Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-10-21
The Elections and Their Result.

last fund its limits. The issues ofsneg' suffrage
and the unconstitu,ionali;y of the reconstruction
laws have not entercd into the contest much as
was expectcd by Democrats; and the latter have
been deceived and are disappointed. Radical
gold, power and patronage, combined with the
military prestige Of Genl. Grant, have been moro
powerful than the spectacle of the destruction of
constitutional liberty in the South, and the prob
ability of its destruction throughout tho Union.
In Indiana, that faithful and wcll-tried Democrat,
Hendricks, has been defeated, involving loss,
to the Democracy Of powerful. friend in Con-
gress. In Ohio the Democrats have gained two
congressman but the State has gone Republican
by largely increased vote. Pennsylvania of
which State it has been long said, Gas Pennsyl-
vania goes, so goes the Union," has gone very
distinctly for the Radical party and its principles.
Fifteen, if not more, out Of her twcnty-four Con-
grcssmen, arc certainly Radicals, and the Repnb-
lioan party has gained largely not only in the
country regions, but even in tho city of Philndel-
phia. Nebraska gives Radical majority of two
thousand. t1i
Under these circumstances, the election of
SEYMOUR L BLAIR is not impossible; to say,
however, that such q thing is now probable would
bo wasting words and whistliug against the wind
And now we, of the South, are again called upon
to look tho sternest and bitterest facts in the face
calmly, dispassionately, and with grim courage,
If Grant is elected in November, we must live
for four years longer under o government which,
rs it exists to-day, is vile mockery and base
delusion; government Of unfair and unconstitu-
tional laws, with which no one connects himself
except for the purpose of stealing and plunder-
ing.
We will not predict annrchy and bloodshej,
but it will be almost miracle il We escape them.
When only The empty forms of unco free gov
ernment remain to be jugsled with by public
knaves, it is sign that society is rotten and an
archy close at hand Under present crcumstan-
ces, we would counsel passive acquioscence in the
laws of the conqueror, so long as they are, de
fucto, in force, and until they are repealed, modi-
fed, or annullcd by competent Legislative or ju-
diciul authority. But Mt tho same time would
counsel no admiration Of those laws, no ad-
mission OF ftbeirlegaity oonstitutionaity, and no
relaxation of any lawful means for tho final tri-
umph of Democratic principles.
And although 4 cloud of gloom and uncertain
ty seems closing around us, We need not there
fore, tread lifes pathway with our heads bowed
down like bulrushes. We have still many things
to live for, and to be thankful for. And.whut We
ought to do now is this Set our brain, and our
muscle, and our Anglo-Saxon blood, to work,
and demonstrate to the world that the energy and
intelligence of tho South are equul to the crisis.
and can subordinate all changes 10 her interest,
and control tho industrial resources OF the cOun-
try to the best advantage, and come forth from
this hour of gloom and trial with that dignity
and honor which becomes her character and her
history. We are men in misfortune. We can
make ourselves men above misfortune
Ard lastly, we should relax none Of our efforts,
nor abandon any of our hopes, for the carrying
of South Carolina by tho Democracy. We may
look to tho ballot in our own State for great
deal of help and comfort. In tho coming el:c-
,on, all men who love the South should be pres
ent at the polls, endeavorng to- secure for them
selves some degree Of right and civil liberty. The
Democratic wand in our own hands, here Mt home,
would stay in n great degree the fury of the tenn
pest; and that done, our impoverished State
would havo the opportunity to regain little, at
least, of the prosperity she once enjoyed.