The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-10-21
The Election at Home.

The Election at Home.
We are compelled to commence our
remarks upon the recent election in its
local aspects by saying, that every dis
trict and county candidate whose name
was borne upon the Democratic ticket
ia this county and to whom there was
any opposition, 'cas defeated. There was
not one exception. A fact so startling
and one which we suppose is unexam-
pied in the history of the County de-
mands attention it cannot be pushed
out of sight or passed by as simply disa.
greeable or unimportant and therefore
to be forgotten as soon as possible. The
lesson which it teaches is to be fully un-
derstood ; the instruction to be drawn
from 1t is to be kept in memory at least
until better results shall be obtained in
future contests.
The Democratic candidate for Con-
gress fails of election by only l2i votes,
and We times that number of Demo-
cratic votes are unpolled in this coun-
ty! We gave SEYMOUR two years since
1922, and now with an increased vote
give our candidate for Congress but 3464,
including at least 60 or 20 Republican
votes received by him in Catawissa and
other districts. Six hundred sluggish
and unhopeful voters staid away from
the election and by their absence caused
our defeat. Capt. BRoCKwAY ran well
in all the other counties of the District
and ran well here upon the vote polled.
The few votes lost by him in Blooms
burg and Berwick were more than
made up in other parts of the county,
and upon a reasonably full vote his
county majority would have exceeded
2000. As il is, we must submit to re-
suit which was as unnecessary as it is
mortifying, and can only look to the
future for reversal of this self.inflic-
ted defeat.
The result upon Representative is
not Il party failure nor significant of fu
ture weakness. For although the sue
cessful candidate was supported by a
majority of the Republican voters of
the district, the election really turned
upon local and personal considerations
rather than political. The decision dis
tinctly was that Montour county should
have the Representative at this time
and that her choice of candidate
should he respected. In fact the vote
given to Judge RUPERT, though given
under cover of nomination of technic-
nj regularity made by the conferees Of
this county, may be considered as in
the nature of a protest, and as provoked
or Occasioned by the Senatorial contest
of 1862 A majority of the Democrats
of this county withheld their assent
from the election of Mr.. CuALFANT,
but they will be in a position to judge
his public conduct fairly and will be
more disposed to approve than to con-
demn.
The reasons for the success of Judge
MONROE in obtaining an election to the
place he now holds by appointment,are
various. The Office of Judge is not
considered to be as strictly political as
most others; the Major las he is famil-
iarly called) was but lately appointed
to the Bench, and at the instance main
ly of Democrats; he appears well in
Court and is intelligent and accommo-
dating in the transaction of county bus
iness, and besides he has pleasant
temper and a popular address. 1t was
remembered also, to the Majors credit,
that at Republican Convention in the
Court House, within year or two, he
paid his respects in pretty plain Ian
guage to the Bloomsbury ring of radi-
cal otiice-holders, printers and lawyers,
and left them with the public declara
tion that she did not belong to their par
ty." Besides the foregoing considera-
tions, we believe there was an impress
sion that the Democratic nominee was
better suited to some other Office than
the particular one for which he had
been nominated. But we confess that
after taking into view all these partic-
ulars, we are unable to state to Mr..
YoHE and his friends any reason for his
defeat, (after a regular nomination.
which appears to us or will appear to
satisfactory.
The nominee for Sheriff was defeated
upon a close vote by Democratic Vol
unteer. This Office is very often keenly
contested in the counties of this State,
but in this county it is not lucrative in
ordinary times. The large number o
candidates for nomination the presen
year, was one cause of difficulty in tn,
election, as there was necessarily more
of disappointment than usual caused BY
the selection of candidate. And il
was objected to the nominee that he did
not purpose to discharge the duties OF
the Office in person, but to continue the
former incumbent therein as his depu'
ty. But the principal cause of defea
was the charge that the nomination was
procured by the corruption of the Cen
tralia and Conyngham delegates at thu
County Convention.
This charge, which, if true, woulC
have justified revolt from the nomina
tion, and open opposition to it, was, W.
believe, unjust. As we understand the
factS, ana tnat 100 upon reliable lntor
nation, the delegates from Centrali
and the Conyngham Districts were electe
for MiiLard, and part of them at leas
were instructed for him.
How absurd to charge candidat
with buying his own delegates to ac
cuse him for obtaining what was justl
his due! The almost unanimous vot
given to WILLARD in those districts q
the regular election also goes to prov
that the people there were truly repre-
sented by the votes given by their del
egates In Convention. We do not writ
this for the purpose of controversy, no
to revive unnecessarily the questions o
the canvass, but In the interest of fail
play and in justice to men who thougl
beaten ought not to be disgraced. The