gubei
material functions in manner creditable I
themselves and satisfactory to the people {
the State--not this petty local issue, but th
grand question, Shall the fruits of the war fC
the Union be surrendered at the bidding Of III
repentant Rebels was fairly before IL
people, and they have responded to it in th
spirit in which they responded in 1861 to II
despairing cry OF the nation. They hay
eoboed the voice of Vermont, and the ect
has rivalled the first battle-cry, has surpssse
Il in earnest emphasis and harmony. MAR
has proved herself and her people true to I'll
traditions of the past and faithful to the hop
of tha fnture. By q majority OF 2OOO 81
has declared that, by the election OF Grant al
CoIfsv alone. can the Republic be rescue
f,oro the peril into which it has been draw
~ tha abostacy of Andrew Johnson. Pen
SyIvania Ohio, and Indiana will take up y