Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1872-09-28
PENNSYLVANIA.

A more exciting or more Gercely contest
ed campaign than the present one in this
Commonwealth we cannot call to mind.
Throughout the length and breadth of the
State the fight RACES evcrywhere-in the
journals, in mass meetings, in private dis
cussions, in hotels and waysde inns, in
clubs and societies. The old keystone has
never before been shaken. The enemy has
made bold and desperate effort to break
the position. and has had the aid of deser-
ters of consequence from our ranks. But
since the unhappy contest OF 1851, which
led to Buckalews election in the United
States Senate, we have never lost an cleo
tion in the old Commonwealth, nor do we
believe we shall now. The State is loyal
to tho core, and has been all through the
terrible times in which the Republic has
been so severely tried. She voted for Lin
coin in 1860 aud 1864. and for Grant in
1868. She voted for Curtin in 1860 and
1863, and for Geary in 1866 and 1869, and
all the intermediate elections since that of
1851 have been Republican.
Hence the political cast of the State is
decided although, in consequence of the
great extent of eritory., tho diverse inter-
csts and the large popular vote, the strug-
! gle is ever bitter one. Perhaps this
would not bc so were it not for the conspi-
cuous fact that Pennsylvania invariably
indicates the national choice in Presiden-
tial contests. The situation OF the State
geographically blends within her borders
J all the diverse clements of the nation, and
makes such composite mass that
whatever the people of the State say
! strongly in their elections may be taken
as the verdict Of the majority of the nation.
Owing to this the effort of contcnding par
| ties to carry the Stale at the State election
in October, in n Presidential year, is ever
! fierce aud embittered.
An insidious attempt has been made to
| give n false direction to the campaign, by
representing that the State might 90
against the Republican ticket in October
and for Grant in November. So it might.
! But we never knew of such case. lis
| tory bears no record of anything of the
kind, so that the impro5abilty is extreme
| The high tide of excitement in Prcsiden-
/ tial year generally covers up all the rocks
and shoals. Everybody feels that the i'm
| portancc of the Presidential Office is too
| great to be riskcd in any venture so peril
Gus as trying to separate the two elections
! in character 1t is the first that governs
/ the second. 1t is the Indicator that is all
| important in its effect upon the national
contest. The man, therefore, who feels
anxious about the Presidency must begin
! by looking 10 the State election. If he
shall 50 influence the latter as that the
Republican ticket shall triumph, Grant will
/ be the next President of the United States
/ beyond n pcradventure. Those who stand
alOOf from the State election, and talk
/ about helping in November, are mere h0li-
day soldiers. 1t was the capture of Maa-
koii' that sealed the fate Of Scbastopul.
In saying all this W. do not doubt that
there are very many thousands who will
not vote the Republican State ticket in
October who will vote for nobody but
Grant in November. But they come in
after the battle is fought and the victory
won. 1t is the firm, unyiclding, wcll-dis-
ciplincd array of the October force that
really docs the work. And if the latter
fails, the camp followers, and doubters, and
/ walters on Providence all swarm over to
the victorious side, and the gentry who
have been waiting TO cast their votes into
| the scale in November are OF little use,
since their abstention is sure TO lose US ali
the doubtful States. 1t is amazing how
many thousands of voters there are in this
country who are governed by external con-
sidcratiOns, by the prospects of success, hy
victories here aud there, and like influences.
And thus we see that ncglect:on to vote the
party ticket in October is tantamount to
casting an adverse vote i'll November.
And thus, too, we see that veteran poll
tcian, in undertaking an election for Prcsi-
dent, in which the work is all uphill, must
begin by undermining the strength of the
dominant party in Pennsylvania, by at
tacking the character Of its candidates and
trumping all manner of charges, true ol
false. fla complete triumph with these
means is impossible or improbable, II par.
tial victory, by defeating some candidates,
will suffice. And this is exactly what the
pending campaign in this State presents
1t is not an effort against llartrauit only
it is, besides Il well contriycd attack upon
Grants strength for the Presidency.
We shall have but few more impressive
words to say about the election, than thost
.hat We now lay before our Republican
readers for consideration. We ask then
to reflect seriously upon what we have said
1t is not intended for any other purpose
than this for experience has long sine,
satisfied us that when we have once Undue
ed our readers to do that the result canno
be doubtful, since Il most of them are
sound, shrewd business men, and treat
things directly and in n common sens,
manner, rs we do. Hence we simply asl
them to apply these considerations in thci
own minds and see whether we are no
ccrrcct. t.-NOrH lmcricdH CWi UHitct
States Gu2Ctte.