The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-25
The Prospect.
From the ~. Y. Times.

We have heard thus far the voice of Oregon
and of Kentucky. The former came to us
before the Democratic party had announced
either its policy or its candidates. The result
of the election in that State indicates, there
fore, no more than did the elections of last
autumn. Those elections proved clearly that
there was an aversion to an extreme policy.
When the election was held in Oregon, it was
the general impression that the Democratic
party would take far different course from
that which it actually adopted in July; that it
would learn lesson from former defeats that
it would honestly accept the popular verdict
OF 1866, and reject its exploded fallacies of
State sovereignty and ''a white mans Govern
ment." This impression proved to be false;
and when Oregon speaks next November We
shall witness the indignation of the people
of that State against party which has REQ
pened questions that were supposed to be
settled at the cost of so much blood and
treasure.
The result of the election in Kentucky is
not strange. In 1860 the Democratic vote, as
against the Republican, stood 49, 703 to
1864. In 1864, when the Union sentiment
was quickened by the existence OF a struggle
then actually going on between loyalty and
treason, the Union vote rose to 81 7S6 against
an opposition of Ga, 30l. This vote, it will
be notwithstanding both the Union and
the opposition-fell over $4,000 short of the
in the Confederate army. If they had voted,
the opposition would have reached us, 900.
They were present in 1866; yet the justice of
the fourteenth amendment was so evident
that the Republican vote gained over 10000,
rising to 6S,035. In 1867 the reaction af-
fected Kentucky as it did other States, and
the Republican vote stood 33, 939 against an
opposition of 103, 392. This year, owing to
local sentiment peculiar to Kentucky, and
which cannot be considered as affecting any
Northern State, there has been transference
of nearly 5000 votes to the Opposition, which
has also gained from other sources about 1000
more; so that the result stands, Opposition,
ll5, ,524, Republican, 26, 275, giving Demo-
cratic majority of 80, 249, against a majority
last year of 90, 453. No one who understands
the terrorism which prevails in Kentucky can
be surprised at this result. And in this con-
nection it is remarkable fact that the total
vote cast this year is less than in 1860 and
IA, 900 less than in 1866. 1t is estimated-and
we see no reason to doubt the statement-that
at the late election fully 25, 600 votes were not
| polled, two-thirds of which have been Repub-
lican. Thus the Kentucky election, when we
consider all the elements which entered into
1T, gives really no indication as to the vote in
| other States, and by no means iustifes the
| premature confidence of the Democratic party.
We are not disposed to be over confident
but we believe that the elections to be held in
| vermont anu Maine, on tno lSt and l4th OF
September, will, result in strong Republican
gains over the maorites of 1867. In Califor-
nia which holds its election September 2,
there was a Democratic majority of over 5000
| last year. But the Republican vote was then
divided between two candidates, This State
gave Lincoln majority OF IS, 900 in 1864 and
we believe it will give Grant as large a majO-
rity in November.
On the 18th of October four States hold
elections-Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsyl-
vania West Virginia holds its election on the
l4th. In regard to the latter State there is no
doubt; in 1866 the Republican majority was
nearly 1000, and it will certainly not be less
this autumn. In both Iowa and Indiana we
expect Republican majority equal to that of
1864 Ohio was carried last year by Repub-
| lican majority of 5000; this autumn that ma
iority will be increased probably ten-fold
| Pennsylvania last year gave the Democrats
less than 1000 majority; this year it bids fair,
with proper effort, to go Republican.
| But, after all, our trust is not so much in
statistics as in the people, who have always
shown themselves equal to the emergency
! presented. We know that a solid white vote
! can carry all the Southern States for Blair
and Seymour; we know also that many OF the
negroes will be coerced to vote the same ticket.
In those states, therefore, we will not venture
a prediction. But it seems to us certain that
IN the Northern States, where the people all
vote freely, there will be so decided majority
for Grant and COlfax that the Southern vote,