The Van Buren press., 1869-11-02
TH1 LATE ELECTIONS.
Tho 1isssuri Democrat Aeknovlsdo.,
Defeat.
tFom the Democrat, oe.sbs, l4th,,

lFront the Democrat, October Hal
The latest returns received before We
went to press yesterday left it in doubt
whether Hayes or PeAdleton had been
elected in Ohio, and gave scarcely more
positive information as to the result in
Pennsylvania. Later returns received
last night will be found in our telegraph
ic columns. But we have no disposition
to shifk the lessons which these returns
may teach. To the people of those States
10 matter Of some consequence
whether, by few votes one way or the
other, Republicans or Democrats obtain
the control. But in q national point of
view the fact that the Republicans have
not maintained their former majorities,
and must succeed, if they succeed at all,
by slender margin, has all the siqnid-
canee II not all the effect ofa defeat or
all the issues pending in the elections in
these States, the most important was this.
whether Ohio would vote for or against
the pending amendment. As we write, it
is probable that the Democrats have Sc
cured majority in one branch of the
Legislature, which will suffice to prevent
the ratification Of the amendment by that
State. II this be true, the Republicans
Of that State have sa6frsd disgraceful
defeat, even though they may have elect
ed Hayes by small majority The fact
that Mr.. Pendleton has come anywhere
near success in Ohio is indeed defeat
in ITSELF -7-E rI
We must confess that this is not quite
unexpected Some months ago, when
the New York Tribune called earnestly
upon the Republicans of Ohio to make a
vigorous effort for the Fifteenth amend
ment, certain leading papers in Ohio curt
ly told the Tribune not to meddle, that
the Ohio Republicans knew what they
were about, and that they must be left to
manage the campaign in their own way
Their way, evidently, was to ignore that
question as far as they could. The papers
ignored it, and the speakers generally ig-
nored it, and there seemed to be dis
position among our friends there to filch
victory, if possible, by hiding the fact
that their success would involve ratifi-
cation Of the amendment. This has been
their policy at other times. We we'll re-
member how eloquent speakers, when in
vited to address Ohio audiences, were
cautioned not to dwell upon the suffrage
question. We need not say that this poll
cy never deserves to succeed, nor that
it usually fails. Any politician who lays
htc nina IN, tbo tIao hat tho ,>aDn1n
fools, had better be in the Democratic
camp where be belongs-he can never
help the Republican cause. Our party
can never hope to succeed except by the
honest convictions of intelligent men.
Its very nature forces it to combat pref
udiccs; not to dodge them If it has met
with defeat, or has gained victory so
shadowy and slender as to be worth no
more than defeat, that result and no
other was the legitimate effect of the
policy which its leaders in Ohio seem to
have pursued They tried to dodge the
suffrage question, and thus made even
their own friends ashamed of them and
their cause. They refused to boldly meet
and stoutly grapple with prejudices, and
thus gave those prejudices increased
power The class Of politicians of which
Senator Sherman is the type, if not the
leader, have. succeeded in driving from
the direction of affairs the frank and posi-
tive men of the stamp of Wade, and the
result is that they have cut down the ma
jority of the party from one hundred
thousand to nothing