The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-10-05
NUMBER 4.
A Glance Over the Field.

"A UIaHEV VttT AlO 1ClUs
If there be any merit in sleepless
watclfulness, untiriDg energy and a
determination to do or die, the friends
of General Grant deserve to succeed
in attaining the end to which all their
labor is directed--that of securing bis
reelection. It would be impossible
to make more strenuous efforts in fur
therance of any cause than they are
now, and have been putting forth since
the opening Of the campaign, in order
to continue. the administration in
power for another term. But since
it is not in mOrtals to command sue
cess, rs Addison observes in "Cato,o
it must be confessed, as the same au-
thor declares, they may do more
they may deserve it.
It is really well worthy of note that
while the Administration party have
been thus exerting themselves to the
utmost, the friends Of Mr.. Greeley
have been apparently apathetic, as
though they had ne interest whatever,
in the result Of the campaign. The
great meeting in New York on Thurs
day the 18th inst, was the first dem
onstration, respectable in numbers
and in the character Of the men who
addressed the people, that they have
made. But this was so grand in all
its appointments-in the orderly char
acter Of the vast assemblage that
gathered in Irving and Tammany
Halls, and in and about Union Square
that it made up for whatever lack
ofactivity the Liberals might be here
tofore charged with. Perhaps oil the
noise and hustle made by the parti-
sans of the Administration was no
more than the brawling of a torrent
that would soon dry up, while the
comparative silence oftheir opponents
was like the onward, majestic flow Of
a great river that is conscious, as it
were, of it's own might.
The great meeting at New York
satisfies us that; without making much
parade of the matter, there is a vast
tleaAof vitality in the Liberal move
ment. We know that there are many
of Mr.. Greeley's supporters who have
almost lost heart at the result of the
elections in, four States since his NOM
ination, but they are of that class who
are frightened at shadows. The bet
ter informed and cooler among his
friends see no reason to doubt that
the principles enunciated at Cincin-
natl, and sealed with approval at Bal
timore will meet with the acceptance
of majority Of the American people.
High above tho clamor of the party
press the voice Of truth is heard, and
that voice prOclaims that, consider
ing all the circumstances attending
the North Carolina election, it was
q decided triumph for the Liberal
eanses Mis- iA eoaEse l(eoNn te
the Administration, But It 1SN0t tfe0-
tied by its supporters.
If the election in> West Virginia in
dicated any thing, it was that the peo-
pie Of that State were utterly disgust
ed with mere partizanship in the con-
duct of public affairs, were determined
to break loose from party trammels
aud give their support to him whom
they deemed the best man, trrespec-
tive OF party affiliations.
If the Administration can take com
fort from the results in the States of
Vermont and Maine,-States conceded
tive must confess to a great admir-
alton fora philosophical way Of re-
garding matters, which, If properly
directed, could no doubt even extract
sunbeams from cucumbcrs. If the Ad
ministration has maintained it's usual
majority in Vermont, that is the very
most it has done, while in Maine it
seems to be fact that there has been
very decided falling of in the Re-
publican vote.
On the whole, then, we see no just
ground on which to base an opinion
touching the result in November. Ev-
erything is still at sea. There is GER
tainly nothing in any thing that has
transpired since the opening of the
campaign calculated, in our view, to
depress the friends Of the Liberal tick
ct, but much that should operate to
the contrary. Indeed, we question
whether it will be safe to pragnosti-
cate as to the issue of the Presidential
canvass, whatever may be the result
in the great Western States in which
CteCtlOIiS VIII Dc nc1U UClOlG NONCu-
Der. Questions purely local, or per-
tanning to the economy of those States
as States, and having no bearing upon
National affairs, with doubtless enter
in largely, as they always do, to the
respective canvasses, and the result in
Pennsylvania, Ohio or Indiana may
afford little or no clue to what they
may do when questions Of National
| moment are presented to be passed on
| by their citizens.
We think that there will be much
warm work before this campaign
closes. 1t has just opened. The friends
of Mr.. Greeley should know what odds
they have to contend against. If tho
cause they advocate be as worthy as
they represent it to be, they should
give earnest of the faith that is in
them. The meeting at New York was
a thunderbolt. A few such shocks
would stir up the most listless in the