The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-11-24

|
State. Without going into the causes o
dlsorganization and apathy, we believe
with the writer, that it was mainly thes
that gavo the Democrats their victory
We Judge that comparatively few Repuh
licans voted the Democratic ticket, whil
many thousands did not 90 10 the polls
In this county there were some | ,5OI
registered votes not polled, ut least two
thirds OF them Republican; in Marshal
county eight hundred registered Republi
can voters stayed at home; in Marion
county between three and four hundred
and We believe in nearly every county
similar state of facts will be found. The in
crease in the Democratic vote did not CONT
from the Republican ranks so much a!
from additional registration under thu
operation of the enforcement act, and u
thorough organization that brought ou
the vote. Our defeat, therefore, is no
due to nny such revolution Of opinion Us
might be inferred from the result. If tht
apathy and local dissentions among Re
publiC0ns were cured, the party could To-
day cast larger vote than It has ever cast
in the State. The success Of the Demo
crats, hos, however, added to them nine
tenths of the hitherto DISTINGUISHED eX'
Conttderates, and this would give them
the State, although the whole Republican
vote were pOlled. Had these men been en-
Granchised by the Republican party, they
might have been pretty tairly divided be
tween the two parties. II is true IL large
portion 0I the Republicans were sincerely
desirous Of their speedy cnfranchisemcnt
butitis equally true another portion were
not; and while the party rs Il whole wns
committed to that policy, this luck
of unanimity, and the bitterness
manifested by leading and active poll
ticians of the party, neutralizcd to u great
extent the position taken by the Leglsla'
turc and Convention. We do not expect
therefore that any considerable number oI
the newly cn(ranchised will bcled to atill'
Into with our party by reason Of its pro
posal or the FLICK Amendment. Thnt
measure lacked two elements Of Republic
can success. TWAS proposed year Toe
late, and was not proposed with Il cordial
unanimity. The time to propose it was in
the winter OF 1860, when the 10Th Amend
mcnt was ratified by our Legislature. Had
the two propositions gone out to the peo'
pie together, by the united action of the
Republicans, there would have been moth
ing hut the wreck of the Democratic par'
ty in tue State to-day. We believed then
the time was opportune, and privately
urged influential members Of the Lcgisla'
turc to accompany the ratification OF the
18th Amendment by the proposition for
Amnesty afterwards cmbodiedin theFHcE
Amendment. But the suggestion was
not needed Our friends did moi
share tho apprehension that u contin'
uance of disabilities would afford nutri'
mcnt to rear up the Democratic party into
u formidable and ultimately victorious
adversary. It's possible the Inauguration
of rsuch policy in 1860 would have ended
where the failure to inaugurNte 1t has
ended. 1t mny be such an end was inev'
liable anyhow. But we still hold to the
view we have held all along, that the
Inauguration Of that policy with cordial
unanimity would have made the Rcpubli'
can the party of the State for many years
to come, rendering any successful organi.
zation OF the Democratic party impossi-
bic. :
In the present aspect Of affairs we arc
not sanguine Of any early reversal OF the
result Of the recent election. The Repub-
licans have thrown away their power, as
they did the opportunity to pGpetuate 1t.
The Democrats, surprised to find them
selves successful, will strive to fortify
themselves by every possible means. II
they exercise their power with reasonable
prudence, and accept the general situation,
we shall expect them to control the
State for some time to come. II they
should prove violent and rash, and per-
sist in their rebellious attitude towards
the several Amendments to the National
Constitution; il they now go to work to
tear down the system and institutions built
up in the past seven years with so much
pains.taking and expense, we judge the
chances are good for a swift reaction
throughout the State and the speedy over
throw of those who attempt such b pro
gramme.
FVo,suo- 0ol,Vn0 Rro06aA VyaVf Wiz.