The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-09-20
A BRIEF survey OF the Field.

~ A Brief Survey OF the Field. spD
tt Is an adage, as Old as the hills,
that Gdrowning men catch at straws."
Our adversaries avail themselves of
every tfihing occurrence to revive
the sinking courage of their follow
efs, and this. of itself, should be suffi-
oient to convince the public at large
of the hopelessness Of their cause.
Preliminary to the great contest, in
1852, when the country was carried,
almost unanimously, by the Demo
cratic party, our opponents had the
decency to refrain from an excess of
enthusiasm over their victory in Ver-
nnonttSId y. = i-ll{HiSsaa G.i3 : 'W aj
Unmeasured abuse of the Southern
people, brazen, impudence and brag-
gadocio are the entire stock in trade
theradicals. Their organs affect
satisfaction at the signs of the times.
even to the extent Of predicting
Grants success in November. Upon
what data do they predicate such
hopes?, They have carried Maine
and Vermont, by decreased majori-
tiesi This is the sum and substance
eftheir victories at the polls. Who
ever doubted the result, in either2
Have not these States been accorded
to them, by the unanimous voice of
the Democratic press2 They claim
individual changes of opinion; but
point, in proof, to such men as Judge
Cartier, of this city, and Robert Lin
coin, of IllinoisLchapges about as
thorough as from the color of the
skin of the Ethiopian to that of the
Congo.ili We have looked, in vain,
for the slightest evidence, either col.
lectively or individually, favorable to
our opponents. Whence, then, their
newborn faith? They are "whistling
20 keep up their courage" that is all.
Let them whistle awayl
On the other hand, what is the
situation Of the Democracy? Let us
go back few years. In 1864, a
change of only $4,000 votes would
have elected General Mcclellan to
the Presidency. This change was
required n'the States of Connecti-
cut, Indiana, Maryland, New York,
Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon,
Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Is
it not morally certain that we shall
carry every one Of these States, ex-
cept New Hampshire and Rhode
Island, and, probably, the former of
them? Since the election of 1864,
Connecticut, lMaryland, Oregon,
Pennsylyania and New York have
become Democratic, and Nevada and
Indiana will speak ont, in thunder
tonesyatithe approaching preliminary
elections. And, is it not conceded,
on oil hands, that the Democracy
will obtain at least q suficiency of
electoralvotes at the South to over
como the nine which will be cast by
New Hampshifep and Rhode Island,
to say nothing of Western Virginia
and o. dozen more doubtful StatesP
Besides, in the contest of 1864,
the Democracy had to contend with
difficulties now no longer existing.
We were then nthe midst Of gigan-
tiotWar. q The general Government,
in all its branches, was against US,
from the President down to the tide
waiter. The army and navy were
used, without scruple, to our preju.
dice. and voters Inahhfactufed, do
ibituns. Ali this has been changed
to orr favor. Many OF our present
most distinguished leaders %efe ar
rayed, then, in hostility to as. 9 We
could point TO lthousands, but CON
tent ourselves with naming onr excel
lent Chief Magistrate and his Cebi-
net, one and all, the Blairs, host in
themselves. Chief Justice Chase,
Senator Doolittle, Che Ewings, father
and son. General Dix, and hundreds
of other military chieftains, sc. q;
Independently Of this view, sug-
gested by o comparison of the pre-.
sent condition Of political affairs
with thst OF 1864, What do we dis.
cover of well-gronndedi hope on che
part OF our adversafias2 It iss I'D nit. iiS
ted BY them TINT the contest danand.