The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-11-18
What the Ohto Democracy Think
and Say.

and Say.
A Joint meeting of the Democratic
and Liberal Republican Committees OF
Ohio was held in Columbus last Friday
for the purpose Of auditing accounts
and settling up the business Of the late
political campaign. The following adj
dress, written by Senator THURMAN, was
unanimously adopted:
To the Democrats and Liberal Repu5~
deans of Ohio.
"The Presidential election is over,
and Grant is reelected. 1t is not our
purpose, at this time. to speak OF the
causes Of this result. 1t is the future
that demands your attention; and q
recurrence to the past ia useful only to
ascertain the facts and the lessons they
teach.
"A vast majority of the Democratic
partv, perhaps ninety.five per cent,
voted for Greeley. A large BODY Of
citizens heretofore Of the Republican
organization also voted for him. The
aggregate OF these votes, as nearly as
we can estimate it, exceeds three mil
lions and a quarter. The nomi nal pop.
ular majority Tor Grant is something
over halt million. On vote o! near
" or quite seven millions majority Of
about seven per cent. This is the re-
suit as nearly as we are able, in the
absence of official returns, to state it
But this vote does not represent with
exactness the sentiment of the country.
1t is evident that large body of elect
ors stayed away from the polls. Nearly
every one of these men is an opponent
OF the Administration, and had they
seen. fit to cast their votes Grants pop
ular majority would DE very small, if,
indeed, it would existat all.
The prominent facts Of the election
NAV b. briefly stated: Ninety-fve per
cent of Democrats voted for greeley.
OF the erainirg five per cent a COM
parativelv small number voted for
tirant-the greater part Of them did not
vote at al. OF the Liberal Republi:-
cans who joined the. party Of reform a
large majority stood fast, while Others,
despairing OF success, went back to their
old associations or stayed at home,
"Now, leaving out Of view the venal
men who from corrupt motives deserted
the cause and voted Tor Grant, and who
can not be relied on by any party that
uses none but honorable mesrs to fur
Their its success, 1t may be safely affirmed
that the great boiy Of electors who
STAYED away from the polls are now, a.
they have been in times past, opposed
to the dominant Radical party. 1t
is true that they did not BY their votes
manifest their opposition at the late
election, and this fact is greatly to be
regretted; but let us not rashly cast
harsh censures upon them. If they
could not overcome their old, feelings
and prejudices 20 lar as to vote for q life
long opponent, we NAV aep'ore the tact,
but we should not be SO unjust as TO
place them in the ranks OF our
enemies. We have an abiding
faith that with time and .refec
ton they will be found as, hereto
fore, actively, on our side. The Rsdi-
cal camp is no camp for them; nor is
it the part OF wisdom to draw a party
tomahawk upon Democratic or Liberal
Republicans, who, from conscientious
tut mistaken motives, saw fit to vote
for Grant The circumstances were
novel and peculiar, such as had never
before been seen; and met of the best
intentions were liable to err. Condemn
a. strongly as you please the base men
who sold their votes, but be charitable
to your old friends. who, under ciroum.
stances of difficulty and embarrass-
ment, differed from you in opinion.
Instead Of repelling. etrivs to win them
hack. Free, independent thought is OF
the very essence of Democracy and true
Republicanism. 1t created the Demo-
cratic party in the beginning it has
maintained It ever since, It gave rise
to the Liberal Republican element of
to-day, and to 1t we must look for ac-
cessions in the future. What is needed,
tb en-, is not crimination and recrimina>
ton, but just the opposite. g.
"Three and . quarter million OF
electors have protested their votes
against the Radical misrpls a under
which the country has suffered, ard
which threatens to overthrow the very
Foundation OF free government The
reSsohi for their. protsst 49, - potent
to-day q when they cast their votes.