The New York herald., 1870-11-27
THE AMERICAN ELEC TIONS.
English Views Of the Rcsult- Work Of the
New Congress.

from the London Post. Nov. Ill
Ii the results OF the elections held i'm the United
states on Tuesday last are to be accepted indca
tive OF the state OF public feeling a very marked
change mas taken place within the past two years in
the position Of the two great political parties In the
republic. Until the election OF Mr.. Lincoln to the
Presidency, exactly ten years ago the democrats
had enjoyed an uninterrupted supremacy and even
then Their defeat was due not to their own
agree IN the choice OF candidate. Since
tnen. however the republican star has been
in the ascendant and the victorious faction has not
scrupled to employ tneir newly-acqured strength 10
keep their opponents in absolute sublection Nor
was this very surprising. ON the outbreak OF the
civil war the same line which separated the hostile
camps equally divided the two political factions:
the democrats, wherever resident. whether in the
North South, according all their sympathy to the
youthful confaderacy In the Southern States men
almost universally democrats, while IN the
Northern, or at least in those which gave their
ment repubcanlsm rsgned not only supreme,
but practically alone. Whatever may have
been The ostensibe objects OF the war; 1t was III one
sense a struggle for predominance between two
powerful factions, and when that war terminated
the vanquished, as matter OF course were com
PEELED to suffer. The Union was declared to be re-
established, bg the Southern states were submitted
10 q special military government, and denied
the privilege of sending representatives to Congress
The stain OF previous rebellion was made the conve
nent excuse for excluding from Congress the
immense bulk OF the democratic representa-.
tives, and the republicans saw themselves
by this means enabled to legslate :or the
republic without even the shadow OF opposition
IN Lne NOflu, WHerc JIe supreme power lay, this
course OF proceeding appeared equally expedlent
and just, and II was Thought that in the work OF
political reorganization the republicans ought not
TO be exposed 10 the danger OF beng thwarted by
their former foes. Sucn the position o affairs
during the first portion OF Dir. Jolnscns Presi-
dentsh1p, but before ITS conclusion the signs Of
reaction had begun TO manifest Themselves.
Though elected by the republican party The Pres,-
dent protested against the injustice with which a
Congress- composed almost exclusively oil tepubli.
cans dealt with the Southern States and he over
and over again used the veto with which the CON
sttution endowed him to set aside the measures of
which he dsapproved. The Presidents veto Is only
conditional. and a republican Senate and House OF
Representatives combiRed 10 render 1t inoperatlve
When, however, IN the autumn oil 1868, the time had
come for the election ol Mr.. Johnson's successor.
and also OF new Congress, the absolute predom-
nance of the republicans had vanished, though The
large majority BY which General Grant was elected
and the number OF republican candidates sent 10
Congress tesIfed to the general dlsfayor IN which
the democrats were still held.
Now after the lapse OF two years, the elections 10
Congress hSve again been held, and we have an OPP
portunty of Judging whether in the interval the
democrats have succeeded in gaming further
ground. We have received by telegraph the results
OF these elections the several states and 1t must
be acknowledged that the gains OF the democrats
are very substantial. The most significant
circumstance In connection with the present
elections and the gains OF the democratic
party is the fact that under tue provisions
or the nftcenth amendment VI tue coass.tu-