New-York tribune., 1872-07-09
POLITICAL CHANGES.

THE TRIBUNE publishes to-day an interesting
tabulated statement of the relative strength of
parties, showing the changes which have taken
place in the past four years. We exhibit. first,
a summary of the vote for President in 1868,
with the percentages of the votes of each party
to the total. Next comes table showing the
strength of the two parties as far as can be
ascertained by the latest tests in each State.
A comparison of the two tables will show that
the Republicans were in majority In % States
in 1868, of which States they now hold %. In
1868 the absolute Republican majority was
336, ass; this figure has been reduced by more
recent elections, as shown in the second table,
to 100 900. If this form of statement be objected
to, it may be said that the Democrats lacked
but 184,432 to give them majority of the
whole vote, counting against them all third
party movements. Or gain of less than three
per cent of the total aggregate vote would put
them in a majority.
Turning to the electoral vote, it will be seen
that the % Republican States ESQ classed in
Table No. p cast 281 votes in the Electoral
College, and the IS Democratic States cast 135
votes. So the Opposition have but to gain
New-YOrk and Pennsylvania, holding their
own in other States, to give them 1919 electoral
votes against 167 for Grant. The Democratic
minority in the former State is but 274 per
cent; in Pennsylvania it is 3.19. In 1869
and 1870, the Democrats carried NewYO !;
and in Pennsylvania the Republican majority
was less in each year than in 1868 and 1871.
Should the Opposition carry New York, Penn
sylvania, and Indiana, they may afford to lose
Nevada, Oregon, and New-Jersey, and still
have 1S4 electoral votes against 1872 for Grant.
A more favorable (but still reasonably esti-
mate might be made for the Opposition that,
commencing with Illinois, and going downward
through Table No. Q, they could lay claim to %
States, or 26O electoral votes. This should ex-
clude Florida where the carpet-b -baggers have
the Legislature. Such a classification would
leave Grant 10 States, with 106 electoral votes.
Since 1868, the Democrats have reduced the
majority against them by 1S4, ,4S1 and the Re-
publican majority has been attenuated in nearly
every State by the unpopularity of the Admin
istratiOn and the ruinous and corrupt policy of
the Washington managers. For instance, in
October, 1868, the Democrats had the small
majority of 961 in Indiana; the Republicans
had over 5000 in the November following, but
by 1870 the Democrats had reached a majority
of $685. Texas, which was classed as Repub-
lican State in 1869, reappears in 1871 with a
Democratic majority. So with Missouri, which
gave majority of 1888 for Grant in 1863,
but in 1870, brought out Liberal majority of
Al ,917 in total vote of 166,625. These are but
a few of the striking features which a study
of the tables referred TO present. The move
ments of parties and the changes in progress
and now imminent will be clear enough upon
an examination of the figures which we have
cOllated. The various deductions are easily
made, and the political student is referred to
the tables themselves.