The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-11
THE NEW HAMpsHIRE ELECTION.

THE NEW HAMPSHIRE ELECTION.
From tAs N v. World
The Republicans of New Hampshire, after
n vioorous oanvaee. against divided opposi-
ton. have re- elected their candidate for Gov
ernor with the loss of two-thirds Of their last
years majority. They have been enabled to
attain this clipped and shrunken victory by
their unimpaired party discipline, tne mis-,
takes and slackness of their adversaries, and
n variety of favorable circumstances. Last
year thew had no aid from the patronage and
infiuenca of the Federal administration.
General Grant did not come into Office until
inst at the close of their last years canvass,
about week before their election took
place. The new President had too much bu-
siness on his hands to take On active interest
in the result During the first five or six
weeks of his term, he was engaged in a
wrapqle with Congress about the repeal of
the Tenure-of- Office act, and refused to make
anv but Cabinet appointments. The atten-
ton of the country was engrossed with affairs
at Washington, and the New Hampshire Re-
publicans were left to fight their battle un-
aided, Andrew Johnson's office-holders still
retaining their places. This year the admin
istration has taken a keen interest in the
success of the Republican party in that State.
Tbouoh the State is small and unimportant,
II holds the first election of the present
wear. and General Grant desired that it
sbould wear the semblance of indorsing his
administration. The Republicans have
accoi dinghy been strengthened by all the in
fuence the administration could exert; and
even with this advantage and the division
of their opponents, they have lost two-thirds
of their last years majority.
Portsmouth, the only seaport of New Hamp-
sbiI @. is the seat Of one of the finest Navy
Yards in the country. In q small State, where
parties nre pretty evenly balanced, the en-
ployes of Navy Yard are an important weight
in the political scale. This engine has been
wol ked with uncommon skill. just before
tho canvas opened nearly all the hands in
the Navy Yard were discharged, under the
prete n g of want of funds. Men with de-
pendent families suddenly turned adrift in
the depth of winter, get sadly realizing sense
of the value of employment When they had
been kept in this beggared condition for
few weeks, they were again set to work; and
the command of the administration over their
means of subsistence enabled it to coerce
their votes. The returns accordingly show
that Portsm outh is the only locality where
the Republicans have made gains to par
TALLY onset their losses in other parts of the
State.
The Republicans of New Hampshire have
| made a resolute canvass, assisted by some of
| the ablest and most prominent members OF
the party from other States. The speakers
| from abroad, like Mr. Dawes, as well as their
native speakers, took unwearied pains to dis
suade Republicans from joining the Labor
Reform movement; while the Democrats
weakly divided on this question, and the
third party was openly favored by the Demo-
cratic State Committee. The result shows
that the committee made stupid blunder.
The great body of the Democrats spurned its
advice and voted for the regular candidate,
whereas nothing could have justified the
recommendation but the certainty that it
would be the means of uniting and eonsoli-
dating the opposition to the Republican can
didate. 1t was the duty of men holding the
responsible position of members of the State
Committee to have been better informed
respecting the sentiments of the party.
There is probably no danger that such blum
der will be repeated.
The noteworthy thing in this election is
the fact that the Republicans, with all their
zeal, energy, discipline, patronage, noted
speakers, and the mistakes of their oppo.
nents, have not been able to hold their own,
but have lost two-thirds of the majority by
which they carried the State last year.