The New York herald., 1872-10-03

The PonnsylvsnIa October State Eiec-
tion and Its Important Bearings
Upon tho Prudential Issue.
On Tuesday next the annual October State
election of the great State of Pennsylvania
will come off, embracing this time Governor
and other State officers, members of the Legis-
lature, which will have tho election of a
United States Senator, and q full delegation of
members to the national House of Representa-
tives for the next Congress Apart, therefore.
from the Presidential contest, the catalogue of
national and State officers involved in this
October election would make it sufficiently
important to bring out very heavy popular
vote; but from the peculiar bearings OF this
election upon the great national battle of
November, the all-absorbing question Is, Will
'Hartranft or Buckalew be elected Governor
Between the party supporting the national
administration and the opposition coalition
this struggle for the Pennsylvania Governor is
to be the crucial experiment upon the Presi-
Dental issue. It is understood by the sup
porters of Mr.. Greeley that unless in October
they carry Pennsylvania with their candidate
for Governor their prospect for the Presidency
in November will indeed be gloomy, if not
utterly hopeless, and it is understood by the
supporters of General Grant that the defeat Of
Hartranft will at least reduce them to des-
perate struggle to recover Pennsylvania in
November, and that it may change the for
tunes of the campaign.
The republican party in Pennsylvania has
placed itself under certain disadvantages in
the nomination of Hartranft for Governor,
which are calculated, together with the popu-
larity Of Buckalew, to cheer the opposition
elements with hopes of victory, and to dis
courage the republicans with apprehensions of
defeat Hartranft was nominated by the
ruling faction in his party State Convention
against the earnest remonstrances and warn
ings Of number Of powerful party leaders,
including such men as Ex-Governor Curtin
and Colonel Forney who are among the most
active workers for Buckalew. In addition,
therefore, to the Greeley republicans, Bucka-
lew will be reinforced to some extent by those
republicans who have repudiated Hartranft
without committing themselves against Gen.
eral Grant If from these accessions, and others
from the floating vote, Buckalew can gain
twelve or fifteen thousand votes, which, under
other conditions, would be given the republi-
can candidate for Governor, this Pennsylvania
October election, with Hartranfts defeat, will
unquestionably give great encouragement to
the opposition alliance along the whole line for
the general engagement of November, and
greatly enlarge the probabilities Of Greeley and
Brown.
The democrats and liberal republicans, ac-
cordingly, have chosen this Pennsylvania
October election as the decisive test of the
Presidential strength of Mr. Greeley; for here
moro favorable conditions for success are
offered them than in Ohio or Indiana. More
over, as without Pennsylvania the outlook for
Mr.. Greeley is very discouraging we find that
all his available forces and resources are con-
centrated upon Buckalew; and yet his cleo
ton is not foregone conclusion. The late
results in Vermont and Maine have encouraged
the republicans of Pennsylvania with the
belief that, against all defections and deser-
tions, they are still strong enough to hold the
State, particularly as the administration
side will be strengthened by the reinforcement
of fifteen or twenty thousand colored voters
admitted, since 1868, under the fifteenth
amendment At all events, from all the facts
and evidence before us, the best that can be
said for the opposition in this momentous
struggle between Hartranft and Buckalew is
that the issue is very doubtful. Assuming,
however, that Buckalew is elected, his success
does not settle the Presidential issue, unless
expressed in rousing majority and supported
with evidences of a corresponding popular re-
action in Ohio and Indiana.
But so far we have had no manifestations Of
general political reaction, and we have no
any very startling opposition triumph on Tues
day next The chances in Ohio appear to be
in favor Of the administration party. Indiana
in our national contests generally close and
doubtful, now offers at least equal chances to
the opposition league of democrats and anti
Grant republicans. But from the apparent
unity of the opposition forces in Pennsylvania
on their candidate for Governor, and from the
discords and desertions among the republicans
here, the opening for break in the adminis-
tration lines which may, to a considerable
extent, demoralize their whole army, is most
encouraging. Yet even in Pennsylvania there
is manifestly no expectation in the opposition
ranks of the election of Buckalew by ON earth
quake majority. We may assume, then, that
if elected it will be by q majority not large
enough to determine the November result,
even in Pennsylvania, and that in conse-
quence, as between the weakness of Hartranft
and the strength Of Grant, the republicans
will appeal from the verdict Of October to the
new trial Of November.
o. A H. H. L., ua.A 4 Z.